Abstract

The underlying thesis of this book is that "the undiscovered Dewey" is ascertained only by understanding the significance of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution for Dewey's philosophy and for his concept of inquiry. Rogers argues that we must realize the importance of Dewey's Darwinian commitments in order to understand how for Dewey there is a fundamental uncertainty and openness that characterizes the growth of "our natural and social horizons" (11). Routinely, Rogers argues, scholars tend to misunderstand or underestimate Darwin's importance for Dewey's notion of inquiry. According to Rogers, Dewey was a champion of what is known as the Darwinian Enlightenment rather than the Newtonian Enlightenment. Those ..