After reading the course of science in 800 words (1), I recently read the course of science, which is a book about the history of science. As a science fan, I like science very much.
The Course of Science shows the fusion of two methods of compiling history. On the one hand, Wu Guosheng collected the historical materials of the traditional history of science and continued the narrative way of the traditional history of science on many issues. On the other hand, Wu Guosheng's account of many problems shows his own views. This will enable ordinary readers not only to understand the history of science under the mass background, but also to see the unique landscape discovered by the tour guide Wu Guosheng.
The greatest feature of this book is its profound theoretical analysis and passionate description. Because the author's academic research spans the two fields of philosophy of science and history of science, it is also doomed to some characteristics of this book. When describing some historical events, it not only allows readers to get in, but also allows you to get out, and makes a moderate reflection on some problems. For example, when talking about the British Industrial Revolution and the French Revolution in the18th century, the author not only described the inventions of textiles and steam engines, but also thought that "the industrial revolution basically had nothing to do with theoretical science, but it immediately promoted the development of corresponding disciplines. Since then, science has become more and more oriented to practical technology and has formed a circular mechanism for accelerating the development of science and technology. " Reading this book is a bit like looking for a high-level guide when climbing a mountain. While showing you the scenery, I can also talk to you about past lives and think about the reasons.
This book has two advantages that make peers sit up and take notice, and also make readers feel grateful: First, it is rich in illustrations and articles appear around the layout. This can make the historical events described more vivid, intuitive and friendly. The key is to give the reader an imaginary space, an impression, which will stay in his mind for a long time. Second, the author of the second edition made up for the defects of the first edition and made great efforts to supplement notes, references and indexes. This part is well done. For example, in article 10 of the reference, the author made a series of comments on the books on the history of science published at home and abroad in recent 20 years, including both comprehensive history and subject history. Speaking of internal history, it also includes external history, 3000 words, and the posture is very long. Names are indexed in both Chinese and English. If readers want to study further, they can find more detailed information through indexes and references.
In this book, Wu Guosheng has always emphasized that modern science is at a crossroads, and that science and the future of mankind are a question that should arouse modern people's reflection. In the last chapter of this book, he reflected on science to a certain extent, thinking that behind the success of science, we must pay attention to potential dangers; Through the large-scale development of nature, although human beings have mastered higher energy and have certain ability to dominate nature, they may also shake the foundation of human existence.
In any case, Wu Guosheng is not anti-science-why should he be anti-science? Wu Guosheng doesn't think that science is bad, but hopes that science can be better and more humane. As for criticism from all sides, it is certainly beneficial if it is contested as a scientific communication theory or a popular science publication. Although some arguments are not academic issues, they are psychological or emotional issues. "Science Curriculum" may answer what kind of scientific communication readers prefer, which can better carry forward the scientific spirit and spread scientific ideas. Because the best way to get close to science may be to start with her history.
The Course of Science is really a wonderful book, which is worth reading.
The course of reading science in 800 words (2) The best way to get close to science may be to start from understanding its history. Science course is a book recommended to us by the teacher in class. At first, I thought reading science books after class was a heavy burden, because I was not very interested in scientific problems. But when I read this book, I found many lovely things to read and learn science.
The history of science is a bridge between natural science and humanities, and a comprehensive understanding of science is the inherent requirement of our society after entering the scientific era. This book mainly introduces the development of human scientific civilization, from the origin of eastern and Greek civilizations to the emergence of medieval western civilization, and then to the high-tech era of the 20th century. Finally, the author emphasizes that modern science is at a crossroads, and how to develop science in the future, how to progress human civilization and how to use science and technology is a problem worthy of the attention of all mankind. Behind the success of science, we should see more potential things.
Author Wu Guosheng is currently the director, professor and doctoral supervisor of Philosophy Department of Peking University. His academic research spans the fields of philosophy of science and history of science, which also determines some characteristics of this book. This book not only highlights rational thinking, but also is full of humanistic care. As the president of China Science and Technology History Society commented on this book: "This book is well written, with profound theoretical analysis, passionate description, elegance and popularity, easy to understand and extremely readable." In the book, for the sake of popularity, the author inserted more historical pictures and told many stories, such as Newton watching the apple fall to the ground, Watt watching the kettle boil, and Galileo throwing the ball at the leaning tower of Pisa. In order to study, the author makes a professional academic analysis of these widely circulated stories, pointing out whether they are really reliable and what are the historical basis and theories. So this book can be accepted by the public.
There are ten volumes in the book, and my favorite part is the second volume-Greece: the origin of scientific spirit. The author has described this chapter in detail, and because the teacher explained this part in detail in class, I think the wisdom of ancient Greece can really be admired.
In our daily life, we have more impressions of Greece, which is the birthplace of the Olympic Games and has a desirable Aegean Sea. Now it is one of the countries most affected by the European debt crisis. However, I think the origin and development of science and civilization in ancient Greece is its real symbol.
