Directory:
The external environment of academic career
2. Opportunities and inspiration in academic work
3. The process of knowledge
4. Science does not involve ultimate concern.
5. Academics and Politics
6. Value diversification
7. Teachers should not be leaders.
8. What can science do for faith
Translation and annotation
The external environment of academic career
You want me to talk about "taking academics as a career"
"[1] this topic. We political economists [2] often have a pedantic habit of always talking about the external environment of the problem, and I intend to do the same. This means starting with this question: to
As a profession in the material sense, what is the academic situation? The practical significance of today's question is, what is the situation of a student who decides to devote himself to academic career? To understand what we have here
Under special circumstances, it will help us to compare the situation in another country. Another country is the United States, which forms the most striking contrast with Germany in this respect.
As we all know, in Germany, a young man who is interested in scientific research should be a "supernumerary lecturer"
"(Privatdozent) began to do. After consulting relevant experts and getting their consent, he took a book and took an exam in the department (this is usually just a form)
Have) done the foundation, can be allowed to be a part-time lecturer in the university. Then, he will choose a course that allows him to teach. However, apart from the tuition fees of students, he has no salary. In America,
Academic career usually begins in a completely different way. He was originally appointed as.
"teaching assistant
"。 This is similar to the situation in natural science and medical institutions in Germany. Only some assistants can get the official positions of supernumerary lecturers, and this appointment often comes very late. Between the two countries
This difference shows in reality that German academic career is entirely based on the premise of Pu Lutock Lati, because a young scholar who has no money to resist any risks, in this kind of study,
In a professional situation, the situation is extremely dangerous. At least for a few years, he must be able to make a living, and he doesn't know whether he can get a position with considerable income in the future. In America, it exists.
In a bureaucratic system, young people are paid from the beginning. Although the salary is quite meager, on the whole, it is not much more than a semi-skilled labor force. But he did seem to start from a stable position.
Point, because he has a fixed income. But like our assistant, he is in danger of being fired. No matter what other ideas he has, if he has negative expectations, he must always do so.
Being prepared for these expectations includes that he must fill his class with students. This will not happen to German supernumerary lecturers. His situation is that once the position is vacant, no one can let him go. Of course, he can't put forward any
"requirements
"。 But he has an understandable expectation that after working for a few years, he will have some moral right for others to consider him. Even if other supernumerary lecturers are appointed, this
It is usually important that rights also apply. Should all those scholars whose abilities have been proved be appointed in principle, or should they be given?
"Substitute teacher?
"Priority, in other words, it is a painful dilemma that the existing supernumerary lecturers monopolize teaching, which is related to the duality of academic majors. We will discuss this issue later. People usually decide
The latter option. However, this also increases the danger of the professor concerned, no matter how cautious and correct he is, he may be partial to his students. I want to make my position clear: the principle I have always adhered to.
Yes, a scholar who does his first doctoral thesis here must obtain the consent of another university professor if he wants to be an extra lecturer. As a result, one of my most capable students was rejected by a university.
Outside, because no one believes my reasons.
Another difference between Germany and the United States is that in our place, generally speaking, there are fewer lectures given by non-staff lecturers than he hoped. In principle, he is allowed to offer any courses within his own discipline, but (if he does) it will be considered as disrespect for the elderly supernumerary lecturers. Usually, it is taught by a professor.
"important
"Courses, supernumerary lecturers are limited to minor courses. The advantage of this is that scholars have the freedom to do research when they are young, although this is not necessarily voluntary.
The American system is basically different from this. When a lecturer is young, he must be overworked. It is enough for a full professor to attend Goethe's class for three hours. But young teaching assistants, if they spend 12 class hours a week,
In the meantime, he was asked to teach some courses for poets like Uhlander, and repeatedly instilled German in his students, so he was very happy. In the bureaucratic planning course in the department, teaching assistants, like assistants in German research institutions, have to wear ties.
Some bureaucrats.
Now we can clearly see that the recent development trend of many fields of German academic system is consistent with that of the United States. Large medical and natural science research institutions are "forms of state capitalism"
"Enterprises, without a lot of money, these institutions are difficult to operate. Just like all capitalist enterprises, the same development has taken place here: "Workers are separated from the means of production. "
"。 The laborer, that is, the helper, depends entirely on the tools provided by the state for him to use. In this way, his dependence on the head of the organization is no different from that of the factory employees on the manager. The person in charge of the institution is confident that the institution is
His organization is under his control. Therefore, the status of teaching assistants is as precarious as that of "proletarians" or teaching assistants in American universities.
German universities are becoming more and more American in some important ways, just like ordinary life in Germany. I believe that this development will eventually invade those disciplines where researchers still have tools (as in the case of craftsmen in the past), where tools mainly refer to personal collections; On the whole, my own subject still belongs to this range. Now this development has become a spreading trend.
Undoubtedly, like all capitalist enterprises with bureaucracy, this development does have its technological advantages. But its dominant "spirit"
",but with the historical breath of Germany. No matter from the appearance or reality, the heads of these large capitalist universities and enterprises are separated from the standard old professors by an unusual gap.
