盛宴已经结束--杨振宁对高能物理的独特观点及其在中国的影响

The Party is Over Chen-Ning Yang’s unique insight on high energy physics and its influences in China

杨振宁对高能物理有其独特的观点。他认为,高能物理是物理学的尖端,其发展就像在沙堆顶上撒沙子,从基底到顶端都有所提高,对整个物理学的发展有巨大推动作用。他同时对高能物理的未来发展持悲观态度,认为高能物理蓬勃发展的“盛宴”已经结束,他反对建造巨型高能加速器。究其原因,杨振宁认为,高能物理进一步发展需要的是物理思想、物理观念的革命性突破,而不是寄希望于无法继续下去的能量越来越高的巨型加速器。还原论理念遭遇严重挑战与质疑也是重要的时代背景之一。杨振宁对高能物理的独特观点在中国广泛传播并对中国科技发展有着深远的影响。

Chen-Ning Yang has unique insight on high energy physics.In his opinion,high energy physics is in the tip of physics,and its development resembles sprinkling sand on top of a sand pile which brings progress from the base to the top,giving a huge boost to the development of physics as a whole.However,he is pessimistic about the future development of high energy physics.He claims that the“feast”of the development of high energy physics is over and opposes the construction of giant high energy accelerators.This claim is based on the thought that the further development of high energy physics requires revolutionary breakthrough in physical thoughts and ideas,rather than giant accelerator with increasing power which cannot keep on developing.Besides,one of the significant historical backgrounds is that the reductionism is being seriously challenged and questioned.Chen-Ning Yang’s unique views on high energy physics are widely disseminated in China and have a profound impact on the development of Chinese science and technology.