everything2.com/index.pl-node_id=1529599)."
SYMBOLISM/IDEALIST THEORY
The most important difference in the factors between materialist/realist and symbolism/idealist theories is direct experience as it relates to direct knowledge.
Experiences are concrete evidences of the external world through the use of the world as it is today. What someone experiences is tangible, definable and explainable therefore gives strength to the materialist/realist theory (http://websyte.com/alan/symbolsm.htm).
In the symbolic area of life things including emotions, feelings, induced actions or beliefs are all components of symbolism which are not as tangible or definable as actual experiences can be.
An adequate account of human mentality requires an explanation of how we can know truly, how we can err, and how we can critically distinguish truth from error. Such an explanation requires that we distinguish that type of mental functioning which by its nature yields immediate acquaintance with fact, from that type of functioning which is only trustworthy by reason of its satisfaction of certain criteria provided by the first type of functioning (http://websyte.com/alan/symbolsm.htm)."
One of the problems with the symbolism theory is it is difficult to distinguish which component are symbols and which are the meanings given the fact that...
The experiences that are tangible and measurable by modern man's scales of measurement and reality are concrete evidences of knowledge. On the other hand, in the symbolic theory of life the experiences are also shaped and perceived by feelings, emotions and actions that are taken. This two leads to a knowledge of life as it is traveled.
Both theories believe that knowledge is developed through the theory's foundations however, each theory has a different viewpoint on what that knowledge is derived from.
Symbolism is based in the more emotional and fluid experience while materialism/realists are proponents of experiences aside from any emotions that may be created within that experience.
References
There Is a Ready Made World
http://www.everything2.com/index.pl-node_id=1529599
SYMBOLISM/IDEALIST THEORY
http://websyte.com/alan/symbolsm.htm
