本文主旨在探討學術自由的真義，以及大學學術自由在民主社會中所可能扮演的角色。作者採取的假設是：大學的學術自由有助於一個社會民主化的推動與發展進程，而一個社會民主化的程度往往又與其大學的學術自由保障成正比。從反面來看，一個不夠民主的社會，大學學術自由往往無法得到充分保障；而大學若無學術自由，一個社會的民主化進程也同樣地會受到遏阻。換言之：民主社會與大學學術自由是一種互為因果的關係，而且是互為必要條件的聯繫。本文首先探討學術自由的意義，以及這個自由到底是怎樣的自由？其次，大學學術自由的傳統與其意義。第三、大學為何要有學術自由？究竟其存在的正當性要如何證成？第四、大學的學術自由與社會民主化的進程有何關係？第五、學術自由與學術倫理之間要如何維持平衡？最後的結論則重申大學學術自由的重要性，以及提醒大學學者在享有學術自由時，不能忘記應遵守的學術倫理，否則會淪為學術自由的濫用。
The main purpose of this paper is to enquire into the true meaning of academic freedom, and the possible role of academic freedom of university in a democratic society. The author believes that academic freedom contributes to the promotion and development of the democratization of a society. The degree of democratization of a society is also relative to the protection of academic freedom of universities. In this paper, we shall first try to give a specific and detailed definition of academic freedom. Secondly, we shall explore the traditional meaning and development of academic freedom. Thirdly, we shall try to sketch a justification for academic freedom. Fourthly, an attempted description will be given to the possible relationship between academic freedom of universities and democratization of a society. Fifthly, we will explore how academic freedom can be kept balance with academic duty or academic ethics. In conclusion, we shall reiterate that academic freedom is of pivotal importance to a university in a democratic society, and the academics should abide by academic ethics when enjoying the atmosphere of academic freedom in a university.
