Abstract

During the first half of this century, John Dewey's highly original philosophy exerted an important influence on both academic philosophy and educational thinking in the United States. Between the two world wars he acquired a national reputation as political thinker and activist which has not been matched since by an academic philosopher in the United States. Although his academic influence began to wane with the rise of his career as a political journalist, a recent revival of interest in Dewey's academic work has taken place. The ongoing assessment and appropriation of a philosopher's thought require not only the texts of his work, but also the best critical appraisals of that work. These four volumes gather, from a variety of sources across several disciplines, ninety-six articles which together constitute a comprehensive critical commentary on Dewey's work. Those who wish to evaluate and appreciate Dewey's contributions to psychology, education, political theory, epistemology, ethics, value theory, aesthetics and metaphysics will find these volumes vital and lasting resources. Each volume's introductory survey orchestrates the contributions in a way which shows Dewey's importance to contemporary political and intellectual culture.