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The Purpose of the University.
May 15-17, 1992
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Introduction
By raising the question of the purpose of a university, we hope to canvass such alternatives as the following: liberation of individuals from the myths of the cave; integrating knowledge (and faith?) under a master science; scientific research to improve the human condition; preparing the citizens and leaders of a liberal democracy; fostering genius; creating or preserving a single national culture; transmitting the best from every culture; and fostering cultural diversity or sensitivity to cultural diversity. We thus hope to cast some indirect light on the current American controversy over "multiculturalism." We also hope to ask whether there can be any unity of purpose bridging the humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences.
Conference Schedule
Friday, May 15
10:30-12:30
Plato's View
James H. Nichols, Jr.
Claremont McKenna College
2:30-5:00
The Revealed Religions
Ernest Fortin
Boston College
Hillel Fradkin
Bradley Foundation
Saturday, May 16
10:00-12:30
Scientific Modernity: Bacon
Richard Kennington
Catholic University of America
2:30-5:00
The German Enlightenment
Richard Velkley
Stonehill College
Sunday, May 17
10:00-12:30
The Crisis of the Theoretical Life
Werner Dannhauser
Cornell University
Pierre Manent
Collége de France
©1999, 2000 The John M. Olin Center for Inquiry into the Theory and Practice of Democracy, University of Chicago
Revised: January 2nd, 2000
http://olincenter.uchicago.edu/purpose_1992.html