Philosophy through Design - Rethinking Design Practice for a Changing World

Philosophy through Design proposes a new approach to design practice grounded in a philosophical reflection in and on action, with alignments being drawn to the democratic pragmatism of John Dewey and Jane Addams as well as key contemporary philosophic perspectives. Throughout, Dixon stresses the need for designers to engage critically, ethically and reflectively as they seek to meet the complex challenges of the 21st century. The key argument is that design practice can itself become a mode of philosophical inquiry, supporting designers'' efforts to experiment, reflect and act responsibly and make and remake the ever-evolving future as potential ''designer philosophers''.>

List of contents

List of Figures
Acknowledgements
Preface

Introduction: From Philosophy in Design to Philosophy through Design

1. Connecting Design and Philosophy through Dewey and Addams
2. The Technological Horizon: Digital Ontologizing
3. The Social Horizon: Association in Experience
4. The Ecological Horizon: Connecting Everything
5. Philosophy through Design: A Starting Point

References
Index

About the author

Brian Dixon is Head of Belfast School of Art, Ulster University, UK. He is the author of Dewey and Design (2020), which explores John Dewey’s philosophy in relation to design research, and Design, Philosophy and Making Things Happen (2023) which examines wider design-philosophy relations in the context of design research/knowledge.

Product details

• Authors: Brian Dixon, Dixon Brian
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Release: 19.02.2026
• EAN: 9781350423381
• ISBN: 978-1-350-42338-1
• No. of pages: 264
• Series: Designing in Dark Times
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Art > Interior design, design; Social sciences, law, business > Sociology > Labour, economic and industrial sociology; PHILOSOPHY / General, NATURE / Ecology, DESIGN / General, Philosophy, 21st century, c 2000 to c 2100, Industrial / commercial art & design, Art & design styles: from c 1960, Impact of science & technology on society, Design, Industrial and commercial arts, illustration, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Technology Studies