Numerous individuals, of course, collectively become a group. This position of Dewey's is a slight difference from that of Nietzsche's conception of the herd, for the simple fact that Nietzsche widely regards the herd mentality as an external source which encompasses solitary people and forces them to adhere to it. Dewey's perspective is noticeably different than that of the German philosopher in this regard, for the simple fact that the former views the individual as having more of a determination in what the collective moral values are that he or she chooses to align him or herself with.
Additionally, it important to understand the degree of influence with which Dewey views that the individual has upon the collective morality which largely governs society. The author emphasize the amount of sharing that takes place between the individual's emotions and that of the collective to reinforce the notion that group and its ethical views is just an aggregate of disparate individuals. Furthermore, from a purely collective perspective, Dewey asserts that the commonalities shared between the group as a whole are fairly reflective of the values of individuals, which the following quotation makes perfectly clear. "The gregarious instinct may be the most elemental of the impulses which bind the group together, but it is reinforced by sympathies and sentiments growing out of common life, common work, common danger, common religion" (Dewey 35). This quotation may be considered somewhat similar to Nietzsche's perspective in regards to a herd mentality due to the fact that Dewey describes it as being a fairly primal reaction of mankind, but the similarities of the commonalities described in the "sympathies and sentiments" are unabashedly positive and somewhat even optimistic in the author's positing.
Chapter V
It would actually be extremely interesting to hear any form of commentary that Aristotle would offer upon Dewey's notion that there are "four…tendencies towards self-assertion" (Dewey 82). There are certain aspects of what Dewey contends are the purposes of these psychological agencies that Aristotle would agree with. More than likely, he would concur with the objective of these tendencies towards self-assertion. But, in all likelihood, he would probably express disapprobation at a number of the central tenets which Dewey expresses as being important in the process of asserting oneself against the forces exerted by the surrounding environment, society, and the world.
The basic premise of Dewey's psychological agencies is that there are specific human responses to immutable, external forces, which a person must summon in order to establish his or her own respective individuality. To that end, the four tendencies that comprise the majority of the psychological agencies can be regarded in a hierarchical fashion; they typically require completion in sequence in order for a person to fully establish his or her identity as an individual. The sex instinct is the first of these tendencies, which is followed by the demand for...
These group standards differed from society to society, but every social construct had them - including large societies such as countries all the way down to small societies such as family units. The idea behind the group standards was that rules were created that belonged to a group, and people who wanted to be part of that group and be accepted by that group had to follow those rules. Otherwise,
How many value-added units is the teacher-scholar producing?" and, Van Luchene continues, "Lip service is paid to educational considerations beyond quantitative measures... [and because of that] we stand to lose the vitality of our educational system. To boot, we may also lose our democratic form of government, depending as it does on education to foster deliberation, judgment, imagination..." Meantime, Van Luchene stresses that Dewey's writing "provides a refreshing antidote..." To
Dewey's theory of knowledge approached thought genetically, as the product of the interaction between organism and environment, and knowledge as having practical instrumentality in the guidance and control of that interaction. Dewey termed this approach "instrumentalism." Dewey provided a detailed genetic analysis of the process of inquiry is his Studies in Logical Theory, conceptualizing the process in three phases. The first phase is the problematic situation, which Dewey defines as
Educational Philosophy Comparison: John Dewey vs. William Bagley There have always been philosophical battles between progressive thinkers and conservative thinkers when it comes to the education of America's children. Those wars were waged in the 18th, 19th, and 20th Centuries, and educators from both sides, and some in the middle or the far left or far right, are still involved in the same philosophical scrimmages today. It's healthy though, to look
IV. What Might be Suggested by John Dewey John Dewey would heartily approve of the teaching practice of Ms. Thompson. She is teaching in the 'present moment' utilizing that which is available for use instead of lamenting that which is not present. The students feel cared for by Ms. Thompson, they are thriving under her instruction. John Dewey would challenge Ms. Thompson to always keep in focus in terms of her
Jane Addams v. John Dewey Theorists Jane Addams and John Dewey are American pragmatists since they are among the formative thinkers in the early 20th Century. These two theorists made significant contributions to the field of public administration and democracy based on the perspective of feminism. Jane Addams not only contributed to the political sphere where she was legally prohibited from involvement but also expressed and assisted in creating social
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