On Dewey's Thoughts About Human Nature And It's Influence On His Education Theory

Human nature is the key of humanities, and the relationship between human nature and education is extremely close, they interact on one another. John Dewey is the greatest educationist in the 20th century, he pay great attention on the problems about human nature, and has his own original opinion about it. His thoughts about human nature are the footstone of his education theory. As a second to none American philosopher, he witnessed the great changes of America and the whole world in his life of 93 years, and those changes made him think deeply about the human nature. Darwinism, Hegelianism, experimentalism and the pragmatism composed the theoretic basic of Dewey's human nature thoughts, which include the invariability and alterability of human nature,"experience man", human nature and democracy, human nature and moral. These thoughts have great influence on his education theory. Because Dewey attaches importance to the nature of children, children is the central of his education theory; He also emphasize the importance of experience though the"experience man"; He discussed the relationship between education and democracy based on his thoughts about human nature and democracy and he built his pragmatic moral education on the thoughts about human nature. But use the Marxism to scientifically construe Dewey's thoughts about human nature it also has its disadvantages. So generally understand and handle the Dewey's education theory, must firstly learn clearly his thoughts about human nature. And that is very important for Chinese education.