自我到東海任教以來，已教授過「社會思想史」課程五次，其中 92、93、98、99 等四個學年度皆為學年課程，101 學年度則縮簡為學期課程（101-2）。過往五年的課程構思，皆從古典希臘時期開始講授，歷經希臘化、古羅馬、中世紀、文藝復興、人文主義、理性主義，至啟蒙運動止。作為社會學系必修課程的「社會思想史」旨在勾勒社會學興起之前的社會思想脈動，以為接續同樣必修的「社會學理論」課程。整個西方現代性的開展不論回首高舉理性大纛的啟蒙運動，還是再往前追溯到十五世紀現代資本主義的萌芽，都必須同時交代人文主義、文藝復興所從而來的中世紀基督宗教時代。基督宗教如何由古羅馬時期眾神林立的多神宗教信仰中脫穎而出，以及上帝概念如何從新柏拉圖學派繼受接榫，自然不能從略。於是一路就到了希臘化、古典希臘時期。講述歷史，不論是思想史，還是文化史、社會史、經濟史，都不能去頭斬首，斷其源頭，無中迸生。對於晚近臺灣諸面向歷史考察的去中國化，充斥意識形態的專橫，陷入統獨情緒的盲目，當是學界最大的醜聞。研習西方社會思想，自然也不得不追本溯源地回到古典希臘。然而，自一百學年度起，本課程遭攔腰硬砍為一學期十八週的課程，致使思想史的考察時間維度難以從容兼及中世紀，更遑論古典時期。上個學年度猶費心嚐試，但時間緊湊，頗失教與學興味與效果。故本學期擬調整從文藝復興開場，以避免進度倉皇，顧此失彼。所失源頭，只能擱置，並非棄絕。計畫於課程前兩週綱領提示，並指定閱讀 Claude Delmas 的《歐洲文明》簡史相關章節。餘只能極力建議自行參閱 Daniel J. Boorstin 敘事流暢的《探索者──問「為什麼」的人》以及
Richard Tarnas 深具啟發的《西方心靈的激情》兩書之相關章節。這是一個嚐試。本學期課程的另一項重大變革，為助教課程由往例的文本選讀，改為專書研讀及討論。本學期擇定閱讀 Peter Gay 體大思精，但可讀性極高的巨構《啟蒙運動（下）─ ─自由之科學》。也就是本學期課程除了演講課程內容之外，必須逐章逐節地讀完這一本 654 頁的大書。對於大一新生，是一個考 理解力與耐力的挑戰。
社會思想史課程所觀摩之思想，「如時雨之化」。一經時雨之降，妳﹧你們所自有的天資稟賦，便自化了。學習思想史可讓一己思想中不斷有生機有生意，可以培育內在思想之成長。我可以預見，能夠通過這一門課，這一本書的操練與重荷，當有蛻變新生之喜悅。這才是大學教育！

