希腊化科学衰落探源:以明清之交西学为参照

On the Cause of the Decline of Hellenistic Sciences : Compared with West learning in China between Ming and Qing Dynasties

本文对比、分析了明清之交西学与希腊化晚期至元首制帝国初期希腊化科学的境遇,并通过阿拉伯科学的旁证表明,古代科学的昌盛需苛刻条件的汇集,衰落却只是区域政治演变的自然结果;由于这种演变在工业革命前的各文明区总是周期性地发生,因而,除非有特殊机缘,科学在某地区持续发展殊不可能。希腊化科学的衰落正是文明区政权更迭过程的正常反应。

After comparing and analyzing the circumstances Hellenistic sciences from late Hellenization to early Principate concluded that for ancient sciences to prosper there must have West were been Learning in China between Ming and Qing dynasties and in, with circumstantial evidence from Arabic sciences, it＇s many conditions to be met, while their decline was natural consequence of regional political change. Since such changes happened periodically in pre-industrial civilizations, sciences were unlikely to develop continuously in any certain region, unless given special luck. And the decline of Hellenistic sciences was such a natural result of regime change for that civilized region.