探寻大学理性:纽曼《大学的理想》及其实践反思

Exploring Rationality of a University: Newman's The Idea of a University and Its Reflection on Practice

查阅西方教育史发现,纽曼的《大学的理想》是第一部完整系统阐释大学理想的著作,他的大学理念无疑是对大学面临理性工具主义颠覆的时代所做的最后抗争和捍卫。然而纽曼的大学理想与其担任爱尔兰天主教大学首任校长的办学实践之间存在着巨大的反差。除了时代与环境因素外,纽曼的个性特点及在大学管理实践中没能将理念与制度进行有效融合、也没能充分考虑到大学发展需依赖文化环境、以及对大学发展所需要的资源进行有效整合,从而导致这位理想主义者的大学治理实践陷入困局。

It was found by consulting books about history of western education that Newman's The Idea of a University is the first work to expound the ideal of a university systematically and completely.His university philosophy is certainly the last fight and defend against the period of subversion of instrumental rationalism exposed to the university.But there is total contrast between Newman’s ideal of university and the educational practice when he was served as the first President of the Irish Catholic university.In addition to the age and environment,the factors which make the university governance practices of this idealist in a dilemma are his personality and his failures to integrate ideas and institutions effectively during the practice of the university management,he also failed to fully consider the cultural environment of university development,as well as the integration of the resources needed effectively.