John Dewey Philosopher
- Gender: Male
- Citizenship: United States
- Born: Oct 20, 1859
- Died: Jun 1, 1952
John Dewey, FAA was an American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer whose ideas have been influential in education and social reform. Dewey is one of the primary figures associated with the philosophy of pragmatism and is considered one of the founders of functional psychology. A well-known public intellectual, he was also a major voice of progressive education and liberalism. Although Dewey is known best for his publications about education, he also wrote about many other topics, including epistemology, metaphysics, aesthetics, art, logic, social theory, and ethics.
The overriding theme of Dewey's works was his profound belief in democracy, be it in politics, education or communication and journalism. As Dewey himself stated in 1888, while still at the University of Michigan, "Democracy and the one, ultimate, ethical ideal of humanity are to my mind synonymous."
Known for his advocacy of democracy, Dewey considered two fundamental elements—schools and civil society—to be major topics needing attention and reconstruction to encourage experimental intelligence and plurality.
Failure is instructive. The person who really thinks learns quite as much from his failures as from his successes.
failure
Education is not preparation for life education is life itself.
education & life
To find out what one is fitted to do, and to secure an opportunity to do it, is the key to happiness.
happiness & work
To me faith means not worrying.
faith
The belief that all genuine education comes about through experience does not mean that all experiences are genuinely or equally educative.
education & experience
Nature is the mother and the habitat of man, even if sometimes a stepmother and an unfriendly home.
home & nature
Every great advance in science has issued from a new audacity of imagination.
imagination & science
Education, therefore, is a process of living and not a preparation for future living.
education & future
No man's credit is as good as his money.
money