On the Significance of Scientific Atheism Propaganda in the Strategy of Rejuvenating the Country through Science and Education

Rejuvenating the country through science and education is an important component of Deng Xiaoping Theory and a major strategy and basic state policy for China’s social and economic development. Implementing the strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education is a necessary condition and fundamental path for liberating and developing the productive forces and building a moderately prosperous socialist society. As the crystallization of human wisdom and the ideological foundation of Marxism, the propaganda and education of scientific atheism is an inherent requirement of the strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education.

科教兴国是邓小平理论的重要组成部分，也是我国社会经济发展的重大战略与基本国策。贯彻科教兴国战略，是解放和发展生产力、建设社会主义小康社会的必要条件和根本路径。作为人类智慧的结晶与马克思主义的思想基础，科学无神论的宣传与教育是科教兴国战略的内在要求。

I. The Connotation and Significance of Scientific Atheism

一、科学无神论的内涵与意义

Scientific atheism is the crystallization of human thought, an important achievement of philosophy and science in modern and contemporary times. It constitutes the premise and foundation of modern cultural-ethical progress and has exerted a significant influence on the development of human society.

科学无神论是人类思想的智慧结晶，是近现代以来哲学与科学发展的重要成果，构成了现代精神文明的前提与基础，对人类社会的发展产生了重要影响。

Atheism is an ideological system opposed to theism. In the history of human civilization, atheist thought has a long and continuous lineage. At the dawn of human entry into civilized society, with the improvement of the level of productive forces and the growth of thinking capacity, atheist thought gradually sprouted. Over the long course of historical development, both the East and the West produced rich and profound systems of atheist thought. Although atheist thought took shape in the early period of human civilization, ancient atheist thought was scattered and crude, capable only of exposing the flaws and contradictions of the concept of ghosts and gods on specific issues. It was therefore generally confined to the level of common sense and could not fundamentally deny the existence of ghosts and gods. Only after the formation of modern natural science did atheism truly find its solid ideological foundation. The development of science provided atheism with necessary tools, means, and empirical materials. A large body of empirical knowledge increasingly dispelled the religious fog that had imprisoned people’s thinking. The spirit and methods of science also made it possible to reveal the absurdity of religious superstition and explain its essence. Modern and contemporary atheism has always marched in step with movements of ideological emancipation, taking many variant forms such as pantheism, deism, and agnosticism. The most resolute among them was the militant atheism of 18th-century France, which Engels once called “the highest achievement of the French spirit.” [1]1 Engels’s comment on 18th-century French materialism, from his 1880 work *Socialism: Utopian and Scientific*. This atheism, built on the foundation of modern natural science, differs from ancient naive atheism: it not only fundamentally negates the concept of ghosts and gods but also correctly explains the causes of that concept. Hence it is called scientific atheism. Marxism inherited the fine tradition of modern scientific atheism, armed itself with the theory of dialectical materialism and historical materialism, and developed scientific atheism to an entirely new height. Marxism is the most thorough and most scientific atheism. This thoroughness does not lie in the resoluteness with which it advocates scientific atheism, but in the fact that it scientifically reveals the roots and conditions of the emergence of religious theism and demonstrates the essence of the social phenomenon of religious theism and the objective laws of its emergence and extinction. At the same time, scientific atheism is the premise and foundation of Marxism. It was precisely on the basis of criticizing religious theism that the founders of Marxism created dialectical materialism and historical materialism. The fundamental principle of materialism requires that the ideological premise of atheism must first be established.

无神论是和有神论相对立的思想体系。在人类文明史上，无神论思想可谓源远流长。人类在进入文明社会之初，随生产力水平的提高与思维能力的增长，无神论思想已逐渐萌芽。在长期的历史发展中，东西方都曾产生过丰富而深刻的无神论思想体系。尽管无神论思想形成于人类文明早期，但古代的无神论思想零散而质朴，只能从某些具体问题上揭露鬼神观念的缺陷与矛盾，因而一般局限于常识层面，还不能从根本上否认鬼神的存在。只有到近现代自然科学形成之后，无神论才真正找到了自己坚实的思想基础。科学的发展为无神论提供了必要的工具手段与实证材料，大量的实证知识日益驱散了禁锢人们思想的宗教迷雾，科学的精神与方法也为揭示宗教迷信的荒谬与说明其本质提供了可能。近现代无神论一直与思想解放运动同行，有泛神论、自然神论、不可知论等诸多变种，尤以18世纪法国的战斗无神论最为坚定，恩格斯曾将其称之为“法兰西精神的最高成就”。这种建立在近代自然科学发展基础上的无神论与古代朴素的无神论不同，不仅根本否定鬼神观念，还对鬼神观念产生的原因进行了正确的说明，故而被称为科学无神论。马克思主义继承了近代科学无神论的优秀传统，以辩证唯物主义与历史唯物主义为理论武装，将科学无神论发展到了一个全新的高度。马克思主义是最彻底、最科学的无神论，这种彻底性并不在于其主张科学无神论的坚决性，而在于它科学地揭示了宗教有神论产生的根源与条件，论证了宗教有神论这一社会现象的本质及其产生和消亡的客观规律。同时，科学无神论又是马克思主义的前提与基础。马克思主义的创始人正是在对宗教有神论批判的基础上才创建了辩证唯物论与历史唯物论，唯物主义的根本原则要求必须首先无神论这一思想前提。

