Deweys classic work, although tedious at times, is a cogent and landmark exposition of progressive educational theory. Democracy for Dewey was both a means and an end to the building of a good and just society.
In this regard he sought to develop strategies and methods for training students through learning and discipline to become socially responsible adults and conscientious citizens concerned with the rights of others and the common good and to be equipped with the knowledge and technical skills to be productive members of society in the context of our modern industrial world.
Dewey is truly a giant not only of modern educational theory but of progressive humanitarian thought generally. Dewey was truly one of the great Americans of the last century of which all people of good will can be proud.
This book was. . .Fantastic; a book I would recommend to just about anyone. (1) There is absolutely no pretense of an application of the scientific method, hence there can be no mis-application; (2) This book strikes me personally as one of the least dogmatic things Ive ever read in my life. The ideas are fresh, original, and beautiful crafted and ordered; (3) Education is Socialization - an equation of broadly construed -tions that results in a statement that one can neither agree nor disagree with.
His writing is clear and concise (at least in comparison with other great philosophers) - writing that I would personally aspire to. His ideas, and I cant say this enough, are some of the most original Ive come across. We didnt really cover the pragmatists in any of my philosophy classes. Reading this makes me wish we had.