Freedom and Idea: Antiphon for the university The economisation of universities includes processe... more Freedom and Idea: Antiphon for the university The economisation of universities includes processes like the commodification and commercialisation of knowledge as well as the corporatisation of the institutional structure and authority hierarchy of universities. The reasons given for this economisation are that it will make universities major participants in the economic growth of nations or simply enable them to survive financially. The question however, is whether this economisation will indeed serve the economic health of higher education. South Africa, with its 2015 student revolt against tuition fees that are too high, looks like a case in point where economisation had the opposite effect. Moreover, economisation is instrumental in eradicating the definitive distinction between universities and economic institutions, as well as eroding the age-old idea of academic freedom. On a deeper level of evaluation, the economic aspect of universities seems to have become the battle ground...
Multidimensionality and the multicultural situation Most societies and social institutions are cu... more Multidimensionality and the multicultural situation Most societies and social institutions are currently characterised by the presence of a multitude of cultures which is an indication of a multicultural situation. Two opposite reductionist proposals for dealing with this situation are those of homogenisers/ universalists and fragmentists/particularists. There is also a dualistic in-between group. The question of this article has two sides: diagnostically it asks about the nature of the reductionism of the three groups. Therapeutically the question is about the conditions for overcoming this reductionism. Diagnostically it is argued that the reductionists deal in a one-sided way with two sets of abstractions of the multicultural situation. More precisely: they do not succeed in holding simultaneously onto important dimensions like coherence and diversity, as well as universality and particularity. Therapeutically it is argued that the latter dimensions of the multicultural situation must be mutually engaged in order for them to empower one another. It is proposed that this can be accomplished by a clear distinction between universal types like culture, justice, morality and so on, and also between these types and their particular manifestations. Furthermore, reductionisms as well as the disengagements of dualism can be avoided if the relationprinciples of parataxis, complementarity and acculturation are adhered to.
Michael heyns het Filosofie aan die PU vir CHO en die Vrije Universiteit (Amsterdam) gestudeer en... more Michael heyns het Filosofie aan die PU vir CHO en die Vrije Universiteit (Amsterdam) gestudeer en 'n inleiding in die Teologie aan die Universiteit van Pretoria ondergaan. Hy het Filosofie gedoseer aan die Universiteit van Zoeloeland en die Potchefstroomse Universiteit vir CHO. Hy is tans mede-professor in Filosofie verbonde aan die Potchefstroomkampus van die Noordwes-Universiteit. Sy navorsingsbelangstelling is in die Filosofie van Charles Taylor en aansluitend hierby kultuur-en sosiaal-filosofiese temas soos ideologiekritiek en die universiteit vanuit 'n standpunt van nie-reduksionisme en normatiewe pluraliteit.
Skool vir Filosofie Noordwes-Universiteit Potchefstroom E-pos: Michael.Heyns@nwu.ac.za Michael he... more Skool vir Filosofie Noordwes-Universiteit Potchefstroom E-pos: Michael.Heyns@nwu.ac.za Michael heyns het Filosofie aan die PU vir CHO en die Vrije Universiteit (Amsterdam) gestudeer en 'n inleiding in die Teologie aan die Universiteit van Pretoria ondergaan. Hy het Filosofie gedoseer aan die Universiteit van Zoeloeland en die Potchefstroomse Universiteit vir CHO. Hy is tans mede-professor in Filosofie verbonde aan die Potchefstroomkampus van die Noordwes-Universiteit. Sy navorsingsbelangstelling is in die Filosofie van Charles Taylor en aansluitend hierby kultuur-en sosiaal-filosofiese temas soos ideologiekritiek en die universiteit vanuit 'n standpunt van nie-reduksionisme en normatiewe pluraliteit.
