宗教对科学思想的促动——关于徐光启倡议演绎推理的分析

How Did Catholic Theology Motivate Science in Late Ming China:A Case Study on Xuguangqi's Avocation of Deduction

明末中西会通,由神学而至科学,演绎推理的引入发挥了至关重要的作用。其功归于徐光启。深入历史的研究发现,徐光启先为神学中清晰切实的层层阐述所震动,了解了演绎推理的认识作用,而后则钻研西学,翻译《几何原本》,确定演绎推理中文名词与规则,明确演绎推理方法,并以之研究科学、论述“以耶补儒”的积极作用。在特定的社会历史条件下,天主教神学的传播促动了徐光启的科学研究,从而将一种重要的认识方法传入中国,为当时及后来的学者所广泛学习,并用以发展知识,推动了中国科学的历史发展。

Deduction played particular role in the academic interaction between China and the West in late Ming,which started at Catholic theology and achieved in science.Xuguangqi is the key person who advocated and translated deduction.By the study of the history,it is found that moved by the deducted explanation in the Catholic theology,Xuguangqi began to study western learning.He translated The Elements(Jiheyuanben),made the Chinese terms and rules of deduction,studied science,and demonstrated the positive effect of Catholic theology to Confucianism by deduction.It can be concluded,in the certain social-history condition,Catholic theology motivated Xuguangqi to introduce deduction into China for his contemporaries to study further in science and academy.