IDEALISM

JILU JOHN
1st Year M.Sc Nursing
INTRODUCTION
• Idealism is the earliest philosophy known to man.
• Its simple view stresses the human spirit as the most
crucial element in life.
• Although numerous philosophers differ greatly on
various specific details, most agree on the following two
points:
1) The human spirit is the most crucial element in life.
2) The universe is basically nonmaterial in its complete
nature.
• IDEALISM begins with PLATO (428-347B.C.E)=1790-1800

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 Meaning of Idealism
• The word idealism is derived from the Greek
word ’idein’, meaning to see.
• The word idea came directly from Greek to
English in the 14th Century.
• The tendency to represent things in their
ideal forms, rather than as they are.
• The term entered the English language by
1743.

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 PHILOSOPHICAL MEANING OF
IDEALISM

• According to Mahatma Gandhi;(Gandhi

Philosophy) idealism is nothing but self realization.

• According to Titus ,idealism has been derived from

“idea” than “ideal” ie ;Idealism has come from the
fact of ideas.

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 MEANINGS OF IDEALIST.

1.One who accepts and lives by lofty moral aesthetic &

religious standards.

2.One who is a dreamer & ignores practical conditions

of a situation .

3.One who can give a compliment.

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 Definitions

 Idealism is the philosophical theory which

maintains that experience is ultimately based on
mental activity.
 The notion that the objects of reality do not have i
ndependent existence but are constructs of the mi
nd, or made up of ideas.
 Idealism holds that the ultimate reality is
spiritualism. -D.M.Dutta

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 Beliefs
 Ideas and knowledge are the ultimate reality.
 In our world, things will always change, but ideas and
knowledge are forever.
 People who believe in idealism feel they can change lives.
 These people feel the most crucial part of a person is the
mind.
 Idealists think the mind should always be nourished and
developed.
 Idealism emphasizes the importance of mind, soul, and spirit.

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Development Of Idealism

Development of idealism are mainly of 3 areas

 Platonic Idealism
 Religious Idealism
 Modern Idealism

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 EXPONENTS

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 PLATONIC IDEALISM

• Platonic idealism developed by Plato {father of

idealism}Greek philosopher admirer and disciple of
Socrates, literary form made by Plato that was taken
from the ideas of Socrates which was only trasmitted
orally through dialectical question and answer
approach.

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 RELIGIOUS IDEALISM
• Idealism has exerted considerable influence on religion
–Truth as Universal God
• Augustine {354-430 },Concept of God,Concept of Evil
:Adam
• Two worlds :Man(matter) God(ideas)
• Augustine believed that the senses were unreliable and
that belief in God rests ultimately on faith.
• He believed that God already created knowledge, and
people can discover it through trying to find God.

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 MODERN IDEALISM

• From 15th and 16th centuries. Idealism had come to

be largely identified with systematization and
subjectivism.
• The search for final Absolute Spirit. :To be truly
educated, an individual must pass through the
various stages of the cultural evolution of
humankind.

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 GRowth of Idealism

• Its inception took from the very time man began to

think.
• In west ,it was born out of the writing of Plato
,Socratese, Aristotle and other philosophers.
• In India it was born out from the holyscriptsVedas
,Puranas , Upanishads.
• Since then ,it is developing in all the countries of
the world in small or great measures

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 FUNDAMENTAL FEATURES OF
IDEALISM

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 Types of idealism
• SUBJECTIVE IDEALISM OR PHENOMENALISM
Is a theory which describes a relationship between
human experience of the external world, and that
world itself, in which objects are nothing more than
collections or bundles of sense data in those who
perceive them.
• OBJECTIVE IDEALISM Is the view asserting that the
act of experiencing has a reality combining and
transcending the natures of the object experienced
and of the mind of the observer.

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 .

Cont….
• PERSONALISM:
Personalism consider a person as a gift of god and
reality is the nature of conscious personality .In this
type life is more important ,having values and freedom
•Transcendental idealism
Transcendental idealism, founded by Immanuel Kant in
the eighteenth century, maintains that the mind shapes
the world we perceive into the form of space-and-time
.

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 PRINCIPLES OF IDEALISM

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EDUCATIONAL PRINCIPLES OF
IDEALISM

 Education should be universal.

• Education should have both individual & social
welfare.
• Education is conservation & transmission.
• Education is the achievement of national unity.

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 PHILOSOPHICAL PRINCIPLES OF
IDEALISM

• Stress on spiritual environment.

