Ecological civilization is closely related to education。Current，Human beings are in the critical period of solving global environmental problems，Education of the next generation is directly related to the development of human civilization。Solve increasingly severe environmental problems，What kind of character do the next generation need、Morality and talent? Why can't the US higher education institutions have been unable to meet the new needs of social development for education?，The reporter interviewed the above question at the School of Arts and Sciences、FlagStaff Community (Flagstaff Community) taught by the two public universities、Professor Marcus Ford。Ford said，Since the establishment of the first university in North America in the early 17th century，The main function of local higher education is "civilization"。Today the global environment crisis faced by humans，It is the re -examining the mission of running a school for higher education institutions、Facing external challenges and leftover problems、A severe test of initiating the ability of institutional reform。Educators have sufficient reasons and obligations to find can continue civilization、Able to serve the society and build ecological civilization higher education programs。

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"China Social Sciences": How do you understand ecological civilization? What is the significance of incorporating ecological civilization into the higher education system?

Ford:Generally speaking，Ecological civilization refers to under the premise that it does not affect other species and the well -being of the descendants，One in harmonious development in the physical border of the earth、Civilized form that promotes human happiness and well -being。From the perspective of the current situation，Western civilization does not meet the definition of ecological civilization。To build an ecological civilization，West needs cutting -edge technology to repair and protect the environment，More deep cultural transformations need to be experienced。For example，Abandon consumerism and radical personalism，Change grain planting and urban planning mode，Shape new lifestyle and life concepts，Expand the thinking space for other civilizations and countries。Everything may happen。Western civilization must be built into ecological civilization，It is not enough to retreat back，Must also move forward。

Bet365 lotto review Incorporating the philosophical thinking of "civilization" into the higher education system is extremely changing，The concept of actively participating in ecological civilization practitioners' concepts of the education industry practitioners。From theoretically,，Ecological civilization can be a research topic of the Department of Philosophy，It can also become the main course of the School of Education。but，Under the outdated discipline system and rigid teaching structure of the United States，This innovation is very rare。The discipline is largely discussed、Research or described specific themes。The philosophical interpretation of ecological civilization is not part of any existing discipline。

　　"China Social Sciences": Environmental humanology brings together the views of different scientific schools on environmental issues，Research Culture、Economy、The complex relationship between politics and the environment，Discuss the meaning of "human"。Please talk about the development prospects of this emerging discipline。

Ford:People sometimes regard the university as a "ivory tower" that is isolated from the surrounding environment。From this perspective，The problem of solving the real world (including environmental problems) is the government、Enterprise and related social institutions work。Of course，It is impossible for any social institution to be completely separated from a wider world。For more than 50 years，The world pays more and more attention to environmental problems，Including pollution、Sour rain、Forest Test、Species extinction and global warming。Although some problems have been initially solved or significantly improved，But most problems are increasing，Development in a more complex direction。In the United States，Many college students and faculty employees have noticed environmental problems and their urgency。Some universities hope to offer environmental humanistic courses to cultivate comprehensive talents，Start from protecting the community's ecological environment，The concept of harmonious symbiosis with nature with action practitioners。Current，The number of such courses is not too much，Whether it will continue to increase the penetration rate in the future is far from being determined。Comparison of comparison，Environment based on natural sciences is more common，And generally higher status in the academic world。

"Nature" is the concept of human construction，How do we view the position of nature and humans in it very important。This is also a key concept that distinguishes environmental humanities from other disciplines。Current，The bet365 Play online games discussion of moral issues of environmental humanities is still lacking (although there are some exceptions)，Challenge the hypothetical assumption of modern science for natural assumptions，Especially the criticism of the hypothesis such as no inherent value in nature is not enough。Environmental Humanities Discipline Project、Higher education institutions and the US government should more comprehensively discuss the moral consequences of the functional degradation of the earth system，This is extremely important。The moral consequences of the functional degradation of the earth system should become the top issue of the environmental humanities discipline，Integrated into the primary agenda of higher education institutions and the U.S. government ecological environmental protection。

　　Perseverance of the Division of DisciplineThinking Formula is still the mainstream

"China Social Sciences": higher education institutions are promoting academic cross -innovation and integration、The best solution to explore global problems such as environmental and climate governance，What challenges do you encounter?

