论近代科学革命的社会经济起源

On the Social and Economic Origin of the Modern Science Revolution

文化起源论将西方近代科学革命的起源狭窄化了。科学革命的发生主要是近代以来西方社会经济领域制度变迁的产物:扩张性的资本主义经济关系为科学革命的发生提供了初始动力和继动力;绝对主义的政权为科学革命提供了有利的创新环境和制度保障;社会结构的变化为科学革命提供了创新的主体,也使实验与科学的结合成为可能。曾经在自然科学领域中取得过杰出成就的东方民族,并非由于其文化传统上的先天不足而成为科学革命道路上的落伍者,而是由于缺乏激发、保护、诱导创新意识、科学精神的有利的社会经济制度环境。因此,只有从改造政治、经济的制度体系和社会结构入手、创造有利于科技发展的制度环境和创新主体,才能够推动科技发展和整体现代化进程。

Culture Genesis Theory has narrowed the origin of the western modern science revolution. Science revolution is mainly the production of the evolution of the western social economy system; the expanding capitalist economic relation provided the motivity for the occur of the science revolution; the absolute government provides innovative environment and system guarantee for science revolution ; the change of social structure offers innovative subject for the science revolution and made the combination of experiment and science possible. The backward of the eastern nationalities who had outstanding achievement in the field of natural science is not due to the backward of the traditional cultural tradition but due to lack of the advantageous social economic system which stimulate, protect and abduct the innovative sense and science spirit. Therefore, only the reforming of the political and economic system and social structure and creating of the advantageous system environment and innovative subject can promote the process of the scientific development and modernization.