Research On The Compilation Strategy And Communication Mechanism Of Science And Civilisation In China:Joseph Needham's Research From The Perspective Of Book Concept History

Joseph Needham spent his whole life to excavate and collate the great achievements of Chinese science and technology from Chinese ancient books,breaking the Eurocentrism,helping Chinese people regain their cultural confidence,and providing a solid foundation for the study of the history of Chinese science and technology.The research on Needham is a hot and old topic.The published works include Needham's biography and anthology.The papers include the investigation of Needham's life and contribution,scientific thought and research methods,“Needham's Grand Question”,Needham's aid to China during World War II,and the value of commenting on Science and Civilisation in China(e.g.SCC).However,after revealing Needham's integration of religious belief and Marxist thought,the motivation of turning to the study of the history of science and technology in China is still on the surface,without exploring how Needham gradually transformed his religious and political activities into the activities of the history of science and technology.If we want to understand the changing track of Needham's thought,we need to look back at Needham's text,with the help of the research perspective of History of the Book,connect his text with the background of his time and the political movement he participated in,and understand the change of Needham's ideology,so as to understand Needham's role in the cold war,From the political stage to the study of the history of Chinese science and technology is the expression of its political metaphor.History of the Book,is a new field of academic research initiated by the Annales School in the 1960 s.The history of books has experienced the improvement in methodology by scholars such as feifher,Mc Kinsey and Darnton.From the perspective of epistemology,this paper studies how Needham shaped the text and guided its dissemination from the perspective of epistemology.This paper analyzes why Needham entered the field of history of science;Why pay attention to the history of science and technology in China;How did he form the Marxist view of scientific history;The research dilemma and cooperation problem brought by the compilation method of SCC;Based on the five questions of the communication influence of SCC and why it has been criticized by western scholars,this paper observes the closed loop of SCC from Needham's creation to readers' feedback,and understands the influence of Needham's hidden political position and religious belief on his academic pursuit,This paper analyzes the argument that western scholars severely criticize its inference for lack of rigor,and the progress of western scholars' research methods on the history of Chinese science.Text is the first evidence to understand the author's words and deeds,and the objective basis to reveal his subjective motivation.As a new methodology tool,book epistemology can go deep into the epistemological level,and insight into the causes and complexity of Needham's involvement in the study of Chinese history of science and technology.This paper,based on a cross-examination of Needham's materials related to the subject of history of science at home and abroad,holds that the complex relationship between science and politics in the 1930 s and 1940 s prompted Needham to study the history of science and technology in China.SCC is not only the product of Needham's political responsibility and academic concern,but also represents Needham's view of history of science and historiography methods.However,in the view of the collaborators and readers,SCC is the product of Political Science in the 1930s;Needham's view of "universality of science" has also been criticized by modern historians of science.They believe that the study of history of science should present the complexity and integrity of the formation process of scientific knowledge,rather than universality;The reading circle composed of critics has promoted the compilation method of East Asian history of science and brought rich research results.The process of compilation strategy,international cooperation,criticism and debate of SCC reveals that SCC is not only a frame of reference for the study of the history of science and technology in China,but also a stumbling block on this road.We need to build the research of the history of science and technology with Chinese characteristics by using multiple theoretical analysis,so as to promote the cause of the history of science and technology in China to move forward to the era of globalization.Although the research methods of the history of science have changed,Needham's humanism,anti parochialism,the establishment of cross-cultural bridge and the continuous criticism of Eurocentrism are still of great significance.In the era of globalization,the ultimate goal of building an international academic community is to understand different civilizations.By examining the creation,cooperation and reading of SCC,this paper proves that the history of science has become a powerful weapon in the international political arena and an important frame of reference for a country to formulate its cultural strategy.