The World Community of Academics: Its Nature and Responsibilities

Abstract

This chapter discusses the nature and responsibility of the world community of academics. The decreasing use of Latin as a means of communication between scholars and professionals meant, at least for some time, an increased provincialism in intellectual affairs. A language is, however, not simply an instrument of communication. It also provides a common frame of reference for historical traditions, cultural referents, and ideas, something that also to a large extent was lost when Latin disappeared from the secondary school curriculum. The very idea of the university is linked to the crossing of national boundaries in order to achieve understanding of the national and cultural patterns of other lands. At the core of the academic ethos lies the hope of achieving the universalism and objectivity that is fundamental to scientific research. Nationalism and political bias are inimical to such endeavors. It is for this reason that academic freedom violated in one country is fervently defended by scholars and students in most other countries.