The purpose of this book is to bring back to public attention seven thinkers who wrote about what they believed to be vital in higher education. Each chapter examines a particularly "key text," in which that thinker considers the nature of higher education. The background for the occasion of the delivery of that text as a speech or written essay is explained, and ways in which those ideas were supported by or developed in that author's other publications are discussed. Each chapter addresses the way human learning occurs, the nature of humanity inevitably linked with learning, responsibilities of the intellectual in society, social role of the university, curricular/organizational issues, and relevance today. A concluding chapter sets out the origin of the European debate about higher education and assesses the impact of these writers. Chapter titles include: "Introduction: Voices To Be Heard"; "J. H. Newman: 'The Idea of a University'"; "Jose Ortega y Gasset: 'Mission of the University'--An Uplifting Principle in the History of the Western World"; "Karl Jaspers: 'The Idea of the University'--Communication at the Frontiers"; "Max Horkheimer: A Justification for a Social Research Institute--'To Serve the Truth Relentlessly'"; "F. R. Leavis: The University as a 'Creative Centre of Civilization'--The Idea of an English School"; "Paul Tillich: Learning and Living with 'Profundity and Paradox'"; "Miguel de Unamuno: 'University, Unity, Universality'"; and "Conclusion: Inheritance and Legacy." References accompany each chapter. (JDD)