長久以來，陽明學常被批評的一個弊端是重視「尊德性」而忽略「道問學」，輕視經典注疏和經驗知識。然陽明學派中不乏博學多能之士。顧應祥與唐順之均擅長數學、歷史等學科，兩人不僅在知識領域博覽深造，而且自覺將求知學藝與理學修身融合在一起。兩人的知識技藝學習不是出於實用，而是指向孔子的「游於藝」，以「養心」、「自得」的生命涵養為歸宿。心學修養為求知學藝提供了精神歸宿，同時，知識技藝在心學中獲得顯著且獨立的地位。顧應祥與唐順之的知識實踐及思考為探討陽明學與科學之關係問題提供了一個全新的視角。

Wang Yang-ming’s doctrine is always criticized as attaching importance to morality but undervaluing knowledge. However, there are so many learned men with wide range of studies. Gu Ying-xiang and Tang Shun-zhi are both expert in mathematics and history. They not only studied different range of knowledge, but also coalesced knowledge seeking with self-cultivation of Neo-Confucianism. They studied and practiced not for utility but because of “Finding recreation in the arts” in Analects (7:6). They aimed at mind excise, self-achieving. The Yang-ming’s doctrine provided the destination for their studying and practicing. Meanwhile, the knowledge and artistry occupied a significant and independent position in their thoughts. Gu Ying-xiang and Tang Shun-zhi’s thoughts and practice in their knowledge seeking provided a new angle of view for discussing the problem of the relation between Yang-ming’s doctrine and science.