Liz Coleman's call to reinvent liberal arts education

譯者: Mengqi Wang 審譯者: K. C. Peng

College presidents are not the first people who come to mind

說起創造力和想像力

when the subject is the uses of the creative imagination.

人們往往不會先想到大學校長

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

所以，我覺得有必要先告訴各位今天我來到這裡的淵源

The story begins in the late '90s.

起源至1990年代

I was invited to meet with leading educators

我接觸了一些重要的教育家

from the newly free Eastern Europe and Russia.

他們來自新成立的東歐各國以及俄羅斯

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

他們想重建當地大學

Since education under the Soviet Union

因為過去蘇維埃的教育

was essentially propaganda

本質上是政治宣傳

serving the purposes of a state ideology,

服務于國家的意識形態

they appreciated that it would take wholesale transformations

他們認識到，如果要提供配得上

if they were to provide an education

民主國家人民的教育

worthy of free men and women.

他們的教育還需要全方位的變革

Given this rare opportunity

有了這樣一次

to start fresh,

重新開始的機會

they chose liberal arts

他們認定博雅教育

as the most compelling model

是最適切的一種模式

because of its historic commitment

因為，古往今來，博雅教育就致力於

to furthering its students' broadest intellectual,

擴展學生的智識潛能

and deepest ethical potential.

和樹立堅實的道德水準

Having made that decision

此番決定之後，

they came to the United States,

他們來到美國

home of liberal arts education,

--博雅教育的發源地--

to talk with some of us

與我們中一些人進行交流

most closely identified

因為我們被認作

with that kind of education.

與這種教育有著緊密聯繫的一批人

They spoke with a passion, an urgency,

他們帶著殷切的熱情和知識份子的使命感

an intellectual conviction

來和我們進行交流

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

對我來說，這種渴望，在過往的幾十年中，已變得十分陌生

a dream long forgotten.

就像一個被遺忘的理想

For, in truth, we had moved light years

事實上，我們與這種點燃他們的熱情

from the passions that animated them.

已經光年之遠了

But for me, unlike them,

但是，我卻不一樣

in my world, the slate was not clean,

我的熱情仍未殆盡

and what was written on it was not encouraging.

雖然現狀差強人意。

In truth, liberal arts education

事實上，博雅教育

no longer exists --

已經消失了。

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

至少在這個國家，真正的博雅教育已經不復存在。

We have professionalized liberal arts to the point

我們所謂專業化的博雅教育

where they no longer provide the breadth of application

并沒有實現知識應用的廣度

and the enhanced capacity for civic engagement

以及公民參與的程度

that is their signature.

這是現在博雅教育的特徵

Over the past century

在過去的一個世紀

the expert has dethroned the educated generalist

有專家摘下了通才的桂冠

to become the sole model

認為他們不再是智識成就的

of intellectual accomplishment. (Applause)

唯一代表

Expertise has for sure had its moments.

專家固然必不可少

But the price of its dominance is enormous.

但是他們的主導地位的代價是巨大的

Subject matters are broken up

學科門類正在逐漸細分

into smaller and smaller pieces,

產生了很多小領域

with increasing emphasis on the technical and the obscure.

並且逐漸強調技術和晦澀的知識

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

我們甚至把文學變成了艱深難懂的知識

You may think you know what is going on

你以為自己明白了

in that Jane Austen novel --

簡·奧斯汀的一部小說

that is, until your first encounter

確實

with postmodern deconstructionism.

除非你碰到後現代解構主義

The progression of today's college student

當今大學生傾向於

is to jettison every interest except one.

保留一個興趣，拋棄其他所有的

And within that one, to continually narrow the focus,

而在這一個興趣中，又不斷的細化

learning more and more about less and less;

學習越來越久，但是卻越來越狹隘

this, despite the evidence all around us

雖然周圍有很多證據顯示知識的關聯性

of the interconnectedness of things.

這一傾向已然存在

Lest you think I exaggerate,

爲了不讓你們覺得我在誇大其詞

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

我在這裡列出人類學分支的冰山一角

As one moves up the ladder,

隨著人在求學道路上越走越遠

values other than technical competence

技能以外的價值

are viewed with increasing suspicion.

受到了越來越多的質疑

Questions such as,

如下問題

"What kind of a world are we making?

