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John Dewey

Born in Vermont, USA in 1859, John Dewey was an American philosopher, psychologist and teacher who, together with C.S. Pierce and William James, was one of the primary forces behind the philosophical ideology of pragmatism. Pragmatism is known for its belief that function, practicality and outcome are essential to truth. It does not accept that a conceptual theory is enough of a reality in itself if it is not grounded in the environment around it. This combination of theory and circumstance should also be verifiable and should be able to serve the common good for an extended period of time. Dewey’s brand of pragmatism was not entirely similar to those of his counterparts, and, as such, he was sometimes labeled instead as an instrumentalist, a naturalist or functionalist.

Few philosophers who have lived in any era throughout the ages are thought to have had such influence on public affairs or practical issues as Dewey. The man was highly influential in a number of fields, most especially in education where it is said that his theories have had significant impact on a global scale (he was a staunch believer in progressive education, emphasizing the broadening and strengthening of the intellect and of problem solving skills as opposed to learning by memorization).

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