Traditional Culture Encyclopedia - Traditional stories - Analysis of Harvard Idea: The Story of a Complete Fool

Analysis of Harvard Idea: The Story of a Complete Fool

Translated into Chinese, the motto of Harvard is "Be friends with Plato and Aristotle, and be friends with truth more". There are two outstanding points in this school motto. First, Harvard attaches importance to tradition, especially the humanistic and rational Greek tradition represented by Plato and Aristotle, and thinks that there is eternal wisdom in great tradition, so Harvard is unlikely to have a comprehensive anti-tradition and anti-historical fanaticism; Second, it emphasizes that the pursuit of truth is the correct principle. Neither secular dignitaries nor divine authority can replace the truth, nor can they persuade people to pursue the truth. It is the interaction and complementarity of these two principles that ensures that Harvard can carry forward the past and innovate continuously in the great pedigree. This is the charm of Harvard, which permanently inspires the aspirations and dreams of generations of young students.

A few years ago, Harvard Theological Seminary admitted a strange-looking student, and some people regarded him as a complete fool. He is not only versatile, but also excellent in all aspects. He got almost full marks in science and was admitted to MIT. His violin playing level can be directly admitted to new york Symphony Orchestra and Juilliard Conservatory of Music. Whether studying at MIT or playing music, you can make a lot of money. The way of "money" is much bigger than that of seminary graduates, and they may not even find a job. Why did he go to the seminary? This is of interest to many professors. Listen to his answer. He said, I'm still young and I can always make money. I can take my time. However, the question of faith, what is God, and how can people transcend it? These are my life experiences. If I don't do these lessons, I will never be at peace in my life. I study not for my career, but for my life. What his answer can make us think is, what is reading for? This is of course a very personal question. However, from the perspective of universities, the question is also, what is the school for? In China, universities have long been associated with careers. Being admitted to the university means that your future job is in your hands. In this way, once you step into the university threshold, the motivation and struggle of the college entrance examination will begin to ebb. If no one is conscious, there will be no result in the cultivation of people in universities. How can students become excellent talents without motivation and passion?

In recent years, college graduation is not guaranteed. It is said that this is also a kind of reform. In fact, the real reason is that there is something wrong with the "planned economy" of the university, and the professional setting of the university is seriously out of touch with the demand of the job market. Universities have trained some people who are not needed by society. If universities train people who are not needed by society, does society still need such universities? What kind of universities do we need? If our university is only a professional college, then our students can't jump out of the purely utilitarian vision of going to college just for a rice bowl, and our university will always be trapped in the tension between it and the job market, and can't cultivate outstanding groups to undertake this social responsibility and lead the society forward. In my boyhood, what I heard most about universities was the so-called "cradle of engineers". Now, many parents and teachers are still repeating this childish fairy tale to their children. Now, I know how misunderstood and tacky this is. Let's say goodbye, "the cradle of engineers"!

Now, some scholars in China are discussing the idea of university, which is an important issue. Modern education in China has a history of 100 years since Shi Jing University Hall was founded in the late Qing Dynasty. During this period, the so-called "university view" has been in a state of chaos. The university education in China has gone through a tortuous course, and there are many experiences and lessons worth summing up. The idea of university has profound meaning, and in-depth reflection will be of great benefit to China's education and China's future.