Reconstruction in Philosophy
by John Dewey (1859–1952)
- Free to read
- 3 hours to read
- 9 chapters
- Reading level: College-level
"Reconstruction in Philosophy" by John Dewey is a philosophical treatise written in the early 20th century. The work explores the transformation of philosophical ideas in light of societal changes and advancements in science, arguing for a new understanding of philosophy that emphasizes its social function rather than its quest for absolute knowledge. Dewey seeks to bridge the gap between traditional concepts of philosophy and contemporary thought by addressing the conflicts between imaginative beliefs and factual knowledge. The opening of the book introduces the idea that human experience is deeply intertwined with memory and imagination, which shape our understanding of the world. Dewey contrasts the human ability to preserve past experiences with that of animals, emphasizing that human recollection transforms raw memories into narratives filled with emotional significance. He argues that this interplay of collective memory and imagination forms the foundation of philosophical thought and discourse. Dewey suggests that to understand the origins and functions of philosophy, one must also consider the influences of social traditions and emotional factors, which give rise to philosophical inquiry.
Read the opening
Chapter I
CHANGING CONCEPTIONS OF PHILOSOPHY
Man differs from the lower animals because he preserves his past experiences. What happened in the past is lived again in memory. About what goes on today hangs a cloud of thoughts concerning similar things undergone in bygone days. With the animals, an experience perishes as it happens, and each new doing or suffering stands alone. But man lives in a world where each occurrence is charged with echoes and reminiscences of what has gone before, where each event is a reminder of other things. Hence he lives not, like the beasts of the field, in a world of merely physical things but in a world of signs and symbols. A stone is not merely hard, a thing into which one bumps; but it is a monument of a deceased ancestor. A flame is not merely something which warms or burns, but is a symbol of the enduring life of the household, of the abiding source of cheer, nourishment and shelter to which man returns from his casual wanderings. Instead of being a quick fork of fire which may sting and hurt, it is the hearth at which one worships and for which one fights. And all this which marks the difference between bestiality and humanity, between culture and merely physical nature, is because man remembers, preserving and recording his experiences.
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About this edition
This free edition of Reconstruction in Philosophy by John Dewey comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #40089, released 2012-06-26. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Philosophy & Ethics.
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