本課程屬哲學系「社會與政治」模組課程，旨在以「哲學」為出發點，聚焦與探討「民主」此一概念形成及發展的歷史與危機，以及當代資本主義、全球化、貧富差距等對民主帶來的挑戰及社會問題，嘗試從哲學思考的角度加以釐清與尋找可能的解方。
課程所設定的對象為哲學系日間部大二至大四學生，在符合本系「理論與實踐兼顧」宗旨及模組精神的前提底下，企圖從哲學經典文本到當代具體問題、在哲學與政治經濟學間，以跨領域的方式探討相關議題。首先，我們將從古希臘的城邦政治談起，回顧孕育出西方哲學與民主的雅典體制，其「雅典式民主」的特色為何，以及柏拉圖對雅典民主的失望與批判；再從亞里斯多德的觀點，看其對雅典及各種政治體制的整理與評價。接著，我們將討論在希臘城邦覆滅之後，大帝國的興起雖打破了城邦政治小國寡民的理想，但羅馬帝國的興盛亦孕育出亂世求生的個人哲學，以及適應多元價值的國家體制與法律；而隨著基督教的出現與羅馬帝國的衰亡，在中世紀居主導的基督教亦刺激了往後政教分離與人文主義，促成了政治問題的獨立。
再來，我們將探討的是現代民主理論的成形，並集中在霍布斯與盧梭政治理論的對比，看霍布斯的創見、兩人對「自然狀態」迥異的描繪、盧梭論不平等起源及社會契約論間的演變，及其對現代民主的啟發。最後，我們要把眼光拉回到現代。我們將以在十八世紀革命與民主思想興起之際誕生的全新國家「美國」為例，探討其民主制度的特色，以及在之後隨著資本主義的發展，乃至經貿自由、全球化所引發的各種不平等、金融風暴等經濟、社會問題，及這些問題所導致的政治反響，實際對當今世界所面臨的各種問題有所認識，並嘗試運用哲學思考提出回應。
本課程所涉及的主題雖廣，但期望藉由此種全景式的精要討論，能拓展修課學生的視野及國際觀，從哲學文本中體會到哲學家對現世問題的熱忱，效法哲學家的精神，將哲學思想用在自身所面對的現代世界中，讓哲學真正「活過來」。
This course is part of the "Society and Politics" module course of the Department of Philosophy. It aims to use "philosophy" as the starting point to focus on and explore the history and crisis of the formation and development of the concept of "democracy", as well as contemporary capitalism, globalization, and the gap between rich and poor. For the challenges and social problems brought about by democracy, we try to clarify and find possible solutions from the perspective of philosophical thinking.
The course is targeted at sophomores to seniors in the day department of the Department of Philosophy. Under the premise of complying with the department’s purpose of “taking into account both theory and practice” and the spirit of the module, it attempts to range from philosophical classic texts to contemporary specific issues, in philosophy and politics. Economics discusses relevant issues in a cross-disciplinary manner. First of all, we will start with the city-state politics of ancient Greece, review the Athenian system that gave birth to Western philosophy and democracy, what are the characteristics of its "Athenian democracy", and Plato's disappointment and criticism of Athenian democracy; and then start with Aristotle From his perspective, look at his organization and evaluation of Athens and various political systems. Next, we will discuss that after the collapse of the Greek city-states, the rise of great empires broke the ideal of city-state politics, a small country with few people, but the rise of the Roman Empire also gave birth to a personal philosophy of survival in troubled times, as well as a national system and law that adapted to diverse values. With the emergence of Christianity and the decline of the Roman Empire, Christianity, which dominated in the Middle Ages, also stimulated the separation of church and state and humanism in the future, promoting the independence of political issues.
Next, we will discuss the formation of modern democratic theory, and focus on the comparison of the political theories of Hobbes and Rousseau, looking at Hobbes's original ideas, their different descriptions of the "state of nature", and Rousseau's theory of the origin of inequality. and the evolution of social contract theory and its inspiration for modern democracy. Finally, we have to look back to modern times. We will take the United States, a new country born at the time of the revolution and the rise of democratic ideas in the 18th century, as an example to explore the characteristics of its democratic system, as well as the subsequent development of capitalism, and even the changes caused by economic and trade freedom and globalization. Various economic and social problems such as inequality and financial crisis, as well as the political repercussions caused by these problems, actually have an understanding of various problems facing the world today, and try to use philosophical thinking to provide responses.
Although this course covers a wide range of topics, we hope that through this panoramic and essential discussion, students can expand their horizons and international outlook, experience philosophers' enthusiasm for contemporary issues from philosophical texts, and imitate philosophers. The spirit of applying philosophical ideas to the modern world we face makes philosophy truly "come alive."
