伦理学、经济学与高等教育──作为一种公共物品的大学

Ethics, Economics and Education: The University as a Public Good

本文探讨了大学教育的经济学与公共物品的功利主义概念。笔者认为,现代大学的发展与演变是与物品这一概念的变化相伴随的。早期的自由主义经济学理论(代表人物如穆勒)认为, 一种物品能够被供给, 要么是因为它作为一个整体对社区有益,要么是因为它不能或者不应该通过私人的方式供给, 比如国防。正如国家和社会在规则制定与福利供给方面变得越来越复杂, 物品的定义也日益复杂。政策的合理性往往是通过它有助于公共财富的积累而得到证明的, 具体来讲, 政策应该要么满足社会受众的某种具体利益(这种福利是需要政府提供的, 如学生的受教育经费) ,要么增进社会作为一个整体的利益( 比如受教育人口的增长) ! 这与现代大学的成长和进步是并行不悖且相互碱砺的。新自由主义的观点是对以上观点的一种挑战, 它认为私人的投资与供给所产生的回报要远高于公共的投资与供给, 而且从道义上来讲, 个人与社会对于供给何种物品应该具有选择权;同时, 由经济效能与个人选择所带来的混合的社会利益可以获致更多的集体公共物品。然而, 这种观点没有考虑到规范的议题( 如公平与社会正义) 的影响! 因此, 本文旨在思考上述几重张力对于以下问题的影响, 这些问题包括现代大学与公共物品的当代意涵之间的联系, 以及大学占统治地位的经济功能能否与其在知识和文化方面的使命相协调。

The paper considers the economics of university education and the utilitarian concept of the public good. It argues that the modem university has evolved in parallel with changing definitions of such a good. According to early liberal theory, for instance, J. S. Mill, it was a good provided either because it was of benefit to the community as a whole or could or should not be provided privately e. g. national defence. As states and societies became more complex in tenns of regulation and of welfare provision so the definition changed. Policies were justified as claims upon public wealth either because of the specific benefits provided to recipients identified as being in need of state support e. g. student grants or because of the general benefits perceived for society as a whole e. g. an educated population. This paralleled and supported the growth of the modern university. Neo-liberalism has challenged this, arguing that private investment and provision produces outcomes that are superior to those of public investment and provision; that, morally, individuals (and societies) should have the choice that this alternative provides; and that the combined social benefit from economic efficiency and choice leads to a greater aggregate public good. It does not, however, take into consideration the impact on normative issues such as equality and social justice. The paper concludes by considering the effect of these tensions on the relationship between the modern university and contemporary ideas of the public good; and whether the university's dominant economic function can be reconciled with an intellectual and cultural mission; and with social responsibility.