落日余晖——科玄论战中的康有为

Sunset Glow:Kang Youwei and the Science-Metaphysics Debate

学界一般认为,康有为并未参与一个世纪前那场影响深远的科玄论战。实际上,康有为在1923年北上演讲中谈及相关论题,可以说间接而实质性地参与了那场论战。他通过“显微”思想强调科学之于人生观的意义,借助“电通”思想重诂儒学核心概念,利用现代天文知识发挥出见泰忘忧的“天游”思想。他推崇科学之于个人思想与国家发展的作用,但不承认科学的万能。他认为欧战的肇因不在科学与物质的发展,而在精神文明的缺位。这种不乏辩证思维的整全性立场与科学派和玄学派异中有同、同中有异。他提出保存国粹讲求物质的双重救国方案,体现了中西文明互补的世界主义立场。从今天的视角来看,也可以说康有为发了弥合科学与人文两种文化、调和唯科学与反科学两种主义的先声。

It is generally believed that Kang Youwei(1858-1927),in his later years,did not participate in the influential Science-Metaphysics Debate that took place a century ago.However,in his talks during his 1923 tour to the north,Kang addressed relevant topics,making him indirectly involved in that debate.He emphasized the significance of science to the view of life through his microscopy-inspired thinking,reinterpreted key Confucian concepts with the help of his notion of electrical interconnection,and employed modern astronomical knowledge to promote the concept of carefree celestial peregrination.He praised the impact of science on individual thought and national development,but opposed scientism.He believed that the absence of spiritual civilization,rather than science or material civilization,was the cause of the European war.Kang's holistic stance demonstrated dialectical thinking,showing both similarities and differences with the positions of both sides of the debate.He proposed a dual approach to saving China,emphasizing the preservation of national essence and the pursuit of material progress,which reflects a cosmopolitan stance of complementary interactions between Chinese and Western civilizations.From a hindsight perspective,he can be said to have served as an initial voice for bridging the gap between science and humanities and reconciling scientism and antiscientism.