Ever since knowledge dawned in human mind man has been thinking about problems ontological, epistemological, eschatological and axiological. The questions of philosophy in the beginning of human knowledge were everywhere mixed with psychological problems. Thus, psychology in the beginning was concerned with the nature of the mind and the processes of consciousness. As men lived in small groups and the society was generally confined to a particular village, city or group of villages, the solutions offered were simple. There was hardly any distinction between social and political problems as the political institutions were developed as a means to social welfare. Therefore, most of the ancient thinkers did not distinguish between social philosophy and political philosophy. As the life was simple and social stratification and differentiation was not complex the thinkers offered solutions working in more than one field of knowledge. Most of the thinkers were teachers and men of education who used to pass their life completely free from worldly affairs. The state and the society generally extended support to these scholars and they were generally respected and followed. The job of instruction and education of the younger generation was generally entrusted to these men of letters. The state supported finance but not interfered in the process of education. These great teachers formed their own personal institutions where their disciples collected to hear their learned discourses and learn through their lives. In this way, society was generally governed by the teachings of these great scholars though the administrative machinery was almost everywhere in the hands of the state.
Aims and Ideals of Education
Idealism has influenced every sphere of education. In the first place we will glance at the impact of idealism on the aims of education. Since idealism believes human personality to be the most important, it wants education to aim at the development of human personality culminating in self-realization. In the words of Home, "The end of ends, the goal of goals, according to Idealism, is the increasing realization of the Absolute Idea for the individual, society and the race". Further explaining this aim of education, Rusk has commented, "We may accept that the aim of education is the enhancement or enrichment of personality, the differentiating feature of which is the embodiment of universal values".1 These universal values are expressed as the beauty, goodness and truth, and the aim of education is to concretise these values in the child's life. Thus the idealists cherish the following aims and ideals of education:
1. Development of personality. As has been already pointed out, the most important aim of education, according to the idealist thinkers, both ancient and modern, Eastern and Western, is the development of personality. This has been called man-making by Vivekananda. Explaining this ideal of education, Herman Harell Home says, "The forces that make men and women I find to be heredity, environment and will. Education is not a fourth elemental force, but it does its work in cooperation with these three. Education, through public-opinion influences and may come to control, the force of heredity, it is itself a part of the physical and social environment; it assists in the formation of will. By consciously directing, through education and otherwise, these forces shall in time have the true superman of our modern dreams, as well as the ideal people of Plato's Republic. But unlike Plato and Shaw, we shall have to work through, not without, the family as an institution."
2. The idealists believe that man is God's finest and ultimate creation. That is why development of the human personality has been accepted as the aim of education, and stress has been laid on the teaching of humanitarian subjects such a literature,art, religion, ethics, etc. Through education the cultural and social heritage of the community must be maintained and transmitted to the following generations. Some other idealists believe that the aim of education is to guide the individual to self-realization, for this also includes the development of the personality. Such development, in fact, is the development of those divine qualities which are inherent in human beings but which are dormant at his birth. The educator's task is to manifest these qualities. And for this reason every human being has an equal right to education.
3. Self-realisation. As has been already pointed out, according to idealists the aim of education is self-realisation. This is the individualist aim of education emphasised by the idealist.
4. Development of will power. Self-realisation requires development of will power. H.H. Home has given eight points for the realisation of this ideal:
(i) The training of the will should be indirect by activity rather than idea.
(ii) The object lesson method according to time and context should be used.
(iii) The power of will should be increased by self-suggestion, knowledge and practice.
(iv) Practice is the only way to acquire will power.
(v) Proper discipline leads to will power.
(vi) The educands should be acquainted of facts concerning nature and society.
(vii) Development of moral character by ethical instruction.
(viii) Freedom to make choice in most of the matters concerning the individual.
5. Synthesis of Man and Nature. Another aspect of the idealistic conception of education is the synthesis between nature and human beings. Adams has suggested that education must aim at achieving an understanding of nature in human beings and educating them to achieve harmony with it. This can be done by acquainting the educated with the permanent laws which guide and control natural phenomena. These laws of nature are the causes of all natural activity. Only through such knowledge can the educand arrive at a harmony with all that lies around him.
6. Cultural Development. Greatest significance is attached to the cultural environment created by religion, morality, art, literature, mathematics, science, etc. That is why the idealist tendency is to stress the teaching of humanities so that the cultural and social heritage is maintained intact and allowed to grow. Education is also concerned with enabling the individual to make his own contribution to the cultural development of the community. The ideals of beauty, goodness and truth are the spiritual ideals of the human race, and the child has to be trained to achieve them in reality. Education must transform the child into a true human being by educating him to manifest the divine qualities which are invested in him. The idealists argue that there is system in every part of the universe, and hence the individual must also be taught to create some system in his life through intellectual and spiritual guidance. For this it is essential to develop every aspect of his life—the physical, moral, ethical, intellectual, spiritual and the aesthetic. Failure to develop any one of these would create an imbalance in the individual's personality. In the words of Froebel, "The object of education is the realisation of a faithful, pure, inviolableand hence holy life. Education should lead and guide man to clearness concerning himself, and in himself, to face with nature, and to unity with God".
