Abstract
This paper is about the notion of conflict in the work of John Dewey. Special attention is given to Democracy and Education (1916) because of its centennial and its acclaimed status of “magnum opus”. After depicting “conflicts as gadflies” that stir thinking—reflection and ingenuity—and relating it to Socrates, in particular, we present a definition of conflict that guides our research. From then on a detailed analysis is carried out on the different notions of conflict in Democracy and Education. It is concluded that Dewey spends considerable attention to the place of conflict in education in Democracy and Education. We identified 14 distinct references to conflict. The notions range from conflicts between traditional and modern education, retrospective and prospective aims of education, the conflict between closing off and opening up of education, social and national aims of education, conflicts between certain knowledge and thinking, between ready-made and problem-posing education, between holding to customs and tradition or aiming at social change, between easy to chew education or allowing to make mistakes, between researching contrary beliefs or following proclaimed truth, conflicts between individual aims or the aim of society, and vocational versus intellectual education. Conflicts are conditional for “reflection and ingenuity” is Dewey’s most iconic conception of conflicts. Conflicts challenge thought by questioning and doubting certain knowledge. The act involves a risk. We ask two questions at the end of this paper. The first is about the nature of contradictions and the second is about the use of conflicts in education. We propose that Dewey was too engaged in resolving contradictions and dualism to understand the positive, constructive, and conditional nature of conflicts for education. We need our opponents to grow and we suggest that we probably do not use them enough in education. Concerning the practical use of conflicts in education, Dewey expects a lot from dialogical cooperation and communication which will bring agreement and certainty. Dewey does not engage in confronting power, though he has a clear view on injustice in society, neither does he give prolific directions for including conflicts as a teaching method in education.
Highlights
Conflicts as Gadflies and Their Role in EducationBeing part of a culture that had recently discovered the power of conflict through the ideas of Darwin in biology, Marx in sociology, and Freud in psychology, John Dewey reflected in the following way on the idea and use of conflicts in philosophy and education: What is to be done with these facts of disharmony and conflict? After we have discovered the place and consequences of conflict in nature, we have still to discover its place and working in human need and thought
Our reading brought to light a significant number of references to conflicts in education and a more fundamental and overarching treatment of the conflicting dualism in Western history
As was to be expected, strong arguments in favour of progressive education instead of traditional education; strong arguments for education oriented towards the future instead of the past; strong arguments for opening up to strangers and new ways of thinking instead of closing off to one’s own certain knowledge and habits; a strong case for the growth of the person instead of a focus on the aims of society or the nation state
Summary
Being part of a culture that had recently discovered the power of conflict through the ideas of Darwin in biology, Marx in sociology, and Freud in psychology, John Dewey reflected in the following way on the idea and use of conflicts in philosophy and education: What is to be done with these facts of disharmony and conflict? After we have discovered the place and consequences of conflict in nature, we have still to discover its place and working in human need and thought. It shocks us out of sheep-like passivity, and sets us at noting and contriving Not that it always effects this result; but that conflict is a sine qua non of reflection and ingenuity. Socrates explains the need for gadflies, but reminds us to regard gadflies as a gift: love thy enemies He knows that those in power do not like gadflies and nor do the common people. Dewey criticised the formalistic and disconnected character of education of his day It seems that he wanted to awaken the intellectual establishment. To become a manifest conflict the contradictions within a conflict need an active encounter or confrontation. Contradictions and conflicts, on the other hand, become constructive when the encounter or confrontation aims at changing or improving knowledge and understanding
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
