On the record
To explain the origin of the state by saying that man is a political animal is to travel in a verbal circle.
Said by
John Dewey
Source
gutenberg.orgJohn Dewey: “To explain the origin of the state by saying that man is a political animal is to travel in a verbal circle.”
Editor's note · Context
Dewey critiques the circular reasoning involved in defining the state based on the idea of man as a political animal.
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Vision is a spectator; hearing is a participator.
Systematic and continuous inquiry into all the conditions which affect association and their dissemination in print is a precondition of the creation of a true public.
Competition will continue, but it will be less rivalry for acquisition of material goods, and more an emulation of local groups to enrich direct experience with appreciatively enjoyed intellectual and artistic wealth.
That and that only gives reality to public opinion.