The Five Values of Academia
The road to an academic career is long, but ultimately rewarding in the flexibility and prestige that such a career offers. Regardless of academic discipline, however, there are at least five values that are considered to be universally held across the many fields of academia and research: originality, communality, dissinterestedness, universalism, and organized skepticism. This article will describe each of these five values.
Originality
Originality is the idea that academics are trying to advance human knowledge through original research in order to uncover and discover what is not yet currently known.
Communality
Communality is the idea that academics want to share their research with each other and with broader society in general, and to always recognize sources. Ideas and research are shared within the academic community through the appropriate channels such as research, scholarly, and academic journals, and professional and academic conferences. Any secondary resources used are always given credit in any research.
Dissinterestedness
Dissinterestedness is the idea that academics are devoted to their particular subjects and have no vested interest in the outcome of their research. The ultimate reward is the advancement of knowledge.
Universalism
Universalism is the idea that academics are to make impartial judgments and judgments that are not based on how one may feel about an individual. Academic merits are taken into account, not individual personalities involved in research.
Organized Skepticism
Organized skepticism is the idea that academics further knowledge through constructive criticism. Academics are always reconsidering the work of others as well as their own work.
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