INTRODUCTION
Idealism is the oldest theory of philosophy. Its origin goes back to ancient India in the East and to Plato in the West. Generally, Idealists believe that ideas are the true reality. According to them, the human spirit is the most important element in life. Matter is not real. It attaches great significance to the study of man and his mind. It maintains that the material and physical universe is subordinate to a higher type of reality, a spiritual universe.
PRINCIPLES OF IDEALISM
Idealism believes in two forms of the world: Spiritual world and Material world, Idealists give more importance to spiritual world in comparison to the material world. They believe that spiritual world is real and the ultimate truth whereas the material world is transitory and mortal. To know the reality of the spiritual world is to know the reality of mind and soul. It is a sort of self – realization – the main aim of human life.
Ideas are more important than objects: Knowledge of mind and soul can be obtained through ideas only according to Idealist. Therefore, they have given more importance to ideas over the objects and material things. To them, ideas are the ultimate Reality whereas objects die out sooner or later. In the Ideas are embedded all the realities and ultimate entities of the material world.
Importance of Man over Nature: Man is more important than material nature as per the philosophy of idealist, it is because man can think and experience about material objects and material phenomena.
Hence, the thinker or the one who experiences is more important than the object or the phenomena experienced. Man is endowed with intelligence and a sense of discrimination. Thus, he is not a slave of the environment as animals are, but he moulds and transforms the environment for his own good and welfare of the society. In a nutshell, man creates his own world of virtue and higher levels of art in different areas are achieved through his creativity.
Faith in Spiritual Values: Idealists stress the point that the Prime aim of life is to achieve spiritual values. They are – Truth, Beauty and Goodness. These spiritual values are undying and permanent. The realization of these values man rises higher and higher in the moral plane till he attains Divinity. For the Achievement of these spiritual values all the capacities of man are to be harnessed to the full. These capacities are – knowing, feelings and willing. Man can achieve the highest spiritual values and thus realize his true and ultimate self. by the complete use of these capacities.
Importance of Personality Development: The „self of the individual is given much importance by the idealists. Therefore they insist upon the fullest development of the personality of an individual. According to them the development of personality means achievement of „Perfection. Plato rightly speaks that each individual has an ideal self. He tries to develop that ideal Self more and more. The true sense of the term is „self-realization. It may be noted that self-realization as it expresses itself in the form of love, sympathy, fellow-feeling and co-operation for the good of all and no discrimination among human beings on any basis of caste, creed, sex, race or status etc. Universal education is the concept, Idealism advocates.
An idealistic concept of education is something which leads to the highest moral conduct and deepest spiritual insight. It is through education that man is led to realize the higher values of life, namely Truth, Beauty and Goodness.
As Ross said, “The function of education is to help us in our exploration of the ultimate universal values so that the truth of universe may become our truth and give power to our life”.
IDEALISM AND AIMS OF EDUCATION
The aims of education according to the philosophy of idealism are described below:
Self – realization or Exhaltation of Personality: Man is considered to be the most beautiful creation of God, according to idealism. Hence, the advocates of Idealism lay great stress on the exhaltation of human personality. By exhaltation of human personality, they mean self-realization. Self-realization involves full knowledge of the self. Hence, the first aim of education according to Idealism is to develop the „Self? of the individual higher and higher till self-realization is achieved.
Ensure Spiritual Development: Idealists give greater importance to spiritual values in comparison with material attainments. Thus, according to them, the second aim of education is to develop the child mentally, morally and above all spiritually. To develop the spirituality of the child, the teacher has to organize education, accordingly.
To Cultivate Truth, Beauty and Goodness: Idealists insist that to develop spiritual values in the individuals, pursuit of highest ideals namely-Truth, Beauty and Goodness should be encouraged more and more. The more an individual realizes these ideals, the more spiritually developed he will become. Therefore, education should strive its utmost in developing the child morally and spiritually in order to achieve self–realization.
Conservation, Promotion and Transmission of Cultural Heritage: Man is the only being endowed with a keen and penetrating intelligence and an enormous capacity of assimilating knowledge of the world. Hence, his mental and intellectual capacities develop cultural, Social and artistic values in human life in all its aspects. Man’s achievement in the realm of science, art and culture are of great intrinsic value. The fourth aim of education according to Idealism is to acquaint the child with the cultural heritage so that he conserves, promotes and transmits it to the rising generation.
