eng Science and Education Publishing American Journal of Educational Research 2327-6150 2016-11-02 4 17 1197 1204 10.12691/education-4-17-2 EDUCATION20164172 article Darcísio Natal Muraro dmuraro@uel.br 1 Department of Education at the State University of Londrina - UEL, Londrina, 86051-990, PR - Brazil The aim of this study is to investigate the conception of philosophy as a criticism and its relationship to education in the thought of John Dewey. The study of bibliographical order sought to analyze this issue in the major works of this author and his interpreters. The methodological structure of this paper explores the turn of the concept of philosophy elaborated by Dewey pointing to its social function of thinking about current conflicts, particularly in relation to the values and the science, the breakup with dualism, the critique of culture. Thus, philosophy as reflective, critical and creative thinking about the experience in a social shared activity is a condition for the continuous learning to act and to learn required in a complex and changing society and this process promotes and sustains human growth. From the philosophical perspective, critical and creative thinking is the principle of education and likewise democracy. Philosophy and democratic education are the bases of the ethics and politics life in a community. http://pubs.sciepub.com/education/4/17/2/education-4-17-2.pdf Dewey philosophy criticism experience thought education