Naturalism\'S Educational Implications PDF

Title Naturalism\'S Educational Implications
Course Philosophical Foundations of Education
Institution Aligarh Muslim University
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Summary

Natural laws are used to explain phenomena in naturalism. Nature is the ultimate reality, according to this worldview. It has said that matter, not mind or spirit, is the ultimate reality, as dictated by the Idealism ideology. It just denies the spiritual world's existence. The system of natural law...


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NATURALISM'S EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS

INTRODUCTION Naturalism emerged as a theory of education in the nineteenth century. It was a reaction to humanism and mediaeval scholarship, both of which placed a high value on book learning. This school of thought believed that social curricula were to blame, and that a drastic shift in goal and method toward more natural lines was required. NATURALISM'S MEANING Naturalism begins with the explanation of various colours, as it is an old concept in western philosophical thought. It is the philosophical position taken by individuals who approach philosophy from a purely scientific perspective, according to Rusk. Natural laws are used to explain phenomena in naturalism. Nature is the ultimate reality, according to this worldview. It has said that matter, not mind or spirit, is the ultimate reality, as dictated by the Idealism ideology. It just denies the spiritual world's existence. The system of natural laws and man regulate the material universe in general. There is nothing outside of nature, behind nature, or apart from nature. We should learn about naturalism's proponents while studying it. The main proponents of this philosophical idea include Bacon, Thomas Hobbes, Rousseau, Herbert Spencer, Nunn, Hurley, W. E. Hocking, and James Ward. "Naturalism is the ideology that separates nature from God, subordinates’ spirit to matter, and establishes unchanging laws as paramount," writes James Ward. "Naturalism denies the existence of anything beyond nature, beyond nature, beyond nature, and other than nature, such as supernatural or other worldly," Hocking added. As a result, naturalism indicates that nature is a self-sufficient entity that is complete by herself and governed by herself. They only believe in the realm of experimentation and experimentation, not in the world of spirituality.

Naturalism's Characteristics The following are the main characteristics of Naturalistic Philosophy: Naturalism holds that nature is the ultimate reality. Everything has a beginning. All things come from matter and will eventually be reduced to it. They advocated the viewpoint that the mind is the activity of the brain, and the brain is matter. Natural laws are unchanging, and they control the entire cosmos. Science reveals the mysteries of nature; thus, only information acquired from science is true. Our senses are the conduits for true information. Because matter is within the grasp of human senses, the ultimate truth can be discovered through them. Divine inspiration, revelation, prayer strength, soul power, and the other realm are all deceptive concepts that deceive the human intellect. Nature's Threefold Meaning Nature, according to Rousseau, has the three distinct meanings listed below. Nature as a source of endowment: primitive man's instinct In human life, which can be called nature, emotions and unsophisticated judgement are regarded to be trustworthy and reliable guides. According to Rousseau, education should be tailored to the needs of the individual kid. The natural dispositions of a child are referred to as nature. The education of a child should be based on his or her inherent abilities, interests, aptitudes, instincts, and inclinations, among other things. Negative education: Nature's second meaning is a negative one. one. Society, according to Rousseau, is not natural. It is the result of a fictitious contract. He went on to say, "What is it that is it that is it that is it that is it that

What is natural is excellent, while what is artificial or conventional is bad. As a result, nature and society become antagonistic to one another, and nature is characterised negatively in relation to society." Education should not be based on social structures. Rather, it should be based entirely on understanding of man's true nature. Positive Education: According to the third meaning of nature, Rousseau is a good guy. Education should take place in natural settings where natural occurrences can be observed. According to Rousseau, nature is the best teacher and can provide the best education. Naturalism's Essence Nature is the only thing that exists. All events and occurrences in the world are explained by unchanging natural laws. The real world is the material world. Everything is made out of matter, and everything will be reduced to matter in the end. Matter is the ultimate reality. Superhuman marvels such as God, Soul, Mind, Heaven and Hell, Moral Values, and other superhuman miracles are all illusions. Because it is based on observation and experimentation, science or scientific knowledge is true. "Follow Nature" is naturalism's most famous slogan. A child's natural development can only take place in a natural setting rather than one that has been artificially created. Naturalists believe that the senses are the portals to knowledge. Our sense organs can provide us with real information.

By nature, a child is good. But it is society that causes him to be a nasty person. If a man wishes to stay pure and unsophisticated, he must withdraw from society. There is no such thing as an extra-terrestrial creature, soul, or supreme force. Divine inspiration, meditation, and other similar practises deceive the human mind.

