Dewey, John - An Empirical Survey of Empiricisms

01/25/2013

This article is an examination of the concept of experience, as it evolves throughout philosophical history: Plato & Aristotle, Locke, and the more modern view. Author sets as the goal to actually be reviewing the different notions of empiricism, but takes the firm subject matter to be the concept of experience (pg71).

Author takes the Greek philosophers to consider experience as a 'know-how', not a 'know-why' matter. Experience can give you the know-how, but the know-why was reserved for reason, and/or understanding causal forces. (pg71-3) Author reviews Aristotle's theory on the progression of experiential knowledge: first there's sensation, then perception, then memory and imagination, finally ending in knowledge in generality, and habituation regarding the subject matter. (pg73) But this is all without applying reason or method to experience: reason was reserved for the pure intellect and universal or necessary truths. In this light, author discusses a difference between Plato and Aristotle in that Aristotle was willing to let politics and society be subject to generalities and intricacies only noticed by the wise and those with practical knowledge, while Plato attempted to sketch out what a rational basis for these institutions would be in The Republic (pg74-5). Author summarizes the Greek thinking on pg77: the contrast is between knowledge (intellect) and opinion or belief (experience), and experience is limited to a subject matter (e.g. farming, crafting) while theoretical knowledge is not. These distinctions are underpinned by the distinction between phenomena and a deeper reality.

The second conception of experience author considers is propounded by Locke. Author admits to skipping intermediary steps, but wants to capture a "typical" conceptual difference from the Greeks. Locke reshaped experience as observation, which gave it a much more direct connection to nature (pg79). Locke then argued that observation is the test of knowledge, thus making the ideas that came from observation the fundamental sources of knowledge. Author summarizes Locke's argument against innate ideas (pg79-80), but shows that Locke did admit to some universals, for instance in the realm of mathematics and morals (pg80-1). The next "stage" author discusses was Locke's move to reduce much of human mentality to sensations or associations with sensations (pg81). Author reviews the effect that this philosophy had on institutions and culture (pg82-3), specifically the skeptical and critical demands it had on old, established institutions, and also on creating new ideals in education and legislation. Author then talks about JS Mill's further refinements on this kind of associational empiricism (pg84-5) and Mill's interest in logic taken from the natural sciences into the social ones.

The last discussion is about some of the primary differences the third "view" of experience has had from the past one(s). Author starts with James and illustrates the pragmatist approach to confirming the validity of ideas: through their consequences (pg86). This directly conflicts with Locke, who wanted ideas to be justified through their antecedents: through what implanted or begat them. Another difference is the development of a biological basis for psychology rather than an introspective or phenomenological one (pg86-7). This seems to be a move back toward Aristotle, author suggests. Author concludes this new view of experience is still "inchoate", and in progress.