John Dewey

Known for

Pragmatism, instrumentalism, education reform

Thought

Dewey treated ideas and concepts as tools (instrumentalism) — useful not because they capture eternal truths but because they help solve real, concrete problems people actually face. He argued education should be built around active, experiential "learning by doing" rather than passive memorization of fixed facts, and that democracy itself works best as a continuous, shared process of inquiry and problem-solving.

Biography

American philosopher, psychologist and education reformer whose ideas reshaped American public schooling in the early 20th century.

CSS Philosophy paper topics

Major works

• Democracy and Education