On Marx's View Of Science

Marx's view of science has played an important role in his thought as well as in Marxist as a whole. Its formation also has deep historical and ideological origins. Modern natural sciences, industrial revolution, western philosophy from ancient Greece to Feuerbach and Hegel have had a profound influence on it. Its formation has also gone through three periods—from "doctoral thesis" to the creation of historical materialism, and then to the political economy.Marx's view of science contains a wealth of contents. On the origin of science, Marx distinguishes three kinds of meanings of 'origin' between time, condition, and genesis, and emphases on the third one. Through the analysis on the view of science of modern empiricism, rationalism, and especially German classical philosophy, Marx found the true origin of science that is the perceptual practice of realistic humans.Marx focused on the micro and macro structures of science. The micro-structure of science is the elements which make a science be a science, including the scope and structure. The macro-structure of science is the overall knowledge of humans, including natural sciences and Humanities and Social Sciences.Marx made an in-depth discussion on the problem of the neutrality of science, namely the relationship between science and value. In his view, science does have a certain degree of neutrality, but this neutrality is relative rather than absolute. Basically, science originates in the perceptual practice of realistic humans, and can not be separated from humans or the subjects. Therefore, it can not can not be completely gotten rid of the property of value.Marx also distinguishes the positive role of science and the negative role. In his view, science can promote human's understanding of the world, and the development of productive forces and social change, which are its positive roles. On the other hand, science may also lead to the over-exploitation of nature and thus cause the natural "retaliation", resulting in the alienation of living labor and human themselves, which are its negative roles.Marx's view of science is extremely rich and profound. In the West, it met both such a sharp criticism of Karl Popper and a successor of Western Marxism which is represented by the Frankfurt School. In China, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory and Scientific Concept of Development have also made a succession of Marx's view of science.Nowadays, when science increasingly shows its "double-edged sword" effect, Marx's view of science has showed its profound insight and enlightenment. We should see the positive role of science in promoting social changes and therefore promote the scientific research in China. At the same time it should be noted that science may result in extreme deterioration of the ecological environment and human alienation. Therefore, we should take positive actions to avoid and overcome its negative effects.