RT Article
T1 Teaching Democracy by Teaching Supernaturalism
JF Religions
VO 10
IS 8
SP 1
OP 10
A1 Ghiloni, Aaron J. 1977-
LA English
PB MDPI
YR 2019
UL https://www.ixtheo.de/Record/168799255X
AB This paper analyzes critiques of the supernatural by John Dewey, a celebrated American philosopher. Dewey rejected the supernatural on scientific and cosmological grounds, but his most significant critique was made on political grounds. In A Common Faith and other writings, Dewey suggests that supernaturalism erodes democracy by promoting a dualism between religion and science which depreciates the social values that religion originally promoted. Dewey's claims are contextualized and then tested with reference to teaching supernaturalism in a university classroom. The author explains how the study of magic and supernatural mythologies can address real-world issues, turning attention squarely towards (not away from) history. This paper thus presents a counter-possibility: Can appreciation of the supernatural operate as a catalyst for intercultural learning and social empathy? Examples are given. A discussion of the civic function of wonder follows.
K1 John Dewey
K1 Democracy
K1 Education
K1 Magic
K1 Pragmatism
K1 Supernaturalism
K1 Teaching
DO 10.3390/rel10080482