Idealism and Realism

IDEALISM and REALISM
For thousands of years a philosophical / metaphysical battle has been fought between
Idealists and Realists. Ultimately you realize that the only definitive outcome can occur if Reality
is actually discovered, as this would end all speculation and doubt by finding in favor of the
Realists.
Two of these general or world philosophies, idealism and realism, are derived from the
ancient Greek philosophers, Plato and Aristotle. Both idealism and realism, as philosophical
terms, deal with the relationship between our minds and the world. Idealism is the view that
things exist only as ideas, with no reality as material objects outside of the mind. Realism is the
view that objects exist in themselves, independently of our consciousness of them.
IDEALISM
Idealism is a philosophical approach that has as its central tenet that ideas are the only
true reality, the only thing worth knowing. In a search for truth, beauty, and justice that is
enduring and everlasting, the focus is on conscious reasoning in the mind. Plato, father of
Idealism, espoused this view about 400 years BC, in his famous book, The Republic. Plato
believed that there are two worlds. The first is the spiritual or mental world, which is eternal,
permanent, orderly, regular, and universal. There is also the world of appearance, the world
experienced through sight, touch, smell, taste, and sound, that is changing, imperfect, and
disorderly. This division is often referred to as the duality of mind and body. Reacting against
what he perceived as too much of a focus on the immediacy of the physical and sensory world,
Plato described a utopian society in which "education to body and soul all the beauty and
perfection of which they are capable" as an ideal. In his allegory of the cave, the shadows of the
sensory world must be overcome with the light of reason or universal truth. To understand
truth, one must pursue knowledge and identify with the Absolute Mind. Plato also believed that
the soul is fully formed prior to birth and is perfect and at one with the Universal Being. The
birth process checks this perfection, so education requires bringing latent ideas (fully formed
concepts) to consciousness.
REALISM
Realists believe that reality exists independent of the human mind. The ultimate reality
is the world of physical objects. The focus is on the body/objects. Truth is objective-what can be
observed. Aristotle, a student of Plato who broke with his mentor's idealist philosophy, is called
the father of both Realism and the scientific method. In this metaphysical view, the aim is to
understand objective reality through "the diligent and unsparing scrutiny of all observable
data." Aristotle believed that to understand an object, its ultimate form had to be understood,
which does not change. For example, a rose exists whether or not a person is aware of it. A rose
can exist in the mind without being physically present, but ultimately, the rose shares
properties with all other roses and flowers (its form), although one rose may be red and
another peach colored. Aristotle also was the first to teach logic as a formal discipline in order
to be able to reason about physical events and aspects. The exercise of rational thought is
viewed as the ultimate purpose for humankind. The Realist curriculum emphasizes the subject
matter of the physical world, particularly science and mathematics.
BASIC CLAIMS
Realism asserts two fundamental things about the world: first, that objects outside of
our mind have existence; second, that objects outside of our minds are independent from our
minds, that is, that facts about these objects are true or false regardless of our opinions or
beliefs. Idealists reject the idea that objects are independent of our minds. As the British
idealist philosopher George Berkeley claimed in The Principles of Human Knowledge, “all those
bodies which compose the mighty frame of the world, have not any subsistence without a
mind.”
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IDEALISM AND REALISM
In order for us to be able to differentiate between idealism and realism, we must first
have a thorough understanding of the two terms. Idealism is when you envision or see things in
an ideal or perfect manner. Realism, on the other hand, tends toward a more pragmatic and
actual view of a situation. The two concepts can, in layman’s terms, be deemed different in
perspectives; with idealism focusing on ‘what could be’, and realism focusing on ‘what actually
is.’
These commonly accepted definitions of the words are rooted in the philosophical uses
of the terms. In philosophy, when discussing the issues of perception, idealism is a theory that
states that our reality is shaped by our thoughts and ideas. Realism, on the other hand, deals
with the fact that reality has an absolute existence independent from our thoughts, ideas and
even consciousness.
Using the classic test of whether the glass is half empty or half full as an example, we
see that idealists tend to be positive thinkers – i.e. those who see the glass as being half full.
Realists many not hold the opposite or negative point of view, but they do view a situation
through less hopeful eyes. Realists are stereotypically seen as people who are very rational,
who think carefully, and weight their options before making a choice. In this sense, realists
make safer and more practical choices when compared to idealists, who may be willing to make
more risky decisions.
These perspectives also have an impact on how individuals deal with success or failure
in their lives. An idealist who is always in search of the ‘good’, might be less affected by
setbacks than a realist. However, being lost in a world of fantasy and unachievable goals may
not always be a good thing, as an idealist may set goals that are impossible or grandiose. A
realist, on the other hand, is more likely to set achievable goals, and follow their pursuit in a
planned manner.
Overall, idealism and realism can be understood as two different perspectives. Some of the key
differences between them include:
1. Idealism causes you to see things in a very hopeful manner, shaping situations with your own
ideas. Realism, on the other hand, causes one to assess a situation as it is, without overt
emotional involvement.
2. Idealists tend to be more positive when compared to realists, in how they perceive things
and carry out tasks.
3. When making decisions, realists are more goal oriented and thorough than idealists, who
may have lofty ambitions, but lack the clarity and focus to put them into action in an achievable
way.

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