The Public and Its Problems: An Essay in Political Inquiry

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Penn State Press, 2012 - Philosophy - 190 pages

The revival of interest in pragmatism and its practical relevance for democracy has prompted a reconsideration of John Dewey&’s political philosophy. Dewey&’s The Public and Its Problems (1927) constitutes his richest and most systematic meditation on the future of democracy in an age of mass communication, governmental bureaucracy, social complexity, and pluralism. Drawing on his previous writings and prefiguring his later thinking, Dewey argues for the importance of civic participation and clarifies the meaning and role of the state, the proper relationship between the public and experts, and the source of democracy&’s legitimacy. These themes remain as important today as they were when Dewey first engaged them, and this is the work to which scholars consistently turn when assessing Dewey&’s conception of democracy and what might be imagined for democracy in our own time.

In this carefully annotated edition, Melvin L. Rogers provides an introductory essay that elucidates the philosophical and historical background of The Public and Its Problems while explaining the key ideas of the book. He also provides a biographical outline of Dewey&’s life and bibliographical notes to assist student and scholar alike.

 

Contents

Revisiting The Public and Its Problems Melvin L Rogers
1
An Essay in Political Inquiry by John Dewey
31
Foreword 1927
33
Introduction 1946
35
Search for the Public
41
Discovery of the State
60
The Democratic State
81
The Eclipse of the Public
101
Notes to Introduction 1946
165
Notes to Chapter 2
167
Notes to Chapter 3
169
Notes to Chapter 4
171
Notes to Chapter 5
172
Notes to Chapter 6
174
Bibliographical Note
177
Index
181

Search for the Great Community
119
The Problem of Method
142
Notes to Introduction Melvin L Rogers
161
COVER Back
191
Copyright

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About the author (2012)

Melvin L. Rogers is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Emory University.

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