Abstract
My paper concentrates on Peirce’s late essay, “Issues of Pragmaticism,” which identifies “critical common-sensism” and Scotistic realism as the two primary products of pragmaticism. I argue that the doctrines of Peirce’s critical common-sensism provide a host of commendable curricular objectives for democratic Bildung. The second half of my paper explores Peirce’s Scotistic realism. I argue that Peirce eventually returned to Aristotelian intuitions that led him to a more robust realism. I focus on the development of signs from the vague and indeterminate to the determinate and universal. The primary example will be the evolution of the very idea of number. I believe we will never arrive at the end of number history because we can never fully contain creativity. I draw similar conclusions for the idea of curriculum. Whether or not there is an end to the evolution of signs in Peirce is a matter of debate. I incline toward the opinion there is not, though I am unsure. I conclude by arguing that rationality itself is but the form and structure of poetic creation and that we should embrace paradox and even contradiction rather that become caught in totalizing and totalitarian end of history stories.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
V. Colapietro (2002) Experimental logic; normative theory or natural history? F. Thomas Burke D. Micah Hester Robert B. Talisse (Eds) Dewey’s logical theory Vanderbilt University Press Nashville 43–71
T. Dantzig (1954) Number: the language of science The Free Press New York
Dykstra, R. H. (1971). Newton’s Dot-age versus Leibniz’ D-Ism. In Historical topics for the mathematics classroom. Washington, D.C.: National Council Of Teachers Of Mathematics
D. Hamilton (1990) Curriculum history Deakin University Press Geelong, Victoria
T. Reid (1813/1970) An inquiry into the human mind on the principles of common sense The University of Chicago Press Chicago
T. Reid (1819) Essays on the powers of the human mind Bell & Bradfute Edinburgh
Robinson, A. (1969). The metaphysics of the calculus. In Jaakko Hintikka (Ed), Reprinted in The philosophy of mathematics. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Garrison, J. Curriculum, Critical Common-Sensism, Scholasticism, and the Growth of Democratic Character. Stud Philos Educ 24, 179–211 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11217-005-3844-1
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11217-005-3844-1