THE ROLE OF THE HUMANITIES IN THE MODERN IDEA OF THE UNIVERSITY

The aim of our study was to explore the role of social sciences and humanities in the modern (‘Humboldtian’) idea of the university. The rationale behind it is that only by examining the ideal model, as proposed by Humboldt and German philosophers whose writings have inspired him, one can assess the current state of affairs regarding contemporary universities. In other words, the criterion is needed for establishing whether or not the idea of the university is indeed in crisis, as many authors claim. In our presentation, we shall compare several aspects of the Humboldtian idea of the university: the concept of academic freedom, the demand for state-funded university, and the belief in the dominant role of humanities at the level of higher education. Our theoretical study, based on the comparative reading of mainly philosophical texts, wishes to contribute to the current debate on the role of humanities in the modern university.