王鑫,王川西,孙昌璞*.基础研究何以更需要科学家精神[J].中国科学院院刊,2026,41(6):1295-1303.

基础研究何以更需要科学家精神

On crucial role of the spirit of Chinese scientists in basic research

王鑫
中国工程物理研究院研究生院 北京 100193
WANG Xin
Graduate School of China Academy of Engineering Physics, Beijing 100193, China
王川西
中国工程物理研究院研究生院 北京 100193
WANG Chuanxi
Graduate School of China Academy of Engineering Physics, Beijing 100193, China
孙昌璞*
中国工程物理研究院研究生院 北京 100193
SUN Changpu*
Graduate School of China Academy of Engineering Physics, Beijing 100193, China

         基础研究;科学家精神;宽容失败

        basic research;spirit of Chinese scientists;tolerance of failure

        基础研究是原始创新的源头，是科技强国建设的根基。与应用开发和工程攻关相比，基础研究主要是探索未知、提出新概念、发现新规律、建立新理论，其成果往往难以预测，也难以在短周期内得到实验与实践的充分检验。这一特性使基础研究天然面临科学哲学意义上的三重挑战：（1）基础理论的实验验证需要漫长的时间；（2）基础科学不少领域难以严格实行“双盲”实验，理论预期不可避免地影响实验设计、数据筛选和结果解释；（3） 科学共同体、评价体系、社会期待等科学社会学因素会影响研究者对“异常结果”和“非预期结果”的态度。正因如此，介于负责任科研行为与学术不端之间的“学术灰色地带”在基础研究中往往更隐蔽、更复杂，难以仅靠制度规则加以识别和约束。文章认为，应对这3个由基础研究内涵属性带来的挑战尤其需要科学家精神：既需要科研人员胸怀大局、坚持独立思考、追求真理、诚实守信、勇于纠错，也需要科研管理和政府部门遵循基础研究规律，营造宽容失败、鼓励争鸣、尊重长期积累的创新环境。科学家自身的责任担当与制度层面的宽容失败相结合，才能真正打牢原始创新的精神根基。

        Basic research is the source of original innovation and the foundation for building a strong nation in science and technology. Compared with applied development research and engineering research, basic research is primarily concerned with exploring the frontiers, proposing new concepts, discovering new laws, and establishing new theories. Its outcomes are often difficult to predict in advance and are rarely subject to sufficient experimental and practical verification within a short time frame. These characteristics expose basic research to three inherent challenges in the philosophy of science. First, the experimental verification of fundamental theories often requires a long period of time. Second, in many fields of basic science, strictly implemented “double-blind” experiments are difficult to achieve, and theoretical expectations inevitably influence experimental design, data selection, and the interpretation of results. Third, sociological factors within science, including the scientific community, evaluation systems, and societal expectations, may shape researchers’ attitudes toward “anomalous results” and “unexpected findings”. For these reasons, the “questionable research practices” between responsible research conduct and academic misconduct in basic research tend to be more concealed and complex, and are difficult to identify and regulate solely through institutional rules. This paper argues that the intrinsic nature of basic research and the challenges it faces call especially for the spirit of Chinese scientists. Researchers must maintain a broad sense of responsibility while upholding independent thinking, the pursuit of truth, honesty and integrity, and the courage to correct errors. At the same time, research management bodies and government departments should follow the intrinsic laws of basic research and foster an innovation environment that tolerates failure, encourages open debate, and respects long-term accumulation. Only by combining scientists’ own sense of responsibility with institutional tolerance of failure can the spiritual foundation of original innovation be truly consolidated.