Review The Dispute Between Science And Metaphysics

The essence of modernization is the transition of social knowledge ,and is the transition from traditional cognitive way to scientific cognitive way. Although the social knowledge of modern(scientific) type inevitably has tense relation to its own traditional type both in Europe and in China, western cognitive way itself since ancient times of "division between nature and man" conforms to the scientific cognitive way in essence. However, there is a radical opposition between the cognitive way of "harmony between nature and man" in Chinese traditional culture and the knowledge principles of modern type. As well known, the conflict of the cognitive way is the most fundamental among all the conflicts between tradition and modernity. Just as this reason, our nation is so hard on the road towards modernization. Just as their awareness of the pierce conflict between the cognitive way of Chinese traditional culture and modernization, the pioneers of the New Culture Movement proposed to invite "Mr. Science". However, to such an ancient civilization with a history of 5000 years, to complete this transition with fundamental significance destines to be not easy and smooth. The dispute between science and metaphysics occurred in Chinese intelligentsia in 1923can be considered as the first focus in Chinese thinking circles on such fundamental conflict. This focus is a historic necessity and its historical mission was to reflect and self-criticize traditional cognitive way as to complete the transition towards scientific cognitive way. However, as both sides of the dispute lacked enough sufficient understanding on traditional culture and modern science, the theme of the dispute of science and metaphysics was often replaced and finally changed to the debatebetween mechanistic science view and irrationalism or between mechanistic scientism and free will. The dispute's topic just proceeded vaguely on the edge under the topic of "outlook of life" and didn't inquire deeply into cognitive way in the face. Therefore, the dispute between science and metaphysics didn't complete its historical mission and was merely a beginning. As long as this transition isn't realized thoroughly, the conflict between these two cognitive way will never end and the dispute between science and metaphysics will must be reviewed once more.