Since I came to teach in Donghai, I have taught the "History of Social Thought" course five times. The four academic years of 1992, 1993, 1998, and 1999 were all academic year courses, and the 101 academic year was reduced to a semester course (101-2). The curriculum for the past five years has been taught from the classical Greek period, through Hellenism, ancient Rome, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, humanism, rationalism, and the Enlightenment. As a compulsory course in the Department of Sociology, "History of Social Thought" aims to outline the pulse of social thought before the rise of sociology and is intended to follow the equally compulsory "Sociological Theory" course. The development of Western modernity as a whole, whether we look back to the Enlightenment, which advocated rationality, or to the emergence of modern capitalism in the fifteenth century, must also account for humanism and the medieval Christian era from which the Renaissance came. How Christianity emerged from the polytheistic religious beliefs of the ancient Roman period, and how the concept of God inherited from the Neoplatonic school, cannot be ignored. So all the way to the Hellenistic and Classical Greek periods. When telling history, whether it is intellectual history, cultural history, social history, or economic history, we cannot behead it, cut off its source, or create something out of nothing. Regarding the recent de-Sinicization of Taiwan based on historical research, it is full of ideological tyranny and blindness in the sentiment of reunification and independence, which should be the biggest scandal in the academic world. When studying Western social thought, we naturally have to trace our roots back to classical Greece. However, since the 100th academic year, this course has been cut down to an eighteen-week course, making it difficult to examine the history of ideas in time and include the Middle Ages, let alone the classical period. I tried hard in the last school year, but the time was tight and I lost the interest and effect of teaching and learning. Therefore, this semester is planned to start with the Renaissance to avoid hasty progress and lose sight of the other. The lost source can only be shelved, not abandoned. It is planned to provide syllabus reminders in the first two weeks of the course and assign reading of relevant chapters of Claude Delmas's "A Brief History of European Civilization". Yu can only strongly recommend that you read Daniel J. Boorstin's smooth narrative "Explorers: People Who Ask "Why"" and
Relevant chapters from Richard Tarnas's inspiring book The Passions of the Western Mind. This is an attempt. Another major change in the courses this semester is that the teaching assistant courses have been changed from text selections in the past to special book study and discussion. This semester I have decided to read Peter Gay’s monumental work "Enlightenment (Part 2) - The Science of Freedom", which is complex in style but highly readable in thought. That is to say, in addition to the lecture course content this semester, you must read this 654-page book chapter by chapter and section by section. For freshmen, it is a challenge that tests understanding and endurance.
The ideas observed in the course on the history of social thought are "like the changes of time and rain". Once the rain of time falls, you, your own natural talents will be transformed. Studying the history of thought can keep one's thoughts alive and active, and can cultivate the growth of inner thoughts. I can predict that if I can pass this course, the training and heavy load of this book, I will have the joy of transformation and rebirth. This is university education!

一、 指定必讀書目（書目購置事宜於第一週上課說明及安排）
Delmas, Claude ﹧吳錫德譯：歐洲文明。臺北市：遠流，
1989，頁 39-83［＝第二章：中世紀的大轉變］。【Orig.
Delmas, Claude: La Civilisation européenne. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 1980.】

Gay, Peter（彼得•蓋伊） ﹧劉森堯、梁永安譯：啟蒙運動（下）──自由之科學。臺北縣新店市：立緒文化，2008。
【Orig. Gay, Peter: The Enlightenment: The Sciences of Freedom.
New York: Knopf, 1976-78.】［簡稱：《啟蒙運動》］


二、 基本參考書目
Boorstin, Daniel J.（布斯汀） ﹧劉喬譯：探索者──問「為什麼」的人。臺北市：貓頭鷹，2005。【Orig. Boorstin, Daniel J.:
The Seekers: The Story of Man’s Continuing Quest to Understand His World. New York: Random House, 1998.】

Tarnas, Richard（理查•塔那斯） ﹧王又如譯：西方心靈
的激情。臺北市：正中書局，1995。【Orig. Tarnas, Richard:
The Passion of the Western Mind. Understanding the Ideas That
Have Shaped Our World View. New York: Ballantine Books, 1993.】


涉及課程內容之相關參考文獻將隨時於課程中介紹、補充及說明。

1. Designated required readings (the purchase of books will be explained and arranged in the first week of class)
Delmas, Claude﹧Translated by Wu Xide: European Civilization. Taipei City: Yuanliu,
1989, pp. 39-83 [=Chapter 2: The Great Transformation of the Middle Ages]. 【Orig.
Delmas, Claude: La Civilization européenne. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 1980.]

Gay, Peter ﹧Translated by Liu Senyao and Liang Yongan: Enlightenment (Part 2) - The Science of Freedom. Xindian City, Taipei County: Lixu Culture, 2008.
【Orig. Gay, Peter: The Enlightenment: The Sciences of Freedom.
New York: Knopf, 1976-78.】[Abbreviation: "Enlightenment"]


2. Basic bibliography
Boorstin, Daniel J. (Buorstin)﹧Translated by Liu Qiao: Explorer──a person who asks "why". Taipei City: Owl, 2005. 【Orig. Boorstin, Daniel J.:
The Seekers: The Story of Man’s Continuing Quest to Understand His World. New York: Random House, 1998.]

Tarnas, Richard ﹧Translated by Wang Youru: Western Mind
passion. Taipei City: Zhengzhong Bookstore, 1995. 【Orig. Tarnas, Richard:
The Passion of the Western Mind. Understanding the Ideas That
Have Shaped Our World View. New York: Ballantine Books, 1993.]


Relevant references involving course content will be introduced, supplemented and explained in the course at any time.