Study On Value Orientations Of Traditional Chinese Science And Technology

Famous science history expert, Joseph Li has highly praised China's science and technology, he said, "Westerners generally think China is an agriculture and art civilization. But the truth is, China has important contribution for the world on science and technology. She is the first who invented a magnetic compass, explosives, paper-making and printing, and vccination technology. She is the foremost country to realize nutrition deficiency, the first inventor of cast-smelting. In their traditional medicine, there are several kinds still have great value and use today. " In affirming ancient China's scientific and technological achievements, he also raised a question:Why did China fall behind in modern history?It is not expected to view science and technology merely from the point of "advanced" and "backward". The Materialism Dialectics points out that old things contain positive factors while new things contain negative factors. If regarding science and technology as human activities of understanding and changing nature, from the angle of value, the purposes can be found different between the east and the west. Different purposes developed different value orientations of science and technology. Value orientations of science and technology promote and constraint the development of science and technology. Therefore, the value orientations of traditional Chinese science and technology, causes and their influence on traditional Chinese science and technology are analyzed and summarized in this paper.First, some concepts about the value orientations of traditional Chinese science and technology are defined, in order to have a better understanding on the contents to be discussed. And the history of the traditional Chinese science and technology is briefly narrated. Then list four parts what the value orientations content, disscuse them from the concepts, contents, related questions and reasons. Finally, the value orientations of traditional Chinese science and technology are evaluated.Through the research, traditional Chinese science and technology has four value orientations. They are practical, power, experience and "Dao" orientations. Traditional Chinese science and technology on the whole is practical, not only from rational thoutht but also from practical purpose of technology; Power has deep influence on traditional Chinese science and technology. It promotes the development of science and technology, while science and technology services for it; For the special environment and economic fundation, the ancient Chinese people tend to rely on experience to understand and remake nature, whick reflects their selection; "Dao" is a feature of Chinese traditional culture. This feature is also reflected in traditional science and technology and influences the development of it.The value orientations of traditional Chinese science and technology have special background. In ancient China, natural conditions are fit for agriculture and fishing; The ties of consanguinity in the social structure and the ethical culture based on Dao are gradually formed. These objective factors cause the value orientations. Environmental and agricultural economy reasons cause practical and experience orientations. Social structure and cultural traditions make the form of power and "Dao" orientations.The value orientations of traditional Chinese science and technology have both positive and negative effects on traditional science and technology. Although practical orientation is not conducive to the development of scientific theory, but the value of which has certain reasonability; Power are capable of promoting complex and large technological activities, but also can make science and technology a tool for needs of governors, and suppress the creative demand; Witchcraft and mysticism of experience orientation make traditional science and technology wander between right and false, but experience still has some virtues;"Dao" orientation constraints and guids the development of science and technology. It promotes the traditional medicine and chemistry, and internalized in technology as a kind of spirit.