DIFFERENT

SCHOOLS OF
PHILOSOPHY
Reported by:
LILIBETH A. ROLDAN
Ph.D. student

Dr. Teresita Bulandan

Professor
Fundamental of
Philosophy

1. the philosophy of idealism

--one of the oldest systems of human
thought.
(According to this concept, knowledge is
independent of sense experience.)
Some idealist assert that the true ideas
exist innately in
the soul of manman as part of the universe
is a purposive
being.

Some of the important concepts and

generalizations in
the philosophy of idealism are:
a. metaphysicsall of reality is reducible to
one fundamental substance (spirit).
The nature of the spirit in negative terms
is non
materiality and it is describe as idea in
positive terms.
b. epistemologythere are two divisions of
idealism: (1)Objective idealism affirms
that man is able to know only what he
perceives.
His only knowledge is of his mental states.
It is said

(Idealism applies to any theory

which sees the universe as being
made of mind or reason. Some
believers of idealism recognize both
mind
and matter in the universe.
Others insist that consciousness or
reason form the basis of reality.)

Types of idealistic philosophy

A. Objectivismemphasizes the objective
and real independence of ideas.
B. Subjectivismemphasizes the subjective
mental state of human mind.
C. Organicemphasizes the holistic state of
mind.
D. Personalismrejects
the
impersonal
description
of
infinite
mind
and
emphasizes the individual phenomena of
the personal mind.

 In education, idealism is against the

philosophy of progressive education. Idealism
has high regard for individuality and freedom
in education. The idealistic pattern of modern
education is Platonicit can be said that
modern education has given a different turn
to educational philosophy. (Idealism has more
to do with the ideas as mental state.)
Education cannot be complete unless it is
directed toward mans eternal destiny.

 The philosophy of idealism has general

implication in teaching and in learning.
To the idealists, the purpose of education
is to assist in the development of the spirit
and self of the pupil.
In education, it must emphasizes the
development of the ff. areas of life:
a. Intellectual activities
b. Moral judgment
c. Aesthetic appreciation
d. Self-realization
e. Individual freedom
f. Individual responsibility
g. Self-discipline or control

The school curriculum must be based

upon the spiritual nature of man. The school
must be compose of subjects which liberate
the mind of the learner. (this concept is
based on the principle of creativity or
individual freedom)
Education must preserve the subjectmatter content which is essential.
The content of the curriculum are
arranged from simple to more complex,
concrete to the more abstract aspects
of the subjects. This concepts is based
on the Law of Gradual Reaction
Change of Thorndike.

2. The philosophy of realism

--it is an attempt to portray life as it is.
The realist believes that the world is made
of real, substantial material entities. In other
words, the realist starts with a thing and end
up with the idea. In short, thing is more
important than idea.
According to the philosophy, knowledge is
derived through sense experience, however,
sense experience alone cannot account for
knowledge.
To the realist, whatever is consistent with
nature is deemed good. The standard of this
value is human reason.

 The philosophy of realism has implications

to educationit recognizes the right of every
individual to an education based upon his
nature.(limited only by his capacity to learn).
This philosophy recognizes the importance of
individual differences in education. Pupils
differ in the level of their abilities to think in
abstractions which call for different methods
and techniques in teaching to meet them
among individuals.

to the realists, education exists for the ff.

reasons:
A. To transmit culture
B. To develop thinking and reasoning
C. To develop the ability to live a life of reason
D. To learn to live a life in a higher place
. To the realists, the purpose of education is to
provide man with the essential knowledge he
needs to survive in nature.(this knowledge
provides the individual with the skills
necessary for a happy and abundant life.

The School curriculum is selected and organized

logically and psychology.
Logical arrangement means the subjects should be
arranged from simple to the more complex.( the
law of Gradual reaction change-Thorndike)
Psychological arrangement means that the nature
of the learner must be taken into consideration,
such as : ability, interests, and needs of the
learner.

3. The philosophy of humanism

--it is a way of looking at our world which
emphasizes the importance of manhis
nature and importance in the universe.
Humanism teaches that all persons have
dignity and worth. They objected to the
simple nature of man.
Humanism is a way of thought and life,
which takes its central concern in the
realization of the fullest human career.
Humanism seeks to enrich and innoble the
mans earthly life by liberating the latent
potentialities of human nature.

Many educators and philosophers believe

that the greatest challenge to humanism,
and indeed a threat to the safety of society
comes from emphasis on science and
technology.
The modern humanistic ideal of education is
the development of a well balanced person,
who had:
-- knowledge
--knew how to live with his fellowmen
--appreciated beauty
--high standards of human judgment

Humanism is clearly related to

international as an aim of education.
Modern education should seek to promote
the spirit of internationalism everywhere
and be ever guided by that spirit in its
great task
Proper internationalism means intellectual
charity toward universal progressive
educational thought and practice. It
recognizes the interdependence among
nations necessitates the contribution of all
nations to the common task of advancing
civilization.

In the applied scienceshuman relations

still bears the primitive practices/ancient
practices.
In human relationwhere wisdom,
tolerance, moral sense and social spirit are
required.
In the school of philosophy, humanism, the
objective of teaching and learning is to
discover the emotional order of subjectmatter and the order of learning.
According to this educational philosophy,
learning starts with the childs
experience.(based on the law of
Apperception of Herbart), that learning is
easier if it starts with the past learning of the

In other words, the learner must start with

the concrete and particular rather than the
abstract and universal.

