The Unity of Knowledge as the Foundation of Liberal Education Philosophy According to John Henry Newman
The Unity of Knowledge as the Foundation of Liberal Education Philosophy According to John Henry Newman
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54855/csl.26618Keywords:
Unity of Knowledge, Liberal Education, John Henry Newman, Philosophy of Education , Intellectual FormationAbstract
This article examines John Henry Newman’s philosophy of liberal education, with particular emphasis on the “unity of knowledge” as the philosophical foundation of higher education. Drawing on Aristotle’s metaphysics of the unity of being, the author argues that knowledge, like reality itself, possesses an intrinsic unity despite being expressed through diverse academic disciplines. For Newman, knowledge is not merely instrumental or utilitarian; rather, it has value in itself and contributes to the cultivation and enlargement of the human mind. Through the metaphor of the “circle of knowledge,” the article shows that each academic discipline has its own legitimate role in approaching truth, yet it must be harmoniously connected with other fields of knowledge. Thus, liberal education aims to form a comprehensive intellect, philosophical thinking, and a humanistic character.
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