Professor of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ministry of science and technology: Yin is not a pseudoscience! -Yin, science-IT information

In recent days, issued by the Ministry of science and technology, the Central propaganda Department of the Chinese citizen's scientific quality benchmarks (hereinafter referred to as the base) caused a great deal of attention. Especially the "yin and Yang five elements, heaven, Scientia" into the baseline triggered criticism, being described as propaganda even superstition and pseudo-science. But I believe that the ancient Chinese tradition of scientific concepts, theories and methods of these several important statements into the benchmarks is not only appropriate, but reflects a deeper understanding of science, is worth encouraging progress on the scientific ideas and methods.

Refer to "yin", often described as superstition or witchcraft, is a traditional Chinese culture of bad parking. In fact, it was the lack of understanding of these concepts and ideas in Chinese traditional culture, or are biased. Yin, Yang is an important concept in ancient China inventions and theories, is the awareness of nature and society in ancient China theory and method on the epoch-making progress, with the same time in ancient Greece philosophy comparable . These theories proposed that people's understanding of nature to a certain extent the past theology and witchcraft, but with the "naturalist" to understand the concept of the natural world .

"Heaven" is another important idea in ancient China, which is the harmony between man and the universe is. It makes people believe that the universe is people can perceive, this should be regarded as scientific "first principles": how is superstitious ? Even the most famous contemporary scientists, such as Weinberg and hawking, also believes that the harmony of the universe, the pursuit of "dreams of a final theory" to discuss "the anthropic principle", why can't our science "harmony"?

"Scientia" comes from the University of. "Phenomena" is actually meaning of the classification of things, is the most basic way of understanding things . Since the 17th century, Western science into China, we often use "gezhi" to translate "Science", as like the breathes its Zhi. We let everyone know that "Scientia" method of basic scientific research, and what is wrong with that?

The view was expressed that, even if you're talking about these concepts and theories, some scientific sense, but compared with modern scientific knowledge, that is far behind the thing, not worth mentioning. This is very common in the working groups of scientists. The knowledge of the past, not because of outdated described as "superstition" and "myth" because of their experience with today's process of scientific knowledge about the same. If we denounce the scientific knowledge of the past as "superstition" and that several years later, now outdated scientific knowledge, our descendants could it be invested we are in "superstitious" mean ?

Many people believe that is scientific and historical and cultural fragmentation, even if there is a historical and cultural "hinder" the development of science. The scientific view on development of science is very harmful. So far, this is science in China is basically very little creativity, follow the West runs the root cause. Even past theories proved to be wrong, because it has played an important role in history, is also noteworthy.

There is no doubt that we will learn the Western science, but also not forget one's own cultural identity. Just because we lag behind modern science, just think what merit did not in traditional Chinese culture. China, after all, for a long time, and in many areas of science and technology is not to lag behind the West, even ahead of the West. Achievement of all these ancient science, people are holding the "harmony" of the faith, the spirit of "Scientia" approach, with a "yin" concepts and theories, a little bit out. We do not also get some inspiration? The real "melting bifangzhi material" itself needs to fully understand. Concept formula thought that Western science, it has mastered the most advanced scientific, is a very superficial understanding of heritage cannot cultivate scientific innovation and motivation. We tried to find some useful things from Chinese traditional culture, to build a new modern science and civilization of the world service, this attempt is worth it.

"Yin and Yang five elements, heaven, Scientia," writes the benchmarks is not terrible, but good. That makers have noted a history of science and the cultural dimension, understanding the history of science and culture can play a positive role in popular science communication can help people have a better understanding of science. Sciences, it is necessary to add historical and cultural dimensions, from the history and culture of science, there is no vigor and vitality of the science .

Note : the author Sun xiaochun, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor and Deputy Dean of the school of Humanities at the University

中科院教授力挺科技部：阴阳五行不是伪科学！ - 阴阳五行,科学 - IT资讯

近日，科技部、中宣部发布的《中国公民科学素质基准》（以下简称《基准》）引起了极大的关注。尤其是“阴阳五行、天人合一、格物致知”写入《基准》引发非议，甚至被斥之为宣传迷信和伪科学。但我认为，把中国古代传统对科学概念、理论和方法的这几个重要表述写入《基准》，不仅是合适的，而且恰恰体现了对科学的更深刻的认识，是科普思想和方法上值得鼓励的进步。

提到“阴阳五行”，人们常会斥之为迷信或巫术，是中国传统文化的糟泊。其实这是对中国传统文化中这些概念和思想缺乏理解，或者是带有偏见。阴阳五行，是中国古代发明的重要概念和理论，是中国古代认识自然和社会在理论和方法上的划时代的进步，可以与同时代古希腊的哲学理论相媲美。这些理论的提出，使人们对自然的认识在一定程度上摆脱了过去的神学和巫术，而是用“自然主义”的概念来认识自然世界。

“天人合一”，是中国古代另一重要的思想，其要点是人和宇宙是和谐的。它使人们相信宇宙是人可以认知的，这应该算是科学的“第一原理”，怎么就是迷信呢？即便是当代最著名的科学家，如霍金、温伯格等，也相信宇宙的和谐，追求“终极理论之梦”，讨论“人择原理”，为什么我们的科学就不能提“天人合一”呢？

“格物致知”则出自《大学》。“格物”实际就是对事物进行分类研究的意思，是认识事物的最基本的方法。17世纪以来，西方科学传入中国，我们还经常用“格致”来译“科学”，如《空际格致》之类。我们让大家知道“格物致知”这样的基本的科学研究方法，又有什么不妥呢？

有人认为，即便你讲的这些概念和理论，有一定的科学意义，但与现代科学知识相比，那是大大落后了的东西，不值得一提。这种看法在从业的科学家群体中是非常普遍的。过去的知识，不能因为过时就斥之为“迷信”或“神话”，因为它们的产生经历了与产生我们今天的科学知识差不多一样的过程。如果我们斥过去的科学知识为“迷信”，那若干年后，现在的科学知识又过时了，我们的后代是不是也可以斥我们是在搞“迷信”呢？

很多人认为，科学是与历史和文化割裂的，即便有关系也是历史和文化“阻碍”科学的发展。这种科学观对科学的发展是非常有害的。这也是到目前为止中国科学基本上很少提出创见、跟着西方跑的根本原因。即便过去的理论被证明是错了，因为它在历史上发挥过重要作用，也是值得关注的。

无疑，我们要全面学习西方科学，但同时也不能忘记自身的文化认同。不能因为我们近代在科学上落后，就认为中国传统文化中什么可取之处也没有。中国毕竟在相当长的时期，在科学技术的许多方面是不落后于西方的，甚至是领先于西方的。所有这些古代科学的成就，人们都是抱着“天人合一”的信念，本着“格物致知”的方法，用着“阴阳五行”概念和理论，一点点做出来的。我们从中不是也可以获得一些有益的启发吗？真正的“融彼方之材质”，需要对自身的充分认识。以为学到了一些西方科学的概念公式，就以为掌握了最先进的科学，是非常肤浅的认识，不能培植科学创新的底蕴和动力。我们今天试图从中国传统文化找到一些有用的东西，为建设新的现代世界科学文明服务，这种尝试是值得的。

把“阴阳五行、天人合一、格物致知”写入《基准》，不是糟得很，而是好得很。表明制定者已经注意到了科学历史的和文化的维度，理解科学的历史和文化可以在大众科学传播中发挥积极的作用，可以帮助人们更好地理解科学。科学，有必要加上历史和文化的维度，脱离了历史和文化的科学，是没有生机和活力的科学。

注：作者孙小淳系中国科学院大学人文学院常务副院长、教授