科玄论战与中国科学哲学的兴起

Chinese Debate over Science and Metaphysics--The Rise of the Philosophy of Sciencein China

1923年发生的科玄论战,凸显了中国科学哲学的兴起。西方分析的科学哲学的基本问题,如科学与哲学的关系、科学与非科学的区分、科学知识的本质、科学方法的要素、科学与其他文化活动的关系等,在这一争论的前后都得了系统的回答。中国科学哲学的兴起既与当代西方分析的科学哲学同步,又具有显著的中国特色。新式学堂和近代工业的发展成为科学的哲学反思的肥沃土壤,中国科学哲学反对纯思辨的玄学但并不笼统地反对哲学,提倡用科学方法来说明科学,在反对思辨玄学等方面科学派与马克思主义和实用主义等哲学结成了统一战线。

The outbreak of the Science-Metaphysics Debate in 1923 is a hallmark of the rise of philosophy of science in China.The basic questions in analytical philosophy of science,such as the demarcation of science,the relationship between science and philosophy,the nature of scientific knowledge,the elements of scientific method,the logic of confirmation and explanation,the relations of science to intellectual activities at large and so on,have been systematically answered by Chinese philosophers over the span of the debate.The philosophy of science arose in China contemporarily with Europe but colored with Chinese characteristics.The development of newly structured colleges and industries was the fertile ground on which Chinese philosophy of science was planted;Chinese philosophers of science rejected speculative metaphysics but not metaphysics in general and they explained science in terms of scientific method;scientific methodologists,Marxists and pragmatists became allies in the fighting against speculative metaphysics.