The Public and Its Problems

本书是实用主义哲学家约翰*杜威对公众研究的重要著作。在本书中，杜威展现了自己对公众智慧的强烈信念，他认为，公众有能力通过公共智慧解决公共问题，从而达成有效的公民自治。杜威在本书中定义并阐释了“公众”、“政府”、“国家”、“民主政治”的概念。作为一位积极推动社会改革，倡言 民主政治理想的所谓自由主义派人士，杜威在本书中体现出的对当时美国社会和公众的认识，了解当时美国的社会对于审视今日中国之问题，包含深意的关照。
In The Public and Its Problems, a classic of social and political philosophy, John Dewey exhibits his strong faith in the potential of human intelligence to solve the public's problems. In his characteristic provocative style, Dewey clarifies the meaning and implications of such concepts as "the public," "the state," "government," and "political democracy." He distinguishes his a posterior reasoning from a priori reasoning, which, he argues permeates less meaningful discussion of basic concepts. Dewey repeatedly demonstrates the interrelationships between fact and theory.