“科学”正本清源——重读乔治·奥威尔的《一九八四》

Transcendental Meditation on Science:——A Rereading of Gorge Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four

《一九八四》是英国著名小说家乔治·奥威尔的代表作之一。过去研究者们大多从政治蕴含、权力统治和伦理关怀等角度对其进行论述,然而对小说中"科学"这一主题却关注较少。本文从西方文明演变进程特别是启蒙运动以来的科学发展史出发,兼用马克思主义文艺理论,观察奥威尔在《一九八四》中对于科学以及在科学影响之下社会百态的描述,探索奥威尔的科学观及其现实意义。作者以文学的形式介入现实世界,对未来科学将给社会和文明带来的负面效应做出了超前性预测,警惕世人勿让科学的神话变成科学的极权主义。

Nineteen Eighty-Four is one of the representative works written by Gorge Orwell, a well-known English novel- ist. In the past, most of researchers discussed about this novel from such perspectives as politics implication, authority power and ethics, while little attention is paid to its science writing. After reviewing science＇s progress in the develop- ment of western civilization, especially since the Enlightenment, this paper analyzes the description of science as well as social situation under its influence in Nineteen Eighty-Four in order to explore Gorge Orwell＇s ideas of science. It is, in the form of literature, predicts that science would bring about negative impact on society and human civilization, warning people of the danger of science totalitarianism.