IDEALISM VS.

NATURALISM
• IDEALISM
• behavior or thought based on a conception of things as they should be
• Emphasizes that the will governs one’s conduct.
• Judges behavior in terms of motives.
• Would say that the knowledge is obtained by speculation and reasoning.
• NATURALISM
• Says that one’s conduct is governed by impulse, instincts and experiences.
• Judges behavior on the basis of results.
• and says that the end justifies the means.
• Regards scientific observation and scientific knowledge as final.
• CONSIDERED OLDEST PHILOSOPHY OF WESTERN CULTURE
• THE WORLD OF MIND, IDEAS AND REASON IS PRIMARY
• METAPHYSICS: stresses mind over matter.
• EPISTEMOLOGY: all knowledge includes a mental grasp of ideas and concepts
• AXIOLOGY: values are rooted in reality.
• IDEALISTS BELIEVE THAT VALUES CAN BE CLASSIFIED AND ORDERED INTO A
HIERARCHY
• LEADING PROPONENT OF IDEALISM
• PLATO
• -Greek Philosopher- considered father of idealism-
• “Allegory of the Cave” from The Republic•
• REALISM
• The antithesis of Idealism
• Universe exists whether mind perceives it or not
• METAPHYSICS- reality composed of matter (body) and form (mind)
• EPISTEMOLOGY- sense realism (knowledge comes through senses)
• AXIOLOGY- values derived from nature.
• LEADING PROPONENT OF REALISM
• ARISTOTLE- father of realism-student of Plato-argued that knowledge can be acquired
through senses
• FRANCIS BACON- advanced a rigorous form of inductive reason
• JOHN LOCKE- theory of tabula rasa (no such thing as innate ideas)•