科学与人文:课程价值取向的两歧及启示

Science and Humanity:Two Value Orientations of School Curriculum and Their Revelation

课程价值的人文取向孕育于古希腊,勃兴于近代文艺复兴。伴随着近代科学的兴起与工业革命,课程价值的科学取向日渐兴盛。至18、19世纪,两种取向之争日趋激烈,尤以英国为甚。进入20世纪以来,基于对两次世界大战和科技文明的反思,人文取向的课程价值观得到重新关注与思考。永恒主义、改造主义、存在主义和批判理论的产生,即是其反映。基于对西方学校课程演进史的考察,笔者认为,课程价值两种取向的区分是相对的,二者存在交叉融通的部分;用人文的方式(即"叙事的认知法")去教科学是必要的;学校必须保持科学课程与人文课程的平衡,以培养具有科学头脑和人文关切的合格公民;在承认科学课程和人文课程都是必需之物的前提下,仍有必要强调人文课程的优先性;现代人文教育不能只局限于人文学科的学习,还应当有更广阔的视野,如包括社会问题取向的课程、存在体验论课程、批判与解放取向的课程等。

The humanistic value orientation of curriculum originated from the ancient Greek,and flourished at the Renaissance. With the rapid development of modern sciences and the industrial revolution,the scientific value orientation of curriculum began to develop since the 16 thcentury. During the 18 thand 19thcentury,the conflict between the two orientations continued to exist,especially in England. Based on the retrospections on the two world wars and the scientifictechnological advances,the humanistic orientation of curriculum are reconsidered since the 20 thcentury by those who believed in Perennialism,Social Reconstructionism,Existentialism,New Marxism( or critical theory). Through an examination of the evolutionary history of school curriculum in the west,the author holds that the distinction between the two value orientations of curriculum is not absolute.There exists a gray zone between them; it is necessary for school teachers to teach science by using the methods in humanities( such as narrative cognition); schools should keep in balance the two elements of science and humanities in school curriculum so as to cultivate qualified citizens with both a scientific mind and a humane heart. As we admit both sciences and humanities are indispensable in school,we should emphasize the priority of humanities. Modern humanistic education should not only emphasize the study of humanities,but incorporate wider approaches,such as social-problems-based curriculum,existence-experience curriculum and critical curriculum.