Ford:One of the most basic assumptions of Modern Research University is to use natural science and humanistic sciences as the independent research field。When social science enters the higher education system，It is also divided into an independent research field。Environmental human literature as an interdisciplinary research field does not exactly belongs to any field under the above three -point structure，As a result, it has not yet obtained the academic recognition that it deserves。One of the solutions for such problems is to open a center or research institute for the new research field，At the same time, teachers are allowed to obtain lifelong faculty in one department under three disciplines，and related to the center or research institute。Another more aggressive solution is to rethink and attribute knowledge into natural sciences、Mind Format of one of the humanities or social sciences。In the United States，Questions about natural science、Humanities and social sciences are completely different disciplines still belong to a minority。In China、India and other countries may not be like this。Of course, the modern subject system has its own use，But，Before the division of academic subjects in the modern higher education system，Various cultural systems have experienced a long years，Continuously developing its own unique world cognitive method。Now，Some scholars flexibly embed the local knowledge and ancient knowledge into the existing academic field，Explore practical problem solutions，Reshape the thinking mode and cultural system of contemporary people。I think this is a very positive attempt，You should get more respect，Arrives the attention of society。

Whether it is inside or external in the US higher education institution，The consensus of "environmental human science is crucial to solving global problems such as environmental degradation and climate change"。Americans generally believe that environmental problems can be effectively resolved through continuously updated technology (especially clean energy) and government supervision。Another point of view is to control the opposition between "culture" and "nature" and the relationship between "self" and "nature".，and reconstruct the cosmic view and world view，Re -delineation of human beings in the position of nature to respond to environmental challenges。But，This idea is very rare in the United States。

　　Serving society is more important than study teaching

"China Social Sciences": Some people think，Except teaching and research，You must also fulfill the "Third Mission"，That is to better serve the society。How do you think about the "third mission" of higher education institutions?

Ford:We are at an important node of human development -an era characterized by extreme environmental challenges and wealth distribution。The background of this "debate" is to assume that the purpose of running the school in American universities is basically unchanged，Strive to add a new mission on the basis of the existing two mission。So，U.S. society without deep thinking about the most basic mission of higher education，The mission "debate" of the mission of no more angry higher education institutions。I think，The most basic mission of any social institution is to serve the society，This is also applicable to higher education institutions such as universities in the United States。Research and teaching itself is not the purpose of running a university，They can only show value when they are serving a wider social service。"Third Mission" is actually the primary mission of higher education institutions，Other mission，Ru academic and teaching，is secondary。

I mentioned in the article "The Functions of Higher Education"，The history of higher education in the United States can be roughly divided into four stages，Each stage has its main function，Save Christian civilization、Promoting national interests、Research and the development of global economy。Now，Most people are used to understanding the meaning and value of "serving society" from the perspective bet365 live casino games of economic development。In some cases，Economic Development does represent services to social progress，Especially when economic interests flow to the most needed group，and the lowest environmental cost of developing the economy。On the contrary，When the biggest beneficiary of economic development is a few people，At the same time, the environmental cost is high，The development of the economy is not serving the society，Instead of hurting it。I hope，A stronger and stronger higher education mission discussion，Especially in a wealthy country。I also hope，Developing countries more actively discuss how the national higher education system should better benefit the people。

"China Social Sciences": November 3, 2023，Clifford Ando, ​​a professor at the University of Chicago Classical Studies at the University of Chicago, organized the school's fiscal dilemma at the activities organized by the Chicago Contemporary Theory Center。Ando thinks，Budget deficit and debt burden will cause potential negative effects on the teaching quality of humanities and social sciences。What do you think of this incident and the problem behind it?

