NEWMAN NOW: RE-EXAMINING THE CONCEPTS OF ‘PHILOSOPHICAL’ and ‘LIBERAL’ IN THE IDEA OF A UNIVERSITY

ABSTRACT: 

Taking account of crucial differences between the social environments of universities in Newman's time and in ours, this paper considers two key concepts in the The Idea of the University , the ‘philosophical’ and the ‘liberal’. It argues that, despite their merits, both concepts are beset by problems. And it suggests some lines of analysis, partly inspired by an Aristotelian influence both in Newman's own work and in some recent philosophy, that may help to address these problems and to support claims for the continuing power of Newman's thinking about university education.

Keywords:

• modernity
• J. H. Newman
• reason
• ‘philosophical’
• ‘liberal’
• universities