Dewey's Philosophy of Science in Society: Accomplished Technical Goals and Unaccomplished Humanistic Goals
Dewey's Philosophy of Science in Society: Accomplished Technical Goals and Unaccomplished Humanistic Goals

Summary/Abstract: "The greatest problem facing civilization today, one might almost say the only ultimate problem," writes Dewey, "is to make of the instrumentality of science and its related techniques – by far the most powerful instrument for good and for evil that mankind has ever known" (Essays, 1931-2, 50). To this new perspective to the 'Baconian' problem, Dewey suggests that science has mainly old and private interests, less new and public. It has also accomplished "technical goals", but not "humanistic" and "aesthetic" goals. As a result science has empowered humankind in the extrinsic, rather than the intrinsic. In order to narrow the gap between the technical and the meaningful, in other words in order to 'humanize science', Dewey suggests a "method of reconciliation". In this respect science isn't in competition with art and religion; rather, they are complementary. In this article I discuss the problem of the gap between the technical goals that science has accomplished and the humanistic and the aesthetic goals which remained unaccomplished, according to Dewey. I then examine two ways which Dewey suggests to solve this problem: the extension of scientific method to socio-cultural sphere and the appeal to an experience, as a unique, contemplative and self-sufficient experience.

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