学习究竟是什么？

—— 多学科视野中的学习研究论纲 

桑新民

（南京大学 网络化学习与管理研究所，江苏南京 200093）

【摘要】学习是当代多学科共同探索的前沿和热门话题，而且成为关心人类命运的企业家和政治家们所必须面对的重大课题，由此推动着全球范围内创建学习型组织和学习化社会的时代潮流。本文从中国文化传统和西方心理学对学习概念的两种解读入手，剖析了目前学习理论的成就与局限性，然后将学习研究的视野从微观扩展到宏观，从个体扩展到团队与社会，分别从教育哲学、管理科学、教育技术学、历史哲学和哲学人类学的广阔视野，对人类学习活动进行了理论探索，提出并论证了与生产方式同一层次的“学习方式”范畴，提出“学习是人类自身再生产的社会实践活动”， “学习的本质是人类个体和人类整体的自我意识与自我超越”，认为“发展自身的人类学习能力同改造外部世界的人类生产能力（生产力）共同构成人类生存发展的基础、动力和源泉”，并倡导创建一套能够从历史哲学的广阔视野来透视、解读和预测人类复杂学习活动及其矛盾运动的理论，从总体上认识和把握人类学习活动的特点和发展规律，使我国当前所倡导的“科学发展观”具有更坚实的理论基础。

【关键词】学习； 学习本质； 学习化团队； 学习型组织； 学习技术； 学习方式

【中图分类号】G442

【文献标识码】A

【文章编号】1007-2179（2005）01-0008-10

What is Learning really about 

A Research Outline on the Multi-Discipline Perspective on Learning

SANG Xinmin

（Center for Learning and Innovation， Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093,China)

Abstract: Learning has been a leadingedge hot topic as well as a contemporary jointexploration of many people from a myriad of academic disciplines and practice fields. It has also become a critical issue for businessmen and statesmen to concern about the future and destiny of mankind. All of these have provided great impetus for the global trends of building learning organizations and a learning society. This paper begins by delving into two interpretations of the concept of learning from the Chinese cultural tradition as well as the Western psychological perspective. It analyzes the accomplishment and limitation of current learning theories, then attempts to broaden current learning theory from a micro to a macro perspective, from individual to teams to social groups, and look at learning from a broad spectrum of perspectives of educational philosophy and technology, management science, philosophy of history and philosophy of anthropology. Having taken a theoretical exploration of human learning activities, it proposes and demonstrates that various learning methods in reality belong to the same level of creative and generative process. It proposes that “learning is the social praxis of the rebirth of mankind”, and “the essence of learning for individuals is a process of selfmastery and character building where a person overcomes obstacles and creates excellence. For mankind as a whole, the essence of learning is the process of deepening understanding, and creating a higher level of collective consciousness and wisdom”.

The author contends that the human drive to learn, and the aspiration to create and to reshape our external world provide the basic structural foundation, power and source for survival and development. It proposes that a theory be developed through a set of lenses based upon a broad perspective of philosophy of history to help gain insights, to interpret and to make sense of the complex and paradoxical nature and mystery of human potential for learning. This will help us to gain more indepth knowledge of the overall human pattern and characteristics of learning and to provide a more solid theoretical foundation in accordance with the “scientific developmental perspective”.

Key words: learning; the essence of learning; learning team; learning organization; learning technology; learning method