Scientific atheism is both an important achievement of modern scientific development and a great promoter of the progress of science, technology, and human thought. Only when people were no longer satisfied with God’s arrangements and governance, but instead used their own knowledge and ability to explore the laws of the objective world, could science break free from the shackles of religion and achieve substantial development. Deism and pantheism are important steps and stages toward atheism, essentially belonging to the category of atheist thought. These ideological forms, which occupy an important place in the history of modern Western philosophy, became the spiritual driving force and personal faith that inspired and propelled scientists of the time to tirelessly explore the mysteries of the universe, thereby creating far more achievements of civilization than had been produced in the previous several thousand years. In the socio-political sphere, religious deceptions such as “the mandate of heaven and divine right” were gradually shaken. The belief that the legitimacy and destiny of the state depend on people rather than gods became universal. Consequently, heads of state no longer needed coronation by the church but appealed to the election of citizens. This gave rise to the modern state form of separation of church and state and also made possible the basic civil right of freedom of religious belief. Scientific atheism cleared away the fog of religious theism, freed people from their hopes pinned on God and the afterlife, and prompted them to re-examine and establish the value and meaning of life, inspiring and encouraging people to strive for their own happiness in the real world. In this way, it shattered the ideological shackles of ignorance and superstition, enabling people to begin taking their destiny into their own hands and thereby establishing a healthy and civilized way of life.

科学无神论既是近现代科学发展的重要成果，同时又极大地促进了科学技术与人类思想的发展进步。只有当人们不再满足于上帝的安排与支配，转而以自身的知识与能力去探求客观世界的规律之时，科学才得以从宗教的束缚之下解脱出来，获得长足的发展。自然神论、泛神论是迈向无神论的重要步骤与阶段，本质上属于无神论思想的范畴。这些在近代西方哲学史上占有重要地位的思想形态，成为影响和促进当时科学家们不懈探索宇宙奥秘的精神动力与个人信仰，从而创造了比过去数千年多的多的文明成果。在社会政治领域，“天命神授”之类的宗教欺骗逐渐被动摇，国家的合法性与前途命运依赖于人而不是神成为普遍的信念，于是国家元首不再需要教会加冕，而诉诸于公民的选举。这就形成了政教分离的现代国家形态，也使宗教信仰自由这一公民基本权利成为可能。科学无神论澄清了宗教有神论的迷雾，将人们从对上帝与来世的期冀中摆脱出来，重新审视与确立人生的价值与意义，启示和鼓励人们在现实世界中争取自己的幸福。这就打碎了愚昧迷信的思想枷锁，使人们开始将命运掌握在自己手里，从而建立起健康文明的生活方式。

II. The Spiritual Essence of the Theory of Rejuvenating the Country through Science and Education

二、科教兴国理论的精神实质

Rejuvenating the country through science and education is an important component of Deng Xiaoping Theory. Its basic content is to implement the idea that “science and technology are the primary productive forces,” to take education as the foundation, and to place science, technology, and education in a key position in economic and social development, making them an important force for revitalizing the country. This thought laid a solid theoretical foundation and provided a scientific practical basis for the formation of China’s strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education.

科教兴国是邓小平理论的重要组成部分，其基本内容是落实“科学技术是第一生产力”的思想，以教育为本，把科技和教育放在经济、社会发展的重要位置，成为振兴国家的重要力量。这一思想为我国科教兴国战略的形成奠定了坚实的理论基础，并提供了科学的实践依据。