使用教師自編教材，包括原典段落選讀。
柏拉圖（Plato）（1997）《理想國》。郭斌和、張竹明 譯。北京：商務印書館。
柏拉圖（2002）《柏拉圖全集．第1卷》。王曉朝 譯。北京：人民出版社。
柏拉圖（2003）《柏拉圖全集．第2卷》。王曉朝 譯。北京：人民出版社。
亞里斯多德（Aristotle）（1997）《政治學》。吳壽彭 譯。北京：商務印書館。
亞里斯多德（1999）《雅典政制》。日知、力野 譯。北京：商務印書館。
亞里士多德（1999）《尼各馬科倫理學》。苗力田 譯。北京：中國社會科學出版社。
亞里士多德（1997）《形而上學》。吳壽彭 譯。北京：商務印書館。
修昔底德（Thucydides）（1997）《伯羅奔尼撒戰爭史》。謝德風 譯。北京：商務印書館。
霍布斯（Thomas Hobbes）（1996）《利維坦》。黎思復、黎廷弼 譯。北京：商務印書館。
盧梭（Jean-Jacques Rousseau）（1986）《論人類不平等的起源和基礎》。李常山譯。台北：唐山出版社。
盧梭（1997）《論科學與藝術》。何兆武 譯。北京：商務印書館。
盧梭（1997）《社會契約論》。何兆武 譯。北京：商務印書館。
盧梭（1999）《愛彌兒 論教育》。李平漚 譯。北京：商務印書館。
盧梭（2015）《德行墮落與不平等的起源》。苑舉正 譯。台北：聯經出版。
托克維爾（Alexis de Tocqueville）（1997）《論美國的民主》。董果良 譯。北京：商務印書館。
《聖經》新標點和合本（上帝版）（1996）。香港：香港聖經公會。
Plato (1997) Complete Works, John M. Cooper (ed.), Cambridge: Hackett.
Rousseau (1997) The Discourses and other Early Political Writings, Victor Gourevitch (ed. and Trans.), New York: Cambridge University Press.
Use textbooks compiled by teachers, including selected passages from original classics.
Plato (1997) The Republic. Translated by Guo Binhe and Zhang Zhuming. Beijing: Commercial Press.
Plato (2002) "The Complete Works of Plato." Volume 1. Translated by Wang Xiaochao. Beijing: People's Publishing House.
Plato (2003) "The Complete Works of Plato." Volume 2". Translated by Wang Xiaochao. Beijing: People's Publishing House.
Aristotle (1997) Politics. Translated by Wu Shoupeng. Beijing: Commercial Press.
Aristotle (1999) The Constitution of Athens. Translated by Rizhi and Liye. Beijing: Commercial Press.
Aristotle (1999) Nicomachean Ethics. Translated by Miao Litian. Beijing: China Social Sciences Press.
Aristotle (1997) Metaphysics. Translated by Wu Shoupeng. Beijing: Commercial Press.
Thucydides (1997) History of the Peloponnesian War. Translated by Xie Defeng. Beijing: Commercial Press.
Thomas Hobbes (1996) Leviathan. Translated by Li Sifu and Li Tingbi. Beijing: Commercial Press.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1986) "On the Origin and Basis of Human Inequality". Translated by Li Changshan. Taipei: Tangshan Publishing House.
Rousseau (1997) On Science and Art. Translated by He Zhaowu. Beijing: Commercial Press.
Rousseau (1997) The Social Contract. Translated by He Zhaowu. Beijing: Commercial Press.
Rousseau (1999) "Emile on Education". Translated by Li Pingyu. Beijing: Commercial Press.
Rousseau (2015) The Fall of Virtue and the Origin of Inequality. Translated by Yuan Juzheng. Taipei: Lianjing Publishing House.
Alexis de Tocqueville (1997) "On Democracy in America". Translated by Dong Guoliang. Beijing: Commercial Press.
New Punctuated Union Version of the Holy Bible (God's Version) (1996). Hong Kong: Hong Kong Bible Society.
Plato (1997) Complete Works, John M. Cooper (ed.), Cambridge: Hackett.
Rousseau (1997) The Discourses and other Early Political Writings, Victor Gourevitch (ed. and Trans.), New York: Cambridge University Press.
| 評分項目 Grading Method | 配分比例 Grading percentage | 說明 Description |
|---|---|---|
| 平時成績平時成績 usual results |
50 | 出缺席及上課表現、小作業或課堂討論、小組討論。 |
| 期中考期中考 midterm exam |
20 | 期中筆試。 |
| 期末考期末考 final exam |
30 | 期末筆試。 |
