现代性视域中的“李约瑟问题”与中国

China and the“Needham Question”from the Perspective of Modernity

“李约瑟问题”本身是在跨文化比较的研究思路中提出的,意在考察、分析东西方文化的不同,以便更好地理解中国文明体系的特质。但部分中国学者形成了思维定式,一味分析中国传统制度和文化的缺陷与不足,以此视作中国没有率先产生现代科学的原因,这其实与欧洲中心主义同出一辙。在现代性语境中,“李约瑟问题”是一个隶属于逻格斯中心主义的问题,但这并不意味着“李约瑟问题”是一个假问题,相反,“李约瑟问题”在现代性语境中所彰显出来的特殊性、差异性再次将跨文化比较研究的社会学原则、大历史原则提到了问题的中心。随着海德格尔等对现代科学尤其是技术本质的深入反思,各种异质文明在技术全球化浪潮中的历史意义也再次得到确认,李约瑟问题不是对中国的贬低,而是在现代技术统治全球的危险之下保留了可贵的可能性。

The“Needham question”itself arose from a cross-cultural comparative research approach that investigated and analyzed the cultural differences between East and West so as to better understand the characteristics of Chinese civilization.However,some Chinese scholars with a formulaic mindset confine themselves to analyzing the defects and deficiencies of China’s traditional institutions and culture in the belief that they account for the country’s failure to take the leading role in developing modern science.In fact,this equates to Euro-centrism.In the context of modernity,the Needham question’s particularity and differences foreground the sociological and“great history”principles of cross-cultural comparative research.The in-depth reflection on the nature of modern science,particularly technology,of Heidegger and others reconfirms the historical significance of heterogeneous civilizations in the tide of technological globalization.The Needham question not only fails to denigrate China;rather,it reserves a precious possibility against the danger that modern technology will dominate the world.The Chinese road,with its characteristic interconnection and integration of scientific and humanistic culture,opens up new possibilities for reflecting on and responding to the Needham question.