GOVT COLLEGE OF NURSING
JAGDALPUR
TOPIC- “NATURALISM”
PRESENTED BY,
MRS. ESTHER LOCHMAN
MSc NURSING 1ST YEAR
INTRODUCTION:
Naturalism is a doctrine that separates nature from
God, subordinates spirit to matter and setup
unchangeable laws as supreme.
It is a concept that firmly believes that ultimate reality
lies in the nature of the matter.
The whole universe is governed by laws of nature and
they are changeable.
MEANING:
Naturalism emphasizes matter and
physical world. Behind everything
there is nature. It denies the
existence of anything beyond
nature. It also believes that
everything is governed by nature.
They do not believe that there are
any spiritual values and truths.
DEFINITION:
“Naturalism is a philosophical position adopted by those who
approach philosophy from a purely scientific point of view.”
(Rusk)
“Naturalism is the doctrine which separates nature from god,
subordinates spirit to matter and sets up unchangeable laws of
supreme.”
(James Ward)
CHARACTERISTICS:
Nature is the ultimate reality.
All things come from matter and will eventually be
reduced to it.
Mind is the activity of the brain, and the brain is matter.
Information required from science is true.
The ultimate truth can be discovered through senses.
Naturalism denies the existence of anything beyond
nature.
Contd….
Naturalism has no belief in spiritual values.
They believe scientific knowledge to be of highest
worth.
Individuals alone are real. Society is artificial.
It does not have faith in the existence of the soul, God,
and the spiritual world.
Senses are considered the natural gateway to
knowledge.
NATURALISM AND AIMS OF
EDUCATION: Self expression
Perfect Redirection &
development of Sublimation of
individuality Instincts
Education
Struggle for
according to
existence
nature
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF NATURALISM
The material world is the real world.
The mind is subordinate to matter.
Nature alone is the source of all knowledge.
Values are created in terms of specific needs.
All real values exist in nature in living close to
nature.
Contd….
There is no possibility of any ‘supernatural being’.
The individual is always given precedence.
Man creates societies only to meet some of his needs.
Nature alone represents the entire reality. There is
nothing beyond nature, behind nature and, other than
nature.
Human life is a part of the scheme of nature. It is a self-
sufficient entity.
LIMITATIONS OF NATURALISM:
It ignores the spiritual and moral aspects of human
nature. It totally neglects the moral development of the
child.
Naturalism takes into account only the present needs of
the child and ignores his future needs.
Naturalism leaves the child purely to the discipline of
natural consequences which often involves grave risks.
Teacher takes secondary position in the educative
process.
Contd…..
Naturalism allows complete freedom to the child from
the very start of his life, even when he has no yet learnt
the right use of freedom. In the early state of life some
guidance is necessary.
Completely ignores the spiritual and cultural values of
life.
Naturalism gives too much emphasis on the heredity
of the child and neglects the influence of environment on
“raw” nature.
EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF NATURALISM:
Naturalism and Education:
Spencer: Self satisfaction constitute the highest good in life.
McDougall: Sublimation of the native instincts and energies of the
individual.
Darwinian: Equip the individual for struggle for existence and thus to
ensure his survival.
T.P.Nunu: The proper goal of human life is perfection of the
individual.
Rousseau: Development of the child in conformity with his nature.
Naturalism and Curriculum
Comenius: All subjects should be taught to all men.
Locke: It is not possible to teach all subjects to all.
Spencer: Only those subjects should be included in the
curriculum which minister to self-preservation. He attaches
no importance to cultural subjects.
T. H. Huxley: The literary and cultural subjects be imparted
to children.
Rousseau: Not in favor of formal text-books.
Naturalism and the Teacher:
• The educator should not
interfere in the natural
development of the child.
• Should not impose ideas on
him.
• Should not make artificial
effort to educate a child.
• He is an observer of the child’s
development rather than a giver
of information.
Naturalism and the Discipline:
Freedom to plan his
own activities.
No faith in discipline.
No punishment as it
represses the impulses.
Children should be left
to suffer the unpleasant
natural consequences
of their wrong actions.
Naturalism and School
• School environment should be
completely free.
• No fixed time-table.
• No forcing of readymade dozes
of knowledge into the minds of
children.
• Self learning and self discipline
• Personality of the individual
through self-discipline and
freedom to experiment.
NATURALISM AND METHODS OF
TEACHING
MERITS OF NATURALISM:
Clear formation of the psychological and scientific conception of education.
Freedom for child from tyranny and rigidity, interference and strict discipline.
Spontaneous self-activity of the child.
New psychological methods in educations.
Self-expression, follow nature, auto education, play way, self-discipline and
non-interference, etc.
The great strength of Naturalism is its simplicity. It does not complicate the
perception of existence by using abstract concepts.
DEMERITS OF NATURALISM:
Direct experiences cannot be provided all the time;
expensive and something impossible.
It gives no place to the spiritual values.
Some of the principles envisaged by naturalism are not
possible to be practiced in the existing situations.
Ross rightly opines 'it is in educational ideals, not in
methods that naturalism fails to satisfy."
It is based on one-sided psychology. Irrespective of
their individual differences, capacities and temperament
NATURALISM’S VALUE IN EDUCATION IN AN
EMERGING INDIAN SOCIETY:
Child centered education:
The child should be raised in
an environment that
encourages the development
of his inherent goodness and
natural sense of beauty.
Educational Psychological Trends:
It has been proven that mental
processes in children, such as
thinking, reasoning, problem
solving, recalling,
recognition, and learning, are
triggered thinking by similar
activity in adults.
Educational freedom for child:
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.
The teacher as an observer:
The teacher must create a
pleasurable environment in
which the youngster can learn in
a natural way.
Teacher as an observer of the
child's development rather than
a source of information, ideas,
or character moulders.
