Shi Yigong: Science needs to imagine, imagine from reading

Author:Scientific network Time:2022.07.17

Source ｜ China News Network

Author ｜ Tong Xiaoyu Zhu Zheng

"Reading is the only way to human beings to science, and can insert the wings of imagination for humans." On July 16, when talking about the topic of imagination and science, Shi Yigong, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and President of West Lake University, said that science needs needs Imagination, imagination comes from reading. If humans have never imagined nature, science cannot be born.

On the same day, the "West Lake Spring Reading Meeting" and the 2nd West Lake University Library Donation Fund event day was held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. "What is the significance of reading" is the topic that is frequently talked about at the scene.

For this question, Shi Yigong answered like this: "Don't talk about all the utilitarian purposes, reading is a spiritual enjoyment, which can insert the wings of imagination for humans."

In his opinion, scientific energy and fuel come from imagination. "If humans have never imagined nature, science cannot be born."

Why is imagination so important to scientists? Shi Yigong said that in the process of human civilization, many seemingly unconventional "whimsical openness" provides lively propositions and unlimited space for scientific exploration.

For example, more than 150 years ago, French science fiction writer Reller Vernes described the story of three adventurers in the lunar adventure in the work "From Earth to the Moon". 104 years after the work came out, humans finally realized the dream of landing for the moon for the first time.

He depicts the scene of the "Nautilus" submarine in another work in another work "20,000 Miles of the Sea". Today, these fantasy scenes have come true.

"It can be said that imagination is the source of social progress. It is excessive imagination that human beings have extraordinary initiatives, and human beings have today and the future." Shi Yigong said that universities as lighthouses of human civilization need to be What you do is to continuously expand the boundaries of understanding nature and protect the most primitive and precious imagination of human beings.

Shi Yigong said that in order to make students bold and innovative, West Lake University has made a lot of preparations, including the heart of the construction of a university -library. It is reported that the Yungu Campus Library of Xihu University is under construction.

He hopes that more young people and more next generations dare to dare to think more.

This view has also been recognized by Huang Jiaxing, a professor of materials science at West Lake University. He mentioned that to protect his curiosity and imagination, and use unruly imagination of the boundary of the sea and the sky.

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