Lot About Individuals Learning Through Experience example essay topic

John Dewey was an American psychologist, philosopher, educator, social critic and political activist. He was born in Burlington, Vermont, on October 20, 1859. Dewey graduated from the University of Vermont in 1879, and received his PhD from Johns Hopkins University in 1884. He started his career at the University of Michigan, teaching there from 1884 to 1888 and 1889-1894, with a one year term at the University of Minnesota in 1888. In 1894 he became the chairman of the department of philosophy, psychology, and pedagogy at the University of Chicago. In 1899, John Dewey was elected president of the American Psychological Association, and in 1905 he became president of the American Philosophical Association.

Dewey taught at Columbia University from 1905 until he retired in 1930, and occasionally taught as professor emeritus until 1939. During his years at Columbia he traveled the world as a philosopher, social and political theorist, and educational consultant. Among his major journeys are his lectures in Japan and China from 1919 to 1921, his visit to Turkey in 1924 to recommend educational policy, and a tour of schools in the USSR in 1928. Of course, Dewey never ignored American social issues. He was outspoken on education, domestic and international politics, and numerous social movements. Among the many concerns that attracted Dewey's support were women's suffrage, progressive education, educator's rights, the Humanistic movement, and world peace.

Dewey died in New York City on June 1, 1952. In one of John Dewey's essay titled "What I Believe", he goes in details about his new "faith". Dewey explains that this new "faith" was based around individual experience and not with doctrines of authority. In Dewey's eyes, he feels that by following a faith of authority people will soon lose their faith in the power of experience that shapes beliefs and actions.

There is a line in the essay that shows Dewey's belief that the new "faith" is based around experience not authority; "faith in its newer sense signifies that experience itself is the sole ultimate authority". Dewey also expresses that when people start having faith in a particular religion; they believe what others are telling them and not finding real faith and beliefs through their own experiences. So people need to find faith through experiencing life and not just joining a religion because someone told them to, because they will never find what true faith really is. A consequence with Dewey's new "faith" would be there would be no more religion or religious doctrine, because everyone would believe in different things, because all their experiences would be different in life. Therefore, everyone would also have a different sense of faith and how it has helped them. So, there could be no set religion or religions that people could follow or identify with.

Therefore, every individual would be following themselves and believing that their faith is the right faith to believe in. The significance of Dewey's faith is that it shows people how to find faith through their own personal experiences in life. It also teaches people how to question authority and think for themselves. So in a sense, there would probably be no such thing as wars over who's religion is right and who's is wrong, instead everyone would agree that this is my way of faith and this is yours. Dewey's democracy is about continuous change and adapting to society, and not being static. Dewey explains that the worst mistake people can make is visualizing democracy as fixed.

In his essay "The Challenge of Democracy to Education", Dewey says "the meaning of democracy must be continually explored afresh; it has to be constantly discovered, and rediscovered, remade and reorganized". Therefore, the role of public education will help democracy not to become static and fixed. Emerson and James were both great influences on Dewey's works and thoughts on philosophy, and there are definitely aspects of Dewey's works that connect to these two philosophers. Emerson's philosophy and James' pragmatism both discuss the issue that individuals need to learn through experience and gain knowledge through that experience, and not to learn through instruction. Dewey explains that schools need to "provide an understanding of the movement and direction of social forces and an understanding of social needs and of the resources that may be used to satisfy them". Emerson and Dewey both agree that education is too instructional, and the only thing that education is providing is knowledge of things, not gain knowledge just information.

In conclusion, Dewey is stating that democracy is not static; it needs to be a continuous change and adapting. And to achieve this education is that way, because if people are taught to be individuals and gain knowledge through experience then things will continue to change. Also people will conutine to learn and gain knowledge through every experience they have in life. Therefore, democracy can not be fixed if people learn through experience, because people will learn everyday and things will change. Looking back on the course this semester I have learned a lot about philosophy and different philosophers. I have learned that many philosophers influence one other and learn from each other.

For example, Emerson and James both influenced Dewey in his thoughts on democracy and education. I also learned that many of the philosopher's theories are related or extended views of other philosophers; such as Emerson and James. Emerson's philosophy that individuals need to learn through experience and James' pragmatism talks a lot about individuals learning through experience and expands on it and talks about gaining knowledge through experience. I enjoyed learning about Emerson that most because he talks a lot about the importance of thinking for yourself and not letting people tell you what you should learn and know. I feel that Emerson was right in giving his speeches to college students about not being sucked in the society of following orders, but learning from past and present experiences to be an individual. I feel that the overall material discussed in this course was very informative and interesting to learn about.

Many of the philosophers discussed the importance of being an individual and doing what you as a person believes is right. But they also discussed issues with education which is a very important topic too. I feel that education is to instructional at times too, and I feel that teachers should allow for their students to learn through experience, because I feel that leaves a bigger impact then constant instruction. So I really feel that this course taught me a lot about philosophy and a lot about how to be an individual and how to learn through experience.