Risk Society and General Education: Analysis of the Rise of Liberal Arts College in Taiwan

• Main Authors: Wu, Pei-Chen, 吳佩真
• Other Authors: Tai, Hsiao-Hsia
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2010
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/94304111937899408805

碩士 === 國立交通大學 === 教育研究所 === 99 === The study aims to explore the change of the modern society from industrial society to risk society, facing conditions of expert system disintegration. The study argues that the current rise of liberal arts college in Taiwan intends to tackle with the crises of risk society. The purposes of this research includes: (1) To discuss the origin and change of risk society. (2) To discuss the crisis and turning point of risk society. (3) To explore the concept of liberal education and its influence on the general education development and the rise of liberal arts college. (4) To explore the concept of risk society and its influence on the development of general education and liberal arts college. Therefore, in chapter two, the research discusses the concept of risk society and the function of higher education. In chapter three, the research explores the idea of liberal education, the characteristics of liberal arts college and the development of general education. Chapter four shows the risk social condition and the plight of general education in Taiwan. In chapter five, the rise of liberal arts college in Taiwan is analyzed from the viewpoint of risk society. In chapter six, the research focuses on the different views of professional education, general education and liberal arts college. Finally, in chapter seven, the research draws conclusions from preceding research findings. (1) Industry society’s dependence on a single scientific reason can not solve the crises caused by the risk society. (2) Modern society stresses expertise, relies on expert system, however, experts in risk society are no longer omnipotent. (3) Higher education caters to the market demand, leading to subject excessive differentiation. (4) General education is not enough to make up the phenomenon of fragmentation of knowledge. (5) Liberal arts college is to deepen the general education. (6)As liberal arts colleges in Taiwan are newly established, the effect remains to be assess.