挑战权威:用模拟实验检验古代科技成就——从有关秋石方的学术之争谈起

Challenging the Authority:Examining Ancient Achievements in Science and Technology Using Simulated Tests——Comments on the Academic Dispute over the Autumn Mineral

本文讨论了关于秋石方问题的诸多争论,探讨了各方的说法依据以及秋石方问题的实质。在这场论争中,争论双方的力量严重失衡,以李约瑟为代表的一方占据了绝对的上风。本文分析了这种现象的原因,认为国人对权威的盲目迷信以及“中国领先”的情结是导致这场争论失衡的主要原因。最后对用模拟实验来检验古代科技成就这一方法进行了讨论和评价,认为这一方法不一定能最终解决这一问题,但对于科学史研究来说,这一方法意义重大。

The article discusses the arguments about the problem of autumn mineral,analyzes the cau ses of these arguments and the crux of lhe problem. The attthor believes that having blind faith in authority and the ＂China First＂ thought were the causes of the arguments. Moreover,the article appraises the method of examining ancient achievements in science and technology with simulated tests, and believes that this method can not solve the problem of the autumn mineral,but in the history of science research,it has great significance.