Liz Coleman's call to reinvent liberal arts education

翻译人员: Tony Yet 校对人员: Chaoran Yu

College presidents are not the first people who come to mind

人们谈及创意与想象的时候

when the subject is the uses of the creative imagination.

通常最初不会想到大学校长

So I thought I'd start by telling you how I got here.

所以我想就先跟大家讲一下我自己的故事

The story begins in the late '90s.

故事始于90年代末

I was invited to meet with leading educators

我应邀与来自俄罗斯和东欧的

from the newly free Eastern Europe and Russia.

教育界精英会面

They were trying to figure out how to rebuild their universities.

他们那时正计划重建大学体系

Since education under the Soviet Union

因为在苏联统治之下

was essentially propaganda

教育基本上就是政治宣传的工具

serving the purposes of a state ideology,

传递的是一种国家意识形态

they appreciated that it would take wholesale transformations

来自苏联和东欧的教育家们意识到

if they were to provide an education

要提供对向往自由的年轻人有真正意义的教育

worthy of free men and women.

那么他们必须采取全面的改革

Given this rare opportunity

在这样难得的机遇下

to start fresh,

他们可以从头开始

they chose liberal arts

就选择了博雅教育

as the most compelling model

因为博雅教育最能够培养出

because of its historic commitment

具备丰富学识的学生，并陶冶出优秀的道德

to furthering its students' broadest intellectual,

这一点

and deepest ethical potential.

从它的历史即可看出

Having made that decision

拿定这个主意之后

they came to the United States,

他们就来到了美国

home of liberal arts education,

博雅教育之故土

to talk with some of us

来和我们谈论

most closely identified

他们知道我们是

with that kind of education.

最认同博雅教育理念的

They spoke with a passion, an urgency,

他们满腔热情、充满紧迫感

an intellectual conviction

他们深信博雅教育之于人的影响

that, for me, was a voice I had not heard in decades,

那样的声音我在过去 几十年都未曾耳闻了

a dream long forgotten.

犹如一个久已遗忘的梦

For, in truth, we had moved light years

他们受到这一理想的启发而开始行动

from the passions that animated them.

而我们则已离那理想相去一整个光年

But for me, unlike them,

但是 与他们不一样的是

in my world, the slate was not clean,

在我所处的社会里，这样一块板却

and what was written on it was not encouraging.

并不洁净，上面写满了

In truth, liberal arts education

事实上，真正意义的博雅教育

no longer exists --

已经不复存在了

at least genuine liberal arts education -- in this country.

至少在这个国家是这样的情况

We have professionalized liberal arts to the point

博雅教育走向了专业化

where they no longer provide the breadth of application

现在的博雅教育已经不能很好的鼓励学生参与

and the enhanced capacity for civic engagement

社会服务

that is their signature.

过分强调专业化就是现今博雅教育之特征

Over the past century

过去的一个世纪

the expert has dethroned the educated generalist

专家已经抢占了通才的位置

to become the sole model

成为唯一被社会认可的

of intellectual accomplishment. (Applause)

知识榜样

Expertise has for sure had its moments.

诚然，专家必不可少

But the price of its dominance is enormous.

但是，让专家成为社会向往的主流代表则必然要付出相当大的代价

Subject matters are broken up

课程门类正在分得

into smaller and smaller pieces,

越来越细

with increasing emphasis on the technical and the obscure.

关注的更多的是纯技术或偏僻的知识

We have even managed to make the study of literature arcane.

甚至于让文学也变得索然无味

You may think you know what is going on

要是你看简·奥斯丁的小说

in that Jane Austen novel --

只有当你

that is, until your first encounter

认识了后现代解构主义之后

with postmodern deconstructionism.

你才能明白为何会发生那样的事情

The progression of today's college student

今日之大学生基本上抛弃了

is to jettison every interest except one.

除去自己专业以外的其他所有功课

And within that one, to continually narrow the focus,

而在自己专业领域里 则走得越来越细

learning more and more about less and less;

上学越久 学到的却变得越来越窄

this, despite the evidence all around us

但大家环视四周可以看到

of the interconnectedness of things.

所有的知识实际上是相通的

Lest you think I exaggerate,

也许你会认为我是夸大其词

here are the beginnings of the A-B-Cs of anthropology.

那咱们先看看人类学的ABC

As one moves up the ladder,

当一个人在求学的道路上走得越来越深的时候

values other than technical competence

那些纯技能以外的价值

are viewed with increasing suspicion.

