According to Rousseau the second name given to naturalism is materialism. Nature has many different meanings. In his words, “education comes to us from Nature’ from Men or from things”. He regards nature as equivalent to ‘endowment’ or the inherited dispositions and capacities of the individual. The meaning of nature can be explained as below.

The term ‘nature’ means innate traits specially those that are helpful in the development and gradual progress of life.

Meaning of nature is just opposite to artificiality. An activity without the support of man is natural.

‘Nature’ refers to the ‘entire universe’ and its activities. In education it would mean study of world’s activity and its appreciation to life.

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To quote J.S. Ross: ‘Naturalism is a term loosely applied in educational theory to systems of training that are not dependent on schools and books but on the manipulation of the actual life of the educacand.”

For Ward: “Naturalism is a doctrine which separates nature from God. Subordinates spirit to matter and sets up unchangeable laws as supreme.”

According to Joyce : “Naturalism is a system whose characteristic is exclusion of whatever is spiritual or indeed whatever is transcendental of experience – from our philosophy of Nature and man.”

R.B. Perry says: “Naturalism is not science but an assertion about science. More specifically it is the assertion that scientific knowledge is final, leaving no room for extra-scientific or philosophical knowledge.”

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According to this Philosophy the aims of Education are as given below:

1. Aims at Self-Expression of the Child: The philosophy of idealism emphasises on self-realization. But naturalism emphasises on “self-expression” and ‘self-preservation” of the child. The supporters of this aim argue that the child should have such habits of action and thought, which will be appropriate to the present modern age

2. To Achieve Happiness. Naturalists like Spencer consider present and future happiness, to be the aim of education. Education should co-operate in this process and bring it to success. But M.C. Dougall, the naturalist, asserts that happiness and misery come according to natural consequences. According to him, an instinct of man is the real guiding forces which are the basis of all his conduct.

3. Preparation for Struggle for Existence. The aim of education, according to the neo-Darwinian is to equip the individual or the nation for struggle for the existence and survival of the fittest.

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4. Adjustment to the Environment. The aim of education according to New-Lamarckians is to help the child to adapt himself to the ever changing environment. The child should learn how to adjust to the changing environment both physically and mentally.

5. Education should be based on the Nature of the Child. Rousseall has emphasised that education should be planned according to the nature of the child. Hence, he says, ‘Education finds its purpose, its process and its means wholly within the child life and the child experience.’

6. Development of Individuality. According to T.P. Nunn while formulating the aim of education according to nature, we must emphasize on the development of individuality. He says “the proper goal of human life is perfection of the individual.

The machinery of society and all the traditions of human achievement and culture are to be valued only in so far as they conduct towards this perfection.”