公共行政学是一门科学吗?

Is Public Administration A Science?

"公共行政学是不是科学"的诘问隐含着对公共行政学学科定位与研究品质的忧思。对这一问题的回答取决于我们对"科学"一词的理解。科学最初是作为整体性的知识体系出现的,在文艺复兴之后被窄化为自然科学层面的学科体系,继而被神化为一种带有价值判断的意识形态。公共行政学发展百余年来,一直盛行一种科学化的努力,也一直受困于建构一门怎样的行政科学的争论。今天的讨论不是要得出"是"或"不是"的确切答案,而在于如何推进对公共行政学学科定位的深层次理解,提升学科的研究品质。公共行政学人要坚持科学精神,信守科学规范,同时要反对唯科学主义对公共行政学的人文品格所造成的忽视甚至矮化。

The question "Is public administration a science" implies the concern about the orientation of public administration. The answer to this question depends on our understanding of the term "science". Science first appeared as a holistic knowledge system,which was narrowed into a discipline system in the sense of natural science after the Renaissance,and then deified into an ideology. At the beginning of the rise of public administration,a scientific effort was prevalent. Later,it was challenged and criticized by Herbert Simon and Robert Dahl,and was deeply involved in an identity crisis. Our discussion today is not about getting a definitive answer of "yes" or "no",but about how to advance our deep understanding of the orientation of the discipline. We should uphold the spirit of science,adhere to the scientific rules,and oppose the neglect or even downgrade of the humanistic care caused by scientism.