ABSTRACT
This part introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters. The part explores more sensitive towards the subject than many others, who might not be as familiar with the historically uneasy relationship between church and state. It examines exchanged ideas with Marxist philosophers, Christian fundamentalist preachers, and members of the Vatican hierarchy. The part examines the naturalistic tradition at Columbia imbibed with a new-found respect for John Dewey's philosophy. Critics of John Dewey used to delight in pointing out that he had dozens of usages for the word "democracy" scattered throughout his writings. In making such an objection, however, Dewey's critics were actually reiterating his own criticism of the Platonic outlook: the view that if one could only find a hard and fast definition, all else would follow. The word "democracy," then, is a touchstone by which to measure the richness of these experiences.
