Socrates, Plato, Descartes, Berkeley, Fitche, Hegel, Hume, Kant, Schelling, Schopenhaur, Spinoza and Gentile may be said to be some of the chief representatives of idealism in philosophy. There are wide differences in the standpoints of these representatives. However, we give below the essence of what idealism stands for in general.
Idealism stresses the priority of mind and the self. Idealism does not regard the world as a natural phenomenon. -It regards it as the creation of the mind. Thus, the natural phenomenon is not the reality. True reality is spiritual or thought. Only that is real which exists in the Absolute Mind of which our finite minds are a part, i.e., reality is that which the mind projects into the world.
The world of everyday living is a world of ideas rather than of facts. The world is only a landscape painted by our mind and spirits. The idealist lives in the world of the mind or spirit with its fundamental laws of unity. He thinks that all that he knows in the world is what the mind has itself created and projected.
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To idealism, the human personality is the union of ideas and purposes, and it is the ultimate reality. Knowledge, art, morality, and religion are such aspects of life which are of supreme importance. It is the mind, die ultimate being which explains all these things.
Idealism regards self-determination as the essence of true being. Our senses cannot comprehend the true reality. The true reality can be understood by our mental and spiritual vision. The apparent self- sufficiency of nature is illusory. The domain of the physical sciences is an incomplete expression of reality.
To idealism, the mind is not dependent upon a physically objective world for its thinking. The mind can discover its own laws and can dwell upon itself. Mind is the central core. One can never get away from the mind.
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Moreover, the mind is competent to answer any question and solve any problem which it can raise itself. The vitality and potentiality of the mind has not yet been fully explored. Idealism thinks that the mind is not physical, but spiritual. Mind derives its own laws from its own inner core. It is not at all dependent on the external physical world.
Idealism regards the world of experience as more important than the material universe. Therefore, to fit the study of man, i.e., the experience and his mind—are of greatest importance. The biological conception of man is illusory.
Man is spiritual in nature and he expresses himself in the forms of culture, art, morality and religion. Man is not a helpless creature in his environment. He has the power to mould it according to his needs. Thus, he has the power to add his own contribution to the growing human civilization and culture.