ESSENTIALIS

By Group 2

M
 Essentialism
-is a philosophical concept that has been
present for centuries. The term "essentialism"
comes from the idea of an essence, which
refers to the core or fundamental nature of
something.
-In philosophy essentialism is the view that
every entity has a set of inherent
characteristics that define its existence and
identity. It assorts that certain properties are
necessary and essential to a thing's being,
while others are merely accidental.
 Essentialism can be applied to various fields,
including philosophy, biology, psychology, and
education. In each of these fields essentialism
emphasizes the importance of identifying the
essential characteristics of a thing on concept.

• In philosophy, essentialism asserts that every

object has an essential nature that defines it.
• In biology, essentialism refers to the view that
living thing have an essential nature that
determines the behavior, trates, and
characteristics.
 • In education, essentialism emphasizes the
importance of teaching students the essential
knowledge and skill that are necessary for success
in life.

•In psychology, essentialism emphasize, the

importance of understanding the essential nature of
human beings. Essentialist argue that psychological
traits, such as personality, inteligence and emotions.
These traits are said to be essential to human native,
and they define what it means to be human.
Proponents and their contibutions
1.
Philosop
• PLATO - Proposed the theory of form arguing that
everything in the material world is a reflection of ideal,
hy
unchanging forms of essences.

• ARISTOTLE - built on plato's ideas but focused on the idea

that the essences of teens exist in the physical world itself.
He believed in a fix. nature for objects and living beings,
which defined their purposes and characteristics.
2.
Biolog
• CARL LINNAEUS - Father of Modern Taxonomy, he
ybelieved that species had Fix characteristics that define
them.
• CHARLES DARWIN (Initial stages) - Darwin's
classification of species based on their traits influenced
the motion of fixed biological categories,
even though his later work emphasize variation and
change over time.

• SIGMUND FREUD - he believed that human beings are

fundamentally driven by unconscious instincts,
particularly sexual desires (the libido), which are essential
and universal traits in all humans.
• JOHN GRAY- the author of men are from Mars, Women
are from Venus, contributed to essentalist thinking in
gender studies by assertting that men and women have
inherently different psychological trait based on biology.
He argued that there essential differences shape their
relationship and behavior.
• E. D. HIRSCH - A modern advocate of educational
essentialism. He argued for the importance of cultural
literacy which moans that there is a shared body of
knowledge that all member of society should know. He
believed than cultural literacy is essential for democrate
participation.
• IMMANUEL KANT - Kant's Philosophy implies that the
esscence of humanity lies in this ability to reason and
according to univeral principles.
• THOMAS AQUINAS - Aquina's believed that the
essence of human being is tied to their rationality and
their capacity for virtue, which alligns them with their
devine purpose.
• JOHN DEWEY - He believed that education should be
based on experiential learning and problem-solving
rather than the rote memorization of a fixed body of
knowledge. His work experience and education
emphasize learning through interaction. with the
environment and fostering critical thinking, rather than
adhering to a rigid curriculum.
• JEAN PIAGET - known for his theory on Cognitive
Development, he opposed essentialism focused on
imparting set knowledge. He emphasize the importance
of learning through discovery and active exploration
which contrast with the essentialist idea of a core
• PAULO FRERIE - His influential book Pedagogy of the
Oppressed argued for a more democratic, student-
centered approach to education, where learner actively
participate imparting knowleage.
• ROWER SCRUTON - He contributed to essentialist
thought primarily through his perspectives on
aesthetics, culture and conservatism. In his book
Beauty, he argues for objective standards of beauty
asserting that vertain aesthetic qualities are intrinsic to
art and architecture, which alligns with essentialist
ideas about inherent qualities.
• ARTHUR BESTOR - A critic of progressive education,
Bostor argued for a return to rigorous academic
standards and the teaching of essential knowledge to
students.
• JOHN LOCKE- He argued that essences are defined by
abstract ideas we associated with names, rather than
 Strategies under Essentialism
Prioritization - Identify and focus on what truly
matters, using techniques like the Eisen hower matrix
to distinguish between urgent and important tasks.

Decluttering - simplify your environment and

commitments. Regardly assess what you truly need
and elimenate the excess.

Time Blocking- Allocate specific blocks of time

essential tasks , enssuring that you dedicate
uninterrupted periods to high priority activites.

Saying No - cultivate the ability to decline

opportunities and commitments that do not align with
your core values and goals.
 Activities under Essentialism
Goal Setting Workshop- Engage in workshops
focused on defining personal and professional goals
based on core values.

Mind Mapping- Create visual representations of

your priorities helping to clarify what is essential.

Journaling- Keep a journal to reflect on daily

activities, noting what was essential and what can
be eliminated.

Group Discussion- Facilitate group discussionnon

essentialism principles, sharing insight and
strategies.

Monthly Reviews- Conduct monthly reviews of

Suggestion under Essentialism
Balance Rigorous content with student
engagement- while essentialism emphasizes a
structured, teacher centered approach focusing on
core subjects, it’s important to incorporate
engaging activities that helps students apply what
they’ve learned.

Regularly assess students through quizzes, exams

and oral recitation to check for understanding and
mastery of essential knowledge

Focus on skill development- Place and emphasis

on developing core skills such as reading
comprehension, writing, critical thinking and
problem solving.
Thank You