NATURALISM'S EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS Naturalism, like other ideas, has influenced education. In fact, naturalism might be considered a revolutionary trend in the history of educational thought. In terms of naturalism in education, history and philosophy are nearly deafeningly mute. Naturalism is still widely practised in today's educational system. Rousseau was a forerunner in the movement to incorporate naturalistic concepts into education. His beliefs on natural education and the natural kid were represented in his classic book "Emile." We might also bring up the names of Adams and Herbert Spencer in this regard. In his book "Education: Intellectual, Moral, and Physical," Herbert Spencer authored four chapters on naturalism in education. As a result, naturalism has made an appearance in the educational arena. We've already talked about metaphysics, epistemology, and axiology, so we'll talk about naturalism in education with those ideas in mind. Naturalistic Education Principles "Everything is good when it comes from the hands of the author of nature," said Rousseau, "but everything degenerates when it comes from the hands of man." Class rooms, text books, time tables, curriculum, and examination systems, among other things, have no place in naturalism's educational system. The necessity of a child's natural development is emphasised here. The renowned slogan here is "Back to Nature." The basic principles of the naturalistic education system are as follows. Naturalism holds that matter is the ultimate reality. Everything All things originate from matter, and all things are ultimately reduced to matter. Matter is constantly present, yet it evolves over time.

The mind, according to this concept, can be described as the It's all about how the brain works and how the brain works. It does not contain any spiritual entities for us to examine. The mind is defined in terms of its cognitive activity. Experience Our mental activity includes things like imagination, reasoning, and problem solving. Naturalism is always a proponent of science and experimentation. Science reveals the mysteries of nature, and only knowledge acquired from science is true. It asserts that the human mind will work through experiences. the five senses True knowledge is derived solely from human senses, not from spiritual power, as idealists claim. This ideology rejects the concept of spirituality. Concepts Divine inspiration, soul power, and prayer strength are all deceptive and deceive the mind. This school of thought holds that the mind and its processes may be examined. by means of the senses Only one's sense-experiences may be relied upon for knowledge. Psychology is a branch of science that investigates and explains human behaviour. Naturalism is a philosophy that rejects the existence of pre-conceived and predetermined life values. Man determines the values of life through his interactions with reality and its demands.

This philosophy emphasises the importance of the person. The biological potentialities and prospects of man can be interpreted in terms of his individuality.

Naturalism and Educational Goals Diverse naturalists have voiced different opinions about educational goals when it comes to the formation of educational goals. Let us look at the main goals that all naturalists advocate under the following headings. Now and future happiness: The naturalist school strives for children's present and future happiness. Natural impulses, according to naturalists, are excellent in and of themselves for the natural man since they provide pleasure. As a result, the pleasure principle governs schooling. This is not necessarily an immediate pleasure, but rather a pleasure that lasts and lasts. As a result, the ultimate qualities are self-control in education, prudence, and the ability to appraise pleasure. The cultivation of these values will lead to present and future satisfaction in our lives. For the sake of survival: In order to survive, one must continually battle the environment. Those who do not persevere do not survive. They all fade away and decompose. As a result, education's goal must be to prepare individuals or nations for the struggle to ensure their existence in the world. Self-expression: Whereas idealism emphasises self-realization as the goal of education, naturalistic philosophy emphasises self-expression and selfpreservation. They do not educate the child during the educational process, but rather prepare him for it. The early years of a child's education A child is nothing more than a squander of time. As a result, the child's natural nature should be allowed to grow and develop in a free environment. As a result, the youngster is free to express himself in a natural way. Naturalists believe that our instincts should be trained. are the cornerstones of all educational endeavours. The teacher should fully utilise the child's instincts and attempt to change the child's behaviour. Sir Percy Nunn, the development of uniqueness

The goals of education should be based on the development of the child's personality, according to educational philosophers. As a result, education must provide opportunities for each child to realise his or her intrinsic abilities. Naturalism and Education Education is life itself, not a means of preparing a youngster for an unknown future that imposes a slew of restrictions in exchange for a distant happiness that he may never experience. As a result, a definite and defined course of study is not at all suitable for student education. The naturalists do not have a set curriculum for the child to follow. Education is a natural process, not a manmade one. It is the result of internal growth rather than external accretion. It does not arise as a result of an external force, but rather as a result of the operation of innate impulses and desires. In general, there are two stages to a naturalistic curriculum. There are two stages: early and late. They supported sense training at an early period because sense organs are the portals to all forms of information. Montessori schools, for example, provide sensory education through "Didactic Apparatus" and Kindergarten schools provide sensory education through "Gift and Occupation." According to naturalistic ideas, disciplines such as nature studies, agriculture, gardening, arts and crafts, Botany, Zoology, Geology, and Geography should be included in the curriculum at a later time. Rousseau attempted to shift the focus away from the curriculum and onto the child. "The school must be conceived of principally not as a place where the young are disciplined in specific sorts of activity, namely, those that are of tremendous and most permanent significance in the wider world," Percy Nunn said, borrowing this idea. Rousseau viewed curriculum as a series of activities and experiences rather than a set of information to be memorised. His curriculum is designed to prepare the youngster for school rather than to educate him. Spencer, on the other hand, believes that curriculum should be based on the content of life activities that can assist a person in living a "full life." These are the activities: Physical education, cleanliness, physiology, and other forms of direct selfpreservation are examples.

