Customer Reviews

The Quest for Certainty: A Study of the Relation of Knowledge and Action (Gifford Lectures 1929)

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As you can see, this book is out of print BUT GET IT ANYWAY! Dewey's solution to the to the intrinsic/extrinsic dillemea in the philosophy of knowledge is fascinating and worth thinking about.

He sees this problem as built around a misdefinition of knowledge- that is, knowledge as grasping the 'nature' of an external internally. Dewey replies, it can't be done. Knowledge, instead of drawing a hard line between the knower and the known, is experimental. When we know things, we do not know them in themselves. Rather we know our interaction with them. I can not grasp a tables nature; only traits revealed when I knock on it, set things on it, and perform other 'experiments.' Knowledge both in itself (Plato) and as gained only through passive empiricism (Locke, Hume) is a myth. While 'objectivists' might condemn this as denying the possibility of knowledge all-together, Dewey urges us against that interpretation. The objective world still exists under Dewey's remonstration. Instead of intrinsic knowledge (under Dewey, a paradox) we can only grasp it extrinsically.

This leads Dewey to theories of action. Action and knowledge (if I may paraphrase) are a loop with no clear division. We act (rather interact) with reality to gain new knowledge and control of it. Similarly, knowledge has no purpose but as a tool to further interaction with reality. Even the most abstract knowledge must serve as a symbol for some action in the 'external' world. Conversely, every action is an attempt to gain some knowledge of or control over the external world.

The reason for the subtracted star is that Dewey..let me see if I can put this nicely...is a horrible writer. When I say horrible, this is really dry. Couple that with ultra-abstract discussion and you'll be rereading sentences on an average of 2 per page. Trust me though, it is really worth it. Dewey, even if he doesn't change the way you look at epistemology, will give you ideas to challenge yourself with!