科學的一元宗教，還是以科學代宗教？－－論陳獨秀對海克爾學說的接受與轉化

"A Scientific Religion, or Replacing Religion by Science: Chen Duxiu’s Reception and Transformation of Ernst Haeckel’s Thoughts"

陳獨秀在1915年回國後開始宣揚科學思想，先後引介「賽先生」和提出「以科學代宗教說」，對宗教之態度又曾幾度轉變，對五四時期科學與宗教的社會地位有深遠的影響。本文關注他在回國至五四運動爆發之間對於西方理性思潮的吸收與轉化，將其反宗教論述上溯至德國自然科學兼哲學家海克爾的學說。1917年，陳獨秀在《新青年》第3卷第6期和第4卷第1期上發表了一篇題為〈科學與基督教〉的翻譯，出自海克爾《宇宙之謎》（Die Welträtsel）的其中一章，與陳獨秀的反宗教論述互相呼應。陳獨秀一方面借用海克爾學說對宗教作出批判，另一方面卻隱去學說的終極目標－－「一元宗教」，當中涉及一種有意識的文化選擇。從海克爾提倡科學的、理性的「一元宗教」，到陳獨秀提出「以科學代宗教說」，乃至其在非基運動與科玄論戰中的新取態，可以視為啟蒙／反啟蒙思潮自歐洲傳播至東亞過程中的「理性」流變脈絡來看待，也體現出跨文化背景下五四知識分子對科學理性與信仰宗教的關係作出了一次抉擇。

"Chen Duxiu (1879-1942) had a major influence on the development of science and religion in the May Fourth period. Since 1915, he introduced “Mr. Science” and proposed the idea of “replacing religion by science” to China. Meanwhile, his attitude towards religion changed several times, showing great complexity on this issue. This paper investigates Chen’s reception and transformation of the Western thoughts on reason, tracing the anti-religion discourses to the German scientist and philosopher Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919). In 1917, Chen translated an article titled “Science and Christianity,” the translation was published on New Youth. This article is originally a chapter of Haeckel’s book The Riddles of World (Die Welträtsel). By tracing Chen’s proposition back to Haeckel’s idea of “monism,” the paper reveals that Chen criticized religion by means of Haeckel’s arguments while hiding Haeckel’s ultimate goal: the monistic religion. From Haeckel to Chen, we may find connection on reason in the Europe-Asia Enlightenment/Anti-Enlightenment campaign. This paper re-examines how Chen adopted the rational thoughts from the West and modified it into the context of early 20th century Chinese society from the perspective of transcultural studies. Chen’s case may also represent a choice made by the May Fourth intellectuals on the relationship between reason/science and belief/religion."