Editorial
The Value Discussion of the Present Spring
In the end, the making of a decision boils down to the question
of values. This is the case also in politics. Different political
groups represent differing values, and according to these values
decisions are being made, or at least attempted to be made.
Quite obviously, there exists unclarity concerning values and
value discussion in contemporary Finland, where the amount of voters
unsure of their political and value-related stand has been on the
increase during recent years.
However, the main problem does not lie with the undecided voters,
but rather with the changing and blurring of distinctions between values
amidst the various political parties and their individual representatives.
The uncertain voters wish to find a representative, whose values
would coincide with their own. This has proved problematic.
When I was a child, education was held in high esteem in Finland. The
new comprehensive school system was on its way and education that
was was free and open to everyone was one of the primary values of
the society. To the parents, obtaining education for their children was
among their highest priorities.
The development of the society was also conceived as happening
through education. The University network was expanding and one
of the values of the society was to offer higher education and chances
for University studies for the whole people. Values held a central
position in the development process of our educational system. It
was of course known that there was a statistic correlation between
the levels of education and the standard of living in the society. But it persistently remained unclear, whether education
and research resulted in a society of a high standard of
living, or whether the high standard of living created
a situation, where the society could afford to invest
in basic research and high levels of education. In the
end, this unclarity did not matter, because high educational
standards, and a society, which invests significantly
in basic research, were seen as important
values in themselves.
Education and aspiring to get it comprise an importan
value choice. When the society chooses to cultivate
education, it also chooses to support culture,
scientific research and the teaching of the younger
population with the best competence possible.
I do not think that a research could be found that
would point out the connection between being acquainted
with the plays of Chekhov and being successful
in one's business endeavors. Neither do I believe
that the knowledge of quantum physics has been
shown to increase the key figures in economy or to
reduce unemployment. The society chooses to teach
and appreciate Chekhov's plays or quantum phenomena,
if values supportive of these are the ruling ones
at the moment.
Values, however, are not born in a vacuum. They are intrinsically
bound into the structures and development
of the society. Economic welfare creates posssibilities
for educational growth, and vice versa. High level of
education provides a perspective, which allows us to
comprehend our society and to govern matters important to our welfare. Education also brings with it
concretic competence, from which everything new of
high standard is born. Further, at the risk of becoming
guilty of using a cliché, education forms a bedrock, on
which new innovations can be established. It is quite
probably impossible to find a society, in which new
innovations and thinking are flourishing, but which
neglects its educational sector.
This early Spring is once again suitable time for
contemplating our values. We shall soon be choosing
the decision-makers, whose values we trust and
whom we hope to reflect our own values. Who are the
ones that share the values of high educational standards,
basic research and the teaching of the highest
standards? Could this form the most important valuerelated
question of this Spring?
We can turn these elections into elections of research
and education. We can choose a society, which values
knowledge and competence, as well as invests in
research and education. Education, however, means
much more that reacting to the sustainability gap. We
can make choices, which would presumably steer the
state economy into the right direction. But nothing
quaratees that these choices will direct us along the
right course in the long run. In the end, the choices
concerning where we invest in, where we make cuts,
and how all these measures will be targeted at the
various sectors of our society and population are for
us to choose.
They are choices based on values.
Kaarle Hämeri
President, The Finnish Union of University Professors
- Painetussa lehdessä sivu 48
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