Engels said that in various forms of Greek philosophy, almost all kinds of embryos and buds of later views can be found. Therefore, if theoretical natural science wants to trace the history of the occurrence and development of its general principles, it must be traced back to the Greeks. It began in Greece that science became an independent and dominant spiritual model. The splendid cultural achievements created by the Greeks more than 2,000 years ago laid the foundation of modern civilization. Sages come forth in large numbers, and talents surge. Among them, a large number of scientists and scientists with excellent materials emerged, and they became pioneers of many disciplines in the future.
The unique scientific achievements of the Greeks and their traditions have their natural and social conditions. Due to the development of navigation and trade, economic prosperity and the rise of cities, it provided a solid material foundation for the Greeks to create a new culture. Aristotle said that the development of philosophy and science needs three indispensable conditions: curiosity, leisure and freedom. Fortunately, the Greeks have these three conditions. Curiosity can ensure the systematicness and purity of scientific research. Leisure and freedom are important social conditions to ensure curiosity.
Personally, I think this is of great significance to modern people. Now most people are too utilitarian in academic research. There are a large number of so-called experts and scholars in the society, which makes people feel that real and pure knowledge is out of reach. This has greatly hindered the research and development of science and knowledge. Regarding the purity of science, we must learn from the ancient Greeks.
Although the rational tradition of Greek scientific system has great influence on later generations, it also has serious limitations. The most prominent thing is that Greek science attaches too much importance to rationality and despises experience. Greek science attaches importance to theoretical construction, but despises the application of knowledge, theoretical science and technical research.
Finally, I have to mention that the description of history in this book combines two methods of compiling history. The author arranges the contents of China and the West well, and the history of scientific thought is matched with the history of technology and social history in an appropriate proportion. The whole book feels clearer and more personal, which can be absorbed and filtered.
Reading this book is like having a knowledgeable teacher who led me into a journey of the history of science that I have never been in deep contact with. It not only made me understand the history of science, but also made me think about science and feel its charm.
Finish the science course in 800 words (3) The science course is a book about the history of science.
The Course of Science shows the fusion of two methods of compiling history. On the one hand, Wu Guosheng collected the historical materials of the traditional history of science and continued the narrative way of the traditional history of science on many issues. On the other hand, Wu Guosheng's account of many problems shows his own views. This will enable ordinary readers not only to understand the history of science under the mass background, but also to see the unique landscape discovered by the tour guide Wu Guosheng.
The greatest feature of this book is its profound theoretical analysis and passionate description. Because the author's academic research spans the two fields of philosophy of science and history of science, it is also doomed to some characteristics of this book. When describing some historical events, it not only allows readers to get in, but also allows you to get out, and makes a moderate reflection on some problems. For example, when talking about the British Industrial Revolution and the French Revolution in the18th century, the author not only described the inventions of textiles and steam engines, but also thought that "the industrial revolution basically had nothing to do with theoretical science, but it immediately promoted the development of corresponding disciplines. Since then, science has become more and more oriented to practical technology and has formed a circular mechanism for accelerating the development of science and technology. " Reading this book is a bit like looking for a high-level guide when climbing a mountain. While showing you the scenery, I can also talk to you about past lives and think about the reasons.
This book has two advantages that make peers sit up and take notice, and also make readers feel grateful: First, it is rich in illustrations and articles appear around the layout. This can make the historical events described more vivid, intuitive and friendly. The key is to give the reader an imaginary space, an impression, which will stay in his mind for a long time. Second, the author of the second edition made up for the defects of the first edition and made great efforts to supplement notes, references and indexes. This part is well done. For example, in article 10 of the reference, the author made a series of comments on the books on the history of science published at home and abroad in recent 20 years, including both comprehensive history and subject history. Speaking of internal history, it also includes external history, 3000 words, and the posture is very long. Names are indexed in both Chinese and English. If readers want to study further, they can find more detailed information through indexes and references.
In this book, Wu Guosheng has always emphasized that modern science is at a crossroads, and that science and the future of mankind are a question that should arouse modern people's reflection. In the last chapter of this book, he reflected on science to a certain extent, thinking that behind the success of science, we must pay attention to potential dangers; Through the large-scale development of nature, although human beings have mastered higher energy and have certain ability to dominate nature, they may also shake the foundation of human existence.
In any case, Wu Guosheng is not anti-science-why should he be anti-science? Wu Guosheng doesn't think that science is bad, but hopes that science can be better and more humane. As for criticism from all sides, it is certainly beneficial if it is contested as a scientific communication theory or a popular science publication. Although some arguments are not academic issues, they are psychological or emotional issues. "Science Curriculum" may answer what kind of scientific communication readers prefer, which can better carry forward the scientific spirit and spread scientific ideas. Because the best way to get close to science may be to start with her history.
800 words after reading Science Curriculum (4) Science Curriculum is a book about the history of science. The history of science combines the history of thought and social history, systematically combs the history of world science and technology, and permeates the new understanding of the compilation history and scientific view. It is pointed out that the general meaning of the word "science" is "rational knowledge produced by human beings in the process of adapting to and coordinating their living environment", and there is a kind of "science" in China history, which is different from "modern natural science" and shows their own characteristics in natural view and methodology; It is also pointed out that there are two traditions in modern natural science, one is the tradition of mathematical experiments, and the other is the tradition of history and natural science. These two traditions are the embodiment of "space thinking" and "time thinking" in western culture in the field of natural science. Every nation and country has a certain * * * nature, which has created their way of thinking and lifestyle, so different scientific systems and cultural systems have emerged.
