Overview
This lecture outlines the philosophy of Realism in education, its key forms, notable proponents, foundational concepts, and its influence on curriculum, teaching, and school systems.
Forms of Realism
- Scholastic Realism: Pursues truth over classical beauty, emphasizes faith and reason.
- Humanistic Realism: Focuses on content and practical application of classics.
- Social Realism: Values practice over scholarly knowledge, trains individuals for social participation.
- Sense Realism: Prioritizes sensory experience and science, advocates for education based on laws of nature.
Key Proponents of Realism
- Aristotle: Father of Realism; reality is purposeful, knowable via causality and reason.
- St. Thomas Aquinas: Integrated Aristotle with Christian theology; emphasized faith and reason.
- Francis Bacon: Advocated scientific/inductive method, warned against the Four Idols of human error.
- John Locke: Emphasized sensory experience, tabula rasa (blank slate) mind, and empirical learning.
Core Concepts of Realism
- Reality exists independently of perception.
- Knowledge is acquired through observation, experience, experiment, and science.
- Universals exist for a reason; the external world is objectively real.
Characteristics and Approaches in Education
- Reality and truth are central; education trains rational, practical individuals.
- Curriculum is highly organized, subject-centered, and focuses on sciences, social sciences, and mathematics.
- Emphasis on real-world experience, direct observation, and performance-based teaching methods.
- Learning should be practical, systematic, and aligned with students' interests.
- Teachers must be knowledgeable, provide guidance, establish order, and relate content to real-life needs.
Realism and the School
- Schools reflect the needs and realities of society, not individual or political wants.
- Subjects focus on the physical world: math, science, social studies.
- Role of the teacher: impart and demonstrate knowledge; role of the learner: participate and manipulate reality.
- Change is seen as a process toward perfection and order.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Scholastic Realism — Merges faith (religion) and reason (philosophy) in pursuit of truth.
- Humanistic Realism — Values practical learning from classical literature for real-life applications.
- Social Realism — Prepares students for active roles in society through practical experience.
- Sense Realism — Stresses sensory-based, scientific learning about the natural world.
- Tabula Rasa — The mind at birth is blank, knowledge comes from experience.
- Four Causes (Aristotle) — Material, formal, efficient, and final reasons to explain existence.
- Four Idols (Bacon) — Sources of error: den/cave, tribe, marketplace, theatre.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review Aristotle’s Four Causes and Bacon’s Four Idols for deeper understanding.
- Prepare examples of how Realist ideas shape modern education, curriculum, and teaching methods.
- Read about key figures: Aristotle, St. Thomas Aquinas, Francis Bacon, John Locke.