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How We Think by John Dewey
Contributed by: Lindsay
  • 1. In 'How We Think', John Dewey articulates a comprehensive framework for understanding the thinking process, emphasizing the importance of reflective thought in education and life. Dewey presents thinking as an active, dynamic process rather than a passive reception of information, encouraging individuals to engage critically with their experiences and to analyze their thought patterns. He delineates between 'inference' and 'deduction', arguing that true thinking arises when individuals encounter problems that require exploration and reasoning, leading to informed conclusions. Moreover, Dewey stresses that effective thinking is inherently social and contextual, shaped by interactions with others and the environment. He advocates for educational practices that nurture critical thinking habits, fostering a generation capable of independent thought and innovation. This work has lasting implications for pedagogy and the understanding of cognitive processes, underscoring the necessity of an experiential learning approach that values inquiry and practical engagement over rote memorization.

    Dewey argues that the ultimate goal of education should be to teach what?
A) Memorization of facts
B) How to think
C) What to think
D) Technical vocational skills
  • 2. What does Dewey identify as the origin of thought?
A) Genetic predisposition
B) Divine inspiration
C) A problematic situation
D) Rote memorization
  • 3. What does Dewey contrast with reflective thought?
A) Mathematical calculation
B) Emotional response
C) Routine action
D) Physical exercise
  • 4. According to Dewey, what is a 'warranted assertion'?
A) A guess made with confidence
B) A belief justified by inquiry
C) An opinion stated loudly
D) A legally binding statement
  • 5. What role does 'data' play in Dewey's reflective thinking?
A) It is the final conclusion
B) It provides the facts for the problem
C) It is only used in science
D) It is an unnecessary distraction
  • 6. Dewey believed that ideas should be considered as what?
A) Plans of action
B) Fixed entities
C) Abstract truths
D) Poetic expressions
  • 7. What is the final step in Dewey's pattern of reflective thought?
A) Testing the hypothesis by action
B) Celebrating the conclusion
C) Forgetting the initial problem
D) Publishing the results
  • 8. For Dewey, what is the relationship between thinking and experience?
A) They are completely separate
B) Thinking creates experience
C) Experience corrupts thinking
D) Thinking arises from experience
  • 9. What does Dewey mean by 'the inductive movement'?
A) The movement of tectonic plates
B) A physical exercise routine
C) Reasoning from specific facts to a general idea
D) A political ideology
  • 10. According to Dewey, what is a key characteristic of a good thinker?
A) Stubbornness
B) Open-mindedness
C) A large vocabulary
D) Speed of thought
  • 11. What is the 'double movement of reflection'?
A) Thinking and then sleeping
B) Asking and then answering
C) Inductive and deductive reasoning
D) Reading and then writing
  • 12. Dewey argues that the scientific method is what?
A) Too complex for everyday use
B) The perfected form of thinking
C) Only for use in laboratories
D) An outdated mode of inquiry
  • 13. What is a 'prejudice' in Dewey's analysis?
A) A legal term for bias in court
B) A type of scientific instrument
C) A synonym for preference
D) A judgment formed before evidence is examined
  • 14. For Dewey, what is the value of a hypothesis?
A) It directs observation and experimentation
B) It is a wild guess with little value
C) It is the final answer to a problem
D) It is only useful in fiction
  • 15. What does Dewey identify as a major obstacle to good thinking?
A) Acceptance of authority without question
B) Lack of access to libraries
C) Over-reliance on technology
D) Too much free time
  • 16. What is the role of 'meaning' in Dewey's theory?
A) It connects a present idea to a future consequence
B) It is a dictionary definition
C) It is irrelevant to thinking
D) It is a purely linguistic concept
  • 17. According to Dewey, what is the first step in the reflective thought process?
A) Formulating a hypothesis
B) Accepting a conclusion
C) A felt difficulty
D) Testing a solution
  • 18. Dewey was a leading proponent of which school of thought?
A) Existentialism
B) Pragmatism
C) Stoicism
D) Idealism
  • 19. What educational approach is most closely associated with Dewey's ideas?
A) Vocational Training
B) Progressive Education
C) Classical Education
D) Montessori Education
  • 20. Dewey's reflective thinking is often summarized as the 'scientific method' applied to what?
A) Mathematical proofs
B) Theological inquiry
C) Laboratory experiments only
D) Everyday problems
  • 21. Dewey's model of reflective thinking consists of how many distinct phases?
A) Ten
B) Seven
C) Five
D) Three
  • 22. Dewey criticizes teaching methods that rely too heavily on...
A) Artistic expression
B) Scientific experimentation
C) Rote memorization
D) Group discussion
  • 23. For Dewey, the ultimate test of a thought or idea is its...
A) Popularity among experts
B) Age and tradition
C) Practical consequences
D) Complexity and elegance
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