The development of the Neurath principle: unearthing the Romantic link

Otto Neurath’s thoroughgoing anti-foundationalism is connected to the recognition that protocol sentences are not inviolable, that is they are fallible and their choice cannot be determined: ‘Poincaré, Duhem and others have adequately shown that even if we have agreed on the protocol statements, there is a not limited number of equally applicable, possible systems of hypotheses. We have extended this tenet of the uncertainty of systems of hypotheses to all statements, including protocol statements that are alterable in principle’ (Neurath, 1983, p. 105). Later historiography has called Neurath’s extension of Duhemian holism the Neurath principle. Based on a study of Neurath’s early works on the history of optics, the paper investigates a previously unnoticed influence on the development of this principle, Neurath’s reading of Goethe’s Theory of colours. The historical and polemical parts of Goethe’s tripartite book provided Neurath with ideal examples for the vertical extension of Duhem’s thesis to observation statements. Moreover, Goethe’s critique of the language of science and his views on the theory-ladenness of observation, as well as on the history of science show strong parallels to many of Neurath’s ideas. These demonstrate the existence of surprisingly direct textual links between Romantic views on science and the development of twentieth-century philosophy of science. Neurath’s usage of Goethe’s examples also indicates that the birth of the Neurath principle is more tightly connected to actual scientific practice than to theory-testing, and that by admitting the theory-ladenness of observation reports and fallibility of protocol statements Neurath does not throw empiricism overboard.     

Meditations on Systems Thinking, Spiritual Systems, and Deep Ecology

This paper is written for a broad general readership. It presents a prismatic reflection on systemic thinking, Buddhist philosophy, and deep ecology, with the objective of shedding light on world problems and understanding their gravity. Such an inquiry constitutes a formidable spearhead for the betterment of the world, guiding us towards holism, and moving us away from the partial, fragmented, compartmentalized thinking that is prevalent today. Although no deliberate attempt is made to articulate solutions to specific problems, a brief account of current socially engaged action is described.     

How uncertainty can save measurement from circularity and holism

Measurement results depend upon assumptions, and some of those assumptions are theoretical in character. This paper examines particle physics measurements in which a measurement result depends upon a type of assumption for which that very same result may be evidentially relevant, thus raising a worry about potential circularity in argumentation. We demonstrate how the practice of evaluating measurement uncertainty serves to render any such evidential circularity epistemically benign. Our analysis shows how the evaluation and deployment of uncertainty evaluation constitutes an in practice solution to a particular form of Duhemian underdetermination that improves upon Duhem's vague notion of “good sense,” avoids holism, and reconciles theory dependence of measurement with piecemeal hypothesis testing.     

探讨用系统哲学原理诠释科学发展观的科学内涵

我国经历了60年伟大的社会主义建设的发展实践,在60年的历程中,取得了丰富的成功经验和一系列的历史性教训。"科学发展观,是立足社会主义初级阶段基本国情,总结我国发展实践,借鉴国外发展经验,适应新的发展要求提出来的。"本文试图用学习系统哲学之体会,进一步理解与诠释科学发展观的科学内涵。文中根据系统哲学中的协同和谐原理、自组(织)涌现原理和整体优化原理来探讨科学发展观的含义,试图说明树立科学发展观就应学会用系统思维方法和系统哲学原理来思考问题和处理问题。文中还讨论了整体优化律发展了否定之否定律和人们的知识结构整体优化的有关问题。     

系统生成论视野下的科学史研究

科学史研究"新的综合"不仅是内史研究与外史研究的综合,也是科学与人文、认知与价值的综合。内涵价值的系统生成论可以为解决当前科学史研究探索的"新的综合"提供必要的科学观和方法论。     

和谐与贯通——莱布尼茨的STS活动及启示

STS是二战前后兴起的新兴领域和学科,其根本特征是科学、技术、社会三者相互渗透所形成的复合性超学科理念。而这早在莱布尼茨的科学活动中就有许多体现。莱布尼茨的STS活动可以分为理论和实践二个方面。在理论活动方面,他坚持整体的科学理念,开展跨界性的学术研究和对科学的人文性理解;在STS实践方面,他通过建立广泛的学术联系以及推动学术共同体的建设来开展科学、技术与社会的综合活动。这既有个体思想与立场、治学特点和风格的原因,也有研究范式和非学院化的社会身份的原因。由于莱布尼茨的手稿在生前大部分没有公布,结果导致了罗素所说的隐显两个"莱布尼茨"的存在。今天,研究莱布尼茨既要去挖掘和"发现",又要去推动和实践他的理想。     

生成的超越——系统整体论形态嬗变研究

整体论是系统科学的哲学基础,是系统科学范式区别于经典科学范式的逻辑起点,也是系统理论之为革命的根本所在。但整体论的形态并非一成不变。伴随系统科学思想史的发展与转折,整体论思想自身的内涵特质、表现形式及作用机制均经历了一个嬗变的过程。如果说系统科学不足百年的历史可以依次概括为系统理论、自组织理论和非线性科学三个阶段的话,那么贯穿这三个阶段的整体论形态即可对应概括为构成整体论、进化整体论和生成整体论。文章揭示了科学思想史视阈下系统整体论形态"三部曲"之嬗变轨迹,进而探究了内在于系统科学思想史的生成性演进机制与逻辑。     

生态系统的子整体建构何以可能——答生态系统本体论的追问

生态系统整体论与还原论的最终分歧体现在具有本体论地位的生态实体应该落在哪个层次的问题。"子整体"理论基础上引申出既是整体又是部分、具有本体论因果关系的"生态子"概念和多元的方法论体系,在一定的尺度范围内可以有效协调整体论与还原论之间的冲突。     

基于整体优化原理对战略并购问题的系统分析

企业的战略并购是并购交易的新趋势,战略并购问题已成为该领域学者们研究的焦点。基于目前对战略并购价值创造及战略协同的模糊理解问题,文章根据系统哲学的整体优化原理,对这一问题进行了系统分析。研究说明,企业进行战略并购有极大的优越性,而战略并购的价值创造将服从对数规律,不可能永远直线上升,即开始阶段效益明显增大、功能明显增强,长期来看仍需进一步发挥自组织功能,改进组织结构,提高层次,才能达到再次整体优化,发挥战略协同效应。     

关于建设生态文明城市的系统思考

本文运用系统整体理论对建设生态文明城市指标体系设计、具体量化指标以及量化指标的监测方法和建立长效机制进行了研究。系统辩证论认为:越是生态环境脆弱地区,越要构建良好生态环境;越是重化工业城市,越要构建低碳循环经济;越是多民族集聚地区,越要构建友好型和谐社会。近年来,城市化加速发展,也是城市建设价值提升时期。建设生态文明城市是低碳经济时代对城市发展的客观要求。以人为本、统筹兼顾、全面协调可持续发展则构成生态文明城市建设的本质内涵。生态文明城市建设的指标体系设计,是在参照国内外生态指标体系基础上,依据城市不同实际提出的,并由经济发展———生态环境———民生改善———社会发展———基础设施———生态文化———制度保障等 7 项分系统构成,具体量化指标有 40 余项,这只是生态文明城市建设的一般性模型,是对系统辩证科学的实证研究。