[課程目標]：隨著人類文明的進展，疾病亦隨之變化。農業及畜牧業的發展讓人類定居及人口增加，成為微生物 (細菌、病毒、真菌、寄生蟲) 繁殖的溫床，繼而引發致命的瘟疫。再隨著貿易、旅行與殖民，更助長傳染病的全球散播。本課程的目標是介紹疾病的特性及其致病機制:首先用造成人類歷史劇烈衝擊的傳染病為例，討論發生的時代、傷亡的情形、防疫的措施、社會的影響等，藉以瞭解人類與微生物自古以來的長期戰鬥故事。二十世紀後葉，疫苗及抗生素的發明逐漸使傳染病得以控制，人類的壽命因而增長一倍。但由於活動範圍的擴展及生態環境的變化等因素，「新興」傳染病，如愛滋病、禽流感、SARS、伊波拉出血熱、新型冠狀肺炎等卻不斷爆發。除此之外，高齡伴隨著基因突變的累積，使癌症大幅增加，長壽亦使阿茲海默症成為二十一世紀的重大疾病。而近幾十年以來，食物攝取不平衡及機械替代勞力等因素造成肥胖，引發高血壓、高血糖及血脂異常的代謝症候群。複雜緊張的現代生活也使精神疾病增加。本課程試圖引導同學以跨領域的角度，瞭解疾病隨著人類的生活方式與文明發展而相互影響。
[課程內涵]：本課程以人類疾病為內涵，首先介紹人類歷史上細菌、病毒及原生生物導致的重大傳染病，這些疾病除了造成個人的病痛及死亡之外，自古以來，影響民族的盛衰、社會的枯榮與文明的起落。二十世紀以降，公共衛生觀念的進步、抗生素的發現及疫苗的使用逐漸控制了猖狂數千年的傳染病，但由於生態環境的變遷及物種疆界的模糊，世界各地又出現新興的傳染病，如愛滋病、SARS、禽流感，伊波拉出血熱、及新型冠狀肺炎等，造成巨大的傷亡及全球的恐慌，充分顯示人類與微生物的共同演化及持久不斷的競爭。課程的後半部分則介紹現代威脅人類健康最甚的癌症、心血管疾病、阿茲海默症及精神疾病。癌症是由自身的細胞突變而成，本質上與正常細胞的差別不如微生物與人體間的差異那麼大，所以在治療時的副作用頗大，使人們談癌色變。至於血壓高、血糖高、血脂異常及肥胖則是現代人飲食不當、勞動不足造成的代謝症候群，加之高齡伴隨而來的老年失智，現代生活造成的精神疾病，在在顯示疾病隨著文明的發展而改變。本課程希望以跨領域的方式，讓同學明瞭疾病與人如影隨形，實為生活與生命的一部份。自古以來，疾病對人類的社會、文化衝擊甚巨，希望能帶領同學回顧歷史，探究文明與疾病的關聯，如生活方式對疾病的影響、疾病對社會的衝擊、人們對疾病的誤解。而人類面臨疾病及死亡時的掙扎，將以《瘟疫》、《愛在瘟疫蔓延時》及《疾病的隱喻》三本文學著作，剖析內心的挫折、偏見及恐懼。
[Course Objectives]: As human civilization progresses, diseases also change. The development of agriculture and animal husbandry has led to human settlement and increased population, which has become a breeding ground for microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites) to reproduce, which in turn triggers deadly plagues. Trade, travel, and colonization further contributed to the global spread of infectious diseases. The goal of this course is to introduce the characteristics of diseases and their pathogenic mechanisms: First, we use infectious diseases that have had a severe impact on human history as examples to discuss the era of occurrence, casualties, epidemic prevention measures, social impact, etc., so as to understand the relationship between human beings and The story of microorganisms' long battle since ancient times. In the latter half of the 20th century, the invention of vaccines and antibiotics gradually brought infectious diseases under control, doubling human lifespan. However, due to factors such as the expansion of activity scope and changes in the ecological environment, "emerging" infectious diseases, such as AIDS, avian influenza, SARS, Ebola hemorrhagic fever, novel coronavirus pneumonia, etc., continue to break out. In addition, advanced age is accompanied by the accumulation of genetic mutations, which has led to a significant increase in cancer. Longevity has also made Alzheimer's disease a major disease in the 21st century. In recent decades, factors such as unbalanced food intake and mechanical replacement of labor have caused obesity, causing metabolic syndrome such as hypertension, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia. Complex and stressful modern life has also increased mental illness. This course attempts to guide students to understand how diseases interact with human lifestyles and the development of civilization from a cross-field perspective.
