[论文解读] Cosmology at the Crossroads of the Natural and Human Sciences: is demarcation possible?

Alexei V. Nesteruk|arXiv (Cornell University)|Jan 31, 2011

Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life参考文献 39被引用 8

一句话总结

本文认为，由于观察者在研究宇宙时的内在角色，宇宙学难以严格划分为自然科学与人文学科。它提出，宇宙学本质上同时包含物理因果性与人类意图性，使得自然科学与人文学科之间无法划清明确界限，并最终得出结论：宇宙学与人类学相互建构，共同构成完整的宇宙观。

ABSTRACT

The paper discusses the problem of demarcation between the dimensions of natural and the human sciences in contemporary cosmology. In spite of a common presumption that cosmology is a natural science, the specificity of its alleged subject matter, that is the universe as a whole, makes cosmology fundamentally different from other natural sciences. The reason is that in cosmology the subject of cosmological research and its "object" are in a certain sense inseparable. Any study of the universe involves two opposite perspectives which can be described as "a-cosmic" and "cosmic", egocentric and non-egocentric. Cosmology involves two languages, namely that of physical causality (pertaining to the natural sciences) and that of intentionality (pertaining to the human sciences). On the one hand the universe can be seen as a product of discursive reason, that is as an abstract "physical" entity unfolding in space and time. On the other hand the universe can be experienced through our participation in, or communion with the world understood as the natural context of living beings. This dichotomy between reason and experience, abstract construction and concrete participation, originates in the essence of human persons understood as unities of the corporeal and spiritual. On account of this dichotomy it is hard to set up a strict line of demarcation between the elements of the human and the natural sciences in cosmology. This confirms the intuition that any realistic world view is incomplete without a knowledge of what it means to exist as a human being. Conversely it is likewise impossible to understand human existence without considering its natural setting, that is the universe. We conclude that anthropology is incomplete without cosmology and vice versa.

研究动机与目标

• 探究在当代宇宙学中，是否可能对自然科学与人文学科做出清晰划分。
• 分析观察者作为宇宙学探究中主体与客体的双重角色，如何挑战传统科学的边界。
• 探讨塑造宇宙学理解的双重视角——'宇宙的'与'非宇宙的'。
• 考察宇宙学话语中物理因果性（自然科学）与意图性（人文学科）之间的互动关系。
• 主张完整的宇宙观需要将宇宙学与人类学整合，因为二者无法在孤立状态下被完全理解。

提出的方法

• 通过观察者参与的视角分析宇宙学的认识论结构，区分'宇宙的'与'非宇宙的'视角。
• 对比自然科学典型的物理因果性语言与人文学科典型的意图性语言。
• 探讨人类存在的二元性——既具身体性又具精神性——这是抽象思维与具体参与之间张力的根源。
• 运用哲学分析探讨宇宙学探究中观察者与被观察者不可分割的特性。
• 借鉴现象学与诠释学传统，将宇宙学构架为自然科学与人文学科交汇的领域。
• 主张宇宙不仅是研究对象，也是人类存在的背景，因此需要一种非二元的认识论。

实验结果

研究问题

• RQ1 在宇宙学中能否建立自然科学与人文学科之间严格的界限？
• RQ2 观察者作为主体与客体的共在如何影响宇宙学知识的生成？
• RQ3 物理因果性与意图性以何种方式共同构成宇宙学理解？
• RQ4 为何'宇宙的'与'非宇宙的'视角之间的区分对于理解宇宙学至关重要？
• RQ5 人类学与宇宙学的整合如何促成更完整的宇宙观？

主要发现

• 由于观察者与被观察宇宙之间不可分割，宇宙学无法被严格归类为自然科学。
• '宇宙的'（非自我中心）与'非宇宙的'（自我中心）双重视角揭示了宇宙学探究中不可还原的二元性。
• 物理因果性语言与意图性语言在宇宙学话语中均不可或缺且不可还原。
• 人类存在作为身体与精神的统一，是抽象思维与具体参与之间认识论张力的根源。
• 对宇宙的完整理解需要将宇宙学知识与对人类存在的洞见相结合。
• 人类学与宇宙学相互建构：二者缺一不可。