Idealism, in philosophy, any view that stresses the central role of the ideal or the spiritual in the

interpretation of experience. It may hold that the world or reality exists essentially as spirit or
consciousness, that abstractions and laws are more fundamental in reality than sensory things, or, at
least, that whatever exists is known in dimensions that are chiefly mental—through and as ideas.

Features of Idealism

1. Priority of mind and the self:- Idealism emphasise the priority of the mind and the self. Mind,
according to idealism, is prior to matter. Whereas materialism says that matter is real and mind is
an accompanying phenomenon, idealism believes that mind is real and matter is in sense a by
product. The basic reality consists of or is closely related to mind, ideas, thoughts or selves. Mind
is the controller and the explainer of phenomena. World is the creation of the mind and not a
natural phenomena.

2. The universe exists in spirit:- According to idealism, the spirit is the fundamental constituent of
the universe. True reality is spiritual or thought. Thought, experience, value and personality are
more real than the material things of the external world. Matter in its essence is also spiritual
and every atom has life, mind and energy.

3. Distinctive nature of man:- Idealism believes that man is not a mere animal. He is a superior
creation. He possesses dignity and distinctiveness. He has certain powers which are manifested
in his intellectual attainments, his culture, art, morality, religion and so on. He is not a helpless
creature in his environment. He has the power to mould it according to his need. According to
Ross, “Human personality is supreme and constitutes the noblest work of God.”
Most significant among man’s activities are the intellectual, the aesthetic and moral.

Idealism and Methods of Teaching

Idealism as a philosophy exercised more influence on the aims of education and on its general
philosophy rather than on methods. It speaks of the general nature of teaching methods; it does
not emphasise any particular method of teaching. Idealism has shown its indifference in the field
of methods. Different idealists have adopted different methods, some of which are as under:

Question method:- Socrates had adopted the question method. He used to go to the market and
there he asked questions on important subjects and demanded answers from the audience.
Conversational method:- Plato changed the questioning method into dialectic (conversation)
method.
Inductive and deductive method:- Aristotle imparted education through inductive and deductive
methods. Hegal again adopted the logical methods.
Simple to complex:- Descrates showed his interest in proceeding from simple to complex.
Concrete to abstract:- Comenius showed his interest in proceeding from concrete to abstract.