法蘭西斯．培根《新大西島》譯注

Abstract

法蘭西斯．培根（Francis Bacon, 1561-1626）所寫的《新大西島》（The New Atlantis）於1627年問世，是一部未完成的烏托邦文學作品，描繪了培根對於科學社會的想像，其中讓科技為人所用、滿足人類物質需求的想法，對於當時較為封閉的社會而言，可謂一大震撼。儘管此書內容在當時社會下看似格格不入，其善用科學、重視物質生活品質的思維卻在數世紀後的現代印證，足見此作品特別之處。相當相較於各時期的烏托邦作品，《新大西島》介於不同時代烏托邦思想的交界處，其成書之題材和目的與過往其他作品有別，且故事後半對政治體制的描述留白，提供學界很大的詮釋空間，是一部意涵豐富、值得探討的作品。然而，培根的思想在華語世界討論度較低，《新大西島》現存的中文譯本亦相當稀少，其詮釋尚有深入論述的空間，因此本研究將以《新大西島》為題進行中譯譯註，旨在重新梳理培根的寫作脈絡，並納入學界對於附文本的探討，以幫助華語界的讀者一窺培根的思想世界，激發大眾對此作的興趣。Sir Francis Bacon's New Atlantis, published posthumously in 1627, is an unfinished utopian fable that presents Bacon's vision of a society where science and technology are harnessed to improve human welfare and satisfy material needs. This idea was groundbreaking in Bacon's time, as society was relatively closed off to such forward-thinking concepts. Although the content might have seemed out of place then, Bacon’s project has become a matter of generations and extended far beyond his original influence. Compared to other utopian works across different periods, New Atlantis occupies a distinctive position, bridging various eras of utopian thought. The subject matter and purpose of Bacon's writing are unique, and the apparent fragmentariness of the story allows for extensive interpretation and scholarly exploration. This ambiguity makes it a compelling work for in-depth study. However, Bacon's ideas are relatively underemphasized in the Mandarin speaking world, and existing Chinese translations of this classic work are scarce, leaving significant room for further interpretation and analysis. This study aims to translate and annotate New Atlantis into Chinese, meticulously tracing Bacon's writing context and incorporating the scholarly discussions of paratexts. The purpose of this paper is to allow Chinese-speaking readers to have a glimpse at Bacon's thoughts and the relevance of his utopian vision, fostering a deeper appreciation of New Atlantis in the Mandarin academic and general reading community.