As early as 1977, Comrade Deng Xiaoping clearly stated: “If our country is to catch up with the advanced world level, where should we start? I think we should start with science and education.” [2]2 From Deng Xiaoping’s speech “Respect Knowledge, Respect Talent,” May 24, 1977. “If we do not grasp science and education, the four modernizations will have no hope and will become empty words.” [3]3 From Deng Xiaoping’s speech “On the Work of Science and Education,” August 8, 1977. In October 1986, when meeting with foreign scholars, he pointed out that China’s development cannot be separated from science. [4]4 From Deng Xiaoping’s meeting with foreign scholars, October 18, 1986. In particular, in September 1988, he put forward the famous thesis that “science and technology are the primary productive forces.” [5]5 From Deng Xiaoping’s remark during a conversation on September 5, 1988. In his “Southern Talks” of 1992, Deng once again emphasized: “To achieve faster economic development, we must rely on science and education.” [6]6 From Deng Xiaoping’s “Southern Talks” (nanzun), a series of speeches delivered during an inspection tour of southern China in early 1992. The thought of rejuvenating the country through science and education treats science and technology as the primary factor driving economic and social development, representing an innovation and development of Marxism. More than one hundred years ago, Marx pointed out that “the productive forces also include science,” [7]7 From Marx’s *Grundrisse* (1857–1858), Notebook VI. affirming the position and role of science and technology in the development of productive forces at that time. Compared with the era of the Industrial Revolution, contemporary human society has entered the information age. The process of transforming knowledge into productive forces has been greatly shortened. Science and technology, especially high technology, have become extremely closely integrated into all elements of the productive forces, greatly promoting the leap in productive forces and social development. Under these circumstances, competition in the world economy and comprehensive national strength is, to a large extent, competition in science and technology. Only through scientific and technological innovation can the level of productive forces in late-developing countries possibly catch up with advanced countries. Deng Xiaoping’s thought of rejuvenating the country through science and education is a highly far-sighted proposition put forward in response to the new situation of the times.

早在1977年，邓小平同志就明确指出：“我们国家要赶上世界先进水平，从何着手呢？我想，要从科学与教育着手” ，“不抓科学、教育，四个现代化就没有希望，就成为一句空话” 。1986年10月，他在会见外国学者时指出，中国要发展，离不开科学 。特别是1988年9月，他提出了“科学技术是第一生产力” 的著名论断。在1992年的“南方谈话”中，邓小平再次强调：“经济发展的快一点，必须依靠科学与教育” 科教兴国思想将科学技术当做推动经济社会发展的首要因素，是对马克思主义的创新与发展。在一百多年前，马克思曾指出：“生产力中也包括科学” ，肯定了科学技术在当时生产力发展中的地位与作用。与工业革命时代相比，当代人类社会已进入信息时代，知识转化为生产力的过程大大缩短，科学技术特别是高新技术已极为紧密的融合于生产力诸要素之中，极大地推动了生产力的飞跃与社会的发展。在这种情况下，世界范围内经济与综合国力的竞争，很大程度上就是科学技术的竞争。只有通过科技创新，才能使后发国家的生产力水平有可能迎头赶上先进国家。邓小平的科教兴国思想正是顺应新的时代形势而提出的极具远见卓识的主张。

Science and technology can improve labor tools and transform labor objects, thereby greatly promoting the development of productive forces. However, all of this must be realized through laborers. Laborers are the most active and dynamic factor among the productive forces, constituting the necessary intermediary for the transformation of science and technology into actual productive forces. Only by relying on laborers who have mastered science and technology—that is, talent—can science and technology be implemented and applied in the production process, unleashing the enormous power contained within them. At the same time, scientific research and technological innovation themselves require high-level researchers to be realized. The cultivation of talent must rely on education. Therefore, Deng Xiaoping pointed out: “To develop science and technology, we must grasp education. Empty talk cannot achieve modernization. We must have knowledge and talent. Without knowledge and talent, how can we move forward?” [8]8 From Deng Xiaoping’s speech “Respect Knowledge, Respect Talent,” May 24, 1977. Education and science and technology must be placed in positions of equal importance in order to, on the one hand, realize and accelerate the transformation of science and technology to the production level, and on the other hand, promote the continuous development of scientific research itself. The strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education is to truly shift economic construction onto the track of relying on scientific and technological progress and improving the quality of laborers. In the final analysis, it depends on the cultivation of production subjects and scientific research subjects.

科学技术能改进劳动工具、改造劳动对象，从而极大地推动生产力的发展，但这一切却必须通过劳动者才能实现。劳动者是生产力中最积极、最活跃的因素，构成了科学技术转化为现实生产力的必要中介。只有依靠掌握了科学技术的劳动者，即人才，才能将科技落实和应用于生产过程之中，使之发挥出蕴含的巨大力量。同时，科学研究与技术创新，本身也需要高水平的科研人员才能实现。人才的培养则必须要依靠教育。因此，邓小平指出：“发展科学技术，不抓教育不行。靠空讲不能实现现代化，必须有知识，有人才。没有知识，没有人才，怎么上得去？” 必须将教育与科技放在同等重要的地位，才能一方面实现和加速科技向生产层面的转化，同时促进科学研究自身的不断发展。科教兴国战略就是要使经济建设真正转到依靠科技进步和提高劳动者素质的轨道上来，归根结底依赖于生产主体与科研主体的培养。

III. Scientific Atheism Propaganda Is an Inherent Requirement of the Strategy of Rejuvenating the Country through Science and Education

三、科学无神论宣传是科教兴国战略的内在要求

The propaganda and education of scientific atheism is an inherent requirement and proper meaning of implementing the strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education. This is determined by the essence of the strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education.