7. Exploration of Universal Values. Idealism places more emphasis upon more universal objects of education. Ross puts it thus, "The function of education is to help us in our exploration of the ultimate universal values so that the truth of the universe may become our truth and give power to our life. Education must aim at adapting not only to the physical environment but to every kind of environment."3 Rusk points out, "The purpose of education is to enable the child to reconcile himself to reality in all its manifestations, not merely to adapt himself to a natural environment". From among all these various kinds of environment, the cultural environment is considered to be the most important because man's cultural characteristics are his most distinctive qualities.
Aims and Ideals of Education
Idealism has influenced every sphere of education. In the first place we will glance at the impact of idealism on the aims of education. Since idealism believes human personality to be the most important, it wants education to aim at the development of human personality culminating in self-realization. In the words of Home, "The end of ends, the goal of goals, according to Idealism, is the increasing realization of the Absolute Idea for the individual, society and the race". Further explaining this aim of education, Rusk has commented, "We may accept that the aim of education is the enhancement or enrichment of personality, the differentiating feature of which is the embodiment of universal values".1 These universal values are expressed as the beauty, goodness and truth, and the aim of education is to concretise these values in the child's life. Thus the idealists cherish the following aims and ideals of education:
1. Development of personality. As has been already pointed out, the most important aim of education, according to the idealist thinkers, both ancient and modern, Eastern and Western, is the development of personality. This has been called man-making by Vivekananda. Explaining this ideal of education, Herman Harell Home says, "The forces that make men and women I find to be heredity, environment and will. Education is not a fourth elemental force, but it does its work in cooperation with these three. Education, through public-opinion influences and may come to control, the force of heredity, it is itself a part of the physical and social environment; it assists in the formation of will. By consciously directing, through education and otherwise, these forces shall in time have the true superman of our modern dreams, as well as the ideal people of Plato's Republic. But unlike Plato and Shaw, we shall have to work through, not without, the family as an institution."
2. The idealists believe that man is God's finest and ultimate creation. That is why development of the human personality has been accepted as the aim of education, and stress has been laid on the teaching of humanitarian subjects such a literature,art, religion, ethics, etc. Through education the cultural and social heritage of the community must be maintained and transmitted to the following generations. Some other idealists believe that the aim of education is to guide the individual to self-realization, for this also includes the development of the personality. Such development, in fact, is the development of those divine qualities which are inherent in human beings but which are dormant at his birth. The educator's task is to manifest these qualities. And for this reason every human being has an equal right to education.
3. Self-realisation. As has been already pointed out, according to idealists the aim of education is self-realisation. This is the individualist aim of education emphasised by the idealist.
4. Development of will power. Self-realisation requires development of will power. H.H. Home has given eight points for the realisation of this ideal:
(i) The training of the will should be indirect by activity rather than idea.
(ii) The object lesson method according to time and context should be used.
(iii) The power of will should be increased by self-suggestion, knowledge and practice.
(iv) Practice is the only way to acquire will power.
(v) Proper discipline leads to will power.
(vi) The educands should be acquainted of facts concerning nature and society.
(vii) Development of moral character by ethical instruction.
(viii) Freedom to make choice in most of the matters concerning the individual.
5. Synthesis of Man and Nature. Another aspect of the idealistic conception of education is the synthesis between nature and human beings. Adams has suggested that education must aim at achieving an understanding of nature in human beings and educating them to achieve harmony with it. This can be done by acquainting the educated with the permanent laws which guide and control natural phenomena. These laws of nature are the causes of all natural activity. Only through such knowledge can the educand arrive at a harmony with all that lies around him.
6. Cultural Development. Greatest significance is attached to the cultural environment created by religion, morality, art, literature, mathematics, science, etc. That is why the idealist tendency is to stress the teaching of humanities so that the cultural and social heritage is maintained intact and allowed to grow. Education is also concerned with enabling the individual to make his own contribution to the cultural development of the community. The ideals of beauty, goodness and truth are the spiritual ideals of the human race, and the child has to be trained to achieve them in reality. Education must transform the child into a true human being by educating him to manifest the divine qualities which are invested in him. The idealists argue that there is system in every part of the universe, and hence the individual must also be taught to create some system in his life through intellectual and spiritual guidance. For this it is essential to develop every aspect of his life—the physical, moral, ethical, intellectual, spiritual and the aesthetic. Failure to develop any one of these would create an imbalance in the individual's personality. In the words of Froebel, "The object of education is the realisation of a faithful, pure, inviolableand hence holy life. Education should lead and guide man to clearness concerning himself, and in himself, to face with nature, and to unity with God".
7. Exploration of Universal Values. Idealism places more emphasis upon more universal objects of education. Ross puts it thus, "The function of education is to help us in our exploration of the ultimate universal values so that the truth of the universe may become our truth and give power to our life. Education must aim at adapting not only to the physical environment but to every kind of environment."3 Rusk points out, "The purpose of education is to enable the child to reconcile himself to reality in all its manifestations, not merely to adapt himself to a natural environment". From among all these various kinds of environment, the cultural environment is considered to be the most important because man's cultural characteristics are his most distinctive qualities.
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