Ford: The interest in the development of humanities in the United States has been decreasing for decades。Compared with public schools，A rich private school like the University of Chicago is less influenced by this trend。In my opinion，The trend of the decline of humanities in the United States is largely caused by the emphasis on the employment of graduates，More and more students tend to choose a professional that has a more "money" way。So，The University of Chicago has greatly reduced the funds for the discipline of humanities and social sciences to overcome financial difficulties，Not decided by accident。

It is worth noting that，In the United States，Disciplines of Humanities and Social Sciences did not show the urgent needs of building ecological civilization and promoting college reform，It is impossible to make this urgent topic become the core focus of higher education。As Ando said: "My goal is not to make questions about any specific discipline or hard work，Frankly speaking，Not complaining about funding for specific units。The university should do to ensure that many areas (research) flourish。"" "，Ando just wants to ensure that universities maintain the status quo to the greatest extent。In my opinion，The most changes in the current universities should make to explore what kind of ecological civilization to build，and help society quickly transition to this civilized form。Ando thinks，The existence of colleges and universities is to "ensure that many fields (research) flourish"，But，He has not mentioned the severe and urgency of global development issues such as environmental problems，I did not mention the necessity of rapid transition to the new civilized form。

In the United States and other countries，Especially the capitalist country that pursues neo -liberalism，The innovation of higher education is facing two bet365 Play online games major obstacles: First, the purpose of education is to develop the economy，Second, the best way to organize education is to follow the disciplinary category division。Very true，It is very common to link the educational purpose to promoting economic development。When a lot of people realize that the current global economic growth model will lead to more economic inequality、Further destroying the ecological environment、Time to threaten the well -being of future generations，People have the concept of abandoning outdated、The motivation to create a new concept of education。Change the second inherent concept requires scholars to correctly understand the limitations of the higher education system。Current，Most scholars only pay attention to how to deal with the internal problems of the discipline，They neither question the limit of the subject，Do not reflect on the general educational mode。Universities need to be very inspiring leaders，and promote more extensive discussions on topics and methods of education and academia around the purpose and methods of higher education。

　　Micro UniversityPay attention to the development of students' intelligence and ideological development

Journal of China Social Sciences: As a co -founder of the Fragestle Community University，What is your original intention of pioneering the education of micro -universities?

Ford:I mentioned it in the article "Why We Need Tiny Colleges"，The United States has medium -sized universities with both 20,000 or 30,000 students，There are also small universities that only recruit thousands of students，There are less than a hundred students and do not provide online courses.，Sterling College、Youquan College (Deep Springs College，Translated "Shenquan College") and so on。The creation of the Fragestle Community University is inspired by the organic philosophy of the British philosopher Alfred North Whitehead。Core courses of the philosophical thinking and design of the philosophical thinking of "Earth -centric"，Focus on sustainability research，The enhanced learning module of the Fragstav Community University extended the classroom to the community and the natural world。Different from other miniature universities，Fragstav Community University only provides education for the last two years of undergraduate undergraduate。Academic research and vocational training is important，but not in line with the positioning of mini universities。

Educational needs of a complex society are also complex and diverse，There is no single education mode that can meet all needs。It is certain that it is，Help young people to transition to adulthood. The education needs of adulthood are almost not satisfied in the US higher bet365 Play online games education system。Micro University not only pays attention to the intelligent development of young people，Pay more attention to guiding young people to grow into an independent individual and a member of a society。Film University believes，Everyone realizes the integrity of human nature through close interaction with those who understand and care about us，One of the most basic purpose of higher education is socialization。Micro University is always asking，"How can education promote the prosperity of human beings and the well -being of the world?" And trying to solve this kind of problem shaped the school experience and growth process of each student。

People are regarding higher education as a means to make a living，instead of creating life。People also regard higher education as a private interest，instead of public interest。We all ignored such a fact，That is, we are individuals who live in society with others，Our well -being is closely related to the health of the earth。Micro University cannot meet all educational needs of society，But it can meet the most basic (to a large extent) educational needs，I cultivate thoughts、Have enthusiasm、People with compassion。