中国古算书中运动学问题的数学解法与近代物理解法的比较  

A Comparison of the Solutions of Traditional Mathematics and Modern Physics of Computational Problems related to Kinematics in Pre-modern Chinese Mathematical Books

作　　者：胡化凯[1] 张阳阳[1] 

机构地区：[1]中国科学技术大学科技史与科技考古系,合肥230026

出　　处：《自然科学史研究》2016年第2期127-149,共23页Studies in The History of Natural Sciences

摘　　要：从秦代至清中期,中国至少有24部算书共包含有上百道运动学算题。这些算题涵盖了匀速运动、匀变速运动和变加速运动三类内容。古人运用各种数学方法求解这些算题,无论是解题思路、思维方式,还是知识体系都与近现代运动学有明显的不同。文章将这些算题的传统数学解法与近现代物理解法进行了系统的分析比较,结果发现:对于匀速运动问题,数学解法与物理解法基本上是一致的;对于一些比较复杂的匀变速运动和变加速运动问题,数学解法与物理解法则有本质的不同。由此反映了古人独特的物理认知方式和解决问题的方法。由于中国古人对运动现象的认知方式是数学性的,而非物理性的,因而未能提出一般性物理概念,提炼出一般性物理问题,长期停留在一个认识水平上,无法发展成一般的运动学理论。There are about 175 computational problems related to kinematics in at least 24 of the mathematical texts dating from the Qin Dynasty to the middle of Qing Dynasty. These questions cover uniform motion, uniformly accelerated motion and accelerated motion. While different to modem kinematics, not only in problem solving and cognitive methods, but also in knowledge system, pre-modern Chinese used many kinds of mathematical methods to solve these problems. By systematic analysis and comparison of the solutions of traditional mathematics and modem physics of such computational problems, it is found that the solutions of traditional mathematics are consistent with those of modem physics in the problems of uniform motion, while these two kinds of solutions are inherent- ly different in some more complex problems of uniformly accelerated motion and accelerated motion. This reflects a unique physical cognitive style and problem solving method. The pre-modern Chinese cognitive style of the phenomenon of object motion is mathematical rather than physical. Therefore, no general physical concepts were raised and no general physical problems extracted, a cognitive level that remained over a long period, preventing the development of a general kinematics theory.

关 键 词：中国古算书 运动学问题 数学解法 物理解法 比较 

分 类 号：O11[理学—数学]