To learn is to devise a solution,” is a quote attributed to John Dewey. While the original source of the quote is unknown, some historians attribute it to the philosopher. It is also frequently misattributed to Dewey. However, there are several variations on the quote. Dewey never said these words, so it’s best to look at the original text for clarity.
“Good is the object of desire.” That is, good is what a person would desire if fully informed. Dewey spoke of the good as something an individual desires in calm, informed reflection. He rejected accounts of right which promoted a good but were inconsistent with his views. Right, in contrast, carries an element of authoritative demand and is distinct from good. Right contradicts individual desire, but arises from the authority of others, and is defensible in the light of further inquiry.
The author explains that “ideas are tools.” He viewed the human mind as a set of ideas, which are “plans of action.” In other words, ideas help us predict and use the world. A person, for instance, can use a hammer and form a better design by using an idea. He also views human ideas as precarious.
The origin of the famous John Dewey quote is disputed. However, it’s likely that Dewey was not the source of the quote. After all, he was a relatively modest person and did not make much money. A cousin of Dewey was the principal of a high school in South Oil City, Pennsylvania. He taught high school Latin, algebra, and science for two years. Upon his return to Burlington, Dewey became a professor at a small rural high school.
The end is a common idea among Western philosophers. It can refer to a natural purpose or the ultimate cause of an action. In many ways, it refers to the end of a moral action. As such, it is a moral absolute that must be discerned before it can be achieved. For John Dewey, an end is a deliberate outcome of history.
The slogan conveys two main commitments: democracy and experimentation. As a fully democratic society, the people would treat one another with respect and be willing to revise their own views. At the same time, the society would strive to thrive and flourish. This explains the paradox. A fully democratic society, in the view of John Dewey, would treat everyone with respect, maintain commitment to cooperative action, and be open to experimentation.
According to Dewey, the primary ethical problems of the modern world are organizational and social. Traditional laws and customs had not been able to deal with such rapid social changes as mass immigration, the Great Depression, and the demands of women. These problems led Dewey to advocate for new institutions that could cope with these changes. In addition to this, traditional law systems could no longer cope with the demands of the women and the threat of democracy.
