台灣社會在近十年來已漸漸體認到休閒的重要性，但是對休閒這個主題有充分認識的人並不多。近三、五年來，國內專科以上之相關科、系、所宛若雨後春筍般相繼設立，從事與休閒相關的研究者一直持續地增加，所生產之與休閒相關的研究與論文，雖然已有一些數量，但檢視歷來相關的研究與論文，我們發現，在引介探討到休閒的觀念或定義時，往往都忽略了這個領域真正關鍵性的人物、專家、或是「經典作品」，對於休閒觀念較深入的探討相當欠缺。顯然，國內對於休閒相關領域之文獻的掌握上，以及基礎知識建構上，還有一段路要走。有鑑於此，本研究的主旨便是希望能夠爲此略盡心力、嘗試著引介與探討西方之休閒領域的源頭思想，並將重點放在Josef Pieper的休閒觀之剖析。

Although the significance of leisure has been gradually recognized in Taiwan over the past decade, not many thoroughly understand this subject. They have been quite a few studies examining the subject of leisure in recent years. However, most of these studies have rarely examined the critical figures, experts, or the "Classics" of the field. Obviously, in order to become an academic discipline, the field of leisure studies in Taiwan still has a long way to go, especially, in regard to the establishment of a body of knowledge of the field. This study attempts to facilitate such effort-trying to introduce and elaborate the concepts of leisure of the West, particularly Josef Pieper's ideas of leisure.