Ren Hongjun Scientific Thinking On

Ren Hongjun was a propagator of western modern science and a founder of Chinesemodern science in the first part of 20th century. This article describes the development of hisscientific thoughts and contents of his modern science knowledge and reveals the necessityof his accepting modern science and the main sources of his scientific thoughts. Then fromthe angles of science and the relationship between science and society, it studies hisunderstanding on modern science, on which a fair evaluation on his scientific thoughts willbe made.With much knowledge of scientific thought and the experience of studying aboard, helearnt natural science and some human science. He viewed human science as a componentpart of modern science, which embodies the tendency to study mankind with science. Thesources of his scientific thought, especially his understanding of scientific methods andspirit were mainly affected by Critical Schools, which had frontier importance in Chinesehistory of scientific thought.Ren Hongjun's scientific thoughts covered two fields, science in itself and science andsociety. He explained in detail the definition, nature, property, source, object of science aswell as scientific methods, scientific spirits, invention and study, the function of science;what's more, he also discussed the influence of the international and national conditionsupon the relationship between science and society, including the relationship betweenscience and industry or national defense. Through his explanations ran his feelings of savingour nation with science. To be objective, Ren Hongjun' thoughts had some scientifictendency, which unconsciously leaded to his alienation from our Chinese traditional science.Accordingly he drew the conclusion that there was no science in ancient China. But hismodern scientific thought linked with the reality was practical and dialectical.In Chinese modern scientific history, from the viewpoint of propagation, Ren Hongjun'scontribution to spreading modern science is of unique historical importance. He made aboundary mark, which marked the ending of missionary era of science propagation and thebeginning of localization of science propagation and the completetion of elevation fromskills to its sermon in science propagation in China. That means Chinese as a whole beganaccepting it.From the angle of scientific methodolody, Ren Hongjun inquired into modern scientificmethodology. He attached great importance to experimental methods which he consideredthe foundation of science. In addition, he systematically discussed such methods asdeduction, classification, observation, analysis ect, as well as their applications in practice.It was a great scientific conclusion of modern scientific methodology, which was unique inthe trends of scientific thoughts at that time. From the process of systematization of modernscience in China, the Chinese Scientific Society established by Ren Hongjun is the type ofscience being nongovernmental. And it is the real scientific community.In all, based on modern science, Ren Hongjun's scientific thoughts, covering scienceand science and society have rich and deep content, with the patriotism of saving our nationwith science running through it. In spite of some limits caused by the conditions of thetimes and definite personal knowledge, he made a new era of propagating science. And hereached the new level of modern scientific thought by probing into scientific methods anddeveloped a new phase of development of science. So his scientific thoughts are theprecious legacy in the treasure-house of scientific thoughts in modern China.