世界历史意识与古典教育

Consciousness of World History and Classical Education

晚近30年来,英语学界兴起一种名为"全球史"(global history)的新史学,如今已在相当程度上改变美国以及其他英语国家大学和中学的世界史教学内容,我国学界和教育界也奋力追赶这股史学新潮。任何文明大国的教育都离不了史学,民主化的"全球史"学让我们看到史学也最容易败坏一个文明大国的教育品质,真正的历史教育应该以悉心研读历代有"极敏之眼光,极高之学识"之人写下的作品为前提。历史本身并不能给人真正的德性教育,必须经过灵魂高贵之人的咀嚼和反哺,历史(叙事)才会成为对生活有益的东西;否则,面对永远混乱的人世,一个人永远看不到"智慧以及一切称之为美的人性"。

Since recent 30 years,a new historiographical approach called"global history"has sprung up in English scholarship,which has,to a great extent,changed the curricula of world history in universities and high schools of the United States and other English-speaking countries.Under the conduction of the national policy of"being in line with international norms,"Chinese academia has made great endeavors to respond to this recent development in historiography. No civilized world power may live without historical education.A democratic vision of "global history"also shows that how historiography corrupts a country’s quality of education.Real historical education should be based on a close study of works written by those with"keenest eyes and wisest learning"throughout ages.History itself does not provide moral education for people,but its educational value is distilled by people noble in soul—in that way is history beneficial for human beings.Otherwise,confronting an always chaotic human world,one can never see"either wisdom or all humanity that can be referred to as beautiful."