Inquiry and Education: John Dewey and the Quest for Democracy

Provides a central role for Dewey's talk of education and how it fits into his overall philosophy.

Inquiry and Education offers a lucid and challenging interpretation of John Dewey, his critics, and his supporters. Thematically organized, the book focuses on four of Dewey's preeminent concerns-inquiry, growth, community, and democracy-and their close association with formal education. This book fills a void in the literature on Dewey by providing the first critical exploration of the philosopher's talk of education and how this fits into his overall philosophy. James Scott Johnston develops Dewey's thinking and suggests that Dewey's theory of inquiry is best described as self-correcting and context-bound.