被误解的李约瑟难题

The Misunderstood Needham Puzzle

首先提出将李约瑟难题等同于中国近代科学落后的问题是一种误解 ,然后简要分析了两者的差异 ,并追述了误解产生的根源所在 ,最后通过解读李约瑟早期的作品 ,指出李约瑟难题的核心应该是“近代科学为什么只在西方兴起 ?”

This article first argues that the Needham Puzzle is commonly misunderstood as the question why the science in china had lagged behind in modern times, then analyses the difference between these two questions and the root of the misunderstanding. Finally, by clarifying the early works of Joseph Needham the paper points out that the key problem to the Needham Puzzle should be why did modern science take rise only in the West.