Through Vico’s “Inaugural Orations” and his relevant writings, this study aimed to
examine his thoughts on university education. Vico used “self-knowledge” as the entry
point into the academic world, with a goal towards developing a “heroic mind,” a mind
that could distinguish good from evil, regard for honor and sincerity, express solicitude
for the well-being of human beings, and create knowledge. To achieve this goal,
students need to understand their relationship with the universe, country, and others, to
be aware of their own corruptive and divine characters, to learn from liberal arts and
sciences to build up systemic knowledge, and to acquire the Wisdom of God to develop
lofty minds that care for all creatures and well-fare of mankind. Although Vico’s
educational thoughts, which encompassed liberal traditions, religions, and collectivist
consciousness, were not seen as systematic, his orations on the divine mind and
sublime horizon could be a firm foundation for teaching, research, and service in a
modern university.
本文透過 Giambattista Vico 的九次演講內容及相關著作來掌握他的大學教育
思想。本研究指出,Vico 以「認識自己」做為學生的學習起點,而將培育「英雄
心靈」的理想人格——知善惡、重榮譽、講誠信、愛人類、創新知,視為學生的
學習標的。而在達成理想人格的過程中,必須讓學生理解自身與宇宙、國家、他
人的關係,以及理解自身擁有的腐敗因子與神聖特質,透過學習各種博雅學科與
科學研究,來掌握整體與融貫的學問,並經由理解上帝的智慧來促使自身不斷向
善發展,才能運用這種崇高的心靈來關懷萬物、為人類謀福祉。Vico 的大學教育
思想具有傳統的博雅特質,融入了宗教色彩與集體主義思想,雖然不是一種系統
性的論述,但提供出的神聖氣質與宏偉視域,可以說是教學、研究、服務的根基。