Abstract

The evolution of scientism, relativism, and the resultant fragmentation of knowledge over the past century have led to a crisis in contemporary university education. John Henry Newman, a nineteenth-century philosopher of education, a major figure in educational theory and applied research, and author of the classic work on education, The Idea of a Univershy, faced similar problems in his time, and his work is valuable in addressing contemporary dilemmas. Newman's philosophy of mind and his vision of the unity of knowledge, which reflects an aesthetic dimension, and the resultant essential role of theology in education, are key elements for reimagining the university. An analysis of Newman's spirited Eighth Discourse anchors this retrospective and commends his work to higher education today by recalling an eariier ideal of the integration of all disciplines.