4. Experimentalism & pragmatism

--in general, the philosophy of pragmatism
is grouped under the general term of
experimentalism.
(experimentalism and pragmatism is closely
related.)
To both schools of philosophy, reality is
determined by individual experience.
Dr. John Dewey (believer of pragmatism)
might properly be called experimentalist, he
insist that ideas must always be tested by
experiment.
he also believed that no knowledge is ever
so certain that it is not subject to new

 he applied these basic concepts to nearly

every aspect of philosophy and education.
his notion that ideas are plans of action
determine his theory of truth. (for him, if an
idea does what it intends as a plan of action,
it is true. If it fails, it is false.)
The pragmatist does not believe that
anything is self-evident.
Pragmatism has been called particularly
American Philosophy.
Pragmatism is also considered as the logic
that idea lies behind scientific method.

 According to the philosophy of

experimentation and pragmatism, education
must be problem centered.
This problem must be felt by the learner
and should be centered upon his abilities,
needs and interests.
The fact that man learns through
experience, the experimentalist and the
pragmatist suggest an education which
stresses learning by doing and living.
An individual learns through self activity
or learning by doing or reacting.
They also suggest that teaching must

--It can be said that to the experimentalists

and the pragmatists, the aim of education is
the development of the total child through
experiencing or through the use of the theory
of self-activity.
To accomplish this aim of education, the
school curriculum must be selected and
organized in terms of activities and projects
which are relevant to the needs, abilities and
interests of the learner.

 Their education concepts are based on the

educational philosophy of John Dewey :
education is life, education is growth,
education is a social process, and education
is the construction of human experience.
Likewise, the experimentalism school of
philosophy is concerned with the world of
human experience.
truth is verified through the use of
experience or through the use of scientific
method.

5. Philosophy of scholasticism
--stresses the idea that man is a national
being possessing a body and soul. each
human being has an immortal destiny
This school of philosophy believes
that not all the truth can be known by reason
because of the restrictions present in sense
of knowledge.some truths can be
achieved through the gift of faith.
This school of philosophy believes in the
use of reason in accomplishing truth. In
other words, reason dominates Scholastic
philosophy.

 The aim of education, must be directed to

the development of the whole manthat a
person must be develop mentally,
physically,
emotionally,
socially
and
spiritually.
This school of philosophy believes that
education must aim at the development of the
whole child by including both the preparation
for this life and the life to come.
It also believes that religion must be
apart of the education.
Likewise, this school believes that
general education must be a part of the
college curriculum to provide for the
development of the virtue of wisdom

6. Philosophy of progressivism
--closely related to pragmatic philosophy of
education.
According to this educational philosophy,
the child grows and develops as a whole
through his own experience or through selfactivity.
The
outstanding leaders of this school are:
Horace Mann
Francis Parker
Stanley Hall
John Dewey
William Kilpatrick

 Progressivism is a protest against

formalism.
Emphasis in this concept is placed upon
interests, desires of the individual, upon
freedom, and upon the learner rather than the
subject-matter.
From the progressivists, learning is an
active process, (in which the learner
(this point of view states that the learning
himself is definitely involved).
process is essentially experiencing, doing
and understanding)this concept calls for
active doing which involves the mind, the
body, and the emotion of the individual.

Characteristics of progressivism:
a. The child is male the center of the
educative process and not the subjectmatter.
(child-centered
concept
of
education)
b. Learning by doing and experiencing are
emphasized in the educative process.
(teaching is good when it utilizes the
principle of self-activity)
c. Thinking
and
reasoning
are
well
emphasized. (analysis and synthesis are
utilized
to
stimulate
thinking
and
reasoning.)
d. The school curriculum is based on activities
and projects that are in line with the pupils

f. Emphasis is in group planning, discussion,

self
expression,
creativeness,
and
responsibility.
(planning of activities is done by the teacher
and the pupils done cooperatively to the
teacher.)
g. Evaluation is based on flexible standards
or that grading must be based on the
normal-probability-curve.
(higher standard for the bright, lower
standard for the slow pupils.)
h. Guidance is made an integral part of
teaching and learning.
(self expression, initiative, and creativeness

7. Philosophy of existentialism
--the most recent to appear upon the
intellectual sense.
--some philosophers classify this as extreme
individualism.
To this school of philosophy, reality is a
matter of individual existencethat each
human being exists in a world that is without
purpose and is fundamentally absurd.
The only significance found in life is the
meaning that each individual gives to his
life---each person is free to make whatever
choices he wishes.

Some existentialists assert that GOD exist.

(they admit the impossibility of proving this by
reason)
They believe the existence of GOD through
faith, on the basis that this act of faith yields a
significant life which may or may not be

To the existentialists,
the purpose of education is to
rewarded
at its termination.

serve. The individual human being by guiding him

into awareness of his condition and promoting his
successful commitment to a significance existence.
Likewise, complete individual freedom in the
classroom is recommended by this school of
philosophy, and that individual child must choose
himself those activities which he believes are
significant, and the teacher serves as a guide and a
resource person.(based on democratic principle of
John Dewey)

8. Analytic philosophy
--This school of philosophy asserts that the
function of philosophy is basically a type of
logical and linguistic analysis.
--This philosophy is otherwise known as
logical analysis.
According to this school of philosophy,
reality is consists of what is knowable,-that
is verified by experience.
--This also asserts that man is different
from other animals to the extent that he has
the capacity to engage in reflection.
--also asserts that the method of
philosophy must be the method of science for

 It is known that man is a rational being and

that his reason is most important distinction.
In Analytic philosophy, the aim of education
is to promote the intellectual and social
development of the individual.
(this concept is based on the principle that an
individual is a social being.)
This aim of education can be accomplished
by developing the scientific attitude of openmindedness
and
objectivity
in
each
pupil/student.
To the believers of this philosophy, the
education must be based on the experiences
of the learner.

Thank You for Listening!!!