THE IDEA OF THE UNIVERSITY

This examination of the philosophical concept of the university -- ""a community of scholars and students engaged in the task of seeking truth"" was written by the German existential philosopher and psychologist after World War II. Jaspers begins by considering the nature of intellectual life in general -- the difference between science and philosophy, their basic assumptions and limits. He deals with the foundations and responsibilities of university life; the university as an institution; as the ""meeting place of different disciplines and world outlooks""; the university and the nation -- ""the search for truth and its relation to politics""; the basic requisites of the university -- professional training, education of the whole man, research and what the university must demand of its members --professional and intellectual standing, mastery of their tools and integrity. This edition, translated by H.A.T. Reiche and H.F. Vanderschmidt and edited by Karl W. Deutsch omits sections relating particularly to the German university. Of interest to the student and scholar.