“百川归海”与“河岸风光”——对当代中国科学史学的方法论反思

“River - Sea”and“River Scenery”——Reflection on the Contemporary Methodology of the History of Chinese Science

李约瑟式"百川归海"的科学史观反映出实证论的"理性重建",席文的"文化整体"的基本取向是社会建构论的"社会重构"。这是两种对立的极端立场,都是基于自然与社会的严格二分,无法真正把握中国科学史发展的脉络。依据当代科学哲学的"实践"或"语境"转向,我们可用一种历史的内在生成与演化的编史学去思考中国科学技术史。这样,中国科学技术史就不会被写成探索文明之兴起与衰亡的自然或社会的宏大叙事,而是致力于去理解真实历史发生的事件和动态过程,在其中,自然与社会、非人类与人类,作为历史的参与者,在人类文明史中相互共舞与交融,编织出中国科学史的长篇画卷。

The history of science of Needhamian ＂River - Sea＂ results from the ＂rational reconstruction＂. The basic orientation of Sivin＇ s ＂cultural manifold ＂ is ＂social reconstruction＂. They are two opposed poles, but both adhered to the same strict dichotomy of nature and society, therefore neither of them can really trace the history of Chinese science and technolgy. In terms of ＂practice＂ or ＂context＂ turn,we could study the history of Chinese science and technology from a historiography of internal becoming and evolution, in which, nature and society, human and non - human mingle to craft the history of Chinese science and technology.