Einstein's Revolution: A Case Study in Communicative Rationality

The aim of the paper is to demonstratethat Special Relativity and the Early Quantum Theory were created within the same programme of statisticalmechanics, thermodynamics and maxwellianelectrodynamics reconciliation. I shall try to explainwhy classical mechanics and classicalelectrodynamics were ``refuted' almost simultaneouslyor, in more suitable terms for the present congress,why did the quantum revolution and the relativisticone both took place at the beginning of the 20-thcentury. I shall argue that the quantum andrelativistic revolutions were simultaneous since theyhad a common origin -- the clash between thefundamental theories of the second half of the 19-thcentury that constituted the ``body' of ClassicalPhysics. The revolution's most dramatic pointwas Einstein's 1905 photon paper that laid thefoundations of both Special Relativity and OldQuantum Theory. Hence the dialectic of the oldtheories is crucial for theory change. Modern physicsbegan with Einstein's reconciliation ofelectrodynamics, mechanics and thermodynamics in 1905and his unification of Special Relativity andNewtonian Theory of Gravity. Or, in a more generalsocial context: progressive scientific change can bedescribed not in Weberian terms of zweckrationalaction forcing out all the other forms of action onlybut in terms of Habermas's communicative rationalityencouraging the establishment of mutual understandingbetween the various scientific communities also.Einstein's programme constituted a progressive stepwith respect to its rivals not because it couldexplain more ``facts' or was more ``mathematical'. Itwas better than its rivals because it constituted abasis of communication and interpenetration betweenthree main paradigms of 19-th century physics. Ofcourse in the long run it resulted in empiricalsuccesses.     

A New Mechanism for Transfer Between Conceptual Domains in Scientific Discovery and Education

Confronted with problems or situations that do not yield toknown theories and world views, scientists and students are alike. Theyare rarely able to directly build a model or a theory thereof. Rather,they must find ways to make sense of the circumstances using theircurrent knowledge and adjusting what is recognized in the process. Thisway of thinking, using past ways of perceiving the physical world tobuild new ones does not follow a logical path and cannot be described astheory revision. Likewise, in many situations it is awkward, indeedoften impossible, to resort to analogical reasoning to account for it.This paper presents a new mechanism, called `tunnel effect', that mayexplain, in part, how scientists and students reason while constructinga new conceptual domain. `Tunnel effect' is also contrasted withanalogical reasoning.     

从功能主义到交换理论:科学奖励系统研究的范式转变

科学社会学的默顿范式认为科学奖励系统的实质是承认,这根源于它的功能主义范式以及"科学中的社会"的研究取向.随着小科学向大科学的转变,默顿范式的缺陷与不足日益暴露出来.哈格斯特洛姆、李克特、拉图尔和伍尔加等人以"社会中的科学"为研究取向,运用交换理论的范式对科学奖励进行分析,认为其实质是交换.     

民国科技名词翻译史的创建及其意义——评温昌斌著《民国科技译名统一工作实践与理论》

中国的近现代化进程,与西方科技的传入密不可分。19世纪下半叶,西方科技大规模传入中国,正是这个时期西方科技的传入为中国科技与国际的接轨乃至走上近代化之路,奠定了基础。然而,当时的科技译名问题颇多且极不统一。温昌斌的《民国科技译名统一工作实践与理论》系统梳理了民国科技名词的翻译史,总结了20世纪中国知识分子为科技译名统一所做的工作,不仅可以为今天的科技译名统一工作提供借鉴,也丰富了翻译史的相关研究。文章简单介绍了此书的主要内容,并对其价值进行了评论。