Matthew Fitzsimmons

This study addresses the criticisms leveled at John Dewey by four critical thinkers: Max Horkheimer, C. Wright Mills, Erich Fromm, and Herbert Marcuse. I approach these thinkers from the standpoint of defending Dewey. Essentially their criticisms fall into two groups: they are either weak claims, attributing to Dewey ideas/positions that he does not hold, or they are inappropriate claims, attacking Dewey for lacking ideas or not taking positions that he in fact has and takes. In the responses to these objections, the critical nature of Dewey's work becomes evident and the ways in which his positions move beyond the various limitations of the critics are made readily apparent. By answering the criticisms, I put to rest several misconceptions