On the morning of December 20, 2021, Professor Yuan Jiangyang from the School of Humanities, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, was invited to give the special lecture, entitled “Reflections on History of Historiography of Science: The Reexamination of Sarton’s New Humanism.” The lecture was hosted by Chen Qi, associate professor in the School of Medical Humanities, Peking University. Zhang Daqing, Peking University Boya Chair Professor, served as the commentator. The lecture was conducted online and offline simultaneously. More than 50 teachers and students participated in the lecture and had a lively discussion.

　　 Figure 1 Prof. Yuan Jiangyang is giving the lecture.

　　 The lecture mainly includes four aspects: “the establishment of the history of science as a discipline: Sarton’s Ideal,” “reflections on the history of historiography of science,” “understanding the development of science from the perspective of longue durée and global history: convergence, integration and innovation,” and “the mission of the historian of science.” In the nearly three-hour lecture, Prof. Yuan Jiangyang not only described the development history of science history and the trans-civilization journey of human reason and science from the perspective of longue durée and global history, but also pointed out the disadvantages of western centrism and nationalism in the study of the history of science, and the mission of contemporary historians of science.

　　 Prof. Yuan Jiangyang first introduced “the establishment of the history of science as a discipline: Sarton’s Ideal.” Prof. Yuan pointed out that the history of science has been studied a long time ago, but it was not until the 20th century that it became an independent discipline. Then, he reviewed the institutionalization of the history of science in Western countries and China, and the development of the history of science in the past 120 years. Prof. Yuan Jiangyang believes that Sarton’s new humanism is “scientific humanism,” and explained “Sarton’s Ideal” as follow: Sarton foresaw the split between science and humanities. In order to connect science and humanities, he founded  ISIS  to promote the development of science history as a discipline. However, science and humanities are gradually getting separated now. The history of science caters to the discipline of history, but is alienated from science.

　　 In the section of “reflections on the history of historiography of science,” Prof. Yuan Jiangyang pointed out that politics and ideology are involved in the history of science. The history of science and technology in the background of non-European culture is permeated with distinct value orientation of nationalism, while the western centrism is nothing but the European and American version of nationalism. In this part, Prof. Yuan also discussed Needham’s Grand Question and Pan-Needham’s Grand Question, and reexamined the concept of scientific revolution.

　　 In the third part of the lecture, Prof. Yuan Jiangyang discussed the development of science from the perspective of longue durée and global history, and introduced in detail the convergence, integration and innovation of human thought in ancient Greece, Arabia and modern Europe. He believes that the fourth convergence, integration and innovation may occur in China. In the view of longue durée, the self-reliance of China’s science and technology needs to establish the scientific value theory based on the truth and goodness, and needs to be integrated into the Chinese version of “common value”. Let the light of reason illuminate China and the world today so that the scientific take-off can be achieved.

　　 Finally, Prof. Yuan Jiangyang pointed out that the advancement of science is the guarantee of human progress. Contemporary historians of science should invite science back to the history of science, and study the history of science from the perspective of longue durée, so that the history of science will return to science, return to the grand history. Please contemporary historians of science review Sarton’s Ideal, and grasp and reproduce the unity and overall process of human science.

　　 Figure 2 Prof. Yuan Jiangyang is having a lively discussion with the teachers and students present.

　　 After the lecture, Prof. Yuan Jiangyang had a heated discussion with the teachers and students present. Prof. Zhang Daqing, the commentator, said that his view of the history of science is consistent with that of Prof. Yuan. He believes that historians of science should form a grand view of history, restore Sarton’s Ideal of science and humanities, and pay attention to the universal scientific culture. The teachers and students at the meeting felt that they had benefited a lot.

　　 Jin Yanan, Chen Qi; School of Health Humanities