A Search for Unity in Diversity: The "Permanent Hegelian Deposit" in the Philosophy of John Dewey

Abstract

John Dewey's Hegelian roots remain controversial among philosophers and historians. The bone of contention is whether Dewey retained essential elements of Hegelian thought despite his repudiation of absolute idealism. This is an important issue that is crucial for understanding Dewey's theory of inquiry and his educational and political philosophies. James A. Good, a historian, makes a persuasive case that only when Dewey's early works are viewed within the context of Georg W. F. Hegel's conception of Bildung (education as self-formation) and situated in the American Hegelian intellectual movement, begun by William Torrey Harris in St. Louis, can we assess Hegel's complete influence. Good demonstrates some close parallels between Hegel and Dewey's philosophical pursuits and their attempts to steer clear of epistemological dilemmas and remain grounded in science and social realities. Good contends that Dewey rejected the transcendental absolute favored by some neo-Hegelians in favor of immanent absolutism, and then, later, he embraced experimental idealism. But Good's Dewey seems more preoccupied with getting Hegel right than moving beyond him.

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