从130和50年前的两场争论说到数学文化

From Two Debates of 130 and 50 Years Ago to the Mathematics Culture

讨论科学与人文之间的关系,以及"数学文化"课程在文化素质教育的科学与人文融合中的作用.从介绍130与50年前的两场争论开始,这就是1880年左右在托·亨·赫胥黎与马·阿诺德之间关于大学教育中人文课程的地位,和1960年前后查·珀·斯诺与弗·雷·利维斯之间的关于"两种文化"的争论.说明科学与人文同是"文化"的不可分割、互相渗透的两个组成部分.数学文化本身就是这样一种融合的榜样.作为学科文化的数学文化课程既能使学生了解数学的知识、规则、应用和美,领会数学的思维、方法和精神,从而激发学生学习数学的兴趣和动机,而作为"大文化"的一部分,它还能使学生感悟人生的意义和价值,学会如何做人.所以数学文化在文化素质教育中具有双重作用.

This paper deals with the relation between the sciences and humanities and the roles of the course of the mathematics culture for the blending of the sciences and humanities in the cultural quality education.The paper started with an introduction of two debates around 130 and 50 years ago:the first one was between Thomas Henry Huxley and Mathew Arnold in regard to the position of sciences and humanities in University education about 1980,and the second was on the "two cultures" between C.P.Snow and F.R.Leavis about 1960.The paper clarified that in fact both science and humanity are the inseparable,containable with each other parts in respect to "global culture".The culture of mathematics is a good example of the blending of the sciences and humanities.As a subculture and a culture of discipline,the course of mathematics culture helps students in understanding of the knowledge,rules,applications and the beauty of the mathematics,and also the comprehension of the thinking,methods and spirit of the mathematics,and thus stimulates their interest and motivation to study mathematics.As a part of "global culture",it will also promote students to understand the meaning and value of human life,and to learn how to be.Therefore,the course of mathematics culture plays two roles in general education.