• Self-realization as the aim of education.
• Relatively unimportant place for the child in the educative
process.
• Development of the child in accordance with adult
standards.
• Stress on disciplining the child.
• Emphasis on book knowledge.
• Positive education.
• Education as the dynamic side of philosophy..
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EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF
IDEALISM

Idealism considers student as an individual with inner

potentialities .Education should help the student to
realize these potentialities .Curriculum should consist
of those knowledge and experience which help the
student to attain development. The child should be
taught the ways & means to acquire & verify
knowledge .The teacher should impart essentials of
knowledge and assist to develop moral values in child
.As idealism stresses more on spiritual development of
the child.
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IDEALISM AND AIMS OF EDUCATION

• 1.SELF-REALIZATION:
Education should help the child to develop the self
image or self realization & this helps us to find a place
to settle & flourish in this world.
• 2. EXALTATION OF PERSONALITY THROUGH SELF-
REALIZATION:
Education is for the exaltation of personality is based
upon the concept of realization of the highest
potentialities of the self in a social and cultural
environment.

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 Cont….

• 3.UNIVERSAL EDUCATION:According to idealism human

race is one & every individual in the society need to be
educated irrespective of the caste ,creed,colour & social
status.

• 4.DEVELOPMENT OF INVENTIVE AND CREATIVE

POWERS:
Idealism encourages man to change or modify the
environment according to his needs and mould nature to
suit his purposes through his incentive & creative skills .
According to idealism education must nurture the
innovative and creative powers of man.

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 Cont…

• 5.CONSERVATION, PROMOTION AND TRANSMISSION OF

CULTURAL HERITAGES : Culture is very essential for the
development of human potentials and making culture
prevail in the duty of education .Education helps the child
to become aware about the culture & feel proud of it.

• 6.BRINGING OUT OR THE ENRICHMENT OF THE CULTURAL

ENVIRONMENT:
Idealism believe that man is responsible for the
environment ,especially for his immediate environment
.The child can grow only if the environment is suitable for
his growth Hence presentation of cultural environment is
essential through education.
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 Cont…

• 7.DEVELOPMENT OF MORAL SENSE:

The development of moral sense will help the child to
lead a healthy life and to differentiate between right
and wrong , good and evil.

8. CULTIVATION OF SPIRITUAL VALUES:

Idealism believe that man is essentially a spiritual
being and gives prime importance for cultivating ,
spiritual values through education

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IDEALISM AND NURSING EDUCATION

• To promote moral ,spiritual, emotional, social,

psychological ,intellectual, and physical components
among learners nurse educator will introduce the
principles of idealism in teaching .To enhance
knowledge feelings ,efforts , decision-making
moreover the teachers will act as role models & guide
& counselor.

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 IDEALISM AND CURRICULUM.

• For idealists the curriculum is based on the idea or

assumption of spiritual nature of man.
• They arrange their curriculum in the form of a
hierarchy in which the general discipline occupies the
top most position.
• Ethics ,religion and arts find an important place in the
curriculum.
• Curriculum provides humanities a place of
prominence.

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 IDEALISM AND METHODS OF
TEACHING

• Learning through reading.

• Learning through lecturing.
• Learning through memorization and discussion.
• Learning through imitation..
• Froebel developed “Kindergarten method”.
• Questioning discussion ,lecture method, single&
group projects, imitation etc also included as
techniques of idealism.
• Self activity ,project method, play way methods can
be adopted to gain knowledge
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 ROLE OF TEACHER AND IDEALISM.

• It assigns a special role to the teacher.

• It considers teacher as a spiritual guide for the child.
• Learning through memorization and discussion.
• It regards the teacher as the priest of man’s spiritual
heritage.
• It holds the teacher as a friend ,philosopher and
guide.
• A role model

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 IDEALISM AND DISCIPLINE
• Idealism believes in inner discipline
Idealism advocates cultivation of higher values of life
through moral and religious instruction.
• Idealism accepts restraint freedom.
• It requires the teacher to present good examples
because the child considers teacher to be an ideal
person to be emulated by his pupils.

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 WEAKNESS OF IDEALISM IN
EDUCATION
• Scientific research study does not support the
idealistic view of a spiritual universe.
• Ideals can WEAKNESS OF IDEALISM IN EDUCATION
to be simplified.
• The social order today discourages imitation of that
governed the lives of people of the older generation
ideas ideals , behaviors’ and the standards .

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 Advantages of Idealism

• Made significant contribution in the field of

education.
• Emphasized on high values ie.. moral character of the
child.
• Aims at self realization of individual.
• Promotes universal education.
• Respects individuality.
• Emphasis on fullest development of individual.

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 DISADVANTAGES OF IDEALISM
• Easy to preach difficult to practice.
• Idealism is a dogmatic philosophy.
• It ignores the psychological aspects neglects the
child psychology.
• No contribution towards method of teaching.
• Idealism do not give much importance to science
and technology.
• Nobody lives strict discipline.

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