Naturalism, Realism, and Transaction in Dewey’s Later Thought

• In Event: Roundtable Session 101
  In Roundtable Session: Issues in John Dewey’s Philosophical Thought

Abstract

This paper explores Dewey's realism and naturalism in his mature thought. In distinguishing between Dewey's early (naive) realism and his later (transactional) realism, the paper argues for understanding his naturalism as an extension of his realism and one that also extends to classroom practice. Specifically, Dewey's mature thought offers a substantive re-orienting of the roles and purposes of students and teachers as knowers, not mere particpants in the transfer of information, in contemporary schools.

Author

• Deron R. Boyles, Georgia State University