Idealism and Education

LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this section, students will be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Discuss Idealism in general.

Discuss the idealist metaphysics.
Discuss the idealist epistemology.
Discuss the idealist axiology.
Describe the implications of Idealism in the
educational systems and processes.

IDEALISM: AN INTRODUCTION
One of the oldest philosophical systems, dating as far
back as Platos days.
Platos ideas:
a.

Mans knowledge is basically a recollection of the

ideas, which the soul had known in the perfect worldof-ideas before it was buried in the human soul.

b.

Education was to focus to the soul helping it

recollect as much of that knowledge as possible.

c.

One way of doing that is through a method known as

the dialectical or Socratic method of teaching.

Idealism and Education

i. A teacher asked a suitably framed question to a

student.
ii. The students respond to the questions actually
helping him discovers and increases his own
knowledge.
This original philosophy of Idealism has been more
developed and systematized over the ages.
It reached its peak in the 19th century, but its influence
on education is still evident in the 20th century.
Among the followers of the school of Idealism were:
~ The Germans - Johann Gottlieb Fichte (1762-1814),
Friedrich Schelling (1775-1854), and Georg Wilhelm
Hegel (1770-1831).
~ Karl Marx (1818-1883)
~ John Dewey (1859-1952)
~ Friedrich Froebel (1782-1852). He was the founder of
kindergarten created a method of early childhood
education based on Idealist philosophy).
Influential ideas of Idealism in educational concepts (in
general):
a.
b.
c.

Education is a process of unfolding that which is

present but latent (hidden) in the child.
The teacher as a moral and cultural model, or
exemplar.
The skillful asking of probing questions to stimulate
the students recollection (Socratic method).

Idealism and Education

Idealism is the philosophy that tries to explain all

existence in terms of the mind and its working.
By the mind, the idealists sometimes mean:
- The spiritual element in man
- A mans personality
- The man himself
- The self
- The intelligence and reasoning capacity of a person.
The most common meaning is that of mental or spiritual
element.
THE IDEALIST METAPHYSICS
In the Idealists metaphysics, all things in the universe
are, in the final analysis, an expression of the mind.
All things exist as ideas in the mind.
They cannot be known to exist, except the mind takes
notice of or thinks about them.
The mind of the individual person is part of the Universal
Mind, which is sometimes identified as God.
In other words, mans mind is a part of the divine spirit
and therefore spiritual.
A mans real self is his spiritual self, not his physical body.

Idealism and Education

Hence, this real self or the personality of the individual is

the most important focus of education.
THE IDEALIST EPISTEMOLOGY
In their epistemology, the idealists hold to the primacy
(supremacy/authority) of the mind.
All external objects must be known by the mind and
pronounced upon before we can say that they exist.
A mind has to know an object, then only we can make
any reasonable claim as to its existence.
For a thing to exist, it has to be perceived (In Latin
esse est percipi).
In this type of theory, the world and everything in it is as
the mind interprets it to be.
When the eyes look at an object, it is the mind that
combines the impressions that are received and forms
them into concepts and ideas.
Before claiming that an information is true, the principle
of coherence must be applied:
a.

The pieces of information, which the mind has

gathered together must fit well into each other and
form a coherent and intelligible whole.

Idealism and Education

b.

If the parts do not fit well into each other and cohere
(go together/tally) with other proven pieces of
knowledge, then we cannot claim to have the truth.

In the process of education, the idealist epistemology

emphasized the overall importance of the role of the
minds, intelligence and personality of the individual.
THE IDEALIST AXIOLOGY
In their theory of values, since a persons mind is part of
the Universal mind, individual objects held to be of
value are valuable.
This is because they have their origin from God who is
the source of all true values.
While all values are rooted ultimately in God, there is a
hierarchy of human values: such as the survival values of
food, clothing, good health and so on.
Human values are good as they foster healthy physical
growth of the individual.
Based on the reason that man is a spiritual being:
a.

He is endowed with individual consciousness and

individual freedom.

b.

He has an intrinsic worth (built-in value) as a human

being he is not and should not be affected by
whatever condition his body falls into.
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Idealism and Education

c.

For the sake of this intrinsic human quality, the

person is held to be sacred and inviolable
(unbreakable).

In education, the value of the individual, personal

freedom and development is therefore of great
importance for the idealist axiology.
THE IMPLICATIONS OF IDEALISM ON EDUCATION
1.

THE IDEALIST PHILOSOPHY IN EDUCATION

Education is regarded as:

~ A process of the development of the person,
particularly his conscious and spiritual self.
The self or the individual personality is very important in
the idealists metaphysics.
Therefore, the process of education is the efforts of the
individual to develop that self.
It is what the individual learner makes what is presented
to him that constitutes/form his knowledge and
education.
The ultimate responsibility rests with the individual
learner.
This is in agreement with the respect for his individual
freedom and dignity.

