PHIL 115 Lecture Notes - John Dewey, Rote Learning, Critical Thinking
Document Summary
Knowledge is power to transform the world. john dewey. Knowledge doesn t give us the power, but rather the inclination to solve problems. In politics, a given line of a school of thought is borne by the observation of a problem. Knowledge fosters this as it attempts to better the situation in a variety of ways. Dewey s pragmatism is not as concerned with ends and unconcerned with means. Next step: formulate a question that can produce an answer to a problem. This is the general way of posing a question. A hypothesis is an answer to a question. We should increase taxes on the richest by a few percent, eliminate loopholes that they can exploit, and increase corporate tax modestly. We must follow the progress of the hypothesis through all its terms, being the practical consequences mainly. A bad hypothesis may resolve an immediate problem, but could create additional problems. Scientific inquiry is an exemplar for intelligent thought.
