When everyone is not warm in clothes and cannot eat enough, no one has the leisure to care about why the moon is so round. We only care about how to increase the grain output. What we care about is that if the people live and work in peace and contentment.
This problem is not just about China. None of the four ancient civilizations have born science. Science originated from the romantic Ancient Greek . The main reason is that they want to farm, but the land is too barren and can only rely on trade. This has formed a different culture, and this culture is the foundation of science, it is the pursuit of free human nature.
China is a society of personal affection. From the hereditary system of Xia Dynasty to the feudal system of Xi Zhou , the core patriarchal system at the bottom has been running through the whole process, with a strong tribal color. Fathers inherit the sons, brothers inherit, brothers follow each other, human feelings subtly lie in our culture, and our pursuit of ideal human nature is benevolence. The word science originates from Western science. The correct translation is natural science, which is a combination of ancient Greek rational science and mathematical experimental science. The culture of ancient China is contrary to the rational thought behind the search for nature, so ancient China could not nurture rational science.
The scientific foundation of ancient Greece
Ancient Greece traded overseas was a society of strangers, and it was more in line with the spirit of contract, did not look at the sympathy, and did the rules set in advance. Therefore, they pursued fairness and freedom, implemented according to rules, and were not bound by emotions. Only this spirit of pursuing truth and freedom can break through the shackles of religion, recognize the essence of things, and explore the underlying logic of things. From the perspective of historical development, geocentric theory transitioned to heliocentric theory, and then to Newton 's universal gravity unified the early universe. Based on this rational pursuit, science can stand out from the suppression of religion and make science equal to theology. Galileo was able to use two balls of different mass in Leaning Tower to use the truth of practice to oppose Aristotle's 's heavier object to fall faster.
Ancient Chinese environment is different
From the hundred schools of thought to Abolish all schools of thought and respect Confucianism , burning books and pits. In feudal society, due to the limitations of the cultural system, we emphasize order between the elderly and the young, and the difference between the superior and the inferior. Some truths are taken far more serious than the suppression of Western religions. Even if you are right, you can only bow your head in the face of etiquette. There was no atmosphere of pursuing truth in ancient China. At the same time, the monarch does not want the people to be too smart. The people's spirit of independent pursuit of fairness and freedom will make the monarch feel dangerous. Only foolish ones are easier to manage, so the seeds of science are strangled in the cradle.
Ancient China emphasizes technology, meaning useful knowledge, which we now call it technology. The biggest difference between science and technology is that technology is used to the people, how to make grain output higher. Some mathematical geometric techniques can be used for land measurement. Observing astrological signs is to formulate calendars and almanacs. Before the Song Dynasty , China's inventions and creations accounted for as much as 70% of the world, so science was not born in China, it was not a matter of intelligence, but a matter of cultural system.
Chinese civilization is profound and profound. This is a fact recognized by the world. It originates from Naturalism . We have auspicious records of astronomical observations, early records of flowers, birds, fish and insects, and complete records of all herbs. Even foreign countries need certain data from ancient times, such as astronomy, sunspots records, and comet records, all need to find China.
However, although we recorded it, we only used it to utilize it and did not explore the essence behind the phenomenon. For example, we have the most complete Halley Comet record, but no one has explored why Halley Comet returns once every 76 years, while the West explores the movement of celestial bodies and calculates its orbit.We knew about the three levers and four mysterious five very early, but we did not explore why the three levers and four mysterious five are, why not the levers and four mysterious five are, why not the levers and levers and 8? There are many examples of this. The four great inventions, Taoist priests refining alchemy and refining explosives, but they did not explore the chemistry behind explosives, the materials behind printing, the compass opened up to lead the voyage but did not lead the electromagnetics , and the papermaking did not create synthesis.
The so-called techniques seem to be close to real practice, but the science behind seems to be nowhere to be applied. Science seems useless, but it is supreme. Science can guide technology. For example, in electromagnetic science, in addition to the compass, it also includes all electricity and magnetism. From the composition of matter, the interaction between matter - electromagnetic force, to radio, telephone, and lamps, we are completely inseparable from electromagnetic science in life.
If science is compared to a martial arts secret book, technology is the move and move in it. If you play a set of things in the book, you will sweat, but when you face the enemy, you will use the corresponding moves. In ancient times, China was a great country of human nature and caring for kindness. We may have accidentally developed a move, but no one like Newton and Maxwell could write a secret book.
