Objective Idealism

The theory of objective idealism states that a perceiver must perceive things, but there is only one perceiver. Objective idealism accepts Realism, but rejects Naturalism. In this view, the world's Mind communicates with the minds of humanity. Objective idealism is different from subjective idealism because subjective idealism denies that objects can exist outside of human perception and goes against both Realism and Naturalism.

In objective idealism the spirit resides outside of the human conscience. According to objective idealism space and time can't exist outside the Absolute, or all of reality. The Absolute is always moving and changing. Humanity is one with the celestial bodies to create one living organism.

Plato is viewed as one of the earliest representatives of objective idealism. Other notable proponents include Friedrich Wilhelm, Joseph Schelling, Friedrich Hegel, and Josiah Royce. Schelling's objective idealism states that matter in nonexistent and that spirit is what is real. He objected to the view that God was outside of the world, because everything in the universe is part of the same reality. Hegel is the one who termed "the Absolute" to account for this united universal mind.

Some find Objective Idealism to be far fetched because it goes against common sense. Hegel's objective idealism, also called Absolute idealism, has been meet with criticism because he changes out God for the Absolute.