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TheIdeaofaUniversity

“TheIdeaofaUniversity”was,perhaps,neversowellexpressedasbyCardinalNewmanwhenengagedinfoundingtheUniversityofDublinalittleoveracenturyago.HisviewsreflectedtheOxfordofhisdaywhencehehadcome.

Auniversity,wroteCardinalNewman,is“thehighprotectpowerofallknowledgeandscience,offactandprinciple,ofinquiryanddiscovery,ofexperimentandspeculation;itmapsouttheterritoryoftheintellect,andseesthat...thereisneitherencroachmentnorsurrenderonanyside.”Hefavored“liberalknowledge,”andsaidthat“usefulknowledge”wasa“dealoftrash.”

一个多世纪以前，红衣主教纽曼在创办都柏林大学之时，对“大学的理念”的表述或许是最好的。他的观点反映了那个时代的牛津精神。

纽曼写道，大学是一切知识与科学、事实与原理、探索与发现、实验与猜想的高级保护力量；大学圈定出知识的边界，确保其既不侵占外界，也不向外妥协”。他推崇“博雅知识”，并且认为“实用知识”是“?堆垃圾”。

NewmanwasparticularlyfightingtheghostofBaconwhosome250yearsbeforehadcondemned“akindofadorationofthemind...bymeanswhereofmenhavewithdrawnthemselvestoomuchfromthecontemplationofnature,andtheobservationsofexperience,andhavetumbledupanddownintheirownreasonandconceits.”

Baconbelievedthatknowledgeshouldbeforthebenefitanduseofmenthatitshould“notbeasacourtesan,forpleasureandvanityonly,orasabondwoman,toacquireandgaintohermaster’suse;butasaspouse,forgeneration,fruitandcomfort.”

纽曼尤其反对培根的遗毒。大约250年前，培根谴责道“对精神的迷恋……由于这种迷恋，人们过度脱离了对自然的思考，脱离了对经验的观察，在他们自己的理性和幻想中上下翻滚“。

培根认为，知识应该造福于人，为人所用，知识“不应像交际花，只是为了寻欢作乐、满足虚荣心；也不应像女仆，只为了供主人使唤；而应像配偶那样传宗接代，带来幸福与慰藉”。

TothisNewmanrepliedthat“Knowledgeiscapableofbeingitsownend.Suchistheconstitutionofthehumanmind,thatanykindofknowledge,ifitreallybesuch,isitsownreward.”

AndinasharpjabatBaconhesaid:“ThePhilosophyofUtility,youwillsay,Gentlemen,hasatleastdoneitswork;andIgrantit—itaimedlow,butithasfulfilleditsaim.”

Newmanfeltthatotherinstitutionsshouldcarryonresearch,for“Ifitsobjectwerescientifican