Philosophy Abstracts and Reflections

Idealism

Idealism is a philosophy based on the idea that ideas are the main reality in the world, and that the physical world can be misleading if it is overly focused on, rather than the underlying spiritual world. One epistemological function of idealism is that the human reasoning must be the source of knowledge, as physical exterior would-be-sources do not actually contain truth. It is based or rooted in the writings of the Greek thinker Plato, and frequently utilizes Socratic method to discern knowledge.

Realism

Realism is a philosophy that stands almost precisely counter to idealism. Realism puts its focus on the idea that truth does not exist within the human mind, and that all knowledge and reality exists solely on the exterior. The epistemological function of realism is based on scientific method and observation of the natural world. The works of Aristotle, and much later, John Locke, served heavily to form modern realism.

Pragmatism

Pragmatism is a philosophy that dismisses idealism and realism as inconsistent with a natural world and internal world that are changing and evolving. This has an epistemological nature that requires an interaction between the self and the universe, but not necessarily from a scientific observation standpoint. While both idealism and realism state that there are universal truths that must be discerned in some way, pragmatism focuses more on the process of obtaining knowledge than the knowledge itself. It is centered on becoming rather than being.

Existentialism

Existentialism is a philosophy that is contrary to the other three philosophies we’ve studied. Rather than finding meaning in the mind, in the natural world, or in the process of change and evolution, existentialism claims that there is no absolute meaning or principle to live by. The chief principle of existentialism is that because there are no absolute values, humans are free to make their own choices. Existentialism is based heavily in the writings of Jean-Paul Sartre.

The two educational philosophies I’ve chosen to focus on are idealism and existentialism, mostly because these are the two ideas that I tend to alternate between in my own views. I have been deceived enough by and seen enough negative works come from the hands of the scientific process and observation of the natural world and natural laws to believe that there is any kind of absolute meaning found in the observable universe. I have also always felt deeply that if there is some kind of absolute meaning, it must be found internally. The Socratic method and use of questions to learn are things that I have always felt strongly about.

As for existentialism, I also have long periods in which I dismiss the idea of internal meaning as well. I agree with the somewhat pragmatic idea that the search for meaning may be the largest source of actual meaning in life, but I still feel that even this is not enough, as it can be by no means described as a universal truth.