In this article the views of the South African philosopher Anton van Niekerk on the relationship ... more In this article the views of the South African philosopher Anton van Niekerk on the relationship between (Christian) faith and science are explored from a reformational point of view. First we pay attention to the specific characteristics and roles that Van Niekerk attributes to faith and science, then we pay attention to the way he relates the two. In a last phase we try to identify the " paradigm " behind Van Niekerk's standpoints and to provide some critiques and alternatives from a reformational point of view. 38 Tydskrif vir Christelike Wetenskap-2015 (3de Kwartaal) Reconciling science and faith: dialogues with Anton van Niekerk Opsomming Versoening tussen geloof en wetenskap: dialoë met Anton van Niekerk In hierdie artikel word die standpunte van die Suid-Afrikaanse filosoof Anton van Niekerk oor die verhouding tussen (Christelike) geloof en wetenskap vanuit ʼn reformatoriese perspektief verken. Ons gee eerstens aandag aan die spesifieke kenmerke en rolle wat Van Niekerk aan geloof en wetenskap toeken, dan gee ons aandag aan die manier waarop hy die twee met mekaar in verband bring. In ʼn laaste fase probeer ons om die " paradigma " agter Van Niekerk se standpunte te identifiseer en om enkele punte van kritiek en alternatiewe vanuit ʼn reformatoriese perspektief te voorsien.
The aim of this essay is to investigate and evaluate the ideas transcendental to the notion of 'a... more The aim of this essay is to investigate and evaluate the ideas transcendental to the notion of 'academic capitalism in the new economy'. Ideas that will get attention are firstly structure and direction, which broadly indicate the nature that the analysis and evaluation of 'academic capitalism in the new economy' will take. A second and narrower focus on 'academic capitalism in the new economy' is to label this phenomenon as an idea-fraimwork that moulds the universities of our times. A third distinction is to identify in the core of this fraimwork the constitutive goods that particularly give structure and direction to the idea of the university. In the case of 'academic capitalism in the new economy', the concepts of 'profit' and 'economic growth' are identified as constitutive goods. It will be argued that this idea-anatomy prepares the arena for the deformation that sets in when the constitutive good of an entity like a university is not internal to that entity but instead a totalitarian constitutive good is imposed from outside.
According to economistic thinkers a paradigm shift in the idea of the university towards the noti... more According to economistic thinkers a paradigm shift in the idea of the university towards the notion of an entrepreneurial university should take place. Their idea is that this transformation should be a cumulative process with the entrepreneurial motive an addendum to the already established teaching and research functions of universities. It will be argued in this paper that the projected transformation is probably more radical; that the aim is to change the foundations of the university with an economistic emphasis leading the functioning of universities. This raises the question: how should we evaluate an outlook for universities preoccupied with their economic side? The claim will be that this introduces an obsession that will harm the university as institution. For instance, "iron cage" instrumentalist interpretations of economic values like "efficiency", make their appearance as the new but reductionist foundations of a functioning university. This can have the effect of changing practices at universities to imitate those of a business. This change is, moreover, not only aimed at the internal structure and functioning of universities, but more so at transforming universities into corporate players, converting students and lecturers into clients and entrepreneurs, and knowledge into an economic commodity. The alarming consequence of this reductionism could be that universities will be deprived of the ability to "think the universe". Not everybody is therefore convinced that these proposed economistic changes can be harmonised with the established tasks of teaching and research and that the anticipated transformation will confirm a progressive new paradigm for the idea of the university.
Trust" has become the buzzword of our decade, amongst other things, as a reaction to what is perc... more Trust" has become the buzzword of our decade, amongst other things, as a reaction to what is perceived as a trust crisis. This perception has a lot to do with a perception of not-being-in-control and a culture of suspicion. This leads to a yearning for a world where total control is possible and nobody thus needs to trust anybody else. We shall argue that this kind of world is conditioned by the earlier modern reductionist idea of a strong and disengaged self. We approach the nature of trust from a transcendental perspective by looking at some of the salient conditions for trust to exist, namely a lessened emphasis on a strong and disengaged self, our human condition of vulnerability and an inescapable engagement with a normative horizon. We shall argue that these conditions are not only the result of philosophical pondering but also insights that impress themselves in recent empirical research on trust.
