The notion of culture in the work of John Dewey

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14393/REVEDFIL.v39a2025-77937

Keywords:

Culture, Democracy, Education, Human Nature, John Dewey

Abstract

This article reports a study on the notion of culture in the work of John Dewey (1859-1952). The delimitation of the object of investigation focused on the works Liberalism, Freedom and Culture and Democracy and Education. The theme culture in Dewey is presented as an objective of education, alongside social efficiency. The philosopher, to forge his conception of culture, focused his attention on analyzing the ideas and concepts of renowned thinkers, such as: Rousseau, Kant, Hegel, Hobbes and Jefferson, which were appropriated, interpreted and criticized by Dewey. For him, cultural conditions are essential for the transformation of human nature through education; free culture and political freedom are fundamental to guaranteeing an authentically democratic society. Therefore, there is no democracy without a democratic culture formed in individuals and society by public schools. Dewey still, attentive to the historical context of the 1930s, examined the manipulation of culture and the arts by totalitarianism, dictatorships and authoritarian regimes. Furthermore, cultural conditions are essential to form and preserve democracy, setting limits to the intentions of totalitarianism, dictatorships and authoritarianism.

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Author Biography

References

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Data de registro: 29/04/2025

Data de aceite: 24/09/2025

Published

2026-01-26

Issue

Section

Artigos

How to Cite

DE SOUZA, Rodrigo Augusto. The notion of culture in the work of John Dewey. Educação e Filosofia, Uberlândia, v. 39, p. 1–31, 2026. DOI: 10.14393/REVEDFIL.v39a2025-77937. Disponível em: https://seer.ufu.br/index.php/EducacaoFilosofia/article/view/77937. Acesso em: 9 oct. 2026.