Mills and Dewey

    When reading Mills ideas of freedom in chapter three, I could not help but think of John Dewey.  His "marketplace of ideas" theory sounds a great deal like John Dewey's idea of making meaning, or learning, through experience.  I would consider debate and public criticism intellectual experiences.  He also refers to personal growth in relationship to freedom.  The book does point out that, "... here Mills is speaking primarily about a social process whereby a society's ideas are examined, refined, and added to" (p.39).  Dewey viewed "school" as a vehicle to socialize people, one might say a means to build good citizens.  Mills seems to concentrate more on the aftermath.  

    Mills also explains, "He who chooses a plan for himself employs all of his faculties" (p.39).  By this I think he means that to have some one make decisions for you requires no thinking, but to make your own plans requires critical thinking.  One must view a problem from all sides, seeing the before, during, and after, before choosing a path.  One must consider the "What if?" factor.  The part I do not agree with is the holding firm and self-control to stick to a decision part.  I think, and I believe Dewey would agree, that it is better to be flexible and willing to change.  Many problem solving tactics seem like good ideas until the actual plan is set in motion, then sometimes things begin to fall apart.  I think it takes quite a bit of intelligence to recognize and admit that things are not going well and re-think and adjust to what is before you.  "When we deny to people the right to make their own decisions we deny them the right to grow," also smacks of the Dewey regime.  The most striking difference is that Mills sees the right to freedom, or the liberty to make one's own decisions a right for adults.  He does not feel that children or those who are incompetent can be held responsible because they are not mature and have to be saved from themselves.  I think Dewey would say the teacher should guide his/her students, but mistakes are good if they are used to create a learning experience.  Everyone seems to be working toward  the greater good, which seems a bit consequentialist.  Our text regards Mills theories as consequentialist on page 41 because his ideas are geared toward maximizing the good.  His ideas are also based on the assumption of what an outcome will be rather than fact based.  I enjoyed the summation of consequentialism by the authors when they wrote, "Suppose ignorance really is bliss.  The consequentialist will prefer bliss" (p.43).  Based on our discussions in class and the reading I really do not know what category I would fall under, consequentialist or non-consequentialist.  Can I create a new category?  The circumstantialist?  Do we really have to choose or can we exercise the freedom not to choose?