就被越来越多的人认为是不值得追求的

Questions such as,

一些像

"What kind of a world are we making?

“我们身处的是怎样一个世界”

What kind of a world should we be making?

“我们应当建设怎样一个世界”

What kind of a world can we be making?"

“我们可以建设怎样一个世界”

are treated with more and more skepticism,

这一类的问题越来越不被看重

and move off the table.

并且要被移出人们的视野

In so doing, the guardians of secular democracy

正是通过这样的方式 世俗民主的卫士们

in effect yield the connection

已经把教育所附带的教化意义

between education and values

拱手让给了

to fundamentalists,

原教旨主义者

who, you can be sure,

可以想象

have no compunctions about using education

他们不会有任何的顾虑

to further their values:

用教育来推广他们的价值

the absolutes of a theocracy.

即教权民主的价值

Meanwhile, the values and voices of democracy are silent.

与此同时，民主之价值与呼声则变得黯淡起来

Either we have lost touch with those values

不是我们失去了对于那些价值的信赖

or, no better,

或者

believe they need not

是我们不再相信它们的存在

or cannot be taught.

或者是认为那些价值是不可传授的

This aversion to social values

这种对社会价值的背离

may seem at odds with the explosion

在日益成长的社会服务项目之映照之下

of community service programs.

也许会显得很另类

But despite the attention paid to these efforts,

但是虽然我们在社会服务方面作出了不少努力

they remain emphatically extracurricular.

但他们仍然只是被当成是一种课外的实践

In effect, civic-mindedness is treated

事实上 公民参与

as outside the realm of what purports to be

不再被认为是

serious thinking and adult purposes.

批判思考与成人化的一部分

Simply put, when the impulse is to change the world,

简单的说 要是我们呼吁改变世界

the academy is more likely to engender

那么学府里更多的是会产生出一种

a learned helplessness

知识分子的无助感

than to create a sense of empowerment.

而不是体验到一种承担

This brew -- oversimplification of civic engagement,

这样一种对公民参与的简单化认识

idealization of the expert,

以及对技术专家的理想化塑造

fragmentation of knowledge,

还有碎片化的知识体系

emphasis on technical mastery,

过分强调技能之掌握

neutrality as a condition of academic integrity --

以及学术上的中立

is toxic when it comes to pursuing the vital connections

却是一剂毒素

between education and the public good,

尤其是当我们讨论教育与公共利益

between intellectual integrity

知识分子之正义与人的自由

and human freedom,

这样的话题的时候

which were at the heart --

而这正是

(Applause) -- of the challenge posed to and by

我的欧洲同行

my European colleagues.

给我提出的问题之核心

When the astronomical distance

学院之现实与社会面临的挑战

between the realities of the academy

二者之间的差异竟然如此之大

and the visionary intensity of this challenge

而这一挑战之深度

were more than enough, I can assure you,

让人不得不停下来

to give one pause,

进行反思

what was happening outside higher education

而发生在学院以外的一切，向我们发出这样的声音

made backing off unthinkable.

退缩是不可能的

Whether it was threats to the environment,

不管是环境面临的危害

inequities in the distribution of wealth,

财富分配之极不均衡

lack of a sane policy or a sustainable policy

在能源使用方面

with respect to the continuing uses of energy,

缺乏理性或可持续的政策

we were in desperate straits.

我们都已处于深刻的危机中了

And that was only the beginning.

而这还仅仅是开始

The corrupting of our political life

我们的政治是如此的腐败

had become a living nightmare;

业已为我们带来了巨大的梦魇

nothing was exempt --

没有任何东西能够逃脱

separation of powers, civil liberties,

分权、公民自由

the rule of law,

法治

the relationship of church and state.

教会与政府间关系

Accompanied by a squandering

再有就是对国家财富的

of the nation's material wealth

无所顾忌的滥用

that defied credulity.

诚信已得不到他们的认同

A harrowing predilection for the uses of force

我们正变得愈发喜欢使用暴力

had become commonplace,

并将此视为常规

with an equal distaste

而对于其他的解决问题的方式

for the alternative forms of influence.

我们则不置考虑

At the same time, all of our firepower was impotent

对于阻止或避免在卢旺达、达尔富尔以及缅甸发生的屠杀

when it came to halting or even stemming

我们虽然有强大的军队

the slaughter in Rwanda, Darfur, Myanmar.

却同样无能为力

Our public education, once a model for the world,

我们的公共教育体制，曾经是全世界效仿的榜样

has become most noteworthy

如今则成为了

for its failures.

