西方博雅教育思想緣起、發展和轉型－－概念史的考察

The Origin Development and Transformation of the Idea of Western Liberal Education: An Investigation of Conceptual History

現代的博雅教育概念可追溯至古希臘的術語「eleutherion epistemon」以及古羅馬術語「artes liberales」和「liberaliter educatione」。在古希臘羅馬時代，這些概念指的是面向閒暇和財富的自由人階層（亦即後來所理解的紳士）的全面的教育。它不是面向所有自由民的教育，而是面向「真正的自由人」的教育。西元16世紀，秉承古典文明的精神，英文形式的liberal education概念開始出現，並在18、19世紀演變為英國最有影響的一種教育學說。在這一時期的英語世界中，liberal education指的是面向紳士階層的、非專業性的、文雅的教育。進入20世紀，liberal education概念開始轉向現代，它揚棄了和紳士階層、文雅理念的聯繫，在語義上從「博雅」轉向「自由」，並與現代自由主義學說聯繫在一起，演變成了「自由教育」。

The modern concept of liberal education could be traced back to the ancient terms of ”eleutherion epistemon” in Greek, ”artes liberals” and ”liberaliter education” in Roman, respectively. In classical times, these terms referred to the comprehensive education received only by free men who owned leisure and wealthy social status. Liberal education in this sense is not toward all free man. It is only available to those ”truly free man”. In 16th century, inheriting from the spirits of classical civilizations, the English version of liberal education emerged and became the most influential and powerful educational theory in 18th and 19th century. At the time, distinguishing from the professional education, liberal education emphasized its non-professional and genteel characteristics and therefore was considered the education of gentleman. Along with dramatically socio-economic changes, the modern concept of liberal education has finally transformed. Specifically, linked with the ideology of modern liberalism, the semantic meaning of ”liberal” has been transformed gradually from ”gentlemanly, extensive” to ”free and liberating”.