The former decides on an outcome and looks at what needs to happen to achieve that outcome. If you define the latter as realism, then it looks at what is reality now and what that will lead to if nothing changes or what is realistically possible with the hurdles that you will likely encounter.

[–] emergencyfood@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 days ago

I don't think that's the meaning OP is going for. In philosophy, idealism is the position that ideas exist independently of materials, or even that ideas are the true reality and the material world is either false or just a reflection of it. Many religions argue for some form of idealism.

Materialism, in contrast, is the idea that the material world is the primary one, and that ideas are at best descriptions of materials. Marxists and physical scientists hold this view. Finally, dualism is the idea that there is both a material and an ideal (i.e. 'of ideas', not 'perfect') world. Descartes is probably the most famous proponent of this school.

In the modern age, pretty much all serious thought accepts materialism, often implicitly, to the point that the material world is often called the 'real world' or even 'the world'. But this was not always so, and there are still relics of idealist and dualist thinking.

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