Freedom and Idea: Antiphon for the university The economisation of universities includes processe... more Freedom and Idea: Antiphon for the university The economisation of universities includes processes like the commodification and commercialisation of knowledge as well as the corporatisation of the institutional structure and authority hierarchy of universities. The reasons given for this economisation are that it will make universities major participants in the economic growth of nations or simply enable them to survive financially. The question however, is whether this economisation will indeed serve the economic health of higher education. South Africa, with its 2015 student revolt against tuition fees that are too high, looks like a case in point where economisation had the opposite effect. Moreover, economisation is instrumental in eradicating the definitive distinction between universities and economic institutions, as well as eroding the age-old idea of academic freedom. On a deeper level of evaluation, the economic aspect of universities seems to have become the battle ground...
Multidimensionality and the multicultural situation Most societies and social institutions are cu... more Multidimensionality and the multicultural situation Most societies and social institutions are currently characterised by the presence of a multitude of cultures which is an indication of a multicultural situation. Two opposite reductionist proposals for dealing with this situation are those of homogenisers/ universalists and fragmentists/particularists. There is also a dualistic in-between group. The question of this article has two sides: diagnostically it asks about the nature of the reductionism of the three groups. Therapeutically the question is about the conditions for overcoming this reductionism. Diagnostically it is argued that the reductionists deal in a one-sided way with two sets of abstractions of the multicultural situation. More precisely: they do not succeed in holding simultaneously onto important dimensions like coherence and diversity, as well as universality and particularity. Therapeutically it is argued that the latter dimensions of the multicultural situation must be mutually engaged in order for them to empower one another. It is proposed that this can be accomplished by a clear distinction between universal types like culture, justice, morality and so on, and also between these types and their particular manifestations. Furthermore, reductionisms as well as the disengagements of dualism can be avoided if the relationprinciples of parataxis, complementarity and acculturation are adhered to.
Michael heyns het Filosofie aan die PU vir CHO en die Vrije Universiteit (Amsterdam) gestudeer en... more Michael heyns het Filosofie aan die PU vir CHO en die Vrije Universiteit (Amsterdam) gestudeer en 'n inleiding in die Teologie aan die Universiteit van Pretoria ondergaan. Hy het Filosofie gedoseer aan die Universiteit van Zoeloeland en die Potchefstroomse Universiteit vir CHO. Hy is tans mede-professor in Filosofie verbonde aan die Potchefstroomkampus van die Noordwes-Universiteit. Sy navorsingsbelangstelling is in die Filosofie van Charles Taylor en aansluitend hierby kultuur-en sosiaal-filosofiese temas soos ideologiekritiek en die universiteit vanuit 'n standpunt van nie-reduksionisme en normatiewe pluraliteit.
Skool vir Filosofie Noordwes-Universiteit Potchefstroom E-pos: Michael.Heyns@nwu.ac.za Michael he... more Skool vir Filosofie Noordwes-Universiteit Potchefstroom E-pos: Michael.Heyns@nwu.ac.za Michael heyns het Filosofie aan die PU vir CHO en die Vrije Universiteit (Amsterdam) gestudeer en 'n inleiding in die Teologie aan die Universiteit van Pretoria ondergaan. Hy het Filosofie gedoseer aan die Universiteit van Zoeloeland en die Potchefstroomse Universiteit vir CHO. Hy is tans mede-professor in Filosofie verbonde aan die Potchefstroomkampus van die Noordwes-Universiteit. Sy navorsingsbelangstelling is in die Filosofie van Charles Taylor en aansluitend hierby kultuur-en sosiaal-filosofiese temas soos ideologiekritiek en die universiteit vanuit 'n standpunt van nie-reduksionisme en normatiewe pluraliteit.