The idea of "science for science's sake" in ancient Greece and Athens decided that the emergence and development of science would attach great importance to the factors of thinking, logic, science and truth, and less subjective feelings and metaphysical thoughts. More than two thousand years ago, ancient Greece was not as big as it is now, and the ancient Greeks did not have such a status. On the contrary, there are many sages and talents. Among them, a large number of talented philosophers and scientists emerged, and they all became pioneers of many disciplines in the future.
Thales, the first natural philosopher in the western world, first expounded the first principle of scientific treatment of nature with "Everything originates from water": science will find out the principle of * * * from concrete, complex and diverse phenomena, and then explain, explain and predict more phenomena from the principle. In short, the job of scientists is to find out the universal laws and laws of various substances from the complicated nature, so that people can make good use of them. Pythagoras first put forward the concept that the earth is a sphere. I can't imagine why he doesn't worry that people under the ball will fall without knowing gravity. Gilbert and democritus suggested that everything is made up of tiny particles. This genius idea of atomism was not proved until the 20th century. Aristak first proposed Heliocentrism, nearly a thousand years earlier than Copernicus. The circumference of the earth measured in Eratosthenes is about 40,000 kilometers, but the actual difference between the measured values in radius of the earth and today is only 65,438+000 kilometers. This achievement is remarkable when people in other places still believe in a round place. There are countless such magnificent examples. All this happened more than 2000 years ago. It is conceivable that the scientific theory level of the Greeks has reached a great height, which is really a great victory of rational science.
Why has this land produced so many philosophers, so many talents and so high achievements? Is it really a land of geomantic omen, where immortals show their spirits and people are excellent? Otherwise. Aristotle once said in his masterpiece Metaphysics that there are three conditions for the birth of philosophy and science. The first is surprise, surprise to nature and society. Only when you are surprised will you feel your ignorance. Seeking knowledge is not for utility, but for love of knowledge. Full of curiosity and mystery about the world, with a strong thirst for knowledge. Interest is the best teacher. Second, have leisure time. It is conceivable that if anyone is still worried about food and clothing, housing, marriage and children, how can he still think about the scientific research work that is not enough to eat and wear? Of course, in ancient Greece, there were a large group of slaves to help with the work, which was easy to do. Third, a free environment, free learning, free thinking, free expression and free debate. Knowledge is self-sufficient, does not exist for other purposes, but exists purely for itself.
Ancient Greek civilization, ancient Greek system and ancient Greek thought were interrupted for hundreds of years, but their excellent seeds germinated again in suitable soil. Renaissance is the revival of ancient Greek civilization and thought, and the development of modern science cannot be separated from ancient Greek rational thought.
In ancient China, people were placed first in thought and science, and their thoughts focused on self-cultivation, keeping the family in order, managing the country and leveling the world. However, there are far fewer people who pay attention to the universe, natural environment and logical thinking. There are few theories about natural science in China, which are somewhat similar to the thinking of ancient Rome. Talk more about ethics and less about science. Although the four great inventions that China people used to be proud of have been passed down through the ages, they are individuals after all and have not formed a systematic system. It has only contributed to the development of mankind on the technical level. Scientific philosophical thinking method is of great significance to promote the scientific development of a nation. Understanding the development of science and mastering the scientific way of thinking are very important to promote the development of society.
After reading the Course of Science in 800 words, (5) The Course of Science combines the history of thought with the history of society, systematically combs the history of world science and technology, and permeates the new understanding of historical compilation and scientific view. It is pointed out that the general meaning of the word "science" is "rational knowledge produced by human beings in the process of adapting to and coordinating their living environment", and there is a kind of "science" in China history, which is different from "modern natural science" and shows their own characteristics in natural view and methodology; It is also pointed out that there are two traditions in modern natural science, one is the tradition of mathematical experiments, and the other is the tradition of history and natural science. These two traditions are the embodiment of "space thinking" and "time thinking" in western culture in the field of natural science.
Every nation and country has some * * * characteristics of other nations, and this * * * characteristic has created their way of thinking and lifestyle, so different scientific systems and cultural systems have emerged.
In ancient Greece and Athens, the idea of "science for science's sake" decided that the emergence and development of science would attach great importance to the factors of thinking, logic, science and truth, but lacked subjective feelings and metaphysical thoughts.
In ancient China, people were placed first in thought and science, and their thoughts focused on self-cultivation, keeping the family in order, managing the country and leveling the world. However, there are far fewer people who pay attention to the universe, natural environment and logical thinking. There are few theories about natural science in China, which are somewhat similar to the thinking of ancient Rome. Talk more about ethics and less about science.
Scientific philosophical thinking method is of great significance to promote the scientific development of a nation.
Understanding the development of science and mastering the scientific way of thinking are very important to promote the development of society. We should learn more about this knowledge.