本研究計畫主要討論的是：透過對霍布斯(Thomas Hobbes)的自由概念的詮釋，來探 討「劍橋學派」－特別是史欽納(Quentin Skinner)的研究方法是否合宜。史欽納根據所謂 的脈絡主義(contextualism)，指出共和主義(republicanism)是理解霍布斯(Thomas Hobbes) 的自由觀所不可或缺的脈絡，因為霍布斯所發展出的自由概念主要正是要對抗共和主義 式的自由。本文將指出，除了共和主義之外，還存在其他同樣有效的脈絡存在。這些脈 絡的存在，說明了語言不應被視為唯一有意義的脈絡。特別在歷史的解釋上，其他非語 言脈絡的重要性不可被忽視。 The purpose of this project is to evaluate to what extent contextual analysis is a proper way in the study of political theory. Quentin Skinner attributes to Hobbes’s intention to confront the republican paradigm his particular conception of freedom. This essay tries to show that some contexts other than republicanism is no less influential than republicanism in shaping Hobbes’s conception of freedom. If it is the case, Skinner’s emphasis on linguistic context should be in sufficient in order to provide a full understanding of the evolution of any concept.
