Newsletter No. 363

No. 363, 19.9.2010 尋找哲學進路 信教授早在七十年代已與新亞書院結緣。他在 港大研讀二十世紀西方哲學，因嚮慕中國哲學， 本想畢業後即入讀中大研究院，但礙於沒有中 國哲學和哲學史的根底，遂先在新亞研究所旁 聽一年，再考進碩士班。「當年的老師是牟宗三 先生。我旁聽的時候，唐君毅老師還健在，但沒 有授課。」 新亞研究所的氣氛給信廣來深刻感受。「港大 的老師全都來自英國，師生關係比較疏離。新亞則像大家 庭，同學投入，牟先生也很關心學生，常讓他們到他家下棋 談天。」一年後，信廣來得到英聯邦獎學金到牛津深造。 「牟先生本身的哲學進路也是由西方返歸中國，常鼓勵同 學先打好西方哲學基礎，所以我也決定先到英國學習，之 後再返歸中國哲學研究。」 哲學的務實性 一般人總以為唸哲學不實用，出路不樂觀。信廣來從容道 來：「當年出國，也有人形容我『執迷不悟』。其實，學習哲 學的人融會貫通、綜觀全局的視野，對任何一門職業都有 用，會是吸引僱主的最大元素。」他還提到一項美國調查， 顯示在事業發展的起步、待遇方面，唸文史哲藝及其他非 專業學科的可能不及工程專科，但在二十年後，卻會過之 而無不及，因為「廣闊和通透的視野讓他們可以勝任高層 次的行政管理工作。」 信教授本身便是成功例子。四十出頭便位居大學管理高 層，曾任加州大學柏克萊分校文理學院大學部院長，回港 前更是多倫多大學總校區副校長暨士嘉堡分校校長。本 打算此後專心著書講學，接受書院院長任命，主要為了學 生。 「當初從事行政的出發點也是為了多跟學生接觸。由在柏 克萊哲學系到文理學院工作，一直到多倫多大學，最吸引 我的還是和更多不同的學生有交流的機會。我相信在新亞 應有更多這樣的機會。」 化行政崗位為杏壇 教學主要影響學生的學問，信廣來認為擔當行政角色，更 可影響學生待人處事之道。他喜歡讓學生參與校政，在外 國當院長和校長的時候，都曾把學生帶進會議室，「讓他 們慢慢認識行政運作，吸收經驗，有助培育領導才能。」他 相信參與會加深了解，無論反對還是贊成，基礎都會比較 堅實。 問及「院長大計」，信教授貫徹其開明理念。「我會 用半年草擬全面策略計劃，首兩三個月聆聽師生的 意見。」談到最近討論熾熱的書院收生問題，態度同 樣開放。「我會先聽學生和學系老師的意見才下判 斷。保持現狀和改變各有利弊：不同學系的學生同 屬一所書院，書院會更多元化：但另一方面，一些系 的團結性可能會削弱。」 出任院長的重大決定當然也跟新亞書院濃厚的 中國文化傳統有關。「新亞的幾位前校長，錢穆、 梅貽寶、余英時等的著作我都曾涉獵，唐君毅、牟宗三等 前輩對我的學術影響很深。」在他心目中，「新亞人」一如 書院校訓，貫徹求學與做人並重的理念，對中國有深厚的 感情，都希望為中國做一點事。出掌新亞後，他也將秉承 這個大方向，希望新亞書院培養出來的學生，「對國家歷 史和文化有理解，有深刻的感受，學問修德俱有所成。」 從心出發實行儒政 新亞書院被目為當代新儒家重鎮。然而，「言必孔孟」會否 令二十一世紀的學生敬而遠之？信廣來並不擔心，他認為 儒家思想歷久常新，與現代行政隔代相通。他從個人經驗 發現從事行政後對儒學的理解變得更深厚。「孔、孟以至 朱熹、王陽明等儒者，都是從政與教學相兼的。我從事行 政後也更體會他們的說法，感到儒家理念的應用差不多廣 及每天的生活。 「儒者說天地萬物一體，驟聽抽象，其實是說應該體會到 周遭的事物和人的感受，這也引申至中國傳統『父母官』 這個概念。為政者不可把自己所做的當作一個差事或僅是 職責所在，而是要和受你工作所影響的人之間產生一種聯 繫。」 哲者、儒者、書院領導三重身分渾然一體的新亞書院新院 長，相信必能令書院學生感受到切身的關聯。 In Quest of an Approach to Philosophy Professor Shun’s relationship with New Asia started as early as the 1970s. Although he was a student of 20th century Western philosophy at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), the young Shun was always interested in Chinese philosophy. So he planned to enter the Graduate School of CUHK after graduating from HKU. Since he felt that his grounding in Chinese philosophy was not solid enough, he decided to audit classes at the New Asia Institute of Advanced Chinese Studies for one year before applying for a master’s programme. ‘Prof. Mou Tsung-san taught there at that time. When I was auditing classes, Prof. Tang Chun-I was still there, though he didn’t teach.’ Shun was thrilled by the atmosphere at the institute. ‘HKU teachers were all from the UK. The teacher- student relationship was not that close. The institute was like a big family. Students were so committed to academic pursuit. Professor Mou was a caring teacher who often invited students to his home to play chess or to chat.’ One year later, Shun won the Commonwealth Scholarship to study at the University of Oxford. ‘Although Professor Mou was an expert on Chinese philosophy, he was actually trained in Western philosophy. He often encouraged students to acquire a broad knowledge of Western philosophy. So, I decided to go to England before pursuing studies in Chinese philosophy.’ Practicality of Philosophy To many people, philosophy is an impractical subject with limited career prospects for its students. Professor Shun offers his view: ‘When I went abroad to study philosophy, I was described as “stubborn”. In fact, philosophy students are all-rounders with an encompassing perspective. They’re sought-after employees because they’re fit for any profession.’ According to him, a US survey shows that although students of liberal arts or other non- professional disciplines might not compete with their science or engineering counterparts in terms of salary when they start their careers, they go on to win the hare and tortoise race after 20 years. It is because ‘with their broad and long-term perspective, they make good senior administrators’. Professor Shun is a successful example. He was a member of university senior management when in his early 40s. He was dean of the Undergraduate Division, College of Letters and Science of the University of California at Berkeley. Before returning to Hong Kong, he was the vice-president of the University of Toronto and principal of the University of Toronto at Scarborough. Originally planned to focus his energy on writing and teaching in the city, he agreed to take up the headship of New Asia mainly for the sake of its students. ‘I became a university administrator because I wanted to maintain closer contact with students. From Berkeley’s Department of Philosophy to its College of Letters and C ollege Head Who Pledges to Bond with Students 冼為堅中國文化講座教授信廣來出任新亞書院院長的消息在4月公 布後，各方一致認為，專研儒學的大師出掌以承續中國傳統文化為 宗旨的書院，誠屬牡丹綠葉、相得益彰之配。 When the appointment of Prof. Shun Kwong-loi, Sin Wai Kin Professor of Chinese Culture, as Head of New Asia College was announced in April this year, it was greeted with wide approval. It was considered perfect to place a Confucian scholar at the helm of a college that devotes itself to the promotion of traditional Chinese culture. 要 與 學 生 產 生 聯 繫 的 院 長