Dewey Course Topics and Readings
I. The Intellectual Context (One Week)
- The historical and intellectual context:
- Educational context
- Parker, Harris and the Hegelian impulse for reform.
II. The Philosophical Background -- Peirce and James (One Week)
- C.S. Peirce, "What is Pragmatism," The Monist, XV (1905), 161-181.
- C.S. Peirce, "The Fixation of Belief" CP 5 358-87.
- James, Pragmatism, Chps. 2, 5, 6, 7, 8.
III. The Early Dewey: reaction, emotion and thought (One Week)
- Dewey, How we Think
- Dewey, "The Theory of Emotions"
- Dewey, "The Reflex Arch Concept in Psychology"
- Eric Bredo, "Evolutionary Psychology and Dewey’s Critique of the Reflex Arch Concept"
IV. Educational Writings (3 Weeks)
- The Child and Curriculum; and the School and Society
- Dewey, Experience and Education
- Scheffler, Chps. 8 and 9 from Four Pragmatists
- Scheffler, "Reflections on Educational Relevance"
- Hirsch, ch. 5, Cultural Literacy
- Democracy and Education (chps. 1 - 15).
V. Science (1 Week)
- Dewey, "Common Sense and Scientific Inquiry" from Logic The Theory of Inquiry
- Dewey, "Supremacy of Method," from The Quest for Certainty
VI. Morals (2 Weeks)
- Dewey, Theory of Valuation
- Dewey, Human Nature and Conduct
VII. Political/Social Theory (2 Weeks)
- Dewey, The Public and its Problems
- Beth Singer, Pragmatism, Rights and Democracy
- Nancy Fraser, Justice Interruptus, Part II
VIII. Art (2 Weeks)
- Dewey, Art as Experience
- Phillip Jackson, John Dewey and the Lessons of Art
IX. Post-Deweyan Pragmatism (1 Week)
- Richard Rorty, ch. 9, "Pragmatism, Relativism, and Irrationalism" and ch. 11, "Method, Social Science, and Social Hope" from Consequences of Pragmatism
- Rene Vincente Arcilla, For the Love of Perfection: Richard Rorty and Liberal Education
X Student Presentations (2weeks)