”我們在創造一個什麼樣的世界？“

What kind of a world should we be making?

”我們應該創作一個什麼樣的世界？“

What kind of a world can we be making?"

”我們能夠創造什麼樣的世界？“

are treated with more and more skepticism,

面臨著越來越多的懷疑

and move off the table.

并逐漸從人們的話題中消失

In so doing, the guardians of secular democracy

這樣以來，世俗民主的衛士們

in effect yield the connection

實際上將

between education and values

教育和價值觀之間的聯繫

to fundamentalists,

拱手讓給了原教主義者

who, you can be sure,

可以確信的是

have no compunctions about using education

這些人不會有任何顧慮

to further their values:

利用教育來推廣他們的觀念

the absolutes of a theocracy.

也就是政教合一

Meanwhile, the values and voices of democracy are silent.

同時，民主的價值觀和聲音銷聲匿跡

Either we have lost touch with those values

不是我們腦中這種價值觀分崩離析

or, no better,

就是

believe they need not

我們不再認為

or cannot be taught.

這些價值觀是可以傳授的

This aversion to social values

對社會價值觀的背離

may seem at odds with the explosion

可能與目前社區服務的興起

of community service programs.

背道而馳

But despite the attention paid to these efforts,

儘管對這些努力的關注很多

they remain emphatically extracurricular.

它們仍然是作為一種課外活動

In effect, civic-mindedness is treated

實際上，公德心

as outside the realm of what purports to be

已經被排除在

serious thinking and adult purposes.

所謂的嚴肅思想和成人追求之外了

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

簡單來說，如果抱有改變世界的衝動

the academy is more likely to engender

學術界更容易產生

a learned helplessness

一種知識份子的無助

than to create a sense of empowerment.

而缺乏一種責任和擔當

This brew -- oversimplification of civic engagement,

這種對公民參與的過度簡化

idealization of the expert,

對專家作用的理想化

fragmentation of knowledge,

知識的零散化

emphasis on technical mastery,

強調技能掌握

neutrality as a condition of academic integrity --

將學術誠實基於立場不明

is toxic when it comes to pursuing the vital connections

對於

between education and the public good,

教育和公共利益之間的聯繫

between intellectual integrity

對於知識份子的品德和人類自由的聯繫

and human freedom,

是有毒害作用的

which were at the heart --

這些威脅存在於

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

這些歐洲同行心中

my European colleagues.

也是他們所面臨的核心挑戰

When the astronomical distance

現實和願景之間的差別

between the realities of the academy

十分巨大

and the visionary intensity of this challenge

這種差別帶來的挑戰的程度之深

were more than enough, I can assure you,

足以讓人們

to give one pause,

不止一次駐足思考

what was happening outside higher education

高等教育之外的種種

made backing off unthinkable.

是我們不得不有所作為

Whether it was threats to the environment,

不管是對環境的威脅

inequities in the distribution of wealth,

財富分配不均

lack of a sane policy or a sustainable policy

還是能源的利用的

with respect to the continuing uses of energy,

一些理智的和環保的政策

we were in desperate straits.

我們身處困境

And that was only the beginning.

更不幸的是，這僅僅是開始

The corrupting of our political life

我們腐朽的政治氛圍

had become a living nightmare;

已經成了活生生的噩夢

nothing was exempt --

各方面都無一倖免

separation of powers, civil liberties,

從分權，公民自由

the rule of law,

到法治

the relationship of church and state.

還有宗教和政治的關係

Accompanied by a squandering

此外，還有讓人難以置信的

of the nation's material wealth

對資源

that defied credulity.

不加節制的濫用

A harrowing predilection for the uses of force

熱衷使用武力

had become commonplace,

這些都屢見不鮮

with an equal distaste

對於其他正面的影響

for the alternative forms of influence.

卻不予考慮

At the same time, all of our firepower was impotent

與此同時

when it came to halting or even stemming

當盧旺達，達爾富爾和緬甸飽受屠殺之苦時

the slaughter in Rwanda, Darfur, Myanmar.

我們的炮火卻沒有為他們爭取平安，顯得格外無力

Our public education, once a model for the world,

我們的公共教育，一度是世界的楷模

has become most noteworthy

現在卻是每況愈下

for its failures.

