刚看了爱因斯坦这封信，我认为根本不存在任何歧义。这是简单的英语阅读理解。那些扯出信件背景的分析是缺乏逻辑的表现。

爱因斯坦的意思再明显不过了：

逻辑系统与实验方法是西方科学发展的基础。中国人没有发明这两样东西毫不奇怪（注：除西方外其他人也没有发明）。令人惊奇的是，这两样东西被（西方人）发明了。

这是单从语法即可判断的，爱因斯坦使用的现在完成时  “have not made"，就是说”中国人没走出这些步子”。如果爱因斯坦是那种被误解的含义，应该使用虚拟语气："One would not have to be atonished had the Chinese not made these steps."

有的中文读者可能不明白，invention的字典含义包括  “discovery" 。参见：http://www.thefreedictionary.com/invention 

in·ven·tion

6. A discovery; a finding. 

Dear Sir： 

Development of Western science is based on two great achievements: the invention of the formal logical system (in Euclidean geometry) by the Greek philosophers, and the discovery of the possibility to find out causal relationships by systematic experiment (during the Renaissance).

In my opinion one has not to be astonished that the Chinese sages have not made these steps.The astonishing thing is that those discoveries were made at all.

Sincerely yours,

Albert Einstein