The Chinese Practice-Oriented Views of Science and Their Political Grounds

In China, practice-oriented views of science can be traced back to antiquity. In ancient times, the Chinese people independently created and developed application-oriented sciences, but they ignored basic science. In modern times, China learned and introduced Western science and technology as a prac...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Guo, Yuanlin (Author) ; Radder, Hans 1949- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Wiley-Blackwell [2020]
In: Zygon
Year: 2020, Volume: 55, Issue: 3, Pages: 591-614
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B China / Natural sciences / Technics / Practical orientation / Politics / History
RelBib Classification:KBM Asia
Further subjects:B political grounds
B practice-oriented views
B China
B lack of critical reflection
B history of science
Online Access: Presumably Free Access
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Summary:In China, practice-oriented views of science can be traced back to antiquity. In ancient times, the Chinese people independently created and developed application-oriented sciences, but they ignored basic science. In modern times, China learned and introduced Western science and technology as a practical instrument to protect the nation and make it prosperous and powerful. Through technology and production, science has been playing an immediate and major role in the development of socialism since 1949. Since 1978, the Chinese government has always emphasized that science and technology are the primary productive forces. From ancient times to the present, the practice-oriented views of science are grounded in politics. Science has been the handmaiden of politics since the Qin Dynasty. However, this state of affairs hinders the development of basic science, a science that is not oriented toward immediate application. It also hinders open-minded, critical reflection on the downsides or limits of science, which could draw on broader (moral, spiritual, or religious) values.
ISSN:1467-9744
Contains:Enthalten in: Zygon
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1111/zygo.12635