Original scientific paper

Industrialisation of the University and Dehumanisation

Tonći Kokić orcid.org/0000-0002-6918-0666 ; University of Split, Faculty of Philosophy, Croatia

Abstract

The traditional university, as founded upon Humboldt’s idea, derives its educational aims from a solid basic education, the understanding of the principles of science, and training for a particular profession, as well as directing the individual nature towards freedom and independence. This conception presupposes an independent professor/lecturer, freely and creatively searching for truth, transmitting his/her knowledge to students through a personal contact in a community of teachers and students (universitas). Industrialisation of the university, conversely, is marked by a mass admission to condensed courses of study, a disappearance of the university community, with educational aims being solely directed towards acquiring the skills required for the competition in the labour market. The industrialised university is bound to lose its original nature and role, thereby being merely reduced to one of the many economic activities, producing and selling its own goods. The industrialised university thus unveils the myth of the so-called society of knowledge, aimed at creating a just and better society, since a superficial teaching of easily degradable, not to say perishable, and variable skills, is bound to result in converting making man into no more than a tool in the hands of economy and profit. Man is thereby inevitably reduced to a mere tool, his value dependent upon external materialistic goals. Consequently, industrialisation of the university will undoubtedly result in a mass dehumanisation.

Keywords

knowledge society; Wilhelm von Humboldt; industrialisation; education, university

Hrčak ID:

113566

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/113566

Publication date:

17.12.2013.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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