中国近代科学社会史研究的几个问题

Some Issues in the Studies of the Social History of China's Modern Sciences

一、关于科学社会史科学,可以从三个层次上来理解。一是把它作为知识体系,二是把它作为研究活动,三是把它作为社会系统中的一个子系统。与此相应,科学史研究也应该在这三个不同的层次上展开。把科学作为知识体系的历史研究,形成了所谓“内部史”。18世纪诞生的“学科史”和19世纪发展起来的“综合史”,都属于内部史。对综合史作出了宝贵贡献的大家们,如孔德(A.Comte,1798—1857,法)、

The studies on the history of China's modern sciences have so far been quite weak.This situation should be quickly changed.The history of China's modern sciences is not a direct continuation of its traditional sciences,but is a result of the gradual dissemination of Western sciences in China.The introduction of the Western science in the late Ming Dynasty is a revolution of the traditional sciences.This is also the beginning of China's modern sciences.The founding of the Central Academy of Sciences in 1928 marked the establishment of modern sciences in China.In the three hundred-odd years between the aforementioned two events,three major changes occurred:(1) The change from the system of traditional knowledge to the system of modern scientific knowledge,(2) The change from the feudal officials to modern intellectuals (including those scientists with special social positions),(3) The establishment of the system of sciences out of nothing.In order to get a general idea,the author suggests that the social history of China's modern sciences be divided into two major periods and several minor stages.The two majors periods are the period of science dissemination and the period of systematization.Further research into this area would deepen our understanding of the conditions of our country and provide useful experiences for the current reform of the system of science and technology.