Both Kant and Smith write about universities, yet they have different Essay

Both Kant and Smith write about universities, yet they have different views of what a University must do. Explain their views. Give an account of how their th - Essay Example Despite this, they take different views on how universities should operate and the use of a university in a society. To better understand their works, it is important for us to understand how they viewed this important institution. Kant wrote a lot more about universities and was deeper ingrained into the idea of a university than Smith primarily due to his extensive work on philosophical thought and the idea of morality. A part of that morality was peace between people as well as nations and the ideal university was seen as one which helps in the creation of that peace. The academic peace in a university is established by debate and mutual respect amongst the faculty members despite their differences in learning or philosophical background. The same peace should be established in the world amongst countries despite their individual differences in ideology (Kant, 1963). When the idea for perpetual peace using the model of a university setting was first presented, it was certainly very applicable since universities of the time had very different structures as compared to the universities we see today. Normally a university would be formed with three high faculties and one low faculty. The high faculties of law, medicine and theology were used to train lawyers, doctors and priests. The fourth faculty of philosophy conducted the coordination of these faculties and trained students in other subjects concerned with liberal arts and the sciences (Palmquist, 2006). Since the faculty of philosophy administers other faculties in the university but done not interfere in their internal matters it creates a system that is in a sort of stable conflict. While professors may argue about ideas and debate the value of certain thoughts, it is rather unlikely that a faculty would separate itself from the university or revolt against the university. By keeping members within itself, the university functions as a