大学与逍遥——庄子《逍遥游》引义

西方人所说的自由是指对必然性的认识和遵循,而庄子所说的逍遥是自我主动地摆脱功名利禄、权势尊位的束缚,自觉地过一种悠游自在、无挂无碍的精神生活.庄子告诉我们：有多大的创造力就有多大的自由;但创造力再大,作为具体事物的存在都是有所依待的,没有绝对的自由;只有超越自我和功名的束缚,遵道而行,独与天地精神往来的人,才能在精神世界里逍遥游;这样的人在世俗的眼光里百无一用,却是创造了人类文化的精神导师.从这些思想中可以引申出庄子的大学教育哲学：大学的自由不是制度所赋予的,而是大学人自己创造的;但大学又要建立一种制度,以保障创造的自由,同时包容创造的失败者;掌握了实用技术让人获得有限的自由,只有小用,人之大用是思想的自由与逍遥.用这样的教育哲学思想看当今的大学教育,我们便明白了存在的问题和努力的方向：标准和要求限制了大学人的自由,扼杀了他们的创造力,降低了大学的品格;大学有太多的虚假和虚伪,太讲究实用,容不下大而无用的思想、文化和艺术,很难见到单纯质朴、真实鲜活、淡泊名利、逍遥自在、独与天地精神往来的“真人”.这既是体制的问题,也是大学人自己的问题,因为自由需要制度的保障,而逍遥是可以自我实现的.

The University and the Absolute Freedom：Enlightenment from Wondering in Absolute Freedom By ZHUANG Zi

Wondering in absolute freedom by Zhuang Zi gives us several enlightenments. One＇ s freedom depends on how creative he is. However, as a specific being dependent on others, one can not be absolutely free anywhere and any time though he is very creative. Only those who go beyond themselves and fame and also follow the Tao and the universal Spirit can wonder freely in their spiritual world. Such people are the spiritual mentors who create human culture though regarded to be good for nothing in the secular vision. By extending such enlightenment into higher education, we get a clear idea about ZHUANG Zi＇ s philosophy of higher education. Freedom in universities can only be created by people who teach and learn there instead of being endowed by systems. However systems should be established in order to ensure the freedom of their creation while being tolerant to the losers during the creation as well. Mastering some practical technology makes people gain some limited freedom ,which is of little use, while being unfettered and absolutely free in thought is of great use for people. Autocratic systems can only restrict and deprive the freedom in universities, but never the spirit of striving for absolute freedom.