CLASSICAL PHILOSOPHIES

IDEALISM
 Socrates and Plato
It is the metaphysical view that associates reality to ideas in the mind rather than to material objects. It
lays emphasis on the mental or spiritual components of experience. Idealists regard the mind and spirit
as the most essential, permanent aspects of one’s being.

In Education: Idealism holds the belief that the role of education is to search for true ideas that are
recorded in bodies of subjects/knowledge, and school is the place where discovery of ideas happens.
Subject matter: Philosophy, Literature, History and Religion.

REALISM
 Aristotle and St. Thomas
It is the view that an object or thing really exists and has certain attributes, independently of what people
think about it. This knowledge can be acquired through sensation and abstraction, and through the
Scientific Method proposed by Aristotle.

In Education: Reality is objective and knowledge concerns the material world. The role of education
then is to equip students with knowledge that they need to make rational decisions and to equip them
with knowledge about the objective world.
Subject matter: Science and Mathematics.

EXISTENTIALISM
 Jean Paul Sartre and Soren Kiergeraad
It focuses on the individual's existence and the freedom and responsibility that come with it. Humans are
not born with a predetermined essence or purpose, and instead, create their own meaning and identity
through their choices and actions.

In Education: Existentialism holds the belief that reality is subjective. For the existentialist, the role of
education is to help the learners discover and explore their purpose in life.
Subject matter: Humanities

PRAGMATISM
 John Dewey and Charles Pierce
It suggests that the meaning and usefulness of ideas are more important than their absolute truth or
falsehood. What matters is whether they work in practice and contribute to solving real-world
problems.

In Education: Human creates his own values and that his reality is still making. Hence, knowledge
acquisition involves a person in an environment, and that there are no permanent realities.
Subject matter: Life and growth