Even mentally, I'm not going to discuss the latter phenomenon here. On the surface or in essence, the composition of the university for the aged has only one name. The only thing that still exists and is getting worse,
It is a unique factor in the professional system of universities. Whether lecturers, not to mention teaching assistants, can be promoted to full professors or even become academic institutions is purely affected. Luck is certainly not the only thing here.
The decisive factor, but it does play an unusual role. It's hard for me to imagine who has lost his job, and luck has played such an important role in it. I can say this especially because I was very young.
As a full professor of a course, I attribute it to pure luck, and in this course, some colleagues have undoubtedly made greater achievements than me. Based on this experience, I believe I have a vision.
It can be seen that many people do not deserve that fate. Not to mention their talents, they just can't get their due position in this selection system.
The reason why opportunity rather than talent plays such an important role is not only related to human factors, but even mainly determined by this factor. In the process of selecting academic talents, just like any other selection situation.
Sample, the emergence of this factor is very natural. However, it is unfair to blame the fact that many mediocre people undoubtedly play an important role in universities on the failure of professors or education directors themselves. This is human.
Cooperation, especially between several organizations, is inherent in the law. The cooperation involved here is the cooperation between the professor group and the education director who has the right to recommend. We can compare this with the election of the pope.
Cheng, similar in nature to the selection of academic talents, is the most important controllable example. A man
"look good?
"Cardinal, his chances of success are slim, and the election of the second or third candidate has become a universal law. So is the presidential election in the United States. First-class or outstanding people are nominated by the Party Congress, aren't they?
But there are some exceptions. Usually the second or even third person gets the name and enters the general election. Americans have coined some sociological terms for these categories of candidates. By studying these examples, we can find the collective meaning.
It will be interesting to choose the law. But this is not our topic today. These laws also apply in universities. It is strange that mistakes happen frequently, but the right date still explains all this.
The number is considerable. It is safe to say that only in countries where parliaments interfere in elections for political reasons will those reassuring mediocrities and speculators make full use of this. The same thing happened in Germany before.
In the same country, the monarch there intervened for the same reason, just as the revolutionaries in Germany do today.
No university teacher likes to recall those discussions about employment, because they seldom have pleasant experiences. However, I can say that in countless cases I know, without exception, there is a sincere desire to let pure objective standards play a decisive role.
Furthermore, we must understand that the fact that so many academic futures are in the hands of fate is not only rooted in the inappropriate selection methods decided by the collective. Everyone, driven by emotion, wants to engage in academic career.
To despise people, we must realize the duality of the task before him. He should not only be a scholar, but also be a qualified teacher. They are not exactly the same thing. One can become an outstanding scholar, and at the same time,
But he's a terrible teacher. I want you to think back to Helmholtz and Frank [3] who once taught me. Their situation is not uncommon in this respect. The current situation is that our university, especially the regulations.
Smaller universities are absurdly keen to compete to attract students.
The landlord of the university town welcomes thousands of students with festivals. If there are 2,000 students, he is even willing to hold a torch parade for them. Professors in adjacent disciplines have ways to "attract a large number of students"
",has an important impact on lecture fees, which people should openly admit. In addition, the number of participants can be used to test the ability, but the quality of scholars is difficult to measure and they are brave in innovation.
Under the circumstances, he will often be the object of argument (which is also a natural thing). Almost everyone is tempted by generous acceptance and many benefits from lecturers, saying that lecturer XXX is a poor teacher.
Usually this is equivalent to sentencing him to academic death, even though he is the best scholar in the world. But his quality as a teacher is determined by the number of students who decide to attend his class. The present facts are pure.
Surface factors, such as the temperament of the lecturer and even the attractiveness of the voice, largely determine whether students will flock to a teacher, which is beyond people's imagination. After gaining quite a wealth of experience, I made a calm thinking.
Later, I was deeply suspicious of those crowded courses, although this phenomenon may be inevitable. Democracy should only be used in proper places, while German universities traditionally practice academic education with aristocratic spirit.
We don't have to say anything. Indeed, scientific problems are presented in an appropriate way, so that an uneducated but shrewd mind can understand these problems and then think independently (for us, this is
The only thing that matters is probably the most difficult task in education. But what is certain is that a large number of students in a course are not sure whether this task is successfully completed. Back to our topic, teaching skills.
It is a kind of personal talent, which is not necessarily consistent with the academic accomplishment of scholars. Compared with France, we don't.
"immortal academician
"Scientific institutions, [4] According to German tradition, universities should judge the requirements of research and teaching at the same time. But combining these two talents is pure luck.
It can be seen that academic career is a reckless gamble. If a young scholar asks some lecturers for advice, encouraging him will almost lead to unbearable responsibilities. If he were a Jew, we would naturally say
"Ogney Speranza Association.
"(give up all hope) [5]. You should ask everyone with a clear conscience: Can you bear to watch those mediocre people climb on your head year after year without resentment or depression? Of course, every time they will answer:
"Naturally, I only live for my career.
"But at least as far as I know, only a few people can stand this kind of thing indifferently. Regarding the external conditions of academic career, I think that's all I have to say.