In a pluralistic tapestry of approaches, eminent Dewey scholars address his pragmatic philosophy and whether it should be reinterpreted, reconfigured, or "passed-by," so as to better deal with the problems posed by the twenty-first century. For some, Dewey's contextualism remains intact, requiring more to be amended than radically changed. For others, his work needs significant revision if he is to be relevant in the new millennium. Finally, there are those who argue that we should not be so quick to pass Dewey by, for he has much to offer that has still gone unnoticed or unappreciated. This rich narrative indicates both where the context has changed and what needs to be preserved and nurtured in Dewey as we advance into the future.

Dewey's students at Columbia saw him as "an Aristotelian more Aristotelian than Aristotle himself." However, until now, there has been little consideration of the influence Greek thought had on the intellectual development of this key American philosopher. By examining, in detail, Dewey's treatment and appropriation of Greek thought, the authors in this volume reveal an otherwise largely overlooked facet of his intellectual development and finalized ideas. Rather than offering just one unified account of Dewey's connection to Greek thought, this volume offers multiple perspectives on Dewey's view of the aims and purpose of philosophy. Ultimately, each author reveals ways in which Dewey's thought was in line with ancient themes. When combined, they offer a tapestry of comparative approaches with special attention paid to key contributions in political, social, and pedagogical philosophy.

John Dewey was the first philosopher to recognize that Darwin's thesis about natural selection not only required us to change how we think about ourselves and the life forms around us, but also required a markedly different approach to philosophy. Evolution's First Philosopher shows how Dewey's arguments arose from his recognition of the continuity of natural selection and mindedness, from which he developed his concept of growth. Growth, for Dewey, has no end beyond itself and forms the basis of a naturalized theory of ethics. While other philosophers gave some attention to evolutionary theory, it was Dewey alone who saw that Darwinism provides the basis for a naturalized theory of meaning. This, in turn, portends a new account of knowledge, ethics, and democracy. To clarify evolution's conception of natural selection, Jerome A. Popp looks at brain science and examines the relationship between the genome and experience in terms of the contemporary concepts of preparedness and plasticity. This research shows how comprehensive and penetrating Dewey's thought was in terms of further consequences for the philosophical method entailed by Darwin's thesis. Dewey's foresight is further legitimated when Popp places his work within the context of the current thought of Daniel Dennett.

Works of John Dewey, 1886–2012 is an invaluable and meticulously compiled resource for the growing number of scholars and researchers seeking a deeper understanding of the work of the prominent American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer. Dewey (1859–1952), an influential philosopher credited with the founding of pragmatism and also recognized as a pioneer in functional psychology and the progressive moment in education, was hailed by Life magazine in 1990 as one of the one hundred most important Americans of the twentieth century. This rich and continually expanding compendium of historical and more recent essays, research, and references is a testament to the growing interest in Dewey’s intellectual work and his measurable impact in the United States and throughout the world. In Works of John Dewey, 1886–2012, some four thousand new entries are presented in ebook format, in addition to those from earlier print and electronic editions dating back to 1995. Copies of most of the works have been obtained and are stored at the Center for Dewey Studies. For the first time, users can access all items from all editions in one user-friendly format. Jump links to alphabetical sections facilitate movement through the vast collection of entries. Users can search by keyword and author.

Embodying Pragmatism is the first monograph in English devoted to Richard Shusterman, an internationally renowned philosopher and one of today's most innovative thinkers in pragmatism and aesthetics. The book presents a comprehensive account of Shusterman's principal philosophical ideas concerning pragmatism, aesthetics, and literary theory (including such themes as interpretation, aesthetic experience, popular art, and human embodiment - culminating in his proposal of a new discipline called «somaesthetics»). As Shusterman's philosophical writings involve a dialogue with both analytic and continental traditions, this monograph not only offers a critical vision of contemporary pragmatist thought but also situates Shusterman and pragmatism within the current state of theory.

A thorough, definitive account of Dewey's ethics

John Dewey (1859-1952) was a major figure of the American cultural and intellectual landscape in the first half of the twentieth century. The contributors to this Companion examine the wide range of Dewey's thought and provide a critical evaluation of his philosophy and its lasting influence.

This historical study traces how John Dewey, as did most of his contemporaries, struggled with the major dilemma of how to reconcile evolution, pedagogy, democracy, and race. In an original and provocative presentation, the author seeks to capture Dewey's original meaning by placing him in his own intellectual and cultural context. Fallace argues that Dewey created an ethnocentric curriculum at the famous University of Chicago Laboratory School (1896–1904) that traced the linear development of Western civilization and pointed to it as the cultural endpoint of all human progress. However, in the years following the First World War, Dewey reconstructed his orientation into an interactionist-pluralist view that recognized how a diversity of cultures was a necessity for democratic living and intellectual growth. Dewey and the Dilemma of Race is the first comprehensive intellectual biography to trace the development of Dewey's educational views. Filling an important gap in our understanding of Dewey's thinking on culture and race, this book will be of interest to a broad range of educators, historians, philosophers, and scholars.

This book tries to trace Dewey’s intellectual history from his early years to the end, focusing on the themes of psychology and the psychological aspect of education in Dewey’s lifelong writing.The author mixed the discussion on Dewey’s work with his life stories and shows readers how his ideas evolved over time. In turn, the book offers a critical review of his ideas in the areas of psychology and education. Lastly, it assesses Dewey’s involvement in and impact on education. In short, it provides a comprehensive account of his legacy in psychology and education.

This introduction to one of the most influential philosophers in American history examines every major dimension of John Dewey's philosophy, from his early post-Hegelian idealism to pragmatic experimentalism, as well as his views on ethics and political theory, philosophy of education, aesthetics, and philosophy of religion. It situates Dewey's thought in the context of his time (1859-1952) and personal biography while also discussing his considerable work as America's foremost public intellectual through the first half of the 20th century. With a particular focus on how Dewey's thought can be applied to real life and its particular relevance to the contemporary moment, Introducing Dewey is the ideal starting point for anyone with an interest in this seminal figure in American philosophy.