學術演講 2015.8.25公告 |
2015年9月11日(週五)
李 貞老師主講:No Eastern End for Global Plant Classification? Hayata Bunzo (早田文蔵,1874-1934)’s Dynamic System of Plant Classification |
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- 講 題:No Eastern End for Global Plant Classification? Hayata Bunzo (早田文蔵, 1874-1934)’s Dynamic System of Plant Classification
- 主講人:李 貞 老師(中研院史語所博士後研究人員)
- 主持人:呂紹理 老師(臺大歷史系教授)
- 回應人:洪廣冀 老師(臺大地理系助理教授)
- 時 間:2015年9月11日(週五)下午 2:30~4:00
- 地 點:臺大文學院會議室(文學院二樓)
※本場為英文演講
- 主辦單位:東亞科技與社會國際期刊(EASTS)、臺大歷史系
- 演講摘要:
現代植物分類學,從歐洲開始擴張版圖的十八世紀以來,已成為全世界的研究目標。而日本學者早田文藏曾於二十世紀前半期,試著將植物分類系統「東方化」。此次演講即透過早年文藏的研究,來觀察從二十世紀初以降,植物分類學學說之間的張力以及整合現象。
早田文藏在1920年的研究發現,自然分類法以及當時Engler的標準分類系統跟植物的演化沒有明顯關係,他並進一步提出「動態系統下的植物自然分類」,完全否認了演化學說。他認為這個分類法比較自然,因為它不強加任何人造的標準,或是預先假設好一條演化路徑,而是以多種相似的動態特徵來確立植物間的關係。 早田對當代分類系統的懷疑,來自於他在日治時期的台灣以及法屬印度支那的田野經驗;在探索這些亞熱帶與熱帶地區植物時,他極度仰賴Johann Wolfgang von Goethe對植物成長過程的研究,並同時大量的閱讀基因,授粉,生物地理學,以及其他跟演化有關的文獻,亦積極地參與國際間相關的科學研究討論。
雖然早田的理論在國際間的田野研究與文獻閱讀討論中形成,但他本人認為他的理論是由「東方思想」發展出來的;相較於西方「適者生存」的概念,東方的思想則較偏向於「共享」、「互惠」。出乎意料地,早田此偏向東方的理論雖頗受到一些西方的支持,卻不被日本這「正宗東方」的國家所接受。此次演講希望能透過分析早田的理論受到國際經驗的影響,以及各地對他的動態分類系統的接受程度, 來填補在日本現代植物學全球化的過程裡面被遺忘的片段,並加深我們理解全球化的科學實踐所帶來的張力與拉扯。
Modern plant systematics, an important ally for European expansion, has been a global project since its inception in the eighteenth century. This talk discusses the growing tensions and concurrent consolidation of this global project in the early twentieth century through the perspective of a leading Japanese participant, Hayata Bunzo (1874-1934), who tried to “Easternize” this global project.
In 1920, Hayata declared that there was no natural classification in the field and that Engler’s then-standard system did not have as much to do with the phylogenetic relationships of plants as it claimed. In its place, Hayata proposed the “Natural Classification of Plants according to the Dynamic System,” which boldly denied evolution itself. He took this classification to be natural as it would not impose any artificially fixed standard, nor would it assume a linear phylogenetic tree. It would instead make manifold associations among plants according to multiple rules fitting the dynamic transformations of plants. This bold proposal had global origins. Hayata's doubts about current systems were seeded through his botanizing of Japanese Taiwan and his immersion in French Indo-China. In developing his thoughts from these sub-tropical and tropical sites, he relied heavily on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s (1749-1832) work on plant metamorphoses. He also read voraciously on genetics, pollination, biogeography, and other evolutionary discussions, and actively participated in international scientific exchanges.
Despite these global origins, Hayata claimed that his theory was based on “Eastern perspectives” and “Eastern ideas.” It was built on the Eastern ideas of “mutual participation” and “mutual sharing” instead of the Western ideas of “survival of the fittest.” However, whereas his eastern theory received considerable support from the West, it utterly failed to have resonance in Japan, “the Absolute East.” By analyzing the global makings and these varying receptions of Hayata’s dynamic system, this paper seeks to illuminate the forgotten cracks in Japanese globalization of its modern botany, and in turn the constant operation of the dominant terms of globalizing scientific practice by willing newcomers. The cracks made visible by failures like Hayata’s would sharpen our understanding of tensions in ever globalizing scientific practice.
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