A Study On The Tradition Of Western University Spirit

The dissertation concentrates on the development and evolution of the tradition of Western university spirit, which covers the period from the Middle Age to the 21st century. It bases on the methodology of historical and dialectical materialism, on historical and documentary analysis, and sufficient historical data as well. The first part, introduction, clarifies the theoretical value and the practical significance of the dissertation by answering the questions on topic selection, object establishment and method employment. The dissertation not only furthers the university theories in the depth and the levels, but also offers experiences and examples for the reform and development. The second part, including chapter two, chapter three, chapter four and chapter five, is the main body of the dissertation. It divides the transition of the tradition of Western university spirit into three historical periods, and it sums up the main features of each period. It also explains carefully the concept of the tradition of Western university spirit. It thinks that some ideas and customs of Western university, which have experienced a long time, have gradually grown up to be the principle of value and the pursuitof value of the ultimate organization-university, and that is thetradition of Western university spirit. It represents the true nature of Western university. The concept of the tradition of Western universityspirit consists of two levels-potential level and surface level. On thebasis of the analysis and the law of the development of university, the dissertation clarifies the basic structure of the tradition of Western university through classifying the function of university: as an ultimate organization, the tradition of Western university embodies the spirit of self-manage and the spirit of academic freedom; as an academic community, the tradition of Western university spirit embodies the spirit of science, the spirit of humanism, conservative spirit and open spirit; as a higher cultural organization, the tradition of Western university spirit...