而聲名狼藉

Mastery of basic skills and a bare minimum of cultural literacy

很多學生缺乏對基本技能的掌握

eludes vast numbers of our students.

文化常識也少得可憐

Despite having a research establishment

儘管我們的研究機構

that is the envy of the world,

是世界一流的

more than half of the American public

卻有超過半數的美國人

don't believe in evolution.

不相信進化論

And don't press your luck

你們也不要試圖相信

about how much those who do believe in it

那些相信進化論的人

actually understand it.

確實理解

Incredibly, this nation,

難以置信的是

with all its material, intellectual and spiritual resources,

這個擁有豐富物質，知識和精神財富的國家

seems utterly helpless

卻無法應對這些方面的每況愈下

to reverse the freefall in any of these areas.

似乎徹徹底底地無可救藥

Equally startling, from my point of view,

在我看來

is the fact that no one

更驚人的是

was drawing any connections

沒有人意識到

between what is happening to the body politic,

發生在社會中

and what is happening in our leading educational institutions.

政治和一流教育機構所面臨變化之間的關係

We may be at the top of the list

談及對財富創造渠道的影響

when it comes to influencing access to personal wealth.

教育是邀功的

We are not even on the list

但是

when it comes to our responsibility

說到對民主社會的責任

for the health of this democracy.

教育機構卻規避

We are playing with fire.

我們正在玩火自焚

You can be sure Jefferson knew

當傑斐遜說到

what he was talking about when he said,

“在一個文明國家，若指望在無知中得到自由

"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free

過去從未有過，

in a state of civilization,

將來也絕辦不到”

it expects what never was,

他清楚地知道

and never will be."

他要表達什麽

(Applause)

(鼓掌)

On a more personal note,

用我自己的話來說

this betrayal of our principles,

對我們的建國理念

our decency, our hope,

我們社會的要義和希望的背叛

made it impossible for me

使我不得不

to avoid the question,

面臨這樣一個問題

"What will I say, years from now,

當數年之後，人們問我“你那時在幹什麼去了？”

when people ask, 'Where were you?'"

我該如何回答？

As president of a leading liberal arts college,

作為一個博雅教育的校長

famous for its innovative history,

尤其當這個學校富有革新傳統

there were no excuses.

我有義不容辭的責任

So the conversation began at Bennington.

所以，本寧頓首先展開了討論

Knowing that if we were to regain

我們意識到

the integrity of liberal education,

如果要復原博雅教育的真實面貌

it would take radical rethinking

對於一些基本的前提

of basic assumptions,

我們需要做一些本質的思考

beginning with our priorities.

從最重要的方面開始

Enhancing the public good becomes a primary objective.

首要目標是提升公共利益

The accomplishment of civic virtue

要形成良好的公民道德

is tied to the uses of intellect and imagination

離不開學生充分調動

at their most challenging.

他們的智力和想像力

Our ways of approaching agency and authority

我們面對政府

turn inside out to reflect the reality

和各種機構

that no one has the answers

發現沒有人能找到

to the challenges facing citizens in this century,

本世紀人民所面臨問題的靈丹妙藥

and everyone has the responsibility

但是，人人都有責任

for trying and participating in finding them.

參與進來，尋找應對挑戰的方法

Bennington would continue to teach the arts and sciences

本寧頓將矢志不渝

as areas of immersion that acknowledge differences

教授人文和科學學科

in personal and professional objectives.

交叉授課，照顧個人和職業需求

But the balances redressed,

但是權重改變了

our shared purposes assume an equal

共同目標

if not greater importance.

現在贏得了至少相同的重視

When the design emerged it was surprisingly simple and straightforward.

這套設計其實十分簡單和直白

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

主要就是，將政治，社會問題

from health and education

包括醫療，教育

to the uses of force --

武力使用

the organizers of the curriculum.

作為課程設計的風向標

They would assume the commanding role of traditional disciplines.

與傳統課程想必，他們處於至高地位

But structures designed to connect, rather than divide

但是，我們構想的目的是融合學科，而不是孤立

mutually dependent circles,

是讓學科之間密不可分

rather than isolating triangles.

而不是斷絕的結點

And the point is not to treat these topics

很重要的一點是

as topics of study,

不要將它們學術化

but as frameworks of action.

