A Study On The Liberal Education Of Newman

At the early age of 19th century, the foundation of the politics, economy and culture of England was changing. New pattern of university appeared in Scotland. The emergence of the new pattern of university endangered the tradition of classical humanism in England's higher education, and challenged the traditional ideal of the style in England's universities. In this background emerged Newman's ideal of liberal education. Newman is the first man who explained the nature and the goal of the university systematically and questioned the essence of university. He made great contributions to the higher education theory.This dissertation consists of four parts.The first part introduces the history of liberal education, including: liberal education in Strophe,"septem artes liberals"in the Middle Ages, liberal education during the Renaissance, and the liberal education in the 17th and 18th centuries. The second part expatiates Newman's ideal of liberal education. Firstly, it introduces the emergence background of the ideal of liberal education, which includes the political, economic and educational surroundings. Secondly, it introduces the content of Newman's liberal education. Newman defined university as a place where to initiate general knowledge and divided the knowledge into applied knowledge and liberal knowledge. Newman advocated liberal knowledge because the liberal knowledge showed the"satisfying itself value". Teaching and education were divided according to the different styles of initiating knowledge. Newman thought that the behavior of offering applied knowledge was just teaching, whereas the behavior of offering"liberal knowledge"was education. The ultimate aim of education was cultivate the intellect of students. Finally, it explores the formation cause of the ideal of liberal education, including the England's educational tradition, personal religious career, Oxford and Oxford Group Movement.The third part summarizes the impact of liberal education on England and America education. Take the Hulchins of America, Peters and Hirst of England for example.The fourth part is about the elicitation of Newman's liberal education, including its epoch significance of and the reconsideration of it.