李约瑟在《科学网》应该是无人不知、无人不晓。不久前，著述甚丰的英国作家西蒙•温切斯特（Simon Winchester）出了一本李约瑟传记——《一个热爱中国的男人：替中国解密的怪异科学家的精彩人生》，披露了不少关于李约瑟的故事。李约瑟的功劳不仅在于将中国古代的科学技术成就展现在世人面前，更在于他提出了一个法人深醒的“李约瑟问题”：为什么人类的近现代科学首先产生于西方，而不是首先产生于具有伟大古代科学技术成就的东方，其中尤其是伟大的中国？要对这个问题作出令人满意的答复，可能要从科学技术活动与文化、社会的关系入手。

Joseph Needham and His Question

Joseph Needham (1900-1995) is well known in China because of his monumental project, Science and Civilisation in China (SCC).  A recent book by Simon Winchester, The Man Who Loved China: The Fantastic Story of the Eccentric Scientist Who Unlocked the Mysteries of the Middle Kingdom (New York: Harper, 2008), details how this biochemist-turned historian of Chinese science has helped the world to have a better understanding of the marvelous history of science, technology, and medicine in China.

Although Francis Bacon, the seventeen-century English philosopher, wrote of the importance of three technologies – printing, gunpowder, and the compass – that have reshaped the world in literature, warfare, navigation and beyond, it is Needham who rediscovered convincing evidence that China did make great contributions to the world civilization (The Man Who Loved China lists more than 260 Chinese inventions and discoveries identified by SCC).

With no knowledge about Chinese language and no training in history, Needham seemed to be not the right person to launch the SCC project.  But in 1938, his professional life took a dramatic turn when Lu Gwei-djen, a student from China, came to Cambridge University to study with Dorothy Moyle, Needham’s wife.  Needham fell in love with Lu who not only became Needham’s mistress but also fascinated him with China – the language, culture, and history.  Three of them lived peacefully and Lu was married to Needham when both almost reached the end of their lives after Dorothy passed away.  Lu, along with others, also collaborated with her master on the endeavor to erect the monument.

The further development of Needham’s interest in China became possible when in 1943 Needham set foot in China on a British government mission to help Chinese institutions of learning that struggled to survive during the Sino-Japanese war.  As a whole, Needham spent four years in China, therefore having the opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of ancient China’s brilliant accomplishments.  The rest is history.

More important than tracing the history of Chinese science and technology, Needham provoked a question: “Why was it that despite the immense achievements of traditional China it had been in Europe and not in China that the scientific and industrial revolutions occurred?”  Needham tried but was unable to reach a definite conclusion before his death in 1995; and other scholars have been discussing, debating, and arguing.  To this date, no answer to the so-called “Needham Question” has been satisfactory.

Indeed, various reasons account for China’s delay.  Scholars in ancient time worked hard with the sole goal to enter the bureaucratic rank; merchants occupied the lowest social position and competition was not encouraged; social system isolated itself from the rest of the world, especially Europe where science and technology rapidly flourished after the Renaissance.

But the “Needham Question” also calls for an examination of the interaction between scientific and technical activity and culture.  Arguably, the traditional culture of China has been a significant hindrance to the development of modern science.  Needham himself always argued that the Confucian contribution to science was “almost wholly negative”; in his view, Confucianism focused on the practical application of technological processes while denying the importance of theoretical investigation.  As a result, Chinese discoveries were empirically sophisticated but theoretically primitive.  There was scarcely any tradition of reasoned discourse between two individuals in order to approach clarity or truth; and whenever there was disagreement between a master and his disciple, the outcome was predetermined.  The master always had the last, triumphant word, while his disciple was reduced to silence.

Now, one may wonder whether China, having lagged behind the world in science and technology for centuries, could regain its immense achievements.  Again, it is not merely a question of the development of science and technology, but one involving the complicated relationship between science, culture, and society.

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