從人文角度論通識教育的意義與任務

The Contemporary Value of General Education: A Viewpoint from Humanities

本文欲從大學起源的精神與理念反思現今大學教育的現況，說明原本作為大學教育的「七藝」事實上即是通識的人文教育，由此反觀當前台灣的大學教育，因為過分著重專業之訓練，對於「教育」之職責有所偏廢。
所謂「教育」，應是以「人性覺醒」為出發的教育，而非專事職業技能之「訓練」。所以大學應重新回歸教育的內涵，以培養「社會良心」的知識份子為職責，以建構學生整全的人格為目標，在專業的知識或技能訓練之餘，重新正視「教育」之任務。通識教育作為大學之起源以及人性覺醒之教育，實是大學教育之核心，大學「教育」的內涵須由通識教育來補足。
若以大學法中明訂大學「提升文化」的目標著眼，以及對於台灣社會現象的歷史觀察與分析，現階段台灣的通識教育應以建構深度文化為目標、以人文精神為願景，除了對於教育的職責有所補足之外，亦克盡大學所應扮演的「社會燈塔」之角色。

This article will draw on the original spirit of University and have a reflection on the situation of higher education nowadays. In fact, the Seven Liberal Arts as the contents of ancient university education is exactly humanistic education in contemporary general education. But we can see today's university education in Taiwan emphasis too much on the professional training and too less on the responsibility of education.
What is called Education is the one that begins with humanity enlightening, not the one that focuses on professional skill training only. So the university education should come back to the essence of Education and cultivate the intellectual who can be the consciousness of the society, build up the full personality of students, and try to face the mission of education beyond of professional training.
General education as the origin of the university and the education of humanity enlightening is the core of university education. The meaning of university education should complete with general education.
If we have the goal of raising the culture which is declared in the law of University in mind, and have an analysis on the social phenomenon and historical observation of Taiwan, then we should develop the profound culture and the cultural spirit in present general education so as to retrieve the educational responsibility and to play the role of the beacon of our society for universities.