中国传统技术的认知特征及其当代价值

China's Traditional Technical Cognition: Its Features and Today's Values

传统技术以自然认知为基础。在中国传统的技术活动中,认知与价值评价相融合,具身认知和默会知识得到强化。这些认知特征,加之中国传统社会的特殊形态,一方面促成了与民生直接相关的实用技术的发达,另一方面则造成对看似无用的"奇技淫巧"的排斥或轻视,并在一定程度上抑制了理论理性传统的形成和发展。不过,在当下技术革命的新背景下,传统技术的这些认知特征以及相应的观念值得再次重视。

China's traditional techniques are based on natural cognition. In the technical activities in ancient China,valuating and cognizing are interlocked,and embodied knowing and tacit knowledge are developed. These features of cognition,together with specific forms of China's traditional society,bring about the prosperity of practical techniques which are closely related to people's livelihood on the one hand,and cause the contempt for or rejection of seemingly useless'bizarre techniques and skills'and inhibit the development of a theoretical tradition on the other. Nevertheless,under the current situation of technological revolution, the cognitive features of China's traditional techniques and their related concepts are worth reconsidering.