Review

• Practical “pragmatic” shift in thought– Focus on action and “ideas” as

habits/guides to action• Schemes of ideas/values evolve via adaptation• Stable, social, responsive systems survive

– Formulated in Peirce’s 4 methods• Comfort v irritation—seek best method for

“fixing” belief• Some trade stability for social agreement and

reverse

Stability v Sociability• Tenacity and Authority have

reciprocal strength and weakness• A priori (inner light, pure rationalism)

= Socratic Method• Can’t achieve social agreement

• Only science builds in responsiveness and self correction

• Like a priori method, needs no authority (a plus)

• Gradual, coordinated, independently verifiable change

• Free and morally sound—integrity and real concern for truth

James’ Contrast

• James’ subjective version of Pragmatism– More comfortable with religion

• Psychological “pay-off” and make action possible

• Moral judgments and free will• Truth is what works

– And working can be very individual• Split with Peirce—Dewey as

compromise

Questions

Review Test ArrangementsReview next week after finish Dewey. Exam due before May

4

John Dewey

• Popular and influential – Politics and Education– Educational reforms and backlash

• Emphasis on problem solving– Now coming to you from HKU! Problem based

learning.

• Challenged by Russell—stops taking about truth– Russell insists not a good analysis

(correspondence)• Unfair--also a coherence theory of truth

(Socrates)– Correspondence never adequately explained

• Pragmatism a version of that (or a mild blend)– Coherent system of beliefs that work—brings in

reality

– Starts to use “Warranted Assertability” to avoid criticism

Warrated Assertability v Truth

• Process/method v metaphysical relation– What do the social norms of assertion

require, allow and forbid saying?– Justification or warrant rest on social

norms• The social norms of reasoning survive

or die– Sharing information and justifications– Social intelligence population

intelligence• Rejects the “picture theory” of thought• Opposed to classic individualist conception of

ideas• Interest (and reception) in China

Pragmatic Mix• Darwinism, Kant and utilitarianism

– Mind structures reality– Darwinian context: solves problems for

the organism• Leads to richer experienced life (utility ≠

pleasure)– Rationality is a product of evolution

• Kant and Hegel (focus on social evolution)

• Ways of solving problems that– Are compact enough to "fit in genes"– Successful general strategies given how

the world is

Inquiry

• Constructs a Kantian world that works– Change when it doesn't– Survival determining, but lots of room

for selection• Hence also utilitarian

– Cost-benefit analysis– In the extreme has survival

consequences

Steps in Inquiry

• Habit• Frustration• Doubt• Gathering information• Hypotheses• Testing• Return to action

Dewey’s Method of Inquiry

• Natural scientific method– Solve an actual frustration– Mind and habit.

• Share successful strategies– Forms of social coordination– Science as efficient way to store/retrieve

knowledge• Avoid “metaphysical” doubt

Only "Practical" Doubt

• Mind only "works" when habit is unsuccessful– Intellectually conservative– Accept scientific picture until disproof

• Anti-Descartes– No abstract doubt– Evil demon makes knowledge impossible

• May be mathematical, intellectual puzzles– But not "systematic" doubt

Neurath's Boat• Listing because of a leak

– Repair at sea (we have to stay afloat while we fix our system)

– Rely on the good side while we repair the broken plank

• Might eventually repair the whole boat– No single plank is irreplaceable– No "fundamental belief"

• Rely on other beliefs while correcting troublesome one– Might later correct those we relied on

earlier

Focus on Social Intelligence

• Shared information gathering, storing, accessing– Less tolerant than James of individual

"success"• Science, logic and scientific method

– Efficient storage, retrieval, testing• Cf. Apprenticeships, secret transmission, know-how

• Social intelligence about ethics, crime, economics, SARS and so forth– Critical, autonomous, conformity for common

good– No authority but doubt only when leads to

problems• Including theoretical problems

Social Emphasis

• Interest in Marxism, China–Shared social focus–American "socialist"

• Critical of Marxism but shared view of human social nature

• Main divergence: radical v ameliorative–Violent v liberal—like Neurath's boat

"Classical Liberalism"

• Conservative individualism• Shallow psychology of human nature

– Atomistic, egoistic, base hedonistic, amoral individuals (psychological egoist)

– Needing law to motivate moral behavior• Self‑fulfilling prophecy

– American character v. Chinese character: • Our nature is shaped by culture and

institutions

Classical Focus Wrong

• Not question of individual v society– Question is how to blend nature & culture

• New liberalism– Way to justify liberty is that its institutions

create free people• Self-critical, responsible, autonomous

– Not something demanded by metaphysically free individuals

Democracy

• Face to face discussion creates communal humans– Shared views

• Mutual respect• Equality • Concern for community

• Advocate democracy– To create self‑governing, self‑perfecting

beings• Not because majority is right or wise

Real Problems for Liberalism

• Non‑political/cultural factors inhibit moral growth– Even when politically free– Manipulative "free" institutions

• Economic determinism– Songs and arts– Confucius on 禮 liritual and music

Manipulation

• Television and advertising create artificial needs– Cars, fashions, perfumes, colognes,

style– Related to songs and natural impulse– Cf. Laozi

• Education for jobs– Free form of slavery– Sensationalist slaves

• Educational system‑‑teaches docility

Solution

• Political involvement– People take real power over themselves– Set up institutions with that goal

• Social intelligence– Value knowledge is like scientific– Social and coherent– Criticize some only—no systematic value

doubt

Philosophy for All

• Reason in morals and in science– Social shared intelligence

• We cannot choose not to philosophize– We choose do it well. . .– Or badly

Thank You

• Please stay for a few minutes to complete the course evaluation

• Good luck!