In the business of theology it is hard not to be controversial - Jurgen Moltmann

Monday 8 September 2008

書事 :: book matters

It appears that somebody out there is taking the course which I mentioned earlier and calls for help about the amount of readings -- and the amount of money needed to buy those books.  I would suggest that the basic biblionomics in these situations is to make use of library resources as much as possible.  What's more, as far as I know, the quantity of readings in that course can hardly be considered 'surprisingly huge' (as somebody claims).

.....................................

 

根據極可靠線報傳來消息,一名自稱『年輕有型的神學家』的人士上了我早前提及的那個神學課程,令有關那課程的部分資料在某個圈子裡曝了光,負責教的那個人的身份也稍為露了玄機。

我有理由相信,這位『年輕有型的神學家』極可能即是幾天前曾經在此留言的『風火劍塚』,因為兩者同樣提及『因著上司的介紹』,連用詞都一樣,沒有這麼巧合吧!

據他所說,那位教的人原來是位主教呢!嘩!(他說,『因著上司的介紹,今個學期上了一科前xxxx主教的神學課程。』See? WOW!)

不過那位朋友慨嘆,那科『Core Text books卻出奇地多』,恐怕買到窮,『戶口跌落得零元』,於是四出張羅借書。

說到這裡,不如『年老S嘜神學人』插插嘴吧。

有學者認為,按一般高級學位course descriptions的理解,那位前主教列出的core texts,應該是指整個課程的主要/基本參考,而不是用來當教科書(text books)那樣讀的,大可稍安。

一位曾經橫跨美蘇(格蘭)兩國數家學府、現從事研究和教學工作的神學人指出,如此數量的指定閱讀,在類似程度的碩士課之間,絕不能說是『出奇地多』,反而可算輕微地偏少;而且假如只有那些core texts,再沒有加上每周的指定或者推薦閱讀,那就是嚴重偏少了。咁點?請頂硬上好了。

書,其實也不用捧著書目就急於搜購,不如先盡量利用圖書館的資源,確認對自己有長久使用價值的,才投入巨款購入也無妨,這可說是買書的基本經濟學。回說那個名單裡面的書,其實除了一本因為出版了只不過兩三個月,圖書館還未及購入,其他的,就算中大暫時沒有,都在香港高校圖書聯網(HKALL)內可以找得到,別輕舉妄動啊!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

謝謝老師提點!
哈哈哈!

Benjamin Wu said...

1. 斗膽請教「前xxxx主教」,「S嘜」是「有型」的另一種表達法―smart嗎?

2. In addition to the bilionomics of book matters proposed by the allegedly former bishop, may I also be so bold as to set forth the proposition that books matter. The main thrust of a good reading list, I believe, is the best possible presentation of the up-to-date scholarship of the research field, which is to be attained to only through books. I myself would be quite thrilled to be introduced to such a reading list.

Yam 飲者 said...

風火劍塚:
豈敢,還是等星期三請你老師提點吧。

Ben幫主:
1. 不是,意思是剛好相反的。香港原本有一個已經荒廢多時的俚語『薯嘜』,發音的確來自smart,但意思完全相反,帶有老土、土氣的意思。近期有套美國電影,在香港譯名作《特務S嘜》,把那句已經荒廢多時的俚語活化了。
2. As a doctoral student, aren't you supposed (or expected) to generate a state-of-the-art reading list in your specialised field?