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John Dewey

Life

John Dewey (1859–1952) was an American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer whose ideas significantly influenced progressive education and pragmatism. Born in Burlington, Vermont, he earned his PhD from Johns Hopkins University in 1884. Dewey taught at the University of Michigan (1884–1894), the University of Chicago (1894–1904), where he established the famous Laboratory School, and Columbia University (1904–1930). Key milestones include his leadership of the progressive education movement, his advocacy for democracy as a way of life, and his prolific writing career spanning over 40 books.

People Who Influenced Their Thought

• Charles Sanders Peirce: Peirce's pragmatism laid the groundwork for Dewey's instrumentalism
• William James: James' psychological approach to philosophy shaped Dewey's thinking
• Georg Hegel: Early Hegelian influence visible in Dewey's emphasis on process and experience
• Jane Addams: Hull House founder whose social activism influenced Dewey's democratic theory

Main Ideas and Publications

• Democracy and Education (1916): Landmark work connecting education with democratic citizenship
• Experience and Nature (1925): Foundation of his naturalistic metaphysics
• Instrumentalism: His version of pragmatism focusing on problem-solving
• Learning by Doing: Educational philosophy emphasizing experiential learning
• Reflective Thinking: Five-stage model of problem-solving in education
• The Public and Its Problems (1927): Political philosophy of participatory democracy

Controversies around his main work or thought

• Progressive Education Critics: Robert Hutchins and Mortimer Adler attacked his educational theories as anti-intellectual
• Pragmatism Debates: Bertrand Russell criticized Dewey's instrumentalist theory of truth
• Political Philosophy: Walter Lippmann challenged Dewey's faith in public intelligence
• Metaphysics: George Santayana critiqued Dewey's naturalism as reductive

Key People Influenced by Their Thought

• Richard Rorty: Neopragmatist who developed Dewey's anti-foundationalism
• Myles Horton: Applied Dewey's ideas at the Highlander Folk School
• Paulo Freire: Critical pedagogue influenced by Dewey's educational philosophy
• Hu Shih: Chinese reformer who introduced Dewey's ideas to China

Legacy

John Dewey transformed educational theory through his progressive, experiential approach while developing a comprehensive philosophical system that connected democracy, education, and human experience. ```