高等教育的贡献与价值:中西话语体系下的概念辨析与本土建构-清华大学教育研究

文章信息/Info

Title:: The Contribution and Value of Higher Education: A Conceptual Analysis and Localized Construction of Relevant Concepts in the Chinese and Western Discourses Systems

Author(s):: YANG Li-li FAN Li-jun; Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong

Keywords:: public good(s); private good(s); common good(s); higher education; autonomous knowledge system

摘要:: 高等教育在个人、社会、国家乃至世界的发展中扮演重要角色,理解和解释高等教育的贡献与价值对高等教育自身与社会、国家发展至关重要。“公益”“私益”“共益”是当前国际与本土学界用以解释高等教育贡献与价值的核心概念,也在不同程度上反映出我国高等教育三个不同发展阶段的价值取向。本文关注中国文化中的“公”“私”之辩,并基于具体的高等教育理念和实践,解释为何被我国高等教育广泛使用的“公益”“私益”等西方理念难以有效捕捉我国话语中“公”“私”概念的内涵,而“共益”概念与我国话语更为接近,可以成为更适合描述我国高等教育贡献与价值的理念。对相关概念在中西话语体系下的概念辨析与本土建构,也是对构建中国自主知识体系需要的有效回应。

Abstract:: Higher education plays an important role in the development of individuals, societies, nations, and the global community. Understanding the contribution and value of higher education is crucial to the development of higher education itself and social and national development. The concepts of “public good,” “private good,” and “common good” are central to current international and local academic discussions interpreting the contributions and values of higher education. These concepts also reflect, to varying extents, the value orientations of different developmental stages of higher education in China. This paper examines the traditional Chinese discourse on the dichotomy of “public” and “private” and, through an examination of higher education philosophies and practices, elucidates why commonly used Western concepts such as “public good” and “private good” fail to effectively encompass the nuances of these terms within the Chinese context. It further proposes that the concept of “common good” aligns more closely with Chinese discourse and is thus more suitable for describing the contributions and values of Chinese higher education. A conceptual analysis and the construction of localized concepts within Chinese and Western discourses are also imperative responses to the call for developing an autonomous Chinese knowledge system.