在本文中，作者溯源逐流，以美国著名传播学者约翰·杜翰姆·彼得斯（John Durham Peters）的传播思想史名著Speaking Into the Air（《对空言说——传播的观念史》）为中心介绍了彼得斯的学术思想渊源，以及他对传播学学科建设的反思和传播观念史/传播哲学研究的重要贡献。文中还引述该书2003年出版以来国际学界对该书的评价。最后，作者分析了学术书之“难读”与其价值之间的辩证关系，建议读者读书要迎难而上

The author is the simplified Chinese version translator of communication philosopher J. D. Peters’ Speaking into the Air. This article traces the life experience, intellectual origins of Peter’s communication ideas, his critical re?ections of the bases on which the discipline of communication studies was founded mostly by Wilbur Schramm in 1950s, and his motivation behind and contribution to the coming into being of communication philosophy. The article also summarizes the academic reviews and commentaries on the book and encourages readers to crack “erudite” academic books.