Psychology students would know that October is the month when the famous John Dewey was born. This famous American psychologist, revolutionised the field of Psychology!
Dewey's functionalism was influenced by Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, as well as by the ideas of William James and by Dewey's own instrumentalist philosophy.
Very less people are aware of the fact that it was Dewey who wrote the first Psychology textbook in America! This textbook was termed "Psychology" and was printed much before the advent of Psychology in India!
Among Dewey's large body of writings are: Applied Psychology: An Introduction to the Principles and Practice of Education (1889), Interest as Related to Will (1896), Studies in Logical Theory (1903), How We Think (1910), Democracy and Education (1916), Experience and Nature (1925), Philosophy and Civilization (1931), Experience and Education (1938), and Freedom and Culture (1939).
Very less people know this but he was also the President of the American Psychological Association and acted as the FIRST president of the American Association of University Professors in America!
Dewey was also into education Psychology and would be considered modern in his thought process if compared to a lay person of today! Paralleling his philosophical and psychological theories, his concept of instrumentalism in education stressed learning by doing, as opposed to authoritarian teaching methods and rote learning.
"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself" -John Dewey
On this day in the birth month of Dewey , let us all read more about him and his great works!
- Soumya Gulati