Conversion of Inborn Nature into Spiritual Nature: The inborn instincts and inherent tendencies of the child should be sublimated into spiritual qualities and values, according to the views of idealists individuality. This is real development of the Only then, it will be possible for the individual to attain fullest and highest development of personality. Therefore the fifth aim of education according to Idealism is to sublimate the inborn raw instincts of the child into spiritual qualities.
Preparation of a Holy life: Idealists uphold that education should create such condition and provide an environment which is conducive to the development of spiritual values in a child. Spiritual development and self realization can be obtained through a complete holy life full of piety and good ideas.
Hence, the sixth aim of education according to idealistic philosophy is to prepare the child for a holy life.
IDEALISM AND CURRICULUM
While structuring curriculum, Idealists give more importance to thoughts, feelings, ideals and values than to the child and his activities. They firmly hold that curriculum should be concerned with the whole humanity and its experiences. These experiences can be imbibed by two ways namely- from the physical environment and from contacts with other fellowmen. In this way, in an Idealistic curriculum, both the scientific subjects as well as the humanities are included.
In the following discussion we are throwing light on the ideas of Plato, Herbert, Nunn, Ross and other educationists about curriculum.
Views of Plato About Curriculum: Plato was a staunch idealist, According to him, the aim of life is to realize God which is possible only by pursuing high ideals namely Truth, Beauty and Goodness. These high ideals can be attained by three types of activities namely intellectual, aesthetic and moral. Graphically this can be represented as underActivities of man Intellectual Aesthetic Moral Language, Literature, History, Geography Maths, Science etc. Arts and Poetry etc. Religion, Metaphysics, Ethics etc.
Views of Herbert About Curriculum: According to Herbert the Idealistic aim of education is the promotion of moral values. Hence, he gave prime importance to subjects like Literature, History, Art, Music, Poetry, together with other Humanities and secondary place to scientific subjects.
Views of Nunn About Curriculum:– Views of Nunn about curriculum are also based on the philosophy of Idealism. According to him, it is the function of school to promote and maintain morality and the historical tradition to preserve and develop its achievements more and more.
This is possible only when the school includes those activities and subjects in its curriculum which reflect the achievements of human culture and civilization. Hence, Nunn emphatically advocates the inclusion in the curriculum, those attainments which reflect the highest creations of human mind and those activities which involve the noblest expressions of human ingenuity and creative intelligence. Nunn has divided these activities into two categories as the following chart depicts. – Activities of man Physical, Social, Moral, and Religious Physical Culture, Sociology, Ethics and Religion etc., Literary and Aesthetic Literature, Art, Music, Handicraft, History, Geography, Science, and Maths etc.
Views of Ross About Curriculum: Ross has divided human activities into two categories- Physical or related to healthy living and Spiritual. Ross holds the view firmly that man can develop spiritually only when he is physically healthy. His chart of Classification is as under- Activities of man Physical Skills and Health Education Spiritual Intellectual Literature, Language, History, Geography, Science and Maths. Moral Ethics Aesthetic Fine Arts Religious Religion and Metaphysics
IDEALISM AND METHODS OF TEACHING
Both aims at one target only- The development of the individual child in a spiritual way. The realization of this great aim is possible only through education and the essential agent, the teacher. In reality an Idealist teacher is imbued fully with high degree of self-knowledge, self – dynamism and essential qualities of spiritualism. By his own model of life, he tries to shape the individuality of the child to a life of purity, virtue and great achievements. He creates a wholesome conducive atmosphere by his own activities and planned experiences for the child. He guides the child with such genuine love, affection and sympathy the he attains his full mental and spiritual development.
IDEALISM AND DISCIPLINE
The idealists suggest „Impressionistic Discipline?. It means that if the child goes on receiving good influence from all directions, he learns to live as good discipline automatically. There is no need of any kind of repression for keeping discipline of this kind. The child learns to live in discipline by himself with the help of good influence. For it, the teacher and other individuals should present the highest ideal of self- discipline before the child.
CONCLUSION
The supporters of idealism have their own ground to answer these issues. The above criticism can be overcome after making a through study of this philosophy. We cannot deny the significant features of idealism. Here more emphasis is laid on the spiritual atmosphere of the school and on practice of moral and other essential virtues.
Idealism generates depth of vision and faith in life. For this, a teacher is only a helping hand. In the end it can be maintained that idealistic approach to life and education will definitely reduce the present tension and conficting situations of educational crisis. By providing suitable environments and spiritual atmosphere and by becoming right types of teachers we can make the destinies of our pupils and shape their lives. However, the philosophy of idealism must be supplemented by pragmatic philosophy.
