JOURNAL OF DIALECTICS OF NATURE
A Comprehensive, Academic Journal of the Philosophy, History, Sociology and Cultural Studies of Science and Technology
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Cultural Shock and Cognitive Revolution: The Transformation of Social Consciousness in the Moon Landing Era Abstract: The Apollo Program launched in 1961 was an iconic technological project of the 20th century. The “Earthrise” photo taken by Apollo 8 and the “Blue Marble” photo captured by Apollo 17 subverted humanity’s perception of the Earth, awakened awareness of ecological protection, and promoted attention to the shared destiny of mankind. However, the moon landing “conspiracy theory” has long been popular. It not only reflects the complex social psychology of that era but also embodies the political trust crisis and anti-intellectual trend in American society in the 1970s. In the field of artistic creation, the program drove the prosperity of technical realism in science fiction works, integrated ethical and social reflections, and led to the peak development of the “hard science fiction” genre. In terms of science education, it promoted the reform of STEM education in the United States, improved the scientific literacy of the whole people, cultivated a large number of scientific and technological talents, and laid the foundation for the development of science and technology in the United States.page: 1-10Path Individuation and Retrospective Grounding Abstract: This paper purports to expound a special (technical) notion of paths. A neglected fundamental fact (especially under indeterminism) is that the path-dependent direction of any diachronic outcome is backward, i.e., later steps depend on earlier ones successively, despite the ineradicable chance in their respective formation. In this paper, a token-oriented retrospective approach is proposed to overcome the limitation of the type-oriented approach in explaining path-related phenomena. My argument for the validity and utility of this approach is largely based on the elements of (PD), a definitional schema for diachronic sequences subject to a recursive counterfactual formula. I explore certain aspects of path individuation that have so far not been discussed, despite (PD)’s formal congeniality with Lewis’s ‘causal chain’. Two basic patterns of path generation are examined: the first is for distinguishing actual vs possible branching paths, while the second introduces a metaphysical theme regarding the retrospective grounding of the causal status of an upstream event by its downstream (joint) effect. A central example of the paper, viz., the Gobang game, is used to illustrate how the token-oriented approach works for path individuation. Key Words: Path individuation; Retrospective grounding; Token-oriented approach; Path dependence; Diachronic difference makingpage: 37-51Research Status, Hot Spots and Development of Chinese Railway History Visual Analysis Based on Cite Space Abstract: The history of Chinese railways has long been of interest to the academic community as it serves as a microcosm of the nation’s journey toward great rejuvenation. CiteSpace software has the advantages of quantitative assessment and visual presentation, enabling a systematic review of the research patterns in Chinese railway history and a dynamic revelation of the evolution of research hotspots. This provides useful references for further deepening and expanding research in the field. From 1998 to 2023, Chinese railway history research has gone through three stages of development. The research hotspots have concentrated on railway rights history research based on the Baolu (Railway Protection) Movement, the history of important figures and their relationship with railways, the history of modern railway foreign debts, and the research on railways and social and economic changes. Chinese railway history research has undergone three shifts; further deepening of research requires fully exploring academic hotspots and strengthening research on major theoretical and practical issues in Chinese railway history, expanding the research time frame and perspective to enrich Chinese railway history research, and strengthening exchanges and cooperation and conducting interdisciplinary research. Key Words: Railway; Chinese railway history; Visual analysis; Knowledge graph; Cite Spacepage: 61-71Historical Insights from Japan’s Kamioka NDE Experiment: Examining Its Scientific-Cultural Impact Abstract: “Kamioka Experiment” (Kamioka NDE) represents a quintessential case study within the phenomenon of Japan’s “Nobel Prize Surge.” Through a micro-analysis from the perspective of Actor-Network Theory, it identifies the core actors as part of a diverse collaborative network built upon international academic participation and the integration of industry, academia, and research. Based on an empirical investigation into the construction mechanism of this network, this study posits that elements of scientific culture, such as a spirit of innovation grounded in a sense of responsibility and a pure pursuit of fundamental science, play a crucial “glue-like” role. This article broadens understanding of the operational mechanisms of scientific cultural elements within high-level technological innovation networks and may offer experiential insights for cultivating a scientific culture conducive to technological innovation in China. Key Words: Kamioka NDE; Original innovation; Scientific culture; Actor-Networkpage: 83-92JOURNAL OF DIALECTICS OF NATURE
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