Feng Youlan, Why There is No Science in China.

Feng Youlan

65438+April 0922)

China lags behind because there is no science. China's philosophy was at the same time as or earlier than the peak of Athenian culture. Why didn't science come into being at the beginning of modern Europe or even earlier? There is no science in China, because according to its own values, science is not needed.

In order to study the convenience plan, two terms are introduced to represent the two general trends of China's philosophy: nature and man-made, or more accurately, heaven and man. Heaven refers to natural things, and man refers to man-made things.

According to Hanshu, there were nine schools of thought in the late Zhou Dynasty: Confucianism, Taoism, Mohism, Yin and Yang, Legalism, Famous Scholars, Strategists, Farmers and Miscellaneous Scholars. Confucianism, Taoism and Mohism were the three most influential schools at that time.

Taoist teachings can be summarized in one sentence: "Return to nature". The omnipotent "Tao" endows everything with nature, and everything obtains its own satisfaction in nature. Taoism advocates nature and opposes man-made.

The basic idea of Mohism is utility. The appraisal of morality is not that it is natural, but that it is useful. Mohism doesn't think that people are the happiest in the natural state. It thinks that what people should and need to do is to return to nature, on the contrary, to get rid of it. Mohism advocates man-made and opposes nature.

There are two kinds of Confucianism, Confucius and Mencius are closer to the natural side, and Xunzi is closer to the human side. Traditionally, Confucius and Mencius are the representatives of Confucianism. Confucianism is the middle road between the two extreme views of heaven and man.

Confucianism, Taoism and Mohism struggled for survival, and finally Mohism completely failed and soon disappeared forever.

Xunzi is another philosopher in the history of China who strives to develop the "man-made" line of China Thought. According to Xunzi's ideal, he wants to conquer nature, not return to it. This is similar to bacon's view of manpower. Unfortunately, his later research did not develop his thoughts along this line. After the demise of the Qin Dynasty, Xunzi's theory died out quickly and forever.

After the Qin Dynasty, the "artificial" line of China Thought almost never appeared again. Buddhism soon appeared, which is an extremely "natural" philosophy. For a long time, China people's hearts wandered between Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. Until the 10 century, a group of new geniuses integrated Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism one after another and became a new theory, which was imported into the hearts of the Chinese nation.

Because this new theory began in the Song Dynasty, it is called "Song Studies". These philosophers themselves claim that their teachings are true Confucianism. If we must say Confucianism, we can only say neo-Confucianism. As far as ideals or purposes are concerned, all types of neo-Confucianism are the same, and their ideals are to eliminate human desires and preserve justice.

In human history, medieval Europe tried to find kindness and happiness in the paradise under Christian rule, while Greece tried to find it in modern Europe. China, however, has devoted all his spiritual strength to another route since the "man-made" route in his national thought died out, that is, to seek goodness and happiness directly in people's hearts. In other words, Christian Europe in the Middle Ages tried to know God and pray for his help, while Greece in modern Europe tried to know, conquer and control nature. But China tried to understand what was in our hearts and seek permanent peace in our hearts.

What's the use of science? Two fathers of philosophy in modern Europe put forward two answers. Descartes said certainty, Bacon said strength.

If you are dealing with your heart, you don't need to be sure first. China didn't find the scientific method, because China's thought started from the heart and everyone's own heart. For example, if I am hungry, is it necessary for me to prove to myself that I want to eat in a roundabout and abstract scientific way? In addition, China philosophers love the certainty of perception, not the certainty of concept, so they don't want to or won't turn their specific views into scientific forms. In a word, there is no science in China, because of all the philosophies, China's philosophy is the most popular. Bergson said in Heart Force that the scientific method was discovered in Europe, because modern European science started with things. It is from the science of things that Europe has developed the habit of being precise, rigorous and difficult to prove, distinguishing what is possible and what is real.

China philosophers don't need scientific certainty, because all they want to know is themselves. Similarly, they don't need the power of science, because they just want to conquer themselves. In their view, the content of wisdom is not rational knowledge, and its function is not to increase material wealth. In Taoist view, material wealth can only bring chaos to people's hearts. In Confucianism's view, although it is not as bad as Taoism says, it is by no means the most essential thing in human happiness. So, what's the use of science?

If China people had followed Mozi's thought of "being good and useful" or Xunzi's thought of "controlling the sky but not promoting it", science would probably have come into being long ago. Of course, this is just a guess. However, this speculation is supported by facts. We did see the seeds of science in Mozi and Xunzi. This "artificial" line in China's thought was defeated by his opponent, which may be a blessing. What's the use of science if the concept of goodness does not include the certainty of reason and the power to conquer the outside world?

Whether Europeans seek goodness and happiness from heaven or from the earth, all their philosophies belong to the "man-made" route. Christianity teaches people to serve external gods. People are no longer self-sufficient beings, but sinners. Modern Europe inherited this spirit of knowing and confirming the outside world, but turned God into "nature". So they are destined to have science, both certainty and strength. But the "natural" route? If all the beautiful things are ready for me at any time, why should I seek happiness from the outside world? Isn't that what Buddhists call a golden rice bowl begging? What's the use of scientific certainty and scientific power?

note:

1. From the American Journal of International Ethics, Volume 32, No.3 (April 1922), why is there no science in China? It is now in Feng Youlan's A Brief History of Chinese Philosophy (P8 1- 106).

2. Feng Youlan (1895— 1990), a native of Tanghe, Henan. China is a famous philosopher and historian of philosophy in modern times. 19 18 graduated from the philosophy department of Peking University. 1924 received a doctorate in philosophy from Columbia University. He has been engaged in philosophy research and teaching all his life, and has established his own system in the study of philosophy thought and the study of China's philosophy history. His main works are: History of China's Philosophy, New Edition of China's Philosophy, A Brief History of Chinese Philosophy (in English), Six Books of Zhenyuan, etc. This paper was compiled as Complete Works of Sansongtang.

The word "science" refers to the systematic knowledge about natural phenomena and their relationships, so it is the abbreviation of "natural science".