失败的符号

Mastery of basic skills and a bare minimum of cultural literacy

我们有很多的学生 他们对于基本技能也缺乏掌握

eludes vast numbers of our students.

对最基本的文化常识也没有了解

Despite having a research establishment

尽管我们的研究机构

that is the envy of the world,

是世界一流的

more than half of the American public

美国半数以上的观众

don't believe in evolution.

连进化论也不认同

And don't press your luck

而那些口头上说他们相信的

about how much those who do believe in it

也并非

actually understand it.

真正理解这一理论

Incredibly, this nation,

让人惊愕的是

with all its material, intellectual and spiritual resources,

尽管他的物质生活、知识生活以及精神资源

seems utterly helpless

但是

to reverse the freefall in any of these areas.

在其他领域 他们则明显落后

Equally startling, from my point of view,

同样让我感到惊讶的是

is the fact that no one

居然没有人

was drawing any connections

想象得到

between what is happening to the body politic,

那发生在庙堂上的闹剧

and what is happening in our leading educational institutions.

本质上是与我们一流的教育机构有关联的

We may be at the top of the list

当谈到个人创富的时候

when it comes to influencing access to personal wealth.

我们的学校也许排在前列

We are not even on the list

但是要谈到我们对民主的责任

when it comes to our responsibility

那么我们甚至

for the health of this democracy.

还没有排到表上呢

We are playing with fire.

我们是在玩火

You can be sure Jefferson knew

大家应该明白杰弗孙

what he was talking about when he said,

讲下面这番话的意思

"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free

假如一个国家是文明国家

in a state of civilization,

但同时又是无知而自由的

it expects what never was,

那么她不会继承什么

and never will be."

也不会创建什么

(Applause)

（掌声）

On a more personal note,

从个人的观点来看

this betrayal of our principles,

这样的对于原则、

our decency, our hope,

尊严以及希望的破坏

made it impossible for me

使得我不得不面对

to avoid the question,

这个问题

"What will I say, years from now,

若干年之后

when people ask, 'Where were you?'"

人们问我，”你那时候在干嘛？"

As president of a leading liberal arts college,

作为一所私立的文理学校

famous for its innovative history,

因为美国人向来是同样做这样的事情的

there were no excuses.

因而我没有任何的推辞

So the conversation began at Bennington.

于是我们从本宁顿开始有对话

Knowing that if we were to regain

我们要是想

the integrity of liberal education,

保持人文教育的真实内核

it would take radical rethinking

就需要彻底不一样的方法

of basic assumptions,

以及假设

beginning with our priorities.

从我们最重要的几点开始

Enhancing the public good becomes a primary objective.

参与公共服务成为一个重要的话题

The accomplishment of civic virtue

公民道德之形成，必然要与

is tied to the uses of intellect and imagination

学生的知识与想象力相结合

at their most challenging.

去接受一些最重要的挑战

Our ways of approaching agency and authority

面对政府

turn inside out to reflect the reality

我们看到

that no one has the answers

没有人能够找到一个万全的方案

to the challenges facing citizens in this century,

去解决本世纪我们遇到的诸多问题

and everyone has the responsibility

每个人都有责任

for trying and participating in finding them.

去尝试发现他们

Bennington would continue to teach the arts and sciences

本宁顿仍将教授艺术以及科学课程

as areas of immersion that acknowledge differences

这是基础性课程

in personal and professional objectives.

它将充分照顾学生个人及其职业发展需求

But the balances redressed,

但是，我们会在课程的轻重上作出调整

our shared purposes assume an equal

我们至少要把更多精力放到有共同的目标的方向上

if not greater importance.

甚或是将其放到比基础性课程更为重要的地位

When the design emerged it was surprisingly simple and straightforward.

我们提出的设计方案非常简单

The idea is to make the political-social challenges themselves --

那就是模拟出这样的带挑战

from health and education

包括健康、教育

to the uses of force --

军备使用

the organizers of the curriculum.

将这些交与教务

They would assume the commanding role of traditional disciplines.

学生仍将体会到原有课程之意义

But structures designed to connect, rather than divide

但是新的架构是鼓励连接，而非隔离的

mutually dependent circles,

是相互支持的环

rather than isolating triangles.

而不是相互断绝的结点

And the point is not to treat these topics

我的意思是

as topics of study,

不要将上述话题纯学术化

but as frameworks of action.

这是一个社区行动框架

The challenge: to figure out what it will take

整个地图在这里

to actually do something

我们需要做点实事

that makes a significant and sustainable difference.

