NATURALISM

NATURALISM
NATURALISM
Definition:
➢ is a philosophical perspective or worldview that
emphasizes a scientific understanding of the
world based on observable, natural phenomena.
NATURALISM
❑ The most influential movement in the 18th century
❑ Rooted from ancient philosophers:
Thales (water); Anaximenes (air); Anaximander
(Boundless, infinite substance)
❑ Is a type of philosophy according to which nature is the
ultimate reality.
❑ Denies the existence of anything beyond nature.
❑ Believes that everything comes from nature and returns to
nature
NATURALISM
• Nature is also termed as materialism.
• Does not believe in spiritualism. It denies the existence of a
spiritual universe--- the universe of ideas and values.
• The material world is the only real world. It is the only reality.
It is being governed by a system of natural laws and the man,
who is creation of the material world, must submit to them.
• According to Thomas and Lang: “ Naturalism is opposed to
idealism, subordinates mind to matter and holds that ultimate
reality is material world, not spiritual world.
 NATURALISM
❑ They believe that instincts are responsible for all
our activities– biological, psychological or social.
❑ Values of life, are created by human needs. Man
creates them when he reacts to– or interacts with
--- his environment.
❑ According to naturalist there is inherent
goodness in man. In man there is innate capacity
for morality. Man is born rational. Naturalist thus,
have idolized man.
NATURALISM
❑ Believes that mind is an accident in the process
of evolution and it can be explained in terms of
nature. Mind is a function of the brain which is
material in nature. Mind is not the source of
knowledge; all knowledge is acquired from
without, and senses are the gateways of all
knowledge.
Forms of Naturalism:
1.Physical Naturalist ( Instinctivists):
it is also known as material naturalism. Emphasizes
purely on physical nature.
It believes only in reality of material objects and the
laws of mass and motion.
Man is only one of the objects of physical nature, a
creature of mass and motion.
Children should learn from their sensory
experiences because the senses are the gateways o
knowledge. Let them learn by their experiences.
Forms of Naturalism:
2. Biological Naturalist ( Darwinians):
Darwin (1809- 1882) and Lamarck (1744-1829)
are the greatest exponents of biological
naturalism. It derives its data and first principles
from the biological rather than the physical
sciences. With a great faith in biological evolution,
it accepts man as the highest form of living
organism in the evolutionary process
Life according to biological naturalists is
dynamic, ever changing and ever developing
phenomenon. Man therefore, must adjust
himself to the changing life.

Man is only one of the objects of physical

nature, a creature of mass and motion.

Children should learn from their sensory

experiences because the senses are the
gateways of knowledge. Let them learn by
their experiences
 Basic Principles of Naturalism
1. Back to the basic approach: returning to
the natural as opposed to all that is artificial.
2. Mind is the brain functioning and brain is
matter.
3. All types of mental activities- imagination,
thinking, reasoning etc. are the functions of
the brain.
4. “Follow nature” is the greatest slogan of
naturalism in education.
5. The child occupies the central position in
the educative process. Priority should be
given to child’s happiness in the whole
education process.
6. It is against bookish knowledge and
verbalism.
7. The entire universe is governed by the laws
of nature which are unchangeable science
reveals the mysteries of nature; hence only
that knowledge is true that is derived from
science.
8. There is no God or Spirit.
9. Naturalist advocate freedom in education.
“Child is good, not an evil being; being born
good he remains good when all opportunity
to fear and hate is abolished.”
10. It stresses moral training through natural
punishment i.e learning comes as a result of
the natural consequences of one’s act.
11. Freedom of the child: We should provide full freedom
for the natural and complete development of the child. He
must learn from his own mistakes.
12. Emphasizes on physical education and health training(
the natural ways to develop an individual)
-freedom to grow without being confined or cuddled
- to allow utmost freedom of limb and voice
- to provide reasonable exposure to thing; pain,
happiness,
heat, cold and even danger.
 Naturalism and Aims in Education
“It decries all external restraints in education and it
condemns all unnecessary formalities in education.”
✓ in the naturalist system of education, there is no place for
class-room, textbooks, timetable, formal lessons, curricula or
examination. The ‘chalk and talk’ method has no scope.
✓ The teacher has no significant role to play. External
discipline has no place in naturalist system of education.
✓ Naturalism in education stands fir the doctrine of “follow
nature” .
✓ It stands for complete freedom to be given to the child in
learning. He is to be left alone, absolutely free.
✓ Its watchword is “back to nature” as expounded by
Rousseau and Gandhi, “The whole of the child’s learning will
come from his own experiences and their natural
consequences. His whole education will be according to the
natural laws of human development.”

