关于人文社会科学的学科性与科学性问题

On Disciplinary and Scientific Nature of Humanities and Social Sciences

人文社会科学作为一个大的学科分类,无论在理论上,还是在事实上,都是毋庸置疑的存在。不过,一段时间以来,在某些分支领域中,彰显个性受到了片面追捧,坚守共性遭遇了被割弃的厄运。由此而来的,是学术功底和科学方法的忽视和削弱,学术创新能力受到一定损伤。从本质上说,所有学术研究都是既有个性又有共性,两者是统一的。我们所谓的个性,只不过是本领域内的共性相对其他领域和范围的共性而言具有自己的特点而已,而所有学术研究都有个性这本身就是共性的一种表现。既然有共性,那就一定有共同的规则。这方面需要注意的问题很多,以下三点是本文要讨论的:其一,分化与组合相统一是学科发展的基本规则之一。研究者可据以选定适合发挥才能的领域交叉地带,施展抱负、开拓创新。其二,打破单一学科限制,尽可能学习相关的多领域知识,这有利于以问题为导向,发现多重本质,形成全面认识。其三,科学程序和方法应该得到尊重。搜集材料、编织结构、分析数据,是通向真理的必经通道,循此,才可能把握研究对象的根本特征和发展趋势,作出创造性的贡献。

As one of the large disciplinary categories, the category of humanities and social sciences is no doubt a real existence both in theory and in practice. But for a long time, its uniqueness in subjects and methods has been highly praised, whereas its commonness is ignored, which breeds such a serious result that academic skills and scientific methods are ignored, and the innovational ability is injured and weakened. Philosophically speaking, the rule of the unity of uniqueness and commonness is applicable to all areas of academic research. The reason why the style of the methods and subjects, which is thought of as a common future in an area, can be regarded as unique is that it is different from that in other areas. And it is common that each academic area has its own uniqueness. Now that all research areas have common elements in theory and methods, there must be common rules. In this respect many issues should be considered. The following are discussed in this essay: First, unification of division and combination is one of the rules of disciplinary development. According to this rule, researchers can choose a suitable area of inter-disciplines in order to realize his or her goal. Secondly, breaking out disciplinary limits and then studying as many areas of knowledge as possible so that the question-centered research can be ensured, multi-natures can be found, and sound understanding can be reached. Thirdly, scientific procedure and methods must be respected. The scientific process such as collecting materials, designing structures and analyzing quantitative information is the only way to the truth. Only by relying on these steps can researchers grasp the basic characteristics and developmental tendency, and offer creative renderings.