The rapid production, dissemination and disappearance of information in the age of social network fundamentally changed the life of university students. The fragmentation of knowledge caused by this process poses a new challenge to the traditional teaching model of architectural history. Facing this challenge, this essay argues that it is necessary to strengthen the belief in the constant and deep value of architectural thought, in contrast to the superfi ciality prevalent today. As to the concrete measures, this essay suggests an enhancement of the introduction and utilization of the unit ideas of western thought, a concept proposed by Arthur Lovejoy. These ideas could be incorporated into the analysis of classical works and the theories of crucial architects. This essay uses Sullivan’s famous phrase “form follows function” as an example to show how the unit idea of Aristotelian teleology could help disclose Sullivan’s real intention. And fi nally, it is argued that unit ideas could contribute to the clarifi cation of history, increase the depth of historical teaching and counterbalance the tendency of fragmentation and superfi ciality as a signifi cant instrument.