这样才能带出重要而持久的影响

Contrary to widely held assumptions,

跟很多人想象中不一样的是

an emphasis on action provides a special urgency to thinking.

我们强调行动，事实上也迫使学生学会思考

The importance of coming to grips with values like justice,

去思考法治的意义

equity, truth,

公正、真相

becomes increasingly evident

正变得越来越明显

as students discover that interest alone

因为学生发现了

cannot tell them what they need to know

自身学到的知识与他们应该学到的知识之间的差距

when the issue is rethinking education,

说到重新思考教育

our approach to health,

我们的健康政策

or strategies for achieving

或者是关于建筑的政策

an economics of equity.

公平的政策

The value of the past also comes alive;

还有过往的历史

it provides a lot of company.

因为历史是我们认识世界的良师益友

You are not the first to try to figure this out,

我们不是走这一道路的第一人

just as you are unlikely to be the last.

也不会是最后一人

Even more valuable,

更为重要的是

history provides a laboratory

历史可以成为一个实验室

in which we see played out

我们可以从中看出

the actual, as well as the intended

那些实际发生了

consequences of ideas.

以及未曾发生的过程

In the language of my students,

用我的学生的话来讲

"Deep thought matters

深度思考是非常有必要的

when you're contemplating what to do

尤其是当你在考虑做一些

about things that matter."

正经事的时候

A new liberal arts that can support this

一个能够支持服务学习为主导的

action-oriented curriculum

新型的博雅教育体系

has begun to emerge.

已经在形成

Rhetoric, the art of organizing the world of words

修辞学

to maximum effect.

亦即组织言辞，使之发挥最大效用的艺术

Design, the art of organizing the world of things.

包括设计 即整理世界万物之艺术

Mediation and improvisation

沉思以及即兴表演

also assume a special place in this new pantheon.

在这一新的架构之下也能体现其存在

Quantitative reasoning attains its proper position

让可量化的论证重新恢复其合理的地位

at the heart of what it takes to manage change

大凡需要通过测量才能得出结果并带来改变的地方

where measurement is crucial.

我们都需要专业的测量

As is a capacity to discriminate

还有就是明确的分辨出

systematically between what is at the core

何为核心、何为边际

and what is at the periphery.

并且是以一种全局的眼光来看待

And when making connections is of the essence,

接触融入社会是关键

the power of technology emerges with special intensity.

科技之力量因为社会关注而显得更大

But so does the importance of content.

同样重要的是内容本身

The more powerful our reach,

我们的触角伸展得越广

the more important the question "About what?"

关于“做什么”这样的话题就显得更加迫切

When improvisation, resourcefulness, imagination are key,

即兴表演、多才多艺以及想象力成为关键时

artists, at long last,

艺术家最终还是能够

take their place at the table,

重新确立他们的位置

when strategies of action are in the process of being designed.

当我们设计行动之方略时

In this dramatically expanded ideal

我们想到的是这样一个扩展意义的

of a liberal arts education

博雅教育

where the continuum of thought and action is its life's blood,

思想以及行动乃博雅教育生命之源

knowledge honed outside the academy

学院以外的学到的知识

becomes essential.

也会变得越来越重要

Social activists, business leaders,

行动者、商业领袖

lawyers, politicians, professionals

律师、政治家以及其他专业人士

will join the faculty as active and ongoing participants

将与我们的教员走到一起

in this wedding of liberal education to the advancement of the public good.

共同为实现博雅教育服务社会的理想而努力

Students, in turn, continuously move outside the classroom

学生则需要经常走出课堂

to engage the world directly.

直接参与到社会中去

And of course, this new wine

可以肯定的是，这样一瓶新酒

needs new bottles

需要有新的酒瓶

if we are to capture the liveliness and dynamism

假如我们真的要把握博雅教育

of this idea.

之活力与精髓的话

The most important discovery we made

我们的一个最大的发现是

in our focus on public action

在公共行动上

was to appreciate that the hard choices

最困难的选择不在于

are not between good and evil,

善与恶

but between competing goods.

而在于相互竞争的善举之间

This discovery is transforming.

这样的发现带来了洗心革面式的转变

It undercuts self-righteousness,

它彻底改变了人们的自我满足的感觉

radically alters the tone and character of controversy,

彻底改变了我们关于纠纷之定义

and enriches dramatically

也为我们带来了更多的可能性

the possibilities for finding common ground.

去找寻到我们共同的未来

Ideology, zealotry,

意识形态、固执自我

unsubstantiated opinions simply won't do.

