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Although pragmatism faded in importance in American philosophy after 1930, it has seen a revival since the 1980s with the writings of [[Richard Rorty]], [[Hilary Putnam]], and others.  Dewey was a very prolific writer, with dozens of books and 766 articles in 151 different periodicals. His style, however, tended toward vagueness.

Although pragmatism faded in importance in American philosophy after 1930, it has seen a revival since the 1980s with the writings of [[Richard Rorty]], [[Hilary Putnam]], and others.  Dewey was a very prolific writer, with dozens of books and 766 articles in 151 different periodicals. His style, however, tended toward vagueness.

==Career==

==Career==

Born in Vermont to an old Yankee family, Dewey was brought up in a religious environment. He attended the University of Vermont, taught school for three years, then attended the new graduate university, John Hopkins, receiving his PhD in 1884 with a a doctoral dissertation on a phase of Kant's psychology.  At this stage Dewey was a strong Hegelian.

Born in Vermont to an old Yankee family, Dewey was brought up in a religious environment of pius Congregationalists. He attended the University of Vermont, taught school for three years, then attended the new graduate university, John Hopkins, receiving his PhD in 1884 with a a doctoral dissertation on a phase of Kant's psychology.  At this stage Dewey was a strong Hegelian.

Dewey taught philosophy at the University of Michigan until 1894, when he was called to the University of Chicago, where President W. R. Harper was creating overnight one of the world's two or three greatest universities.  Dewey headed the School of Education, and worked closely with philosophers and with the intellectuals based at [[Hull House]].  His now adopted the philosophy pf [[pragmatism]] that had been developed by [[Charles Sanders Peirce]] and [{William James]]. By 1903 the "Chicago school" of Pragmatic Instrumentalism was in full swing, and the educational experiments initiated in Dewey's "laboratory school" were beginning to influence educational theory at leading universities. After fighting with Harper Dewey went to Columbia University in 1904, where he was based until his retirement in 1930. Worldwide recognition was seen in his invitations to consult on educational policy with emerging nations, notably China, Japan, Turkey, Mexico, and the Soviet Union.

Dewey taught philosophy at the University of Michigan until 1894, when he was called to the University of Chicago, where President W. R. Harper was creating overnight one of the world's two or three greatest universities.  Dewey headed the School of Education, and worked closely with philosophers and with the intellectuals based at [[Hull House]].  His now adopted the philosophy of [[pragmatism]] that had been developed by [[Charles Sanders Peirce]] and [{William James]]. By 1903 the "Chicago school" of Pragmatic Instrumentalism was in full swing, and the educational experiments initiated in Dewey's "laboratory school" were beginning to influence educational theory at leading universities. After fighting with Harper Dewey went to Columbia University in 1904, where he was based until his retirement in 1930. Worldwide recognition was seen in his invitations to consult on educational policy with emerging nations, notably China, Japan, Turkey, Mexico, and the Soviet Union.

 

Dewey generally supported American foreign policy, including both World Wars, and was a strong opponent of both the Soviets and the nazis.

==Democracy==

==Democracy==

Dewey was the foremost theorist of democracy since the days of Thomas Jefferson. Dewey's emphasis on grass roots participation rather than elite rule has been adopted by conservatives.

Dewey was perhaps the foremost theorist of democracy since the days of Thomas Jefferson. Dewey's emphasis on grass roots participation rather than elite rule has been adopted by conservatives.

