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哈佛大学校长德鲁·吉尔平·福斯特在哈佛大学2016年毕业典礼上的演讲
Greetings, alumni, graduates, families, and friends. It is such a pleasure
to see you all here and offer congratulations on this day of celebration. I am
in the unenviable role of warm-up act for one of the greatest storytellers of
our – or any other – time. Nevertheless, my assignment is to offer a few
reflections on this magnificent institution at this moment in its history. And
what a moment it is!
From comments of astonished pundits ontelevision, in print, and online, to
conversations withbewildered friends and colleagues, the question seems
unavoidable and mesmerizing: What isgoing on? What is happening to the world?
The tumultuous state of American politics,spotlighted in this contentious
presidential contest; the political challenges around the globefrom Brazil to
Brexit; the Middle East in flames; a refugee crisis in Europe; terrorists
exploitingnew media to perform chilling acts of brutality and murder;
climate-related famine in Africaand fires in Canada. It is as if we are being
visited by the horsemen of the apocalypse with war,famine, natural disaster and,
yes, even pestilence – as Zika spreads, aided by politicalcontroversy and
paralysis.
As extraordinary as these times may seem to us, Harvard reminds us we have
been herebefore. It is in some ways reassuring at this 365th Commencement to
recall all that Harvardhas endured over centuries. A number of these festival
rites took place under clouds of war;others in times of financial crisis and
despair; still others in face of epidemics – from smallpoxin the 17th century to
the devastating flu of 1918 to the H1N1 virus just a few years ago.Harvard has
not just survived these challenges, but has helped to confront them. We sing
inour alma mater about "Calm rising through change and through storm." What does
that meanfor today's crises? Where do universities fit in this threatening mix?
What can we do? Whatshould we do? What must we do?
We are gathered today in Tercentenary Theatre, with Widener Library and
Memorial Churchstanding before and behind us, enduring symbols of Harvard's
larger identity and purposes,testaments to what universities do and believe at a
time when we have never needed themmore. And much is at stake, for us and for
the world.
We look at Widener Library and see a great edifice, a backdrop of giant
columns where photosare taken and 27 steps are worn down ever so slightly by the
feet of a century of students andscholars. We also see a repository of learning,
with 57 miles of shelving at the heart of a librarysystem of some 17 million
books, a monument to reason and knowledge, to the collection andpreservation of
the widest possible range of beliefs, and experiences, and facts that fuel
freeinquiry and our constantly evolving understanding. A vehicle for Veritas –
for exploring thepath to truth wherever it may lead. A tribute to the belief
that knowledge matters, that factsmatter – in the present moment, as a basis for
the informed decisions of individuals, societies,and nations; and for the
future, as the basis for new insight. As James Madison wrote in 1822, "a people
who mean to be their own Governors, must arm themselves with the power
thatknowledge gives." Or as early 20th-century civil rights activist Nannie
Helen Burroughs put it, "education is democracy's life insurance."
Evidence, reason, facts, logic, an understanding of history and of science.
The ability to know,as former dean Jeremy Knowles used to put it, "when someone
is talking rot." These are thebedrock of education, and of an informed citizenry
with the capacity to lead, to explore, toinvent. Yet this commitment to reason
and truth – to their pursuit and preeminence –seems increasingly a minority
viewpoint. In a recent column, George Will deplored thenation's evident
abandonment of what he called "the reality principle – the need to assessand
adapt to facts." Universities are defined by this principle. We produce a ready
streamof evidence and insights, many with potential to create a better
world.
So what are our obligations when we see our fundamental purpose under
siege, our reasonfor being discounted and undermined? First, we must maintain an
unwavering dedication torigorous assessment and debate within our own walls. We
must be unassailable in ourinsistence that ideas most fully thrive and grow when
they are open to challenge. Truthcannot simply be claimed; it must be
established – even when that process isuncomfortable. Universities do not just
store facts; they teach us how to evaluate, test,challenge, and refine them.
Only if we ourselves model a commitment to fact over whatStephen Colbert so
memorably labeled as "truthiness" (and he also actually sometimes called
it"Veritasiness!"), only then can we credibly call for adherence to such
standards in public lifeand in a wider world.
We must model this commitment for our students, as we educate them to
embrace theseprinciples – in their work here and in the lives they will lead as
citizens and leaders of nationaland international life. We must support and
sustain fact and reason beyond our walls as well.And we must do still more.
Facing Widener stands Memorial Church. Built in the aftermath of World War
I, it was intendedto honor and memorialize responsibility – not just the quality
of men and women's thoughts,but, as my predecessor James Conant put it, "the
radiance of their deeds." The more than1,100 Harvard and Radcliffe students,
faculty, and alumni whose names are engraved on itswalls gave their lives in
service to their country, because they believed that some things hadgreater
value than their own individual lives. I juxtapose Widener Library and Memorial
Churchtoday because we need the qualities that both represent, because I believe
that reason andknowledge must be inflected with values, and that those of us who
are privileged to be part ofthis community of learning bear consequent
responsibilities.
Now, it may surprise some of you to hear that this is not an
uncontroversial assertion. For thismorning's ceremony, I wore the traditional
Harvard presidential robe – styled on thegarment of a Puritan minister and
reminding us of Harvard's origins. Values were an integralpart of the defining
purpose of the early years of Harvard College, created to educate a
learnedministry. Up until the end of the 1800s, most American college presidents
taught a course onmoral philosophy to graduating students. But with the rise of
the research university in the latenineteenth and early twentieth century, moral
and ethical purposes came to be seen as atodds with the scientific thinking
transforming higher education.
But in today's world, I believe it is dangerous for universities not to
fully acknowledge andembrace their responsibilities to values and to service as
well as to reason and discovery.There is no value-free science. There is no
algorithm that writes itself. The questions we chooseto ask and the research we
decide to support; the standards of integrity we expect of ourcolleagues and
students; the community we build and the model we offer: All of this is
centralto who we are.
We can see these values clearly in the choices and passions of our faculty
and students: in themotto of Harvard Business School, which you heard this
morning uttered by the dean, thecommitment to make "a difference in the world."
Most of the University would readilyembrace this sentiment. In the enthusiasm of
students and faculty, we see it as well. Fromacross the University – graduate,
professional, and hundreds of undergraduates – we see aremarkable enthusiasm,
for example, for the field of global health because it unites thepower of
knowledge and science with a deeply-felt desire to do good in the world – to
lead livesof meaning and purpose. This spirit animates not just global health
but so much of all we do.Harvard is and must be a community of idealists. And
today, we send thousands of you –doctors, lawyers, teachers, artists,
philosophers, business people, epidemiologists, publicservants – into the
world.
For our youngest students, those just beginning to shape their adult lives,
those who todayreceived what the ritual language of Commencement calls "their
first degree," for them, thesequestions of values and responsibility take on
particular salience. Harvard College is aresidential community of learning with
a goal, in the words of its dean, of personal and socialas well as intellectual
transformation. Bringing students of diverse backgrounds to livetogether and
learn from one another enacts that commitment, as we work to transformdiversity
into belonging. In a world divided by difference, we at Harvard strive to be
united byit. In myriad ways we challenge our students to be individuals of
character as well as oflearning. We seek to establish standards for the College
community that advance ourinstitutional purposes and values. We seek to educate
people, not just minds; our highestaspiration is not just knowledge, but
wisdom.
Reason and responsibility. Widener and Memorial Church. Harvard and the
world. We have avery special obligation in a very difficult time. May we and the
students we send forth todayembrace it. Thank you very much. |
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发表于 2016-7-14 16:45:47