Degree Show 畢業展
2002
Design is the Vehicle of Introspection
設計也是一種檢驗思維的路徑
2002
Professor H.Y. Yen published a survey during the Conference for Education and Humanity, stating five social environments which people of current society need to adapt to:
1. vacillated roles for professions.
2. need for quick-responding professionalism.
3. fully interactive working style.
4. closely knitted organization structure.
5. complex societal network.
In response to the nonlinear, fast changing environment, it is natural for a young person without a stable mind to lose his/her direction along the road. The so coined “knowledge economy” has become “profit-churning economy”. As a result, the credo that views college as an environment to foster knowledge has abashed. This urge towards profit – orientation is especially the case for students of design. Though the nature of commercial design is lucrative, it does not characterize its disposition. College education, in addition to equipping the students the ability to participate as a prolific element in the society, should allow them to profoundly find the foundation for their future life planning.
It is to my belief that the “ability to design” is given to us by God, in the form of a mixture of covetousness and spirituality. College education allows students a final opportunity, prior to their starting of their career, to generate and articulate their creativity. Through the process of “designing”, students find a vehicle for introspection. Mr. Morris Chang mentioned his college career as a precious and irreplaceable experience in his autobiography. He used the words of Hemingway to describe the experience as a “memorial feast”. Though I don’t want to boast the education at Shih Chien University as a “feast”, but I sincerely hope that the “hors d’ouver” that the university provides can bring all of our students memorable experience.
葉海煙教授在「人文教育研討會」中提出一項調查，指出現代的社會，人不得不面對而必需適應的五種已然出現的社會境況：
一 · 變動無常的職業與職務
二 · 隨機應變的專業性需求
三 · 交流融匯的工作方式
四 · 交錯浮動的組織結構
五 · 多元繁雜的社會網絡
對應著如此複雜，非線性詭異多端的變化環境，任何一位社會人，若無穩定的心靈思維，隨波逐流，不知何去何從是可想而知的。目前的大環境下，叫嚣的「知識經濟」也變成「轉知識為利潤」的功利導向，影響所及，「知識」與「大學」理想性逐漸下降，尤其就讀設計的學生，總有一股急於與“外界實務”掛勾的衝動，商業性設計本質上偏向物慾的貪念，本是無可厚非的事，但那不足以涵蓋人生的全部，大學的教育除了技能活口的知識養威，更重要的是探尋埋植自己靈魂深處的平靜，是提供人生方向的基石。我認為，“設計者” 是上天賜於凡人的一種恩寵，具備著調和於物質與精神層面之間的天行者，一則能入世的免於不食人間煙火，更擁有著天馬行空的赤子之心，大學四年教育是較能免受世俗干擾、尋求創造、培養思維的最後一塊天地設計其賓也可成為一種自我檢驗、探索思維的密道。張忠謀先生自傳中，提及難忘大學生涯中寶貴而不可磨滅的體驗，有機會浸入世界人文經典的殿堂，他喜借用海明威的名言：「可帶走的盛宴」。很慚愧，實踐設計的大學生涯，並無法提供各位 “山珍海味”，但即使是一、二盤 “清粥小菜”，若能仔細品嘗，亦希望能帶給各位一生的回味。
希臘詩人伊思奇拉斯（Aeschylus）在《阿卡曼儂》希臘戲劇中提醒我們：「學習就是受苦」。（西元前 458 年）