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Dewey, Ecology, and Education: Historical and Contemporary Debates over Dewey's Naturalism and (Transactional) Realism

Authors :
Boyles, Deron
Source :
Educational Theory. Apr 2012 62(2):143-161.
Publication Year :
2012

Abstract

In the early 1970s, Thomas Colwell argued for an "ecological basis [for] human community." He suggested that "naturalistic transactionalism" was being put forward by some ecologists and some philosophers of education, but independently of each other. He suspected that ecologists were working on their own versions of naturalistic transactionalism independently of John Dewey. In this essay, Deron Boyles examines Colwell's central claim as well as his lament as a starting point for a larger inquiry into Dewey's thought. Boyles explores the following questions: First, was and is there a dearth of literature regarding Dewey as an ecological philosopher? Second, if a literature exists, what does it say? Should Dewey be seen as biocentric, anthropocentric, or something else entirely? Finally, of what importance are the terms and concepts in understanding and, as a result, determining Dewey's ecological thought in relation to education?

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
0013-2004
Volume :
62
Issue :
2
Database :
ERIC
Journal :
Educational Theory
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
EJ962225
Document Type :
Journal Articles<br />Reports - Evaluative
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-5446.2012.00440.x