In this comparative essay, the author discusses the opposing educational theories of John Dewey and Gregory Bateson. While Dewey believed that the scientific method was the dominant method of solving problems and thereby acquiring knowledge that mattered, Bateson warned that this one-sided approach would lead to actions that could destroy the environment. Bateson, alternatively, proposed the theory of cybernetics. In a memorandum explaining the issues, Bateson proposed the consideration of three cybernetic or self-governing systems: (1) individual humans; (2) human society; and (3) the ecosystem. This author contends that, although many people know of Dewey and Bateson, their ideas seem out of touch with contemporary concerns. A debate that took place during the 1990s illustrates that the question of whether people should apply the scientific method to social problems remains important. On the one side, C. A. Bowers claimed that people should determine the value of educational reforms by considering whether they reduced the ecological crisis. On the other hand, Peter McLaren argued that teachers should work to solve the problems of social inequality. This exchange illustrated that people disagree about whether social progress comes from people learning to solve problems. On the one hand, Dewey would contend that progress could arise from people learning to control the environment. On the other hand, Bateson warned that the world is more complicated than people realize. The connections among things could cause efforts to control something to destroy another. The ideas of Dewey and Bateson suggest an answer to the question whether schools should teach students to solve problems even though their thoughts extend beyond the scope of that issue. (Contains 18 footnotes.)