Freedom and culture

Freedom and Culture

AUTHOR John Dewey

DATE OF PUBLICATION 1939. NUMBER OF PAGES 176

PART I. Discuss the main thrust of the book: analyze the main arguments—point out what intended to accomplish.

"What is the freedom and why is it prized? Why freedom has lot of problems?" According to the author and by my understanding, by a part it is because "the idea of freedom has been connected with the idea of individuality." And in this book <<Freedom and Culture>> John Dewey argued that the reason is also because most person at his time, which was during the beginning of Second World War, were "occupy an intermediate and compromise position between two extreme side." Indeed, in 1936 the Spanish civil war, a war between Communists and Fascists which representing two extreme sides of political believe is the best explanation for us to understand his comment. The author tried to demonstrate in addition why, how and causes of political social and economical straggle within different schools. For example, why British and United Sates have different conception in the issue of "liberty under law," although both "associated freedom with qualities that cause human beings to be individuals in the distinctive sense of that word," what is thus the true American background of liberty. Or why German philosopher consider the individual freedom which was the natural right of mankind according to the philosophers of the Revolution (French) as the freedom of primitive sensuous animality.

PART II. Discuss two or there major points, things you learned, agreed/disagreed with, etc.

In American as in English liberal tradition, according to the author the idea of freedom has been connected with the idea of individuality, of the individual. It is considering as "the very nature of individuality." However, the author believed that the issue has been viewed (at least during his time) differently in the European continent. The freedom in the mainland is accompanied with the rationality argued John Dewey. Indeed there is a big gap of conviction between British and Continentals under all social aspects and issues, and it might be a time’s difference between my view, which is contemporary to the author’s. However, if we take the example of France, even though France is considering as fatal enemy to England or verse versa, but if we seek the origin of French revolution, it was very much influenced by the Glorious Revolution and its social political effects, which latter on did enlighten Voltaire and Rousseau, who then introduced idea of tolerance and freedom to French bourgeoisie. In addition, Napoleon said once in front of Jewish leaders and Rabies of France after he had been elected as the Consult that "the individual before the community." Which means, the idea of individual freedom has an essential place at the post revolution time. Therefore, it is questionable if we argue Anglo-American’s conception of "freedom" with European continental’s as not based on individuality. However, we may say that it is not only based on the English conception but it has a part of rationality in addition.

America believes Dewey wrote "that the chief enemy to realization of the desire is the tendency of government officials to extend their power without limit." As Tomas Jefferson in his old age in one of his letters to John Adams he made a statement about existing American condition and expressed a hope about their future estate: "The advance of liberalism encourages a hope that the human mind will some day get back to the freedom it enjoyed two thousand years ago." The author then argued that the situation has been developed since Jefferson’s time inversely even though "few people today hold the extreme view of Thomas Hobbes." Basically the author’s argument is that who wish to justify the exercise of authority over the people took a pessimistic view of the constitution of human nature and who wanted relief from the oppressive government discovered qualities of great promise in its native makeup. And this was the origin of American political doctrine, because different groups, classes, factions wished too see an institution in which either one could had a dominant position. John Dewey called it "the result of psychological inquiry." This theory and explanations are certainly accurate, and as the result we can understand why is that United States has weak president and political parties.

PART III. Did author accomplish his or her objective? Is the book written with bias or objectively?

Presumably the objective for author is to explain the development of republicanism and democracy, its institution in Europe and America, how Natural law distinct to Natural Rights. John Dewey explained also the importance of socialization, the role of education in a democratic country, and the origin of establishment of democratic institution in United States, which explained to its originality. Indeed these are extremely confusing subjects and according to New York Times, John Dewey did a "brilliant analysis." However, if the purpose of this book is to educate people who lived at that agitation period, it must be consider as a defeat. In this book, author used a way of writing, which is highly philosophic. Consequently this book can not be popular thus play its role as a part of socialization by the simple reason that any common person will understand author’s argumentation.

PART IV. Brief biography of author—discuss author’s qualifications to write this kind of book.

John Dewey is known as a great American philosopher, he was the president of the American Psychological Association and American Philosophical Association. Dewey lived from 1859 to 1952; he graduated from the University of Vermont in1879 then Johns Hopkins University. He was professor at Columbia University, with appointments in Philosophy and the Teacher's College. Dewey remained at Columbia until the end of his active teaching career in 1930, and his most noted works in philosophy and education were completed while he was associated with Columbia. He had an international reputation as an educational consultant; he lectures in Japan and China. Dewey continued to write and speak about intellectual and social issues after retired until shortly before his death on June 1, 1952.

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