John Dewey

John Dewey was a well-known American theorist, psychologist, and educational reformer who lived from October 20, 1859 to June 1, 1952. The core of democracy, according to Dewey, extends beyond the mere increase of voting rights to include the formation of a fully developed public opinion. To do this, Dewey highlighted two key areas that needed to be addressed and rebuilt: schools and civil society. He pushed for a shift that would encourage experimental intelligence and welcome diversity.

According to Dewey, True democracy could only be realized through good communication among citizens, experts, and politicians, resulting in a dynamic and informed public conversation. One of the founders of functional psychology is John Dewey, a major figure in the domain of pragmatism. His seminal publication, "The Reflex Arc Concept in Psychology," published in 1896, is widely regarded as the foundation stone of the Chicago functionalist school of psychology. Dewey's contributions to the philosophical framework of pragmatism, as well as his basic work in functional psychology, have had a long-lasting impact on the subject. A 2002 study published in the Review of General Psychology placed Dewey as the 93rd-most-cited psychologist of the twentieth century, highlighting his continuing legacy in the annals of psychological thought.

Early Life and Education

John Dewey, a well-known American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer, was born into a low-income family in Burlington, Vermont. He was one of four boys born to Archibald Sprague Dewey and Lucina Artemisia Rich Dewey. Unfortunately, tragedy struck them early in their lives when their first son, also called John, was killed in an accident on January 17, 1859. Undaunted by this loss, the second John Dewey was born on October 20, 1859, just forty weeks after his older brother died. Growing up with his surviving brother, Davis Rich Dewey, John attended the University of Vermont, where he joined Delta Psi and graduated with honors as a Phi Beta Kappa scholar in 1879. This formative time paved the way for Dewey's later major contributions to philosophy and education. John Dewey, a notable philosopher and educational reformer, found a crucial mentor in Henry Augustus Pearson Torrey, sometimes known as H. A. P. Torrey, during his formative years at the University of Vermont. Following his graduation from university, Dewey pursued private studies under Torrey's supervision, further molding his philosophical worldview and establishing the framework for his future endeavors.

Career

Dewey began his career in education by teaching high school for two years in Oil City, Pennsylvania, followed by a year as a teacher at an elementary school in Charlotte, Vermont. However, He quickly realized that teaching at the basic and secondary levels was different from his calling. Dewey sought scholarly enlightenment from prominent thinkers such as Charles Sanders Peirce, George Sylvester Morris, Herbert Baxter Adams, and G. Stanley Hall later he pursued and successfully got his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University's School of Arts and Sciences, finishing in 1884. With the help of George Sylvester Morris, Dewey was able to get a faculty job at the University of Michigan, where he would serve from 1884 to 1888 and 1889 to 1894. Notably, his dissertation, titled "The Psychology of Kant," remains unpublished and lost to history. This scholastic voyage marked the beginning of Dewey's prominent career in education and philosophy.

John Dewey, a famous pioneer in the field of education, played a critical role in defining educational philosophy in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Notably, he established the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools as a platform for executing his pedagogical concepts, which he defined in his seminal work, "The School and Society" (1899). Unfortunately, management issues forced Dewey to leave the university, causing him to relocate to the East Coast. In 1899, he was chosen president of the American Psychological Association (A.P.A.), indicating his standing in psychology. From 1904 until his retirement in 1930, Dewey taught philosophy at Columbia University's Teachers College. Carl Rogers demonstrated that his great influence extended to the realm of psychology. Dewey's long contributions to education and philosophy solidified his place in American intellectual history. John Dewey was again chosen as president of the American Philosophical Association in 1905, marking a watershed event in his illustrious career. Dewey was a fervent advocate for education and philosophy who was not just well-known in academic circles but also a member of the American Federation of Teachers for many years. His commitment to educational reform and progressive values found a home at The New School, which he started with distinguished historians Charles A. Beard and James Harvey Robinson, as well as outstanding economist Thorstein Veblen. They played critical roles in shaping The New School's intellectual landscape as well as pedagogical philosophy, leaving an indelible mark on the institution as well as the greater academic community.

Notably, "Logic: The Theory of Inquiry," published in 1938, presented Dewey's particular vision of logic, challenging conventional ideas in the area. Dewey's political essay "Freedom and Culture" (1939) stands out, analyzing the underlying roots of fascism and emphasizing the connection between freedom and cultural dynamics.

Furthermore, "Knowing and the Known" (1949), co-authored with Arthur F. Bentley, methodically described the concept of transaction, a major subject in Dewey's Transactional body of work. This collaborative work gave a thorough examination of their common concepts, contributing to a better understanding of Dewey's philosophical legacy. While each of these publications focuses on a different philosophical issue, Dewey's major themes are covered in Experience and Nature. Dissatisfied with what happened to the first (1925) edition, he rewrote the first chapter. He included a Preface in which he noted that the book offered what we would now call a new (Kuhnian) paradigm: 'I have not striven in this collection for a reconciliation between the new and the old'. He also claims Kuhnian incommensurability: "The combination of the phrases "experience" and "nature" may appear to many to be analogous to debating a paradoxical concept, such as a "round square." Attempts to resolve this seeming conflict through dialectical argument are judged pointless, as the objections originate from engrained associations with the terms rather than logical flaws, according to the text. Instead, the author draws a connection with the Kuhnian conversion process, in which the purpose is to gradually uncover and reinterpret the meanings attributed to "experience" and "nature" during the conversation.""

