2011 Educating for Wisdom in the 21st Century University
2011 Baylor Symposium on Faith and Culture
Thursday, October 27-Saturday, October 29
While the pursuit and transmission of wisdom historically has been at the heart of education, some critics of the modern academy claim that wisdom has been relegated to second-class status among the university's other goals. Separated from other aims—like discovering new knowledge or imparting marketable skills to eventual job seekers—wisdom too often is seen as the sole province of a few disciplines like philosophy and theology, and not at the center of the entire university's work and purpose.
But without wisdom, how is new knowledge to be used—towards what end? Without wisdom, how are university graduates prepared to seek meaning and significance in their lives, whatever their employment? Without wisdom, how does the university fulfill its enduring mission to nurture our human nature and serve the deepest needs of our communities, nation, and world?
We invite scholars and teachers from across the disciplines, college and university administrators, and students (both undergraduate and graduate) to join us as we explore these questions:
What is the nature of wisdom? Is it something that we construct, seek, or are drawn into? How do we encounter it in various disciplines? What curricular and co-curricular efforts might encourage wisdom's formation in students? How might educating for wisdom transform scholarly research? How might Christian universities—drawing upon the resources of the Christian traditions—seek and share wisdom and a love for what is true, good, and most beautiful? How might such wisdom be offered in the service of others?