Philosophy of education:
One commonly expressed goal of education is that of empowering the self
to make better choices. I see problems with this goal. First, it is
inherently isolationist. Second, a selfish self will do more damage to
society after empowerment than before. Rather, I agree with John Henry
Newman that the goal of education should be to carry one beyond
oneself, towards "the eternal order of things, "towards the God claimed
by Protestants, Catholics, Muslms and Jews, the self-dependent,
all-perfect, unchangeable Being" (Newman, The Idea of a University).
This means not the assimilation of creeds and dogmas and does not imply
exclusiveness, but rather the very opposite. It is a goal that fosters
exploration of every system of belief and every aspect of life and
promotes concerns for social justice as well as for individual growth.
A story:
In the midst of my lecture on culture in the early centuries of the
first millenium after Christ, she interrupted me. A good student, she
asked with considerable irritation, "Who is this 'Constantine' you keep
talking about?" I was able to patch together an explanation, drawing on
other elements in the fabric of her historical knowledge; however, had
that fabric been slightly more threadbare, I might not have been able
to anchor the missing patch.
In my experience, many students do not come to Furman with a solid
grounding in Western history and culture. The intellectual formation of
many is infused by a heavy dose of the pre-digested, contrived ideas of
mass culture, which interfaces only indirectly and vaguely with the
thought of the Greeks, or of Aquinas, or of Lincoln. It is a real
possibility that students could lose their understanding of the Western
tradition (yes, I am aware of problems with the concept and
terminology) altogether. I believe that the Western tradition should be
thoroughly learned, understood, and appreciated on its own terms and
should not be regarded as an impediment to be dismantled and discarded.
It is well worth preserving and passing on. People of every tradition
wish to preserve and pass on their cultural legacy; we would be foolish
not to do so.
This endeavor need not be at the expense of learning about other
cultures and traditions and it need not foster a parochial mentality.
We can teach about every culture, starting with our own, with respect
for its strengths and with clear-minded assessment of its weaknesses
and failures.
I should like to see us reinforce, not weaken, the teaching of the
Western cultural legacy at Furman. A required course in great books
would be one possible way of implementing this goal. Certainly History
11 should retain its status as a GER.
Proposal:
A required course in great books of the Western tradition, including
works of history, philosophy, theology, politics, and literature and
taught as a seminar, in the freshman or sophomore year, by faculty
across the disciplines. Retention of History 11 as a GER.