《六合丛谈》与其数理化传播

Shanghai Serial and its transmission of mathematics,physics and chemistry

目的对《六合丛谈》中牛顿(Isaac Newton,1643-1727)经典力学和化学传播的来源与内容作分析讨论,为研究19世纪中期中国科学传播史提供文献支持。方法原始期刊文献考证与分析。结果最早传入巴贝奇(Charles Babbage,1792-1871)和许茨(George Scheutz,1785-1873)计算技术等数学知识;传入的物理学内容主要涉及杠杆、轮轴、滑车、劈、斜面、螺旋、万有引力等;传入的化学涉及化学定义、物理变化与化学变化的区别、贵金属提取、化学元素、化合、化学热、化学力等。结论《六合丛谈》传入的力学知识不同于明天启六年(1626)王征(1571-1644)传入的伽利略(Galileo Galilei,1564-1642)时代的机械力学,而是牛顿之后的经典力学。化学传播则首次为中文"化学"一词准确定义,并归入自然科学序列,比之前王韬(1828-1897)仅在日记(1855)中提及"化学"一词和之前合信(Benjamin Hobson,1816-1873)的《博物新编》(1855)仅提及相关知识是一大进步,从而一扫"炼学"、"质学"、"舍密学"等含混命名,在汉字文化圈发生深远影响,并使传入的自然科学知识体系更具科学性和系统性。

Aim Through analyzing and discussing the sources and contents of both Isaac Newton＇s classical mechanics and chemistry transmitted by Shanghai Serial,this research aims to provide literature support for China＇s history of science communication in the middle term of the 19th century. Methods Textual research and analysis on original journals and literatures. Results Contents transmitted in regard of physics mainly involve lever,axle,pulley,wedge,inclined plane,spiral and universal gravitation,etc; and contends transmitted concerning chemistry include the definition of chemistry,the difference between physical change and chemical change,extraction of rare metal,chemical elements,chemical combination chemico-thermal and chemical force,etc. Conclusion The mechanical knowledge introduced by Shanghai Serial,as classical mechanics after Newton,is different from machinery mechanics of Galileo Galilei＇s time introduced by Wang Zheng in 1626. On the other hand,this journal initially defines ＂chemistry＂ in Chinese and classifies it within the category of science,though previously Wang Tao once mentioned this word in his dairy and relevant knowledge was referred to by Benjamin Hobson in Bo Wu Xin Bian. Therefore such ambiguous names for this term as ＂ chemistry＂ ,＂quality science＂ and ＂ chemie＂ are substituted,which exerts great influence in the cultural area of Chinese character. The journal makes China＇s knowledge science more scientific and systematic.