而是當做行文準則

The challenge: to figure out what it will take

挑戰在於，認識到需要什麽

to actually do something

才能真正的帶來一些意義重大

that makes a significant and sustainable difference.

影響深遠的變化

Contrary to widely held assumptions,

與傳統的觀點不同

an emphasis on action provides a special urgency to thinking.

強調行動會促進思考

The importance of coming to grips with values like justice,

理解公正，公平

equity, truth,

真理的價值觀的意義

becomes increasingly evident

變得日趨明朗

as students discover that interest alone

正如學生發現那樣

cannot tell them what they need to know

單單靠興趣

when the issue is rethinking education,

他們不能認識到

our approach to health,

在反思醫療，教育

or strategies for achieving

公平經濟時

an economics of equity.

他們需要什麼樣的知識

The value of the past also comes alive;

歷史的價值也顯現出來

it provides a lot of company.

很多過往人物都在思考這些問題

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

正如台下的你不會是第一個

just as you are unlikely to be the last.

也不會是最後一個思考這些問題的人一樣

Even more valuable,

更珍貴的是

history provides a laboratory

透過歷史

in which we see played out

我們可以看到

the actual, as well as the intended

一些認識所帶來的

consequences of ideas.

確實和理想變化

In the language of my students,

用我學生的話來說

"Deep thought matters

就是“當你考慮如何做重要的事時，”

when you're contemplating what to do

深思熟慮很

about things that matter."

必要。“

A new liberal arts that can support this

提倡這種以行動為導向的

action-oriented curriculum

博雅教育

has begun to emerge.

正在興起

Rhetoric, the art of organizing the world of words

包括研究如何使語言

to maximum effect.

發揮最大效力的修辭學

Design, the art of organizing the world of things.

還有組織萬物的藝術--設計

Mediation and improvisation

冥想和即興反應

also assume a special place in this new pantheon.

都在新的框架中享有一席之地

Quantitative reasoning attains its proper position

定量推理也必不可少

at the heart of what it takes to manage change

對於認識一些變化

where measurement is crucial.

測量是十分重要的

As is a capacity to discriminate

系統區分核心問題

systematically between what is at the core

和邊緣問題的能力

and what is at the periphery.

也是同樣重要的

And when making connections is of the essence,

此外，當融合成為關鍵

the power of technology emerges with special intensity.

科技的力量會愈益顯現

But so does the importance of content.

但是，內容也同樣重要

The more powerful our reach,

我們的觸角伸得越廣

the more important the question "About what?"

“關於什麽”的問題就愈發重要

When improvisation, resourcefulness, imagination are key,

當即興創作，足智多謀和想像力成為關鍵

artists, at long last,

當我們設計行動方略時

take their place at the table,

藝術家終於

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

確立了他們的位置

In this dramatically expanded ideal

我們設想的博雅教育

of a liberal arts education

其意義有廣闊的外延

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

連續的思考和行動是這種教育模式的生命所系

knowledge honed outside the academy

學術之外習得的知識

becomes essential.

是必不可少的

Social activists, business leaders,

社會活動家，商業領袖

lawyers, politicians, professionals

律師，政治家以及各業界精英

will join the faculty as active and ongoing participants

將積極參與，成為長期教員

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

促進博雅教育和公共利益的協調發展

Students, in turn, continuously move outside the classroom

相反地，學生的格局將超越教室

to engage the world directly.

與這個世界進行直接互動

And of course, this new wine

當然

needs new bottles

新酒需要新瓶裝

if we are to capture the liveliness and dynamism

如果要體現

of this idea.

這一理念的生機和活力

The most important discovery we made

在我們強調公共服務的過程中

in our focus on public action

我們最重要的收穫是

was to appreciate that the hard choices

意識到這些艱難選擇

are not between good and evil,

不存在於好壞之間

but between competing goods.

而是如何做到利益最大化

This discovery is transforming.

這一收穫有著革新意義

It undercuts self-righteousness,

自以為是會受到非議

radically alters the tone and character of controversy,

應對紛爭的氣氛和方式將大大改變

and enriches dramatically

並且極大促進

the possibilities for finding common ground.

形成共同立場的可能性

Ideology, zealotry,

意識形態，狂熱

unsubstantiated opinions simply won't do.

