In Search of the Next Enlightenment?

Abstract

We live in a period when foundational givens of thought are on the move and when the cosmology that has framed experience in Western societies is unraveling. This is creating a shift in the understanding of reality so fundamental that it undermines many of the bedrock assumptions on which Western consciousness is based. As much of the world shifts to a postindustrial information age, where rapid change and unfathomable complexity become the normal cultural contexts in which life is conducted, radical uncertainty generates high levels of anxiety and places a heavy psychological burden on people. If one is to be at home in this new world, the means of socialization—in particular in education—must adapt or better still, lead the way. This will require profound change in pedagogy, epistemology, content, delivery models, and organization. This article identifies the significant gaps in today’s educational landscape and how it is failing the future, enumerates the adaptive changes that will be required in higher education, and suggests some future strategies for education for a global society.