The ultimate goal is to cause an unconscious transformation in the previously held meanings of these phrases, with the expectation that a shift in understanding will occur throughout the entire discussion. This method recognizes the limitations of dialectical reasoning in answering arguments based on language associations, instead choosing a more sophisticated strategy centered on the complex growth of meanings. Hilda Neatby stated of Dewey's enormous influence on twentieth-century thought, "Dewey has been to our era what Aristotle was to the middle ages when he was not a philosopher, but the philosopher."

Visits to China and Japan

Dewey and his wife took a break in Japan in 1919. Though the Japanese people warmly welcomed Dewey and his wife during their visit, Dewey was critical of the country's political structure, claiming that the country's route to democracy was "ambitious but weak in many respects in which her competitors are strong." He also stated that "the true test has yet to come." But if the ostensibly democratic globe abandons the proclamations made during the war, the shock will be great, and bureaucracy and militarism may return." During his trip to Japan, Dewey was invited to visit China by Peking University, most likely at the request of his old students, Hu Shih and Chiang Monlin. On April 30, 1919, Dewey landed in Shanghai with his wife Alice. This coincided with student demonstrations in Peking a few days later. Protests erupted in response to the Allies' decision in Paris to hand over German-held territory in Shandong province to Japan. Dewey was captivated and energized by the zeal and enthusiasm demonstrated by protesters during the May 4 movement. Captivated by the developing events, he extended his stay in China, eventually staying for two years until departing in July 1921. Dewey's presence in China during this pivotal period reflects the intersection of historical events and his intellectual engagement with the socio-political landscape of the time. Over two years, John Dewey dedicated himself to fostering intellectual interchange, giving nearly 200 lectures to Chinese audiences and sending monthly essays to American periodicals like The New Republic.

Dewey strongly lobbied for American backing of China's transformation, owing to his keen grasp of Japanese expansionism in China and the appeal of Bolshevism to certain forces in China. Rather than revolution, he advocated that this transition be based on education and social reforms. As a popular personality for Chinese audiences, Dewey's lectures, as interpreted by Hu Shih, drew large crowds ranging from hundreds to thousands. Dewey, known as "Mr. Democracy" and "Mr. Science," came to represent modern principles for his Chinese audience, receiving the nickname "the American Confucius." Although these lectures were lost to time, they were recovered and published in 2015, providing vital insights into Dewey's thoughts on democracy, science, and social transformation in China. According to Zhixin Su, Chinese educators who had the opportunity to study under John Dewey had a great influence on him. In the view of these educators, Dewey was the great apostle of philosophic liberalism and experimental methods. His campaign included promoting complete freedom of opinion and emphasizing the importance of independent and critical thinking. Dewey stood out among educators as a champion who strongly tied education to the practical issues of civic collaboration and the goal of meaningful living. His lessons cut across traditional lines, leading a new generation of Chinese educators to embrace a holistic approach to education that addressed not only theoretical knowledge but also its practical implications in fostering civic involvement and meaningful lives.

Visit to Southern Africa

In July 1934, Dewey and his daughter Jane travelled to South Africa at the request of the World Conference of New Education Fellowship in Cape Town and Johannesburg, where he gave many presentations. The conference was inaugurated by South African Education Minister Jan Hofmeyr and Deputy Prime Minister Jan Smuts. Max Eiselen and Hendrik Verwoerd, who would eventually become prime minister of the Nationalist government that instituted apartheid, were also present at the conference. The Carnegie Foundation covered Dewey's expenditures. He also visited Durban, Pretoria, and Victoria Falls in what was then Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) to inspect schools, speak with students, and deliver lectures to administrators and instructors. Dewey earned an honorary degree from the University of the Witwatersrand in August 1934. White-only governments rejected Dewey's theories as being too secular. However, black folks and white supporters were more welcoming.

Conclusion

Finally, during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, John Dewey, a renowned American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer, made substantial contributions to education, psychology, and philosophy. His commitment to democracy extended beyond voting rights to the formation of informed public opinion through schools and civil society. Dewey's influence extended across many fields, including functional psychology and the development of the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. His career included teaching, scholarly interests, and leadership positions, establishing him as a significant figure in American intellectual history. Dewey's influence was felt around the world as a result of his journeys to China, Japan, and Southern Africa, where he advocated for democratic ideas and educational reforms. His ideas continue to influence debates in education, philosophy, and democracy.