沒有支撐的觀點將無濟於事

This is a political education, to be sure.

可以確信，這會是一次政治教育

But it is a politics of principle,

但是，是涉及原則的政治

not of partisanship.

而不是黨派立場

So the challenge for Bennington is to do it.

本寧頓面臨的最大挑戰就是去踐行這一切

On the cover of Bennington's 2008 holiday card

在本寧頓2008年的賀卡上

is the architect's sketch of a building

描繪著一副設計作品

opening in 2010

這是一個將於2010年投入使用的

that is to be a center for the advancement

推進

of public action.

公共參與的中心

The center will embody and sustain this new educational commitment.

這個中心將整合并為喜這一全新的教育理念

Think of it as a kind of secular church.

不妨將此看做一個世俗教堂

The words on the card describe what will happen inside.

賀卡上的話語描繪了這個中心的願景

We intend to turn the intellectual

我們會將學生，教師和其他職工

and imaginative power, passion and boldness

強大，充滿激情

of our students, faculty and staff

十分果敢的智力和想像力的

to developing strategies

致力於設計

for acting on the critical challenges of our time.

能應對當今時代核心挑戰的策略

So we are doing our job.

我們正在努力

While these past weeks have been a time

雖然過去幾周

of national exhilaration in this country,

我們的國家一片歡騰

it would be tragic if you thought this meant

但是如果你認為任務已經完成

your job was done.

那只怕是十分可悲的

The glacial silence we have experienced

我們經歷了冰封般的沉寂

in the face of the shredding of the constitution,

對憲法的蔑視

the unraveling of our public institutions,

公共機構的無能

the deterioration of our infrastructure

基礎設施的破敗

is not limited to the universities.

并不限於大學內

We the people

作為人民

have become inured to our own irrelevance

我們已經習慣於漠不關心

when it comes to doing anything significant

對於重大的事

about anything that matters

我們毫無作為

concerning governance,

尤其對於不滿意的治理者

beyond waiting another four years.

我們什麽都不做，只是再等一個四年

We persist also

我們總是認為專家才能給出答案

in being sidelined by the idea of the expert

進而把我們自己的答案

as the only one capable of coming up with answers,

排除在外

despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

儘管大量事實與此相反

The problem is there is no such thing

事實上，根本沒有一種民主制度

as a viable democracy made up of experts,

是由專家，

zealots, politicians and spectators.

狂熱分子，政治家和旁觀者組成的

(Applause)

（鼓掌）

People will continue and should continue

人們將要繼續，也應該繼續

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

學習聯繫的知識

We actually do it all the time.

我們其實一直致力於此

And there will be and should be

此外，將會有，並且應該產生

those who spend a lifetime

一批傾其一生

pursuing a very highly defined area of inquiry.

專研一個領域的學者

But this single-mindedness will not yield

但是這種一門心思的興趣

the flexibilities of mind,

不會妨礙

the multiplicity of perspectives,

多角度的靈活思考

the capacities for collaboration and innovation

不會壓縮協作和創新的空間

this country needs.

我們的國家需要這些

That is where you come in.

這就是你們參與的時刻

What is certain is that the individual talent

可以確信的是

exhibited in such abundance here,

活躍於此的聰明才智

needs to turn its attention

需要把目光投向

to that collaborative, messy, frustrating,

那個協作，混亂，令人沮喪，

contentious and impossible world

充滿爭議和不可理喻的

of politics and public policy.

充滿政治和公共政策的世界

President Obama and his team

僅僅靠奧巴馬總統團隊

simply cannot do it alone.

不能完成這個艱巨任務

If the question of where to start seems overwhelming

假如從何下手是一個壓倒性的問題

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

你已經站在了起點，而不是這終點

Being overwhelmed is the first step

如果你真的想瞭解一些真正重要的事情

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

並且做出一些貢獻

on a scale that makes a difference.

壓倒性的感受往往是第一階段

So what do you do when you feel overwhelmed?

當你感到這種壓倒性的時候，你會怎麼做？

Well, you have two things.

你有兩樣東西可以利用

You have a mind. And you have other people.

第一是你的大腦，第二是你的同胞

Start with those, and change the world.

就以此為始，改變世界

(Applause)

（鼓掌）