The Research On The View On Science In Modern China

Modern science has become an important tool of salvation and cultural enlightenment since it was introduced into China in Ming and Qing dynasties, and has increasingly gained the favor of thinkers and intellectuals in modern China with its advancement and practicability. In the whole, the development of science in modem China can be roughly divided into three stages and expressed in four forms according to the specific historical conditions. The three stages includes:first, the initial transmission of science through western missionaries in late Ming and early Qing dynasties; Second, the introduction of the "technology" in Westernization Movement Period; Third, the third transplantation of science in the May 4th Movement. Four developmental patterns are:first, science was viewed as "Technology" by the Using-Statecraft School among the landlord class in early modern times; Second, it was viewed as "Implements" during Westernization Movement period; third, it was viewed as "System" during the Reform Movement of 1895-1898; fourth, it was viewed as "Culture" during the May 4th movement. In overview of the development of modern science in China, its obvious feature is that it was derived from the west and emphasized as the "application", namely, the material effect of national prosperity and military strengthening before the May 4th. In contrast, the scientific spiritual values such as the logos of science and the seeking for the truth were ignored. During the May 4th movement, modern thinkers took "science" and "democracy" as the guidelines, propagated greatly the spirit of science and critiqued feudalism and superstition, thus the rational spirit of science was elucidated further. However, due to the over advocacy of the scientific spirit and the scientific method, they also went into the erroneous zone of scientism to a certain extent. Anyhow, the development of modern science in China has gone through a tough and tortuous process. Meanwhile, Chinese's attitudes towards science in modern times have passed through a course from the elementary to the profound and of continuously deepening.