Idealism and Education

2.

THE SCHOOL FROM THE IDEALIST VIEW

The functions of a school as an educational institution are

to:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

Provide the right atmosphere and proper direction

for the growth of the personality of the individual.
Enlarge his personality by increasing his knowledge.
Cultivate his aesthetic taste
Frame his character
Equip him with suitable skills

The school makes available to the tender mind of the

child the best products of the culture which will inspire
him:
a.
b.

To learn the culture

To help him to develop the various capacities of the
mind such as:
i. Intelligence
ii. Love of knowledge
iii. Aesthetic skills to appreciate beauty and nature.
iv. His spiritual nature by which he will get closer to
the divine Nature and live a good

Hence, the objective of the school and education is:

a.

To help the individual to see his knowledge as an

integral part of a much larger whole.
- If he reflects that his knowledge is imperfect and
incomplete (just as he himself is imperfect), he will
be more inclined to be humbled and tolerant.

Idealism and Education

b.

3.

To interpret events in the context of the whole

system instead of from his personal point of view
alone.

THE IDEALIST VIEW ON SCHOOL CURRICULUM

The curriculum is structured to emphasize those subjects

that will:
a. Improve the individuals intelligence and his
understandings.
b. Enable him to realize his spiritual potentialities.
Four basic skills should be represented in the curriculum:
a.

The language skills

~ Needed to introduce the student into his culture.

b.

The scientific skills

~ With which he is going to survive physically.

c.

The normative skills

~ Which have to do both with moral conduct or
proper relationship with his fellowmen.

d.

The aesthetic skills

~ Which deal with appreciation of literature, arts and
nature in general.

Besides these skills, other subjects that should be

included are history and geography They deal with the
culture and civilization of man.
The idealist curriculum basically gives the emphasis on
liberal and humanistic education.
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Idealism and Education

Even the sciences are to be taught based on the idea that

they taught us the orderliness in nature.
~ This enables us to appreciate the wonders of nature
and see the hands of God behind it.
The curriculum reflects the ideas of Plato, that:
a.
b.

4.

Each discipline is important not in itself or for the

material comforts it makes possible.
But it is important for the grooming of the mind
towards maturity and appreciation of the divine
origin of all things in the universe.

THE NATURE AND ROLES OF STUDENTS AND

TEACHERS FROM THE IDEALIST PERSPECTIVES

Both teacher and student are equally important in the

idealist system of education.
The student:
~ Regarded as an individual with personality of his own,
though an immature one.
~ His mind, like his body, is immature and has to be
developed.
~ The real activity of learning is to be done by him.
~ Self-learning is the best method for the student, but
with a lot of help from the teacher.
Since the mind of the child is immature, it cannot rely on
his resources alone.

Idealism and Education

External resources, in the forms of cultural norms and

factual knowledge, have to be presented to him for his
mind to work upon.
The teacher, who does the presentation, must be many
things to the child. He must:
a.
b.

Be an example of a being who is nearer the perfect

ideal of personality, and worthy of emulation.
Awaken and stimulate the mind of the child until it
has acquired self-discipline to learn by himself.

In other words, the teacher has to be an example, a

model of all that is good, upright (decent) and beautiful.
For instance, in Islam, the personality of Prophet
Muhammad is considered to be the best example for all
Muslims.
Other important point pertaining teachers:
a.
b.
c.
d.

He must respect the personality of the student as the

center of learning.
He must be a friend and a guide to him.
He has to know the psychology of the child to know
him as a person.
He has to realize that of the two aspects of teaching
the child and the subject it is the child that
matters more.
- the subject is secondary to and for the learner.

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Idealism and Education

5. THE TEACHING METHODS PROPOSED BY IDEALISM

Emphasize:
a.
b.

The self learning activities among the students

The positive influence from the teacher

Methods:
a.

Modeling - Imitation of the ideal model of the

teacher.
~ Teachers must set the examples reflect the
works of excellence; works that portray examples of
ideal, near-perfect life; works of art that assist
students to develop creative and imaginative mind.

b.

Dialectical or Socratic method

~ The method of questions and answers
~ A way of mental exercise
~ Students are presented with suitable questions to
describe their present knowledge and lead him to
the new knowledge.
~ Helps to develop students sense of judgment
encouraged to reason out and infer correct answers
by himself.

c.

Project method
~ Involve students to jointly initiate and pursue a
learning task by themselves.
~ With the help from teachers, they learn the
principles behind the raw experience.

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Idealism and Education

d.

Lecture method
~ Allows the teacher to develop a point clearly,
logically and systematically.
~ By doing so, students can come to understand
the interrelation of the parts of the topic being
discussed.

Compiled from the following references:

Akinpelu, J.A. (1981). An Introduction to Philosophy of
Education. London: Macmillan Publishers Ltd.
Gutek, G.L. (1988). Philosophical and Ideological
Perspectives on Education. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
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