科学与文明（英文）

Science and Civilization

自从19世纪初以来,在西方对科学的理解中,科学与文明形成了紧密的关联,从而取代了先前科学与基督教的关联。对文明的理解由于其与科学的关联而有所变化,其结果是对科学的期待有所变化,而这反映了有关文明是什么以及文明应当追求什么的理念的变化。这是一个复杂的发展过程,偶尔伴随着人们将不现实的与错误构想的期待强加于科学与文明之上。通过探索形成这个关联的历史因素的偶然性,我们就能够探索当下存在的先验性与依赖性,并且将处于一个更好的位置来领会重新思考这些关联的可能方式。

Since the beginning of the nineteenth century, a close association has developed, in Western understandings of science, between science and civilization, replacing an earlier association between science and Christianity. The understanding of civilization has been transformed through its association with science, with the result that changes in what has been expected from science have been reflected in changes in ideas of what civilization is and what it should aspire to. This has been a complex development, with unrealistic and misconceived expectations occasionally being imposed on both science and civilization. By exploring the sheer contingency of the historical factors that shaped the association, we can explore the priorities and dependencies that presently exist, and we will be in a better position to understand how these might be re-thought.