✓Under the naturalistic school of philosophy the aim of

education is self-expression. Some naturalists consider
man as a machine and they suggests that the aim of
education is to make the human machine as perfect
and efficient as possible.
❑According to Spencer, self-preservation and self-
satisfaction constitute the highest good in life and,
hence, the primitive instincts and natural impulses
should be used in such a way that this highest good
can be achieved.
❑McDougall (1871- 1938), the famous exponent of
naturalistic School of psychology, does not accept
the theory of pleasure. He holds that our instincts are
to be directed towards certain natural goals. Hence
the aim to education, according him, is the
sublimation of the native instincts and energies of
the individual– the redirection, coordination and
harmonious working of the native impulses.
❑Jean Jacques Rousseau’s statement of
naturalistic aim of education is the most
comprehensive and lucid. Education, he holds,
should aim at the development of the child in
conformity with his nature.
It was Rousseau who first popularized the
naturalism movement, that's why he is called
the father of naturalism. The three most
crucial components of Rousseau's "naturalist"
philosophy are the state of nature, natural
man, and natural civilization.
Emile Zola (1840-1902)
➢ best known proponent of naturalism.
➢He was one of the most passionate
defenders of Taine’s theories, putting
them to use in his novels.
➢Zola was the first to propose and
formulate naturalism.
➢Naturalism is a new and harsh realism.
➢Is a theory in literature emphasizing
scientific observation of life without
idealism or avoidance of the ugly.
 Naturalism and Curriculum:
➢The naturalistic aim of education are reflected
in its curriculum. The naturalists strongly
advocate inclusion of natural sciences such as
physics, chemistry, zoology botany in
curriculum. As regards language and
mathematics they suggest that only such
knowledge of these subjects should be acquired
as is essential for scientific studies.
 Naturalism and Methods of Teaching
In methods of teaching, naturalism is a revolt against
the old, traditional and bookish system of education.
❑Attached no importance to formal schools and
textbooks as this hinder the natural development of
children.
❑It condemns note-learning and encourages learning
by doing.
❑They emphasize auto-education and self-
development and learning through personal
experience of the child.
 Naturalism and the Teacher
The educator should not interfere in the natural
development of the child.
➢He should not impose ideals or ideals or ideas
on him.
➢It condemns note-learning and encourages
learning by doing.
➢They emphasize auto-education and self-
development and learning through personal
experience of the child.
 Merits of Naturalism
1. It gives the child a very important place in the
educational process. It treats a child as a child and not as
an adult. The child is good and pure at the terms of birth.
2. It considers nature as the best teacher in whose company
the child learns better. Society is full of evils.
3. It considers individual interests, aptitude, inclination,
needs and capacities while structuring the curriculum.
4. It prepares and encourages the child to engage in
experimentation, discoveries and inventions
5. It motivates the child to acquire more knowledge in the
natural environment.
 Demerits of Naturalism
1. Nature centered study makes the child become unsocial
with no feeling of social service
2. Naturalism ignores the spiritual world and considers the
material world only.
3. Naturalism lays stress in solution for only the present
needs and problems. It has failed to prepare the child for
the future life.
4. Naturalism advocates unrestricted freedom, for the child
to develop himself naturally. This is undesirable and
harmful to the child.
5. It minimizes the role of the teacher in educative process.
A teacher is an observer, a sympathetic guide and helper
in structuring experiences of the child.
Metaphysics
❑it deals with reality: According to Naturalism, nature
alone is ultimate reality.
❑Everything comes out of nature and becomes one
with it.
❑There is nothing beyond nature, behind nature and
other than nature.
❑ Naturalist consider material world as the real world.
❑Laws of nature are unchangeable and entire
universe is governed by them.
❑They do not believe in God, Soul and Divine spirit.
EPISTEMOLOGY
➢Naturalism believes that we gain
knowledge through senses as senses are
gateway of knowledge.
➢All the truth can be known through
senses.
➢Naturalism believes in the direct
knowledge of Nature.
➢It oppose bookish knowledge.
➢Naturalist do not believe in spiritual
Knowledge.
AXIOLOGY
➢Naturalism deals with values
➢According to naturalism there are no absolute
good or evil in the world.
➢All values resides in nature.
➢Instincts are responsible for all our activities–
biological, psychological or social.
➢Values of life, are created by human needs. Man
creates them when he reacts to– or interacts with --
- his environment.