Abstract

The major thesis of this dissertation is that John Dewey's notion of communication not only has pivotal function for his entire philosophical enterprise, but that it lays the foundations of his social philosophy in general, and of his theory of democracy in particular. Dewey formulated his reconstructive social ideas primarily in the 1920s and 1930s, but they provide, I claim, a preeminent contribution to the current debate on communication and democratic theory. ;My first four chapters reconstruct his wide approach toward language and communication. After an overview of Dewey's overall philosophical objectives, the biological, semiotic, and psycholinguistic basis of his pragmatic naturalism is presented and compared to relevant contemporary linguistic theories. ;I furthermore attempt to demonstrate the unique fashion in which Dewey's notion of communication bridges the instrumental and the consummatory, aspects of human language and existence. For this purpose, I analyze his theory of meaning and indicate the significance of imagination and temporality in Dewey's approach. ;Afterwards, I examine the various ways in which, for Dewey, communication influences the development of the human mind and consciousness, intelligence and emotions, character and individuality. In this context, his rich concept of habit occupies a central position. ;The main chapter explicates the ways in which Dewey's theory of communication is constitutive of his views on the community and democracy, culture and education, science and art. I argue that Dewey defines the community and democracy--which represents the ongoing search for the meaningful life through participation and communion--in terms of the supreme goals of communication. In this sense, communication, democracy, and community are interpreted as continuous ideals. ;In the concluding chapter, I exemplify Dewey's notion of democracy through an analysis of the major problems which are bothering most nations that are currently struggling toward political democracy. My examination endeavors to show that Dewey's descriptions offer deep insights into the workings of rapid political, social, and educational changes. Finally, I discuss the fecundity of Dewey's notion of the community in the context of present and possible future challenges to democracy and communication