[Course content]: This course takes human diseases as its connotation. It first introduces the major infectious diseases caused by bacteria, viruses and protists in human history. In addition to causing personal pain and death, these diseases have affected the rise and fall of nations since ancient times. The rise and fall of society and the rise and fall of civilization. Since the 20th century, advances in public health concepts, the discovery of antibiotics, and the use of vaccines have gradually controlled infectious diseases that have been rampant for thousands of years. However, due to changes in the ecological environment and the blurring of species boundaries, emerging infectious diseases have appeared in various parts of the world. Diseases such as AIDS, SARS, avian flu, Ebola hemorrhagic fever, and new coronavirus pneumonia have caused huge casualties and global panic, fully demonstrating the co-evolution and persistent competition between humans and microorganisms. The second half of the course introduces cancer, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease and mental diseases that are the most serious threats to human health in modern times. Cancer is caused by the mutation of one's own cells. In essence, the difference from normal cells is not as great as the difference between microorganisms and the human body. Therefore, the side effects during treatment are quite large, which makes people talk about cancer. As for high blood pressure, high blood sugar, dyslipidemia and obesity, they are metabolic syndrome caused by improper diet and insufficient labor in modern people. In addition, senile dementia that comes with advanced age and mental illnesses caused by modern life are showing that diseases are changing with the development of civilization. Change with development. This course hopes to use a cross-field approach to help students understand that disease follows people closely and is actually a part of life. Since ancient times, diseases have had a huge impact on human society and culture. I hope to lead students to review history and explore the relationship between civilization and diseases, such as the impact of lifestyle on diseases, the impact of diseases on society, and people's misunderstandings about diseases. As for human beings' struggle when facing disease and death, three literary works, "Plague", "Love When the Plague Spreads" and "Metaphor of Disease", will be used to analyze inner frustrations, prejudices and fears.
1.《槍砲、病菌與鋼鐵》(Guns, Germs, and Steel), Jared Diamond 著，1997。王道還、廖月娟譯，時報文化，1998。
2.《人類與瘟疫的故事》張浚、趙少欽著，新視野圖書出版公司，2006。
3.《病毒的故事》徐明達著，天下雜誌股份有限公司，2003。
4.《細菌的世界》徐明達著，二魚文化事業有限公司，2012。
5.《最衰者生存》(Survival of the Sickest), Sharon Moalem 著，2007。陳芝儀譯，天下遠見出版股份有限公司，2007。
6. 《疾病解密》，科學人雜誌特刊，2013。
7.《瘟疫》(The Plague, 1947), Albert Camus著，1947。周行之譯，新潮文庫，1969。
8.《愛在瘟疫蔓延時》(El amor en los tiempos del colera)),Gabriel Garcia Marquez著，1985。蔡淑吟譯，皇冠文化出版有限公司，2019。
9.《疾病的隱喻》(Illness as Metaphor), Susan Sontag著，1977。程巍譯，麥田出版，2012。
1. Guns, Germs, and Steel, Jared Diamond, 1997. Translated by Wang Daohuan and Liao Yuejuan, Times Culture, 1998.
2. "The Story of Humanity and Plague" by Zhang Jun and Zhao Shaoqin, New Vision Books Publishing Company, 2006.
3. "The Story of the Virus" by Xu Mingda, Tianxia Magazine Co., Ltd., 2003.
4. "The World of Bacteria" by Xu Mingda, Eryu Culture Co., Ltd., 2012.
5. Survival of the Sickest, by Sharon Moalem, 2007. Translated by Chen Zhiyi, Tianxia Vision Publishing Co., Ltd., 2007.
6. "Disease Decrypted", Special Issue of Scientist Magazine, 2013.
7. The Plague (1947), by Albert Camus, 1947. Translated by Zhou Xingzhi, Xinchao Library, 1969.
8. "Love in the Time of Plague" (El amor en los tiempos del colera), by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, 1985. Translated by Cai Shuyin, Crown Culture Publishing Co., Ltd., 2019.
9. "Illness as Metaphor" (Illness as Metaphor), by Susan Sontag, 1977. Translated by Cheng Wei, Maitian Publishing House, 2012.
| 評分項目 Grading Method | 配分比例 Grading percentage | 說明 Description |
|---|---|---|
| 課堂參與及互動課堂參與及互動 Class participation and interaction |
50 | 準時出席、課堂參與、口頭及書面表達 |
| 小組報告小組報告 group report |
50 | 口頭小組報告、參與及回饋其他同學的報告 |
