Stenhouse spent his childhood on the outskirts of London and in South-West Scotland, where his parents were from. His paternal grandfather, also called David, was the headmaster of the Sandbank school. The son of J.F.M. & M.M. Stenhouse, he has one sister, Joyce. His parents moved to New Zealand when he was in his teens.He has 7 children from 2 marriages. His eldest son, Dr. John Stenhouse, was a lecturer in History at Massey University, and is currently Associate Professor in History at the University of Otago.

After taking degrees in both Philosophy (under John Passmore) and Zoology at the University of Otago, he lectured at Universities in New Zealand and Australia - in the Department of Zoology at The University of Queensland, the Department of Education at Massey University, and the Department of Psychology at Massey University.

A member of the Royal Society, he is the author of a number of books and articles.

• Crisis in Abundance, published in 1966 (Heinemann). Online reference: http://www.worldcatlibraries.org/oclc/459801&referer=brief_results.
• Unstated assumptions in education : a cross-cultural investigation, published in 1972 (ISBN 9780457012108). Online reference: http://www.worldcatlibraries.org/oclc/2903065&referer=brief_results.
• The Evolution of Intelligence : A general theory and some of its implications, published in 1974 (Allen and Unwin, ISBN 9780045750177 and ISBN 9780064965187), and translated into numerous languages, including Italian and Japanese (Japanese Title: "Chino no shinka : chiteki kodo no ippan riron"). Online references: English version: http://www.worldcatlibraries.org/oclc/1057540&referer=brief_results.

Japanese edition: http://www.worldcatlibraries.org/oclc/152405913&referer=brief_results.Italian edition: http://www.worldcatlibraries.org/oclc/152580071&referer=brief_results.

• Active Philosophy in Education and Science: Paradigms and Language-Games, published in 1985 (Cambridge, MA: Allen and Unwin. ISBN 9780043701423 and ISBN 9780043701416). Online reference: http://www.worldcatlibraries.org/oclc/10799654&referer=brief_results.

Numerous published scholarly articles include:

• Breeding attempt of Struthidea in Brisbane.. Emu 63, 283—286, (1963). (Online reference: http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/MU963283.htm).
• O'Connor's Paradox and the Teaching of Educational Philosophy. British Journal of Educational Studies, Vol. 16, No. 3 (Oct., 1968), pp. 243—257. Online reference: http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0007-1005(196810)16%3A3%3C243%3AOPATTO%3E2.0.CO%3B2-M.
• Good Persons, Good Teachers and Language-Games. Educational Philosophy and Theory 1 (1), 41—50, May 1969. Online reference: http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1469-5812.1969.tb00366.x
• Scientific Creativity: "Normal" or "Revolutionary". Australian Journal of Education, 15, 2, 171-84, Jun 71. Online reference: http://www.worldcatlibraries.org/oclc/93950907&referer=brief_results.
• Objective Tests, Creativity and Language Games. Australian Journal of Education, 20, 2, 169-83, Jun 76. Online reference: http://www.worldcatlibraries.org/oclc/95847908&referer=brief_results.
• Evolutionary, Adaptive, and Ethogical Considerations in the Assessment of Intelligence. Interchange, 7, 3, 51-61, 76-77. Online reference: http://www.worldcatlibraries.org/oclc/95647397&referer=brief_results.
• Human ethology, education, and learning. Published in "Interchange", Issue: Volume 8, Number 3, September 1977.
• Human Ethology, Education, and Learning. Interchange, 8, 3, 89-101, 77-78. Online reference: http://www.worldcatlibraries.org/oclc/96334291&referer=brief_results.
• Conceptual Change in Science Education: Paradigms and Language-Games. Science Education, v70 n4 p413-25 Jul 1986. Online reference: http://www.worldcatlibraries.org/oclc/93397734&referer=brief_results.