Realism in philosophy of education

What is realism

Realism is an approach to life that means dealing with the way things are. If you see the world
through the lens of realism, you accept what's in front of you and don't pretend it's otherwise.
According to Aristotle the father of realism, he defined realism as an educational attempts to
teach students how to find that reality through logical processes.

Types of realism

1)Platonic Realism: Platonic Realism is the view, articulated by the ancient Greek philosopher
Plato, that universals exist. A universal is a property of an object, which can exist in more than
one place at the same time (e.g. the quality of "redness"). As universals were considered by
Plato to be ideal forms, this stance is confusingly also called Platonic Idealism.

2)Moderate Realism: Moderate Realism is the view that there is no separate realm where
universals (or universal concepts) exist, but that they are located in space and time wherever
they happen to be manifest. Moderate realism represents a middle ground between Platonic
Realism or Extreme Realism and the opposite extreme, Nominalism (the position that abstract
concepts, general terms or universals have no independent existence, but exist only as names).

3)Modal Realism: Moral Realism (or Moral Objectivism) is the meta-ethical view that there are
objective moral values which are independent of our perception of them or our stance towards
them. Therefore, moral judgments describe moral facts. It is a cognitivist view (cognitivism being
the view that ethical sentences express propositions and are therefore "truth-apt" i.e. they are
able to be true or false), and it contrasts with expressivist or non-cognitivist theories of moral
judgment, error theories, fictionalist theories and constructivist or relativist theories.
Moral Realism purportedly allows the ordinary rules of logic to be applied straightforwardly to
moral statements. It also allows for the resolution of moral disagreements, because if two moral
beliefs contradict one another.

4) Aristotilan realism: This was founded by Aristotle with focus on our existence of God, Spirit
and Sources.

5) Scholastic realism: The scholastic were christians philosopher who bought by all
philosophical inquires to harmonies faith and reasoning.

6) Scientific realism: Scientific realism is the view that the universe described by science is real
regardless of how it may be interpreted.

Advantages of realism
1) It lays emphasis on practical knowledge: Realism gives emphasis to practical knowledge and
functional knowledge. It is only such type of knowledge which makes a person successful in life.
2) The aim of the development of a dynamic and adaptable mind: The aims of education given
by realism may not be very exalting but atleast they are very useful and important. To develop
dynamic and adaptable mind to cope with life situations is really a very important aim.

3) Due importance to science and technology: Realism gives due importance to science and
technology in its scheme of curriculum It is only science and technology which can raise the
standard of living of teeming millions throughout the world. No nation can make progress
without the help of science and technology.

4) Progressive methods of teaching: Heuristic method, inductive deductive method, correlation,

Dalton plan etc. are all the gifts of realism in the arena of methods of teaching. Each student is
expected to investigate for himself rather than to accept things dogmatically. 5. Proper concept
of discipline: Realism favours impressionistic and emancipationsitic type of discipline. According
to this school discipline should be based upon love, sympathy and understanding rather than on
authority.

6) Physical Health: Should have a definite purpose. That of improving health and not only being
the gentlemanly sport.

7) Development of proper attitudes among the students: Realism advocates the development of
proper attitude among the students like objective thinking and rational judgement. Love,
sympathy and fellow feeling are also emphasized.

8) Emphasis on vocational education: Realism is in tune with the modern conditions and
aspirations of society.

9) Instructions are given on a uniform scientific method.

10) Emphasis on Objectivity: Realism lays emphasis on objectivity. It is an account of the efforts
of the school of thought that teachers encourage students to analyse the subject mater
objectively.

Disadvantages of realism
1) Emphasis on the immediate reality of the physical: World critics are of the opinion that realism
ignores the ultimate reality of the spiritual world on account of its zeal for immediate reality of
material world. But the immediate reality as perceived through the senses and interpreted by
intellect derives its significance only from ultimate reality and the former cannot by any logical
reasoning be isolated from the latter. In fact, it is such an unnatural divorce of the physical from
the spiritual reality that has led to the moral and spiritual backruptchy of the present generation.

2) Realism ignores the importance of emotions, imaginations etc. which are also equally
important in human life.
3) No place for intuition and meditation: According to realism all the knowledge is derived from
observation and experimentation. It does not accept the claims of intuition and meditation as a
much superior source of getting knowledge.
4) More importance only to scientific subjects: Realism gives too much emphasis to science and
technology and altogether ignores the importance of the non-material. Subjects like art, culture,
religion and mortality etc. but according to this critics, science and technology do not by
themselves have any value unless they serve as instruments for developing our moral and
aesthetic life.

5) No faith in eternal values and high ideals of life: Realism has no faith in eternal values and
highest ideals of life. It has faith only in the harsh realistics of daily life.