String theory,Einstein, and the identity of physics: Theory assessment in absence of the empirical

String theorists are certain that they are practicing physicists. Yet, some of their recent critics deny this. This paper argues that this conflict is really about who holds authority in making rational judgment in theoretical physics. At bottom, the conflict centers on the question: who is a proper physicist? To illustrate and understand the differing opinions about proper practice and identity, we discuss different appreciations of epistemic virtues and explanation among string theorists and their critics, and how these have been sourced in accounts of Einstein's biography. Just as Einstein is claimed by both sides, historiography offers examples of both successful and unsuccessful non-empirical science. History of science also teaches that times of conflict are often times of innovation, in which novel scholarly identities may come into being. At the same time, since the contributions of Thomas Kuhn historians have developed a critical attitude towards formal attempts and methodological recipes for epistemic demarcation and justification of scientific practice. These are now, however, being considered in the debate on non-empirical physics.     

人类对地球形状认识的辩证过程

在系统讨论了人类对地球形状认识的复杂历史之后,作者认为这是一个“否定之否定”式的螺旋状上升过程,即“非球→球→非球…”的过程。在经历了5次“非球→球”的认识反复之后,目前人类已跨入对地球本身便存在着“球(?)非球”的动态变化过程的认识这个崭新的阶段。     

经典遗传学为什么崛起于美国?——评美、德的不同社会环境对遗传学的影响

本文对经典遗传学产生的社会和历史渊源作出了社会学的和思想的考察,并加以深入的分析。     

寻找精神家园的“歌手”——《浮士德》探幽

歌德的《浮士德》是“一种生活的发现艺术”。通过阅读作品，我们就会发现无论是“浮士德”形象还是“浮士德精神”，其最终的指向都是人的心灵世界，是人类追求和寻找精神家园的一种艺术化表达，浮士德的一生是寻找精神家园的一次审美体验。     

西安事变前后中共对蒋政策之嬗变

以1936年下半年以来国共两党接触的相关文献和档案为基础,从更宽的视野中去追寻形成西安事变最终解决条件的若干历史细节,并由此得出三个结论:其一,事变解决的具体条件在事变发生之前即已被双方提及;其二,突发的西安事变使蒋氏在坚持改编红军的强硬前提下放弃了极端强硬的一些条件,而回到了事变前曾经提出过的一些框架之中;其三,中共在西安事变初期态度强硬,但最终却让步,这与蒋氏的强硬不无关系,蒋在事变中并非完全处于被动。     

中国传统学术视阈中的历史与历史哲学

从中国传统学术的视阈入手，梳理与辨析历史和历史哲学的内涵与外延。考察历史一词的多重含义；指出西方历史哲学乃根据对历史的两分法，即历史事实和历史著述，而有“思辨的历史哲学”和“分析的历史哲学”两大流派；进而指出中国古代对历史有一三分法，即史事、史文、史义，认为史义即为中国的历史哲学，同时史义又包含有“历史之大义”与“吾心之精义”两部分内容。     

明末熊明遇《格致草》内容探析

熊明遇生当明清鼎革之际“东西文化交流”的重要时刻。他的主著《格致草》广被时人以至遗民征引和称颂。作为明末东林党的成员之一，熊氏对耶稣会士抱持开明的态度，并跟他们建立良好的友谊。正如书名所示，《格致草》的撰作，毫无疑问是继承了宋明理学“格物致知”的传统。《格致草》当中，具见熊明遇从耶稣会士的译作中节引西学所函盖的多个领域，如天文学及相关科学仪器、气象学、世界地理及绘图、灵魂学说和创世理论。然而，约从清初行禁书之令后，《格致草》一书便销声匿迹，而国人也不复知此书仍存于天壤之间，熊明遇研究西方科学的成果又多被其门人游艺征引；游氏著作《天经或问》传入日本后，当中提及第谷学说和熊明遇的观点，对江户时期的日本天文学产生过巨大的影响。     

重庆谈判期间中共对绥远地区的策略变化

抗战胜利后，全国和平呼声高涨。国共双方出于各种因素都需要和谈，从8月下旬开始到10月结束，重庆和谈的举行可以说是全国瞩目。随着和谈开始，中共在绥远地区的策略也不断变化，无论是和平争取还是冲突争夺都在绥远地区有所体现。而谈判走向与每一个策略变化是密切相关的，绥远地区的局势也因此不断改变。     

关于保持党的纯洁性的理论思考

保持党的纯洁性是马克思主义政党的本质要求。中国共产党自建党以来始终重视保持党的纯洁性,因为它是党的生命力和战斗力源泉,是党取得新民主主义革命、社会主义建设和改革开放伟大胜利的保证。当前我们要从保障改善民生、改进工作作风和改革党内民主等方面着手,保持党的纯洁性。     

Between meaning culture and presence effects: contemporary biomedical objects as a challenge to museums

The acquisition and display of material artefacts is the raison d’être of museums. But what constitutes a museum artefact? Contemporary medicine (biomedicine) is increasingly producing artefacts that do not fit the traditional museological understanding of what constitutes a material, tangible artefact. Museums today are therefore caught in a paradox. On the one hand, medical science and technologies are having an increasing pervasive impact on the way contemporary life is lived and understood and is therefore a central part of the contemporary world. On the other hand, the objects involved in medical diagnostics and therapies are becoming increasingly invisible and intangible and therefore seem to have no role to play as artefacts in a museum context. Consequently, museums are at risk of becoming alienated from an increasingly important part of contemporary society. This essay elaborates the paradox by employing Gumbrecht’s (2004) distinction between ‘presence’ and ‘meaning’.