科学无神论的宣传与教育是贯彻科教兴国战略的内在要求和应有之义，这是由科教兴国战略的本质所决定的。

First, scientific atheism is a prerequisite for the development of science and technology. Historically, modern science emerged from the rise of atheist currents of thought. Without the Renaissance, whose fundamental characteristic was humanism, humanity would still be mired in the religious obscurantism of the Middle Ages, and modern natural science would have been utterly impossible; without the rise of modern atheist currents of thought, including deism and pantheism, the natural and social sciences could not have achieved such rapid development in Europe. Scientific atheism enables people to cast off the taboos and constraints of various religions and boldly explore the objective laws of nature and society; this is the ideological prerequisite for the development of science and technology. To fully implement the idea that science and technology constitute a primary productive force and to promote the rapid development of science and technology, we must unswervingly uphold and propagate scientific atheism.

第一，科学无神论是科技发展的前提条件。从历史上看，现代科学即产生于无神论思潮的兴起。如果没有以人文主义为根本特色的文艺复兴运动，人类仍将处于中世纪黑暗的宗教愚昧之中，根本不可能产生近现代自然科学；如果没有包括自然神论与泛神论在内的近代无神论思潮兴起，自然科学与社会科学也不可能在欧洲获得突飞猛进的发展。科学无神论使人们摆脱各种宗教的禁忌与束缚，大胆地探求自然与社会的客观规律，这是科技发展的思想前提。我们要全面落实科学技术是第一生产力的思想，推动科技的迅速发展，就必须毫不动摇的坚持和宣传科学无神论。

Second, scientific atheism is an inevitable requirement for improving the quality of the labor force. The key to implementing the strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education lies in cultivating a large number of producers and scientific researchers suited to technological innovation, thereby continuously and effectively promoting scientific and technological development and rapidly transforming new technologies into production practice. This requires that the labor force possess an innovative spirit of bold exploration and an open vision and capacity for broadly absorbing new knowledge; these qualities must be built on the foundation of a scientific atheist worldview. Scientific atheism is a rational and positive worldview and attitude toward life. Lacking this basic conviction, one cannot establish the spiritual quality of daring to innovate and practice, and it will be difficult to produce the subjects of production and scientific research that meet the requirements of the strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education.

第二，科学无神论是提高劳动者素质的必然要求。贯彻科教兴国战略，关键在于培养大批适应于科技创新的生产者与科研人员，从而持续地效地推动科技发展，并迅速将新技术转化到生产实践之中。这就要求劳动者具有勇于探索的创新精神、广泛汲取新知的开放视野与能力，而这些品质必然要建立于科学无神论思想的基础之上。科学无神论是一种合理积极的世界观与人生态度，缺乏这一基本信念，就无法树立勇于创新与实践的精神品质，也就难以造就符合科教兴国战略要求的生产主体与科研主体。

Third, scientific atheism is the natural orientation of the strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education. Scientific atheism is a natural ally of science; the development of science can provide theoretical and empirical support for atheism. Since modern times, the currents of scientific atheist thought and the development of the natural sciences have mutually promoted each other and are inseparable. Therefore, implementing and carrying out the strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education will inevitably further eradicate various superstitions and theism, thereby promoting the work of propagating scientific atheism. With the development of science, technology, and education, scientific atheist thought will increasingly take root in people's hearts and gradually become a universal belief in society.

第三，科学无神论是科教兴国战略的自然导向。科学无神论是科学的天然盟友，科学的发展能够为无神论提供理论与实证的支持。近现代以来科学无神论思潮与自然科学的发展相互促进，密不可分。因此，贯彻和落实科教兴国战略，必然能进一步破除各种迷信与有神论，从而促进科学无神论的宣传工作。随着科技与教育的发展，科学无神论思想会越来越深入人心，逐渐成为社会的普遍信念。

In sum, the strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education and the thought of scientific atheism have an intrinsic connection. To effectively implement and carry out the strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education, we must simultaneously do a great deal of work in propagating and educating people in scientific atheist thought.

总之，科教兴国战略与科学无神论思想具有内在的关联。我们要有效地贯彻落实科教兴国战略，必须同时大力做好科学无神论思想的宣传与教育工作。

References

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