The sun., 1916-12-31
John Dewey Addresses
S~chOolmasters Association

more recognition abroad was because
foreigners always look to ~ for some
thing distinctly American. and this phi
losophy OF measuring the value ct
things in accordance with their usefulness
is said to he characteristic Of us AZ n ma
ton. We do not indulge In the idle luxury
Of reproducing an outside thing In AN in
side ~mind-merely subtlety OF specula-
ton II ~ far more American to lie con-
cerned with getting control OF our nat
urol resources and adapting them to
human use.
ITO some II is repellent OF course that
our beliefs II ideas are true. not by
virtue Of their representing outside
things but only In 20 far as they work.
Tho Law Of gravity. for example. is found
to be true when We 20 ahead and test II.
When a formula clears up our active re-
lationshlp with the world outside. we
regard II as true.
'The development OF this theory Of
pragmatlsm In consequently facilitated
by the development OF biology and evo-
~lutionary science. No one denies that
there In some kind Of connection between
mind and body. especially between the
sense organs and h brain. Biological
evolution would explain that the brain
! and the sense organ had developed not
as q means OF picturins. but because OF
their value In giving every living being
actual control OF his environment. That
IL one Of the scientific legs upon which
this theory stands.
MIR. PIERCE said that his theory first
came to him In connection with his con-
sideration OF the laboratory habit ~
mind and what may be termed the
none-laboratory habit Of mind. a nan
who has become habituated to labora-
tory ways OF work would measure
any new idea or principle put be-
Tore him in terms Of what he would
do with II as a method OF investigation.
what consequences II would lead to. The
pragmatic laboratory test of any new
idea ls whether It will work. and how.
II is the experimental concept Of truth.
and Is the other scientific leg upon which
pragmatism stands.
This laboratory habit OF mind comes
into conflict with what may he termed
the absolute habit Of mind. To say that
true ideas are those on which we can
act successfully goes against the grain
Of the notion that there are certain eter-
nal and Interchangeable truths which we
have once for all to accept. and upon
which We are TO base our practice in
stead Of having Jul practice work out
along natural lines.
This conflict IL clearly indicated in
the great field OF the law, where the
" ab'tlipN 10 W NSN Jaw dS ~
means of social adjustment. The value
Of laws Is not in furnishing an absolute
model. but In facilitating the processes
OF social adjustment. Prof. Roscoe
Pound. dean " the Law School OF Hay
ward, has concluded that the old philul-
ophy OF law has become a great hin
drancc In the economic n social de-
velopment " this country, especially
since the coming OF tho telephone. tho
telegraph. the automobile and other mod.
ern inventions. He has taken the prag-
matism OF William James as his work
ing philosophy of law. This point Of
view makes the science OF law expert
mental n flexible. the forms OF which
would change with the changes Of So
ciety.
The ame theory applies TO the prin-
ciples OF ethics and religion and a vast
sheaf Of subjects. Since Socrates, II II
the most satisfactory attempt at solving
the problems of life.
Educators. II seems to me. must At
least act ms IL this philosophy were true.
For their purposes II IL more valuable
than any OF the older types OF knowledge.
Consider beliefs. ideas and truths instead
Of being Idle reflections Of an outside
reality ms the only human means of get
ting command over ourselves and over
nature. Would not this point of view
simplify many problems OF teaching ?
Pragmatism has a bearing above all on
education.
"1f knowledge Is only knowledge, then
there Ii no objection to conserving all OF
the knowledge OF the past and baslng
upon this all our school curriculum. II
II il. on the other hand. pragmatic. there
must he pretty constant revision OF sub
Ject matter. not merely from the stand
point Of the greater practical utility but
also from the point OF view OF the vital
lily Of knowledge Canon Hatch Of the
Church Of England wrote n treatise on
the influence of Greek philosophy upon
modern life. In the course OF which he
said that the student In our higher
schools studies literature rather thar ma
ture because the Greeks did this. Lam
euage and literature OF course have a
relevancy in modern life. but certainly
our command OF nature IL 40 different
from that OF tho Greeks that the study
Of nature has "A significance In m"dern
life that must Va followed. The philoso-
ply of pragmatism constantly puts the
burden Of proof upon any subject rather
tina merely taking that subject AS a
heritage OF the past. Our hole c!vlliza-
ton is built upon the applications of
science. therefore pragmatically the pres
ent swing 10 scientific traininc II IA COR
rect tendency. Indeed II may he said
tha, 1t is pragmatism which has offered
many II not most OF the newer views
In education"
In the lively discussion which followed
one Of the first questions was as to the
application of this philosophy 10 the
question of religion. prof. James said"
replied br. Dewey. that the real mear-
ing Of our beliefs lies IN their future out
look rather than in the past. 4 belief
In God geographically means an emphasis
upon tho consequences that follow. II