評論
打印
"The Heart of the Matter," the just-released report by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences(AAAS),
美國藝術和科學研究院剛發布的"問題核心"報告，
deserves praise for affirming the importance of the humanities and social sciences to the prosperity and security of liberal democracy in America.
肯定了人文和社會科學對美國的繁榮和保障自由民主的重要性，這一點是值得贊揚的。
Regrettably, however, the report's failure to address the true nature of the crisis facing liberal education may cause more harm than good.
但令人遺憾的是，報告沒能說明自由教育所面臨的危機的實質。這就可能弊大于利。
In 2010, leading congressional Democrats and Republicans sent letters to the AAAS
2010年，民主黨和共和黨國會主要領導人致信美國藝術和科學研究院，
asking that it identify actions that could be taken by "federal, state and local governments, universities, foundations, educators,
要求其確定為保持國家在人文和社會科學學術和教育的卓越成就，聯邦、州、地方政府、大學、基礎學校、教育者、
individual benefactors and others" to "maintain national excellence in humanities and social scientific scholarship and education."
個人捐助者和其它一些機構或個人可以采取的行動。
In response, the American Academy formed the Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences.
美國學會通過組織人文和社會科學委員會做出回應。
Among the commission's 51 members are top-tier-university presidents, scholars, lawyers, judges, and business executives,
委員會的51名成員中有一流大學的校長、學者、律師、法官、企業高管們
as well as prominent figures from diplomacy, filmmaking, music and journalism.
以及外交、電影制作人、音樂和新聞界的杰出人物。
The goals identified in the report are generally admirable.
報告中被確定的目標總的來說是值得贊揚的。
Because representative government presupposes an informed citizenry, the report supports full literacy;
由于代議制政府是以見多識廣的公民為前提條件的，所以這個報告支持全面的素養，
stresses the study of history and government, particularly American history and American government;
強調歷史和政體的學習，尤其是美國歷史和政體的學習，
and encourages the use of new digital technologies.
并且鼓勵使用新電子技術。
To encourage innovation and competition, the report calls for increased investment in research,
為了鼓勵創新和競爭，報告中呼吁增加對此項研究的投資，
the crafting of coherent curricula that improve students' ability to solve problems and communicate effectively in the 21st century,
系統的課程制定可以提高學生在21世紀下解決問題和有效交流的能力，
increased funding for teachers and the encouragement of scholars to bring their learning to bear on the great challenges of the day.
給教師增加資助以及鼓勵學者增加他們的學識以承受當今巨大的挑戰。
The report also advocates greater study of foreign languages, international affairs and the expansion of study abroad programs.
這份報告同樣大力提倡學習外語、國際事務以及拓展出國留學項目。
Unfortunately, despite 2? years in the making, "The Heart of the Matter" never gets to the heart of the matter:
不幸的是，盡管花了兩年半的時間去研究，"核心問題"報告從來沒有成為核心問題：
the illiberal nature of liberal education at our leading colleges and universities.
我們一流的學院與大學自由教育狹隘的本質。
The commission ignores that for several decades America's colleges and universities
委員會不顧這樣的現象：幾十年來，美國的大學和學院
have produced graduates who don't know the content and character of liberal education and are thus deprived of its benefits.
產生了許多不知道自由教育內容和特點的畢業生，因此失去了享受此份利益。
Sadly, the spirit of inquiry once at home on campus has been replaced by the use of the humanities and social sciences
悲哀的是，人文和社會科學代替了美國校園內的探求精神，
as vehicles for publicizing "progressive," or left-liberal propaganda.
用于宣傳"進步"或者"左傾自由主義"。
Today, professors routinely treat the progressive interpretation of history and progressive public policy as the proper subject of study
如今，教授們習慣性地把對歷史漸進的解釋和漸進的公共政策當作恰當的研究主題，
while portraying conservative or classical liberal ideas--such as free markets and self-reliance
同時把保守或古典自由思想--比如自由市場和自力更生
as falling outside the boundaries of routine, and sometimes legitimate, intellectual investigation.
描述為日常慣例范圍之外的，但有時是合法的思想調查。
The AAAS displays great enthusiasm for liberal education.
美國藝術和科學研究院展示出了對自由教育極大的熱情。
Yet its report may well set back reform by obscuring the depth and breadth of the challenge that Congress asked it to illuminate.
然而，由于美國藝術和科學研究院的報表模糊了國會要求闡明的自由教育挑戰的深度和廣度，所以它阻礙了改革。
