“China's responses to Dewey” (Publication, 1985)
Year
1985
Text
Ching, Julia. China's responses to Dewey. In : Journal of Chinese philosophy ; vol. 12, no 3 (1985). (DewJ188)
Type
Publication
Mentioned People (1)
Dewey, John
(Burlington 1859-1952 New York, N.Y.) : Philosoph, Pädagoge, Psychologe
Subjects
Philosophy : United States of America
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References / Sources
Chronology Entries (4)
| # | Year | Text | Linked Data |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1919.07 |
Hu, Shi. Wen ti yu zhu yi. [More talk of problems, less talk of Isms]. The article was directly based on John Dewey's pragmatic method of thinking. "All valuable thinking starts with this or that concrete problem. To study the many facts connected with our many-sided problems, to look for the specific ills, is the first step in thinking. And then, to propose different methods of solution, which are based on our accumulated life experiences and knowledge, to suggest the many ways of healing the illness, is the second step in thinking. Afterwards, to infer the results of every kind of possible solutions, as well as whether these results will really solve our present difficulties and problems, and to choose, on the basis of this inference, a hypothetic solution, and consider it to be my opinion, is the third step in thinking. All valuable thinking has to pass through these three steps. Here in China a number of people have asked me, 'Where should we start in reforming our society ? ' My answer is that we must start by reforming the component institutions of the society. Families, schools, local governments, the central government – all these must be reformed, but they must be reformed by people who constitute them, working as individuals – in collaboration with other individuals, of course, but sill as individuals, each accepting his own responsibility. And claim of the total reconstruction of a society is almost certain to be misleading. Social progress is neither an accident nor a miracle ; it is the sum of efforts made by individuals whose actions are guided by intelligence." |
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| 2 | 1950-1965 | John Dewey : Shortly after the Communist takeover of the Chinese mainland, organized efforts were made to criticize and discredit John Dewey's philosophy and its practical influence in China. This began in a number of articles singling out for attach Dewey's educational philosophy, grew into a vehement and systematic campaign directed against Hu Shi but usually involving Dewey as well, and continued sporadically through the articles and books directed either against Hu Shi or Dewey himself, or against pragmatism as a school of though. This reaction might be considered a continuation of the 'radical' response already discussed earlier, except that, this time, the earlier radicals have come into power. Indeed, Chen Duxiu himself has been discredited much earlier. The reactions of the 1950s are entirely negative. There is no longer any discussion of pros and cons, any impartial analysis of Dewey's thought and influence. What we have is a thoroughgoing critique of Dewey's pragmatic theory of truth, his experimentalist methodology, as well as his social, political and educational philosophy. The criteria for criticism are derived from Marxist theories and are assumed to be themselves free from error. Dewey is criticized for being an idealist, who regards as truth only the data of subjective experience, and neglects the reality of the objective world. The pragmatic theory of truth is attacked for being relativistic and diametrically opposed to the absolute verity of the materialist interpretation of the laws governing class struggle and historical development. Dewey's social, political and educational theories are regarded as serving the interests of American capitalism and imperialism. | |
| 3 | 1954 |
Brief von Mao Zedong an Li Da. 28.12.1954. 'When we criticize pragmatism [John Dewey], we must yet distinguish between what pragmatism means by such words as practicality and results, and what we mean when we use similar words, especially as most people are still confused about them.' |
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| 4 | 1955 |
Ai, Siqi. Shi yong zhu yi : fan ke xue de zhu guan wei xin lun duo fang ga lun. In : Zhe xue yan jiu ; Jan. (1955). "There are people who know that pragmatism is a kind of reactionary subjective idealist philosophy, but separate its methodology from its philosophical worldview, and say : Dewey's ideas of 'realism' and 'truth' are without value, but his method is scientific and correct. But The pragmatic methodology cannot be divided from its subjective idealism. True scientific methodology is built upon the recognition of the objective reality of the material world, its laws of development and its knowability, as offered by the materialist worldview. Pragmatism does not recognize [such truths]. It serves to help reactionaries to 'cope with the environment' in a last minute struggle preceding their imminent demise." |
Cited by (1)
| # | Year | Bibliographical Data | Type / Abbreviation | Linked Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2000- | Asien-Orient-Institut Universität Zürich | Organisation / AOI |
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