A Study Of The History And Reality Of Scientism In Contemporary China

Scientism is a special phenomenon in the development of science.There are many definitions and connotations of scientism,typically blind worship of science and technology,excessive optimism,regard scientific theory as absolute truth,and infinite extrapolation of scientific methods and values.Scientism is not science itself,nor scientific spirit,but an irrational view of science.This study is based on the history and reality of scientism in contemporary China.After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949,great changes have taken place in China's political culture.The mode of scientific development has changed from "European and American mode" to "Soviet Union mode".Scientific development has been influenced by dogmatic Dialectical Materialism and has developed various forms of scientific ideas and practices.In 1978,China's reform and opening up ushered in an era of freedom and openness.With the reflection on the "Cultural Revolution",the negative role of science and technology has become increasingly apparent,and China has set off a wave of reflection on science and scientism.Reflecting on science and discussing scientism is not against science,but for the better development of science.In the current competition of comprehensive national strength with science and technology as the core,developed countries are competing to implement the strategy of promoting economic development with scientific and technological innovation,and China is also implementing the strategy of "rejuvenating the country through science and education".Discussing the issue of scientism is of great significance for us to re-understand,disseminate and absorb science and culture,and to develop China's science and technology in a long-term and healthy way.Through literature analysis,historical analysis and case study,this study has achieved the following innovative results:(1)Documents on previous studies of scientism in China are sorted out and summarized,and the research field is divided into three levels: the translation and introduction of Western Scientism theory by Chinese scholars;the investigation of Chinese scientism by scholars;and the reflection of scientism by scientific cultural scholars.On this basis,this study holds that there are some limitations in examining China's problems in terms of Western discourse.We should restore the expression of scientism to China's specific historical situation,social reality and traditional culture,and make specific historical and realistic analysis.Therefore,this study attempts to examine the special manifestations of scientism in China.(2)After the founding of the People's Republic,China learned from the Soviet Union in an all-round way.In the mode of scientific development,it has changed from "European and American model" to "Soviet model".The historical logic of this transformation is that China and the Soviet Union share the same ideology.The Soviet Union is advanced in science and technology and is willing to help us.Because of the confrontation of ideology and the dogmatic influence of Dialectical Materialism,The Soviet Union and China have developed an ideology-based scientific outlook--"Socialist Science",whose core ideas are: social system determinism of scientific development,class attribute theory of natural science,and materialism of scientific thought.This study examines in detail the historical background,ideas and hazards of the birth of this scientific and cultural concept.(3)The theory of "socialist science" makes the Chinese people hold a negative evaluation of Western science as a whole: the capitalist system is decadent,and the capitalist science is bound to decline.On this basis,China launched a campaign to criticize natural science.The internal and external historical roots of the campaign have been fully investigated by Hu Huakai and other scholars.This study examines the ideological roots of the the theory of relativity,Big Bang cosmology,the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics in China from the perspective of scientism.This research perspective is different from that of the academic circles in studying scientific criticism from the perspective of "anti-science".This study holds that scientific materialism based on dogmatic dialectical materialism and absolute truth view of scientific theory misinterpret the theory of relativity as "relativism" are the two main sources of critical the theory of relativity.By introducing and analyzing Einstein's socialist view,philosophical thought and scientific thought of relativity theory,this study holds that Einstein and relativity are homogeneous and compatible with Dialectical Materialism.(4)Based on 16 literatures in the 1973-1976 Journal of Dialectics of Nature which criticized the Big Bang Cosmology,based on three themes: some cosmological viewpoints in the 20 th century challenged the dialectical materialist view of the universe,a distorted scientism-" The Supreme View of Truth ",and a scientism view of contemporary physics.This study analyzed the relationship this criticism with scientism.(5)By reviewing the changes of our attitudes towards the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics in different periods,this paper examines the relationship between our critical Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics and scientism.This study holds that the success of classical physics has promoted the birth of scientism.The world outlook created by classical physics is the pillar of scientism.Quantum mechanics challenges the world outlook of classical physics and shakes the reductionism,expansionism and idealism of scientism.Through the analysis of the relationship between classical physics and scientism,and the challenge of Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics to both,this paper expounds the internal relationship between our critical Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics and scientism.(6)Since the 1980 s,China's reform and opening up has taken on a new look in both scientific development and academic thinking.In the new era and cultural background,scientism also has different manifestations.Starting from the "Symposium on scientific culture" held by some scholars of scientific culture in Beijing and Shanghai,the topic of scientism has been pushed from the academic ivory tower to the public's perspective,which has aroused widespread concern and controversy.This study combs the contents of the discussion,analyses the process,viewpoints and nature of the debate,and explores the significance of the discussion and the debate.(7)This chapter takes some scientific disputes as examples to examine the performance of scientism in China.Nowadays,scientific disputes are becoming more and more frequent,which provides abundant information for the study of scientism.This study examines the impact and performance of scientism on disputes in this period by taking "the dispute of preservation and abolition of traditional Chinese medicine","the dispute of industrialization of genetically modified staple foods" and "the dispute of global warming".(8)The purpose of investigating the history and reality of scientism in China is to better understand and develop science.Scientism will cause various hazards,and the division of science and humanities is one of the major consequences.This study analyzed the phenomena and harms of the split between science and humanities,and explored ways to gradually realize the integration of science and humanities.It is pointed out that constructive anti-scientism is needed and the dissemination of the history of science should be strengthened.