International Journal of Social and Educational Innovation (IJSEI)

No.1/ 2014

Theory of Knowledge by Experts

LEPCALIUC Anamaria

Stefan cel Mare University Suceava, Romania

anamarialepcaliuc@yahoo.ca

Received 25.06.2014; Accepted 23.07. 2014

Abstract

Few thinkers have failed to score with such force of ideas, both education and policy universe

during the first decades of the twentieth century, as did John Dewey. Hi's instrumentalism was

considered a pragmatist version of the current version which gives more substance "structure"

created by the two and has firmly established that traditional philosophical conception that analyze

the practical effects of beliefs and our actions should be represent the most important concern of

the human mind. Intelligence has its basis in experience, but not instrumental, in that it was only a

means that produces, mechanically, a preset goal, it is "an organ imaginative and creative," says

Dewey, leading to the future and past "has significance for all disciplines who have an intimate

connection with human behavior: logic, ethics, aesthetics, economy.

Keywords: theory, logistics, traditional philosophical conception, intelligene

1.Introduction

Few thinkers have failed to score with such force of ideas, both education and policy universe

during the first decades of the twentieth century, as did John Dewey.

John Dewey's instrumentalism was considered a pragmatist version of the current version which

gives more substance "structure" created by the two and has firmly established that traditional

philosophical conception that analyze the practical effects of beliefs and our actions should be

represent the most important concern of the human mind.

Intelligence has its basis in experience, but not instrumental, in that it was only a means that

produces, mechanically, a preset goal, it is "an organ imaginative and creative," says Dewey,

leading to the future and past "has significance for all disciplines who have an intimate connection

with human behavior: logic, ethics, aesthetics, economy [...]". The ultimate goal of morally, is

constantly improving and refining the process of intelligence, "growth", accumulating, continuous

reconstruction of experience.

Organic connection between the theory of knowledge, ethics and Dewey's conception of society is

even more visible when American philosopher argues that social institutions should critically

examine the social function of intelligence, because it is not innate and can not be polished in

isolation. The development of "skills" democracy must begin at school, namely in the first years of

the child's educational experience. Dewey does not agree with the idea that the school prepares

future members of society. It should be seen, rather, as an extension of society, where the child

operates seamlessly as a full member of the community.

International Journal of Social and Educational Innovation (IJSEI)

No.1/ 2014

John Dewey is considered by specialist reviewers as one of the most important representatives of

modern American pragmatism, "Dr. Dewey's scientific perspective and his arguments are largely

derived from a review of the scientific method." He claims that the truth of an idea lies in its

correspondence with reality, and that the term should be understood otherwise than according to the

traditional theory of truth correspondence. He believes that for a pragmatist, an idea is consistent

with reality when it leads to solving a problematic situation, being used successfully in action to

achieve a certain goal individually.

Dewey addresses the issue of knowledge in a naturalistic manner, considering the development of

knowledge is a human adaptive response to environmental conditions, the role of this response

being to intervene actively in the environment and turn. Dewey believes that for an instrumentalist,

knowledge is not just passive reception of a reality independent of the mind, but is the result of

investigative activities. Our judgments are tools that serve to explain how to carry our interaction

with the environment and predict our future experiences.

They operate in situations of life and have implications for our future existence. Judgments are tools

which work together with the experience in the meaning that they are able to connect to each other

different experiments (thus making possible the prediction), but are, in turn, screened through

experience. According to Dewey, judgments should be regarded as resources in the process of

investigation and should be evaluated according to their effectiveness or ineffectiveness. in the

value of truth, it is relative to the opportunity to justify their assertion.

To understand clearly what the truth of a judgment in terms of Dewey, it is necessary to specify in

advance how he thinks the investigation stems that reach the truth. The reason is that, for Dewey,

inquiry is the means by which we approach the truth, building it all the time. American philosopher

distinguishes five phases of the investigation, namely indeterminate situation, setting a problem,

determine the solution of the problem, reasoning and experiment. The investigation stems from a

problematic situation and consists of "controlled or directed transformation of an indeterminate

situation into a situation that is so determined in its constituent distinctions and relations that

converts elements of the original situation into a unified whole" .

