| The Public as Imagination and sympathy - In the Focus of Dewey’s Concept of Social Intelligence and Democracy |
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Sang-Hyeon Kim, Hoy-Yong Kim |
| 상상력과 공감으로서의 공공성 |
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김상현, 김회용 |
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| Abstract |
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The goal of this study is to discuss the Imagination and sympathy as The Public. For this goal, I examined Dewey’s concept of social intelligence, focusing on sympathy as communication and imagination as reflective thinking. In addition, I reviewed Edgar Morin’s theory of future education and Nussbaum’s recognition of sympathy and imagination while emphasizing Dewey’s social intelligence as the experience and democracy.
First of all, any serious discussion of the public requires our critical understanding of current situation, which involves reconstructing the experience and theory of the past in respect to democracy. While the neo-liberal globalization has been making the world one system beyond time and space, it has created more conflicts and divisions at different levels of society. Among the problems we see today are the increasing inequality among individuals and groups, the erosion of public spheres, and the paradox of democracy in the form of oligarchy. Using the method of literature analysis, I examined Dewey’s major books, focusing on sympathy and imagination while comparing the 1930s of America, when diagnosed of the “liberalism crisis” to the problems in our time. I also compared Dewey’s theory with Morin and Nussbaum’s ideas about future-oriented education, sympathy and imagination. Then I suggest to reframe Dewey’s social intelligence with sympathy and imagination in terms of the public.
Following Dewey, in public judgment as moral judgment social intelligence can be improved by sympathy. Sympathy can make it possible for ego to recognize that he/she is facing complicated conflicts and problems in terms of other people. Moreover, sympathy can be combined with past experience and current experience through imagination. To sum up, Dewey’s social intelligence provides theoretical foundation to the recent diversity arguments that help us to solve the educational matters and seize the direction of future oriented education.
Edgar Morin suggests to regard sympathy as understanding, as a starting point for future education. It means that we have to expand our knowledge of the world and humans beyond the level of recognition to understanding. Nussbaum argues that democracy is built upon respect and concern, and these in turn are built upon the ability to see other people as human beings, not simply as objects. Nussbaum emphasizes the need for citizens in a democracy to think critically, respect differences, and empathize with others--all characteristics. Nussbaum advocates for learning as a way to develop critical thinking, to encourage questioning, and to develop the ability to listen and consider.
In all, Dewey’s social intelligence, reframed with sympathy and imagination in respect of today, helps us to settle the problems of democracy and education in our current society. |
| Key Words:
democracy, Daewey, imagination, social intelligence, sympathy, the public |
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