John Dewey had a long and very productive intellectual career. He published his first paper in 1882 and his last book in 1952. He probably has been the most influential American philosopher of the 20th century.

Dewey always thought that philosophers could and should aid us in resolving practical social problems. In his opinion, faulty philosophical assumptions tended to undermine social progress. He wrote frequently about political, economic, and social issues and tried to put his theories into practice in the school of education at the University of Chicago.

Nevertheless, Dewey also wrote about many of the traditional subjects of philosophy. He wrote books such as Logic, Ethics, and Art and Experience.