COMPARATIVE STUDY OF IDEALISM, REALISM, NATURALISM & PRAGMATISM
Subject Idealism
Socrates, Plato, Shankaracharya,
Erasmus, Rebellias, Milton, Lord
Exponents Ravendra Nath Tagore, Mahatma
Montaigne, Bacon, Ratke
Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda
1) Idealism insists on God. To
achieve god, spiritual
periection is necessary.
2) Accepts the existence of
Fundamental spiritual world.
3) Spiritual values are supreme
Principles
and universal.
4) Values are pre-determined.
5) Idealism is a complete
spiritual view point.
6) It is a monistic concept.
1) Education is based on
spiritualism and ethics.
2) It emphasizes mental
capabilities.
Principles of 3) Teacher and Curriculum are
the centre of' education.
Education
4) Emphasizes book learning.
5) Both individual and society
are Valued.
6) It is a definite and specific
Ideology
Realism
1) Realism believes in
individual and social
developments
2) It believes in the importance
of material world
3) Cause & Effect relationship
scientific principles are
universal and universally
accepted.
4) Problems of real life become
ideals and values.
5) Fully scientific attitude.
6) It is a pluralistic concept.
1) Education is based on
science only.
2) It emphasizes on behaviour
and experiment.
3) Child and his present life is
the centre of education.
4) It opposes book learning.
5) Both the individual and the
society are valued.
6) It is liable to change
according to a change in life.
Naturalism Pragmatism
Aristotle, Comte, Darwin, C.B .Pearce, William James,
Bernard Shaw, Herbert Sheiller, John Dewey, Kilpatrick
1) Pragmatism does not believe
1) Naturalism does not believe
in god or spiritual values. It
in God. Nature is everything.
has full faith in Man.
Nothing is beyond it.
2) It upholds the power of man
2) It believes in matter and
as supreme.
Importance of Material
3) Spiritual principles are not
World.
universal. They change
3) Physical and Nutura1
according to change in times,
Principles are supreme and
Circumstances and situations.
Universal.
4) Values are not
4) There is no ideal or Supreme
predetermined. They are in
Values.
the making.
5) Fully materialistic &
5) Fully Psychological and
Mechanical attitude.
humanistic view point.
6) It is a Monistic concept.
6) It is a pluralistic concept.
1) Education is based on
1) Education is based on
Psychology.
Psychology and science.
2) It emphasizes basic instincts,
2) It Emphasizes practice.
interests and tendencies.
3) Child is the focal point of all
3) Child is the centre of
educational activities.
education.
4) It opposes book learning.
4) It opposes book learning.
5) Only sociability is
5) Only individual is considered
emphasized.
and valued.
6) It is progressive, dynamic and
6) It is a progressive and
changeable ideology.
dynamic ideology.
 1) Self realization or of
1) Preparing child for a real life.
personality.
2) Developing the physical and 1) To perfect the human
2) Spiritua1 development 1) Aims of education are not
mental powers of child. Machines.
3) Realization of Truth, Beauty pre-determined.
3) Preparing child for a happy 2) Attainment of present and
and Goodness. 2) Educational aims change
life. future happiness.
Aims of 4) Conversion, promotion, and according to times, places
4) Developing and training of 3) Preparation for the struggle
transmission of cultural and circumstances.
Education senses. for existence.
heritage. 3) More education
5) Acquainting the child with 4) Adaptation to Environment.
5) Conversion of inborn nature 4) Creation of new values.
nature and social 5) Improvement of racial gains.
into Spiritual Nature 5) Social adjustment and
environment. 6) Natural development.
6) Preparation for a holy life. harmonious development.
6) Imparting vocational 7) Autonomous development
7) Development of' inte1igence
education
and rationality

1) Realistic Curriculum is 1) Naturalistic Curriculum is

developed according to utility
1) Idealistic curriculum is
and needs.
developed according to ideals
2) Subjects concerning day to
and eternal values.
day activities are included in
2) Humanistic subjects are
curriculum.
emphasized.
3) Main subjects of Realistic
Curriculum 3) Main subjects of Idealistic
4) Curriculum are –Natural
curriculum are – Religious
sciences, Biological sciences,
studies, spiritual studies,
Physical sciences, Health
Ethics, Language, Sociology,
culture, Physical exercises,
Literature, Geography,
Mathematics, Geography,
History, Music, Fine arts etc.
History, Astronomy, Sports
etc.
1) Pragmatic Curriculum is
constructed according to
based on subjects of utility,
basic instincts, aptitudes and
its main principle being
tendencies of children.
utilitarian.
2) In such Curriculum,
2) Social subjects form the main
scientific subjects occupy
body and others subsidiary.
main place. Humanities
3) Main subjects of a Pragmatic
occupy subsidiary position.
Curriculum are –Health
3) Main subjects of Naturalistic
hygiene and science, Physical
Curriculum are -games and
cultural, History, Geography,
Sports, Physical sciences and
Mathematics, Homo-science,
Physiology, Health culture,
Science and
material sciences and
4) Agriculture etc.
Biological sciences etc.
 1) Idealists have not adopted
any specific and definite
method of teaching. .
2) They advocate many
methods.
3) Thus they think themselves
as creators of methods and
Methods of
not the slave of any particular
Teaching method.
4) Idealists prescribe the
following methods of
teaching- Question-answer,
Conversation, Dialogue,
Discussion, Lecture,
Argumentation, Intersection,
Book study etc.
1) Teacher s role is supreme
1) Supreme and important place
of teacher
2) The teacher as a gardener
Teacher
knows best as to how to care 2) Keeping aside his own views,
and develop a child like a
plant.
1) Idealism advocates discipline
at all costs.
2) Freedom is to be restricted by
Discipline
ideals.
3) Emphasizes impressionistic
discipline.
1) Realists emphasize scientific
& objective methods of
1) Naturalists emphasizing
teaching.
2) It emphasizes informal
methods of teaching.
3) Realists emphasize the
following methods of
teaching - self-experience and
research, Experimental
method, Heuristic method and
Correlation method.
because he brings the child in
touch with the external
realities of life.
the teacher imparts scientific
knowledge to the child in an
easy and effective way.
Realism emphasizes a synthetic
form of impressionistic and
emancipatory discipline
according to natural and social
procedures.
Learning by doing, Learning
by self-experience and
Learning by play, have
advocated the following
methods of teaching -
Observation, Play-way and
Kindergarten methods.
1) Teacher's role is subsidiary
whereas child's position is
central.
2) Nature is the supreme
teacher. He is to set the stage
for child and retire behind the
curtain.
1) The slogan of Naturalism is
freedom.
2) This doctrine, supporting
emancipatory discipline,
emphasizes discipline,
according to natural
consequences.
Pragmatists have emphasized the
principles of
1. Purposive processes of
learning,
2. Learning by doing and by
experience and
3. Correlation and integration.
On the basis of these principles
Kilpatrick has given birth to
project method, a method which
is widely accepted and used in
the field of education.
1) Teacher's role is that of a
friend, philosopher and guide.
2) Teacher puts the child in such
a position so that he learns to
create new values for future.
Pragmatism emphasizes limited
emancipatory or social
discipline.
 1) According to Idealism,
1) According to Naturalism,
school is the only place for 1) According to Pragmatism,
1) According to Realism, School Nature’s vast campus is the
regular and effective school is a laboratory for
is a socially well planned real school.
School education experiments to be done by
institution. 2) School should be a natural
2) School is an ideal form of children.
2) It is a mirror of society and spontaneous field of free
pleasing and joyful activities 2) It is a society in miniature.
activities.
for children