Agriculture, crafts, industrial arts, physical and biological sciences are all examples of economic efficiency. Child psychology and home science are two aspects of family life. History, economics, sociology, and political science are examples of civic activities. Literature, art, music, dance, drawing, and painting are examples of leisure activities.

Naturalism and Instructional Methods Naturalism has been an outspoken opponent of the traditional teaching technique. Education, according to Rousseau, is the process of living. Furthermore, other naturalists believe that our old traditional as well as bookish educational system is one of the hurdles to a child's natural development. Some of the naturalists' recommended teaching approaches. The term "heuristic method" refers to the process of discovering or discovering something. According This approach of teaching should be employed while teaching scientific and mathematics courses, according to naturalism. The teacher should create an environment in which the students are able to discover the truth. Naturalism opposes the chalk-and-talk technique of learning through direct experience. They pushed for learning through direct experiences with things or through self-activity. "Give your scholar no verbal lectures; he should be taught solely by experience," Rousseau says. Method of play: Play allows the youngster to fully express themselves. As a result, the child should be educated through play, especially in the early stages of life. Naturalists clearly and emphatically advocate for self-government.

The concept of self-government has been prescribed psychologically. As a result, children should be taught to be self-governing and self-ruling, as this will allow them to manage their own problems and learn various qualities such as how to be a good social member, citizen, or leader.

Discipline and Naturalism This ideology is noteworthy in terms of its educational concepts of freedom and discipline. It believes in the kid's inherent goodness and, as a result, offers the child complete freedom to develop that goodness. "Free-discipline" is the term used to describe its approach to discipline. To analyse the concept of discipline in Naturalism philosophy, we might consider the following points: Naturalism believes in the child's natural and innate goodness. It emphasises that a child's natural freedom of expression and development should be respected. Its concept of discipline is unrestricted, with the authority's control and limits fully gone. The child should be protected from all forms of repression and suppression through punishment, and instead be given the freedom to express himself. According to naturalism, nature has the ability to discipline a child better than man. It also argues that a child may be punished by nature as a result of his own wrongdoing's natural consequences. Teacher and Naturalism The teacher, according to naturalism, is more of an observer of the child's development than a provider of information, ideas, ideals, and so on. Normally, his whereabouts is hidden from view. He acts not only as an observer in the teaching learning environment, but also "as a setter of the stage, a supplier of resources and possibilities, a giver of an ideal atmosphere, a maker of conditions under which natural development occurs."

Here, a teacher is a negative educator rather than a positive one. He is merely a bystander. He should blend in with the other kids and not draw attention to himself. He should not be the "country schoolmaster" that Goldsmith describes. A likeable, compassionate, and affectionate naturalist teacher is ideal. He is a mentor, a philosopher, and a friend. He is obligated to provide all favourable circumstances and opportunity for his students' natural development. The following points can be made from a summary of naturalism's viewpoints on the job of the teacher: The teacher should not interfere with the pupils' self-activity and self-learning. He or she should assist and lead the child if he or she is unable to do so. From behind the screen, a teacher should be a vigilant observer of the child's educational progress. The teacher is responsible for creating a natural environment for the child's selflearning and self-education. Instead of being a teacher, a teacher should simply act as a director or superintendent. Teachers must be professionally trained in order to play their responsible duty more effectively. NATURALISM'S VALUE IN EDUCATION IN AN EMERGING INDIAN SOCIETY The value of naturalism in teaching is undeniable. Naturalism is relevant in India's current educational system for the following reasons, as it is regarded a modern school of thought. • Child-cantered education: Naturalists have argued for child-cantered education. Education in which the child is not educated for the sake of education, but rather educated for the sake of education. The concept of pianocentric education was coined by Sir John Adams. The child should be raised in an environment that encourages the development of his inherent goodness and natural sense of beauty. • Educational psychological trend: In education, there is a psychological tendency that is highly relevant for educating children in modern Indian schools as well. The relevance of natural growth was stressed by emphasising the fact of the child's nature. It has been proven that mental processes in children, such as thinking, reasoning, problem

solving, recalling, recognition, and learning, are triggered by similar activity in adults. As a result, naturalists emphasised the importance of psychology in education. • Educational freedom for the child: Another component of naturalism is that education must provide the child with the freedom to choose what it wants to study, play, and even how it wants to behave. This liberty should be unrestricted by any external constraints. • Use of play as a natural teaching method: Childhood was regarded as a period of play. Play is one of the most effective ways to engage in positive activities. It is an important creative education medium. As a result, naturalists have placed a strong emphasis on the importance of play values, which modern Indian educators accept without reservation. • The Teacher as an Observer: Naturalism saw the teacher as an observer of the child's development rather than a source of information, ideas, or character moulders. The teacher must create a pleasurable environment in which the youngster can learn in a natural way....


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