Metaphysics, Epistemology and Axiology of Idealism

Back to: Philosophical Foundation of Education – Unit 2

Metaphysics, Epistemology and Axiology of Idealism

Brubacher defines,

“Idealists point out that it is the mind that is central in understanding the world. To them nothing gives a greater sense of reality than the activity of mind engaged in trying to comprehend its world.”

J.S. Ross defines,

“Idealistic philosophy takes many and varied forms, but the postulate underlying all this is that mind of spirit is the essential world stuff, that the true reality is of a mental character.”

He further states,

“Human personality is supreme and constitutes the noblest work of God.”

Idealism is a branch of Philosophy that deals with the central role of the ideal or the spiritual through interpretation of experience. The word ‘Idealism’ is derived from the word ‘ideals’ meaning higher values or essence which are of supreme cosmic significance. They are considered to be the most important thing in human life. These values are eternal and unchanging. They are different from material forces because they do not have dimensions such as length and breadth.

Metaphysics, Epistemology and Axiology of Idealism

● Metaphysics:

Metaphysics is concerned with reality and according to idealism, the mind is real. It suggests that reality is closely related to the mind which includes the selves, thoughts, and ideas. It also believes that the world is not a nature’s phenomena but rather, a creation of the mind. Both mind and universe are constructed of the same elements and hence, the mind can comprehend the universe.

● Epistemology:

It deals with the issues of knowledge and truth. Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that is concerned with exploring how people come to learn what they know. It is derived from the Greek terms “episteme” and “logos” which can be translated to knowledge. It suggests four main knowledge bases which include divine revelation, experience, logic and reason, and intuition. All of these factors influence the teaching, learning, and understanding process that takes place in the classroom. Epistemology can be regarded as,

“the theory of knowledge, especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope, and the distinction between justified belief and opinion.”

● Axiology:

Axiology deals with the study of nature. It is mainly concerned with ethics and studies the types along with the criteria of values and of value judgments. According to Rosenthal (1967),

“Axiology is the branch of philosophy dealing with quality or value.”

The term ‘Axiology’ was first used in 1902 by Paul Lapie and in 1908 by Eduard von Hartmann. Axiology also lays emphasis on intrinsic and extrinsic value.If something is good for its own sake or good in itself, Axiology considers it to be intrinsically valuable. The main aim of Axiology is to discover detailed information.

Harold Titus states,

“Idealism, asserts that reality consists of ideas, thoughts, minds, or selves rather than materials, objects and force.”