北宋儒学背景下沈括的科学研究

沈括是北宋乃至整个古代最伟大的科学家之一。当我们从文化的角度审视这位科学家的时候,发现他还是一位儒家学者。他推崇儒学,研习儒家经典,养浩然之气,行君子之道,穷理尽性,以民为本;他对自然界的事物及其变化具有浓厚的兴趣和爱好;北宋儒学的济世精神、博学精神、怀疑精神和求理精神深深地影响着他的科学研究,以致于他的科学研究明显带有北宋儒学的特征。

Shen Kuo's Scientific Research in the Background of Northern-Song Confucianism

Shen Kuo(1031-1095) is probably the greatest scientist in the Northern Song dynasty(960-1126) and even in the whole history of ancient China.A review of the scientist from a cultural perspective shows,however,that he is rather a Confucian.He advocated Confucianism by studying its classics and cultivating in himself the benevolence,uprighteousness,rationalism and humanism.He held a great interest in and taste for things and their evolutions in the nature.Moreover,the Confucianism during the Northern Song dynasty, characterized by its pursuit of social participation,erudition,skepticism and rationalism,had great impact on his scientific research.As a result,his research was with conspicuous features of the then Confucianism.