In the 1920s Dewey engaged in a major debate with journalist [[Walter Lippmann]] (1889-1974) on the impact of the technology on democracy. Both agreed that the communications revolution had created a large and more complex world, that political and social institutions had not kept pace with the changes wrought by technology, that the masses were more susceptible to propaganda, and that modernity threatened democracy. Their critiques diverge on solutions, especially whether or not democracy could be saved. While Lippmann saw the public as unredeemable and subject to mass manipulation, Dewey thought that more public involvement in socio-political affairs was needed and that tools of mass communication could be used to this end.<ref> Walter Lippmann, ''Public Opinion'' (1922) and ''The Phantom Public'' (1925); John Dewey, ''The Public and Its Problems'' (1927)</ref>

In the 1920s Dewey engaged in a major debate with journalist [[Walter Lippmann]] (1889-1974) on the impact of the technology on democracy. Both agreed that the communications revolution had created a large and more complex world, that political and social institutions had not kept pace with the changes wrought by technology, that the masses were more susceptible to propaganda, and that modernity threatened democracy. Their critiques diverge on solutions, especially whether or not democracy could be saved. While Lippmann saw the public as unredeemable and subject to mass manipulation, Dewey thought that more public involvement in socio-political affairs was needed and that tools of mass communication could be used to this end.<ref> Walter Lippmann, ''Public Opinion'' (1922) and ''The Phantom Public'' (1925); John Dewey, ''The Public and Its Problems'' (1927)</ref>

==Further reading==

==Further reading==

* Anderson, Elizabeth. "Dewey's Moral Philosophy"  ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' (2009) [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/dewey-moral/  online]

* Anderson, Elizabeth. "Dewey's Moral Philosophy"  ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' (2009) [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/dewey-moral/  online]

* Cuffaro, Harriet K. ''Experimenting with the World: John Dewey and the Early Childhood Classroom.'' (1995). 123 pp.

* Cuffaro, Harriet K. ''Experimenting with the World: John Dewey and the Early Childhood Classroom.'' (1995). 123 pp.

* Dykhuizen, George. ''The Life and Mind of John Dewey.'' (1973). 429 pp., good biography

* Dykhuizen, George. ''The Life and Mind of John Dewey.'' (1973). 429 pp., good biography [http://www.questiaschool.com/read/33424285?title=The%20Life%20and%20Mind%20of%20John%20Dewey online edition]

* Feffer, Andrew. ''The Chicago Pragmatists and American Progressivism.'' (1993). 279 pp. schoalrly study of Dewey and George Herbert Mead

* Feffer, Andrew. ''The Chicago Pragmatists and American Progressivism.'' (1993). 279 pp. schoalrly study of Dewey and George Herbert Mead

* Festenstein, Matthew. "Dewey's Political Philosophy"  ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' (2009) [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/dewey-political online]

* Festenstein, Matthew. "Dewey's Political Philosophy"  ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' (2009) [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/dewey-political online]

* Fott, David. ''John Dewey: America's Philosopher of Democracy.'' (1998). 167 pp.

* Fott, David. ''John Dewey: America's Philosopher of Democracy.'' (1998). 167 pp.

* Kloppenberg, James T. "Pragmatism: An Old Name for Some New Ways of Thinking?" ''Journal of American History'' 1996 83(1): 100-138. [http://www.jstor.org/stable/2945476  in JSTOR]

* Kloppenberg, James T. "Pragmatism: An Old Name for Some New Ways of Thinking?" ''Journal of American History'' 1996 83(1): 100-138. [http://www.jstor.org/stable/2945476  in JSTOR]

* Leddy, Tom. "Dewey's Aesthetics"  ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' (2009) [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/dewey-aesthetics/  online]

* Leddy, Tom. "Dewey's Aesthetics"  ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' (2009) [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/dewey-aesthetics/  online]

* Rockefeller, Steven C. ''John Dewey: Religious Faith and Democratic Humanism.'' (1991). 683 pp.

* Rockefeller, Steven C. ''John Dewey: Religious Faith and Democratic Humanism.'' (1991). 683 pp.

* Ryan, Alan. ''John Dewey and the High Tide of American Liberalism.'' (1995). 395 pp.; a major scholarly interpretation

* Ryan, Alan. ''John Dewey and the High Tide of American Liberalism.'' (1995). 395 pp.; a major scholarly interpretation