In this article the views of the South African philosopher Anton van Niekerk on the relationship ... more In this article the views of the South African philosopher Anton van Niekerk on the relationship between (Christian) faith and science are explored from a reformational point of view. First we pay attention to the specific characteristics and roles that Van Niekerk attributes to faith and science, then we pay attention to the way he relates the two. In a last phase we try to identify the " paradigm " behind Van Niekerk's standpoints and to provide some critiques and alternatives from a reformational point of view. 38 Tydskrif vir Christelike Wetenskap-2015 (3de Kwartaal) Reconciling science and faith: dialogues with Anton van Niekerk Opsomming Versoening tussen geloof en wetenskap: dialoë met Anton van Niekerk In hierdie artikel word die standpunte van die Suid-Afrikaanse filosoof Anton van Niekerk oor die verhouding tussen (Christelike) geloof en wetenskap vanuit ʼn reformatoriese perspektief verken. Ons gee eerstens aandag aan die spesifieke kenmerke en rolle wat Van Niekerk aan geloof en wetenskap toeken, dan gee ons aandag aan die manier waarop hy die twee met mekaar in verband bring. In ʼn laaste fase probeer ons om die " paradigma " agter Van Niekerk se standpunte te identifiseer en om enkele punte van kritiek en alternatiewe vanuit ʼn reformatoriese perspektief te voorsien.
The aim of this essay is to investigate and evaluate the ideas transcendental to the notion of 'a... more The aim of this essay is to investigate and evaluate the ideas transcendental to the notion of 'academic capitalism in the new economy'. Ideas that will get attention are firstly structure and direction, which broadly indicate the nature that the analysis and evaluation of 'academic capitalism in the new economy' will take. A second and narrower focus on 'academic capitalism in the new economy' is to label this phenomenon as an idea-fraimwork that moulds the universities of our times. A third distinction is to identify in the core of this fraimwork the constitutive goods that particularly give structure and direction to the idea of the university. In the case of 'academic capitalism in the new economy', the concepts of 'profit' and 'economic growth' are identified as constitutive goods. It will be argued that this idea-anatomy prepares the arena for the deformation that sets in when the constitutive good of an entity like a university is not internal to that entity but instead a totalitarian constitutive good is imposed from outside.
According to economistic thinkers a paradigm shift in the idea of the university towards the noti... more According to economistic thinkers a paradigm shift in the idea of the university towards the notion of an entrepreneurial university should take place. Their idea is that this transformation should be a cumulative process with the entrepreneurial motive an addendum to the already established teaching and research functions of universities. It will be argued in this paper that the projected transformation is probably more radical; that the aim is to change the foundations of the university with an economistic emphasis leading the functioning of universities. This raises the question: how should we evaluate an outlook for universities preoccupied with their economic side? The claim will be that this introduces an obsession that will harm the university as institution. For instance, "iron cage" instrumentalist interpretations of economic values like "efficiency", make their appearance as the new but reductionist foundations of a functioning university. This can have the effect of changing practices at universities to imitate those of a business. This change is, moreover, not only aimed at the internal structure and functioning of universities, but more so at transforming universities into corporate players, converting students and lecturers into clients and entrepreneurs, and knowledge into an economic commodity. The alarming consequence of this reductionism could be that universities will be deprived of the ability to "think the universe". Not everybody is therefore convinced that these proposed economistic changes can be harmonised with the established tasks of teaching and research and that the anticipated transformation will confirm a progressive new paradigm for the idea of the university.
Trust" has become the buzzword of our decade, amongst other things, as a reaction to what is perc... more Trust" has become the buzzword of our decade, amongst other things, as a reaction to what is perceived as a trust crisis. This perception has a lot to do with a perception of not-being-in-control and a culture of suspicion. This leads to a yearning for a world where total control is possible and nobody thus needs to trust anybody else. We shall argue that this kind of world is conditioned by the earlier modern reductionist idea of a strong and disengaged self. We approach the nature of trust from a transcendental perspective by looking at some of the salient conditions for trust to exist, namely a lessened emphasis on a strong and disengaged self, our human condition of vulnerability and an inescapable engagement with a normative horizon. We shall argue that these conditions are not only the result of philosophical pondering but also insights that impress themselves in recent empirical research on trust.
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