《周易》与中国象科学

本文通过对《周易》和古希腊哲学的比较,说明中西方在传统认识上,由于时空选择不同,从而形成了两种科学。西方的传统认识,以空间为主,时间为辅.空间统摄时间。中国的认识传统,以时间为主,空间为辅,时间统摄空间.因此,前者认识世界着重在“体”,后者则着重在“象”,对“象”层面的认识为“象科学”,主要采用自然整体方法和意象方法.象的实质是“气”.“气”是时间属性占优势的物质存在,与空间属性占优势的实物和物理场不同,构成世界的另一半,中医学是象科学的代表.中医学的突破,定将带来象科学的复兴,对人类的未来和健康发展具有关键意义。

Zhouyi and Chinese image science

By comparing Zhouyi with ancient Greek philosophy, this paper points out that, traditionally, different choice of time or space in knowing the world between the east and west forms two kinds of sciences. Traditional western knowledge considers space as the primary and time as the secondary with the former governing the latter, while traditional Chinese knowledge goes the other way round. Therefore, the former knowledge lays emphasis on being itself while the latter one on image. Knowledge of image can be classified as image science adopting the method of regarding beings as a natural whole and that of image analogy. The substance of image is Qi. Different from a real substance and physical field, Qi is a substantial existence in which the property of time, which constitutes the other half of the world, is predominant. Traditional Chinese medicine is a representative of the image science. Break through of traditional Chinese medicine studies will certainly revive the image science, essentially significant to human future and health.