无根据的观点，这些都不可能持久

This is a political education, to be sure.

可以肯定的是 这是一种强调参与的政治

But it is a politics of principle,

讲的是原则

not of partisanship.

而不是多党对抗

So the challenge for Bennington is to do it.

本宁顿的任务就是推行这样的做法

On the cover of Bennington's 2008 holiday card

本宁顿2008年的假日贺卡上

is the architect's sketch of a building

画的是一位建筑师对一座

opening in 2010

即将于2010年投入使用的建筑的草图

that is to be a center for the advancement

那将会是

of public action.

“社会行动推广中心”

The center will embody and sustain this new educational commitment.

该中心将体现并发扬这种新的教育信念

Think of it as a kind of secular church.

不妨将此视作非信徒的教堂

The words on the card describe what will happen inside.

卡片上的话语描述了即将在里面发生的一切

We intend to turn the intellectual

我们打算

and imaginative power, passion and boldness

把学生、教员和员工的智力、想象力、

of our students, faculty and staff

热情以及果敢

to developing strategies

用于设计行动的方略

for acting on the critical challenges of our time.

应对我们这个时代最棘手的难题

So we are doing our job.

我们已经在行动了

While these past weeks have been a time

虽说过去几周 我们的国家

of national exhilaration in this country,

一片欢喜

it would be tragic if you thought this meant

但假如你认为任务已经完成

your job was done.

那就确实是不可饶恕了

The glacial silence we have experienced

我们听到的是冰封一般的沉默

in the face of the shredding of the constitution,

虽然我们面临着宪法之撕毁

the unraveling of our public institutions,

公共机构之无能

the deterioration of our infrastructure

特别是在我们的照片希望用图像来表达的时候

is not limited to the universities.

图像意义已不在于图像本身

We the people

我们大家

have become inured to our own irrelevance

请到了

when it comes to doing anything significant

要是我们想做点真正可以带来改变的事情

about anything that matters

不管是何种程度的改变

concerning governance,

均要使得我们的政府也有所触动

beyond waiting another four years.

而不能再等四年了

We persist also

我们同样坚持

in being sidelined by the idea of the expert

专家并非唯一

as the only one capable of coming up with answers,

能够说出正确答案的人

despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

虽然大量的事实似乎印证了此一观点

The problem is there is no such thing

但事实并非如此

as a viable democracy made up of experts,

没有一个好的民主完全是由专家

zealots, politicians and spectators.

狂热支持者、政治家以及看客组成的

(Applause)

（鼓掌）

People will continue and should continue

人们将会继续 并且应当继续

to learn everything there is to know about something or other.

去学习各种值得我们追求的新知识

We actually do it all the time.

我们事实上也一直都在这么做

And there will be and should be

也会有人 并且应该鼓励一部分人

those who spend a lifetime

去花毕生之精力

pursuing a very highly defined area of inquiry.

追求某一领域的最高学问

But this single-mindedness will not yield

但是这样的追求并不能帮助人的心智

the flexibilities of mind,

走向灵活

the multiplicity of perspectives,

走向多元认知

the capacities for collaboration and innovation

走向合作与创新

this country needs.

而这恰恰是我们这个国家最需要的

That is where you come in.

这就是你们参与的时刻

What is certain is that the individual talent

有一点可以肯定

exhibited in such abundance here,

活跃于此间的聪明才智

needs to turn its attention

需要将其注意力

to that collaborative, messy, frustrating,

更多的转移到对政治以及公共政策之讨论中来

contentious and impossible world

合作、争吵、困惑、斗争与不可能

of politics and public policy.

这就是这一行动之特征

President Obama and his team

单靠奥巴马和他的团队

simply cannot do it alone.

是不可能完成这样的使命的

If the question of where to start seems overwhelming

假如你觉得不知何从入手

you are at the beginning, not the end of this adventure.

那么你已经迈出了第一步 却远非最后一步

Being overwhelmed is the first step

看到路途之艰辛而感到力不从心 这是第一步

if you are serious about trying to get at things that really matter,

假如你真的要去解决一些真正有意义的问题

on a scale that makes a difference.

并且要产生大的影响 就需要这么做

So what do you do when you feel overwhelmed?

好了 看到问题 心中有想法 却力不从心 怎么办

Well, you have two things.

你需要两样东西

You have a mind. And you have other people.

其一你有这颗心 其二别人也会与你同行

Start with those, and change the world.

与志同道合的人走到一起 我们就能改变世界

(Applause)

（全场鼓掌）