Considered by some the most controversial American philosopher of contemporary times, SIDNEY HOOK (1902-1989) was infamous for the wild swing in his political thought over the course of his career, starting out as a young Marxist before the Great Depression and ending up a vehement anti-Communist in his later years. Much of what he taught and valued as a thinker he learned as the prize pupil of American educator and philosopher John Dewey. In John Dewey: An Intellectual Portrait, first published in 1939, Hook examines Dewey's approach to philosophy in clear, nontechnical language meant to offer insight into and illustration of the sweep and vitality of Dewey's vision. A staunch pragmatist-a developer of the philosophical discipline that insists upon taking into account the real-world impact of concepts of truth and meaning-Dewey explored theories of idealism, politics, and society that continue to be vitally relevant today. Hook's exploration deepens our appreciation of Dewey's ongoing impact on American culture.

2011 Reprint of 1955 Edition. Full facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. In this work Sidney Hook, a distinguished scholar, examines the chief issues which have divided Marxists from non-Marxists, and Marxists from each other. This volume of exposition, comment and readings is offered as an introduction to the study of Marxism in conflicting theory and practice. A valuable collection of original source readings are provided, including "The Communist Manifesto", "Historical Materialism," "The Fetishism of Commodities," "Religion and Economics," and much more by Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin, Kautsky, Trotsky and Luxemburg.