新概念英语4册第22课
2004-09-01 11:44
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Knowledge and progress
Why does the idea of progress loom so large in the modern world? Surely because progress of a particular kind is actually taking place around us and is becoming more and more manifest. Although mankind has undergone no general improvement in intelligence or morality, it has made extraordinary progress the accumulation of knowledge. Knowledge began to increase as soon as the thoughts of one individual could be communicated to another by means of speech. With the invention of writing, a great advance was made, for knowledge could then be not only communicated but also stored. Libraries made education possible, and education in its turn added to libraries: the growth of knowledge followed a kind of compound-interest law, which was greatly enhanced by the invention of printing. All this was comparatively slow until, with the coming science, the tempo was suddenly raised. Then knowledge began to be accumulated according to a systematic plan. The trickle became a stream; the stream has now become a torrent. Moreover, as soon as new knowledge is acquired, it is now turned to practical account. What is called 'modern civilization' is not the result of a balanced development of all man`s nature, but of accumulated knowledge applied to practical life. The problem now facing humanity is: What is going to be done with all this knowledge? As is often pointed out, knowledge is a two-edged weapon which can be used equally for good or evil. It is now being used indifferently for bot. Could any spectacle, for instance, be more grimly whimsical than of gunners using science to shatter men`s bodies while, close at hand, surgeons use it to restore them? We have to ask ourselves very seriously what will happen if this twofold use of knowledge, with its ever-increasing power, continues.
为什么关于进步的观点突然出现在现今世界上？ 现任是因为一些进步越来越明显地发生在我们周围。尽管人类在智力和道德上没有全面的改进，但他们在积累知识上有了相当大的进步。当一个人的想法可以通过语言同另一个人交流的时候，知识就开始积累。而随着书写的发明，得到了很大的进步。知识不但可以被传递也可以被存储。图书馆使得教育变成了可能。而教育反过来又充实了图书馆。知识的增长遵循一种复杂而有趣的规律，这中规律随着印刷被大大增强。所有这些发展都比较缓慢，直到科学发展后，速度突然加快了。知识以一种系统的方式被积累起来。点滴汇成溪流，涓涓溪流又迸发成激流。而且，一旦获得新的知识，立即会转为实际的应用。这被称为现代文明。现代文明不是人类本性平衡发展的结果，而是将知识应用到实际生活中的结果。而现在人类面临的问题是：拥有这些知识能够做什么？就象经常被提到的那样，知识是一把双刃剑，即能带来益处也能带来毁灭。而现在，知识毫无区别地应用在两方面上。炮手利用科学打碎人的身体，而外科医生却用同样的双手恢复人的身体，还有什么能比这更加古怪的吗？我们必须严肃地质问自己随着知识的不断增长，
Why does the idea of progress loom so large in the modern world? Surely because progress of a particular kind is actually taking place around us and is becoming more and more manifest. Although mankind has undergone no general improvement in intelligence or morality, it has made extraordinary progress the accumulation of knowledge. Knowledge began to increase as soon as the thoughts of one individual could be communicated to another by means of speech. With the invention of writing, a great advance was made, for knowledge could then be not only communicated but also stored. Libraries made education possible, and education in its turn added to libraries: the growth of knowledge followed a kind of compound-interest law, which was greatly enhanced by the invention of printing. All this was comparatively slow until, with the coming science, the tempo was suddenly raised. Then knowledge began to be accumulated according to a systematic plan. The trickle became a stream; the stream has now become a torrent. Moreover, as soon as new knowledge is acquired, it is now turned to practical account. What is called 'modern civilization' is not the result of a balanced development of all man`s nature, but of accumulated knowledge applied to practical life. The problem now facing humanity is: What is going to be done with all this knowledge? As is often pointed out, knowledge is a two-edged weapon which can be used equally for good or evil. It is now being used indifferently for bot. Could any spectacle, for instance, be more grimly whimsical than of gunners using science to shatter men`s bodies while, close at hand, surgeons use it to restore them? We have to ask ourselves very seriously what will happen if this twofold use of knowledge, with its ever-increasing power, continues.
为什么关于进步的观点突然出现在现今世界上？ 现任是因为一些进步越来越明显地发生在我们周围。尽管人类在智力和道德上没有全面的改进，但他们在积累知识上有了相当大的进步。当一个人的想法可以通过语言同另一个人交流的时候，知识就开始积累。而随着书写的发明，得到了很大的进步。知识不但可以被传递也可以被存储。图书馆使得教育变成了可能。而教育反过来又充实了图书馆。知识的增长遵循一种复杂而有趣的规律，这中规律随着印刷被大大增强。所有这些发展都比较缓慢，直到科学发展后，速度突然加快了。知识以一种系统的方式被积累起来。点滴汇成溪流，涓涓溪流又迸发成激流。而且，一旦获得新的知识，立即会转为实际的应用。这被称为现代文明。现代文明不是人类本性平衡发展的结果，而是将知识应用到实际生活中的结果。而现在人类面临的问题是：拥有这些知识能够做什么？就象经常被提到的那样，知识是一把双刃剑，即能带来益处也能带来毁灭。而现在，知识毫无区别地应用在两方面上。炮手利用科学打碎人的身体，而外科医生却用同样的双手恢复人的身体，还有什么能比这更加古怪的吗？我们必须严肃地质问自己随着知识的不断增长，
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