2. Some problematic situation concerning Dewey’ problem

Investigation can turn an indeterminate situation into one determined. The operating conducting the

investigation deliberate changes on cognitive situation, reaching eventually, build subject

knowledge, there are no pre-trial investigation, but is the product of this process. Dewey does not

deny that before the investigation take place, there are events surrounding nature but considers that

they are not objects of knowledge only when they are investigated. Characteristics of an object of

knowledge depend on the specific conditions which have been imposed since the beginning of the

investigation process.

The researcher attempts to solve some problematic situation, devise a specific procedure on which

is to be conducted the research and make observations and measurements in terms of concepts that

are available in that phase of development of science. in the process of investigation, indeterminate

situation from which we started is transformed and the object of knowledge is built. Dewey points

International Journal of Social and Educational Innovation (IJSEI)

No.1/ 2014

out that "according to pragmatism, ideas (judgments and judgments are included for convenience in

this period) are attitude response to extra-ideal things, extra-mental."

Turning to the first stage of the investigation, the problematic situation, it is characterized by

Dewey as a situation in which instinctive responses that the body gives the environment no longer

allow individuals to achieve their goals. Based on these data, he can understand the problem faced

and may make this hypothetical solutions. The experiment follows according to the requirements

imposed by the initial difficulty. Success hypothesis to be tested experimentally depends on how

comprehensive it helps to solve the difficulty identified.

The truth of the hypothesis depends on the consequences that occur when it is implemented where

consequences of the difficulty of resolving the original, which generated the investigation, the

hypothesis tested is true (though its truth is accepted provisionally, thanks to useful results obtained

after checking them). Consequences if not eliminate the difficulty, then it means that the hypothesis

is false to address. Summarizing, we can say that to be true, a judge must satisfy two conditions:

first, it must be justified, that is the product of an investigation which was carried out in order to

solve a given problem; Secondly, it should solve the problem that prompted the formulation of this

judgment as a possible solution to them.

Dewey rejects foundationalism and position failibilist. He believes that any court accepted as true is

only provisional status, as long as you can provide a sufficiently coherent understanding of reality,

so that it can serve as a basis for human action. According to Dewey: "The ability to reach the truth

and using it is a fundamental problem and a condition of modern life." Owning truth makes life

easier for us and allows us to act more effectively, which is why it is very important for each of us

to know the truth and we can use. It is noteworthy that in his later works, Dewey will get to have

doubts about the possibility of formulating a clear and precise characterization of the truth.

3.Conclusions and sugestions

In conclusion I would like to mention that one aspect of the pragmatic theory of truth for which

currently advocates and American pragmatism is the anti-foundationalism, rejecting the idea of the

existence of unquestionable foundations of theories. And the right time to introduce his comments:

"Dewey's theory of knowledge has not been processed in a manner to bring into the mainstream of

Anglo-American epistemology. Today few epistemology appreciate what Dewey's thought can

contribute to the solution of problems of knowledge launched by other theorists. "

As can be seen, is a project formulated in general terms, which provides a range of information on

current pragmatic points of interest but whose chances of success are difficult to assess. However, if

the attempt to formalize a pragmatic theory of truth will be a success and will allow any objections

which have been brought to this theory, I would say that there are encouraging prospects

contemporary pragmatist project to be successful.

International Journal of Social and Educational Innovation (IJSEI)

No.1/ 2014

References:

[1] Dewey, John. (1910). “A Short Catechism Concerning Truth”. In The Influence of Darwin on

Philosophy and Other Essays, New York, Henry Holt and Company.

[2] Dewey, John. (1938). Logic: The Theory of Inquiry, New York, Holt.

[3] Dewey, John. (1910). “The Significance of the Problem of Knowledge”. In The Influence of

Darwin on Philosophy and Other Essays, New York, Henry Holt and Company.

[4] Glock, Hans-Johann. (2003). “Logical Pragmatism in Quine and Davidson on Language”. In

Thought and Reality, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2003.

[5] Gouinlock, James; Dewey, John. (1998). The Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, London

and New York, Routledge, 1998.

[6] Haack, Susan, “Pragmatism”. (2000). In Jonathan Dancy and Ernest Sosa (eds.), Dictionary of

Philosophy Knowledge, vol. II Bucharest: Three, 2000

[7] Haack, Susan, “Two Theories of Truth: The Relation Between the Theories of John Dewey and

Bertrand Russell” in The Journal of Philosophy. Website http://www.journalofphilosophy.org/

[accesed 12.05.2014]