本文視博雅教育為通識教育的前身，探討西方博雅教育理念之起 源與發展，並分析現代通識教育所面臨的主要問題及其對應之道。文 章所討論的重要歷史發展階段包括希臘時代柏拉圖的理想、羅馬時代 的自由人教育、中世紀大學的七藝、近代的百科全書式學科重整、以 及20世紀興起的通識教育。筆者認為實用主義、過度專業化、膚淺 化及娛樂化，是當前通識教育普遍存在的問題，而其克服之道則在重 振傅統博雅教育的精神。但是通識教育如何繼承博雅教育亙古的價值 理念，同時又能適應教育普及化及知識爆炸的時代，是我們必須認真 思考的挑戰。

The article explores the origin and development of the idea of liberal education in the West, and analyzes the major problems of general education in Taiwan. I regard liberal education as the antecedent of general education, tracing its development through the ancient Greek, Roman liberal studies, medieval seven arts, renaissance humanistic studies, to modern general education. I think the major problems of general education include pragmatism, professionalism, superficiality, and the attempt to make it entertaining. To copy with these problems, we have to recover the spirit of classical liberal education, and make some necessary adjustments to fit in with the age of mass education and informational explosion.