unit five

Unit Five Reflections on His Eightieth Birthday I. Warm up Activity 1. What kinds of passion do you think governed Russells life? Cite examples. (“Three passions, simple but overwhelmingly strong, have governed my life： the longing for love, the search for knowledge, and unbearable pity for the suffering of mankind.”) 2. Do you agree with the view that man is born to trouble? Why or why not? 3. Russell claims that “Diversity is essential in spite of the fact that it precludes universal acceptance of a single gospel.” Do you agree with him on this point? State your reasons. 4. Russell lived in pursuit of a vision, both personal and social. What kind of vision do you pursue in your life? II.Background Knowledge Bertrand Russell Bertrand Arthur William Russell （ 1872-1970） , British philosopher, logician, essayist, and social critic, is best known for his work in mathematical logic and analytic philosophy. His most influential contributions include his defense of logicism, and his theories of definite descriptions and logical atomism. Along with G. E. Moore, Russell is generally recognized as one of the founders of analytical philosophy. He is also usually credited with being one of the two most important logicians of the 20th century, the other being Kurt Godel. , Over the course of his long life spanning the 19th and 20th centuries, Russell made significant contributions, not just to philosophy, but to a wide range of other subjects as well. Many of his writings on a wide variety of topics, including education, ethics, politics, history, religion and popular science, have influenced generations of readers. After a life marked by controversy, including dismissals from both Trinity College, Cambridge, and City College, New York, Russell was awarded the Order of Merit in 1949 and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1950. Also noted for his many spirited anti-war and anti- nuclear protests, Russell remained a prominent public figure until his death at the age of 97.In the autumn of 1920, after a short visit to Russia to study the conditions of Bolshevism, Russell went to China for a course of lectures on philosophy at Peking University. III Main Idea of the Text Russell uses the occasion of his eightieth birthday to recall his dedication to mathematics and philosophy and summarize the failures and success he has experienced in his life. Having devoted half of his life to mathematics and logic, his skepticism eventually leads him to the conclusion that there is no certainty in mathematics and much of what passes for mathematical knowledge is dubitable. Nonetheless, his strong interest in the logical basis of mathematics underpins a fascination with philosophy. At this point, his reflection moves well beyond the personal level, for he also shares his keen insight into the self-imposed tortures that human beings suffer. He assumes that men s inadequate mastery of nature and hostility to their fellows are the causes of human miseries and follies past and present. He is a very disappointed witness of the scourge of 20th century wars which shook the faith of people who grew up during the widespread 19th century optimism. Nonetheless, he has always had a certain degree of optimism and argues that wisdom and patience will sooner or later lead the human race out of torture. He holds the firm conviction that social and political problems will eventually be solved through reforms in both institutions and character, which should be achieved by developing greater respect for diversity rather than by means of a dogmatic and precise gospel. Beneath all the load of horrors, he still looks forward to a world of free and happy human beings. IV.Language Points 1. be open to(L10) willing to consider or deal with Examples： He is open to persuasion but not to coercion. Every topic is open to discussion, and the project is always open to new ideas and contributions. 2. fallacy n.(L15) a statement or an argument based on a false or an invalid inference; correctness of reasoning or belief Examples： It is a fallacy to suppose that wealth always brings happiness. You have proposed a self-serving argument full of fallacies and backed up by incorrect information. 3. tottering adj.(L22) swaying as if about to fall Examples： The outcome of this strife will be the collapse of the already tottering government. When my confidence is tottering, all I see in my life is weakness and hopelessness. 4. indubitable adj.(L27) too apparent to be doubted; unquestionable Examples :It is indubitable that these experiences and information have value and meaning to our clients. 5. be haunted by(L67) be obsessed by something that comes to mind continually Examples： Ever since my divorce, I have been haunted by gloomy thoughts and sad memories. They decided to sell the house as they learned it was haunted by the spirit of a deceased child. 6. interlude n.(L69) an intervening episode, feature, or period of time Examples： The piano playing was only a brief interlude between the real evenings activities. 7. dogmatic adj.(L83) characterized by an authoritative, arrogant assertion of unproved or unprovable principles Examples： Many scientists are so dogmatic about the value of old beliefs that they reject all new ideas. We endeavor not to be too dogmatic about our beliefs, and to be as inclusive as we can. 8. preclude vt.(L99) prevent（ sth.,or sb.from doing sth.） ; make（ sth.） impossible Examples： The flood precluded him from coming. Her French citizenship precluded her from voting in the U.S. elections, although she has lived there as a permanent resident for 20 years and has a green card. 9. crown vt.(L111) to form the crown, top, or chief ornament of; to confer honor,dignity, or reward upon; to bring to completion or successful conclusion Examples： Her long brown hair was crowned with flowers and her arms filled with blossoms. His interest in political issues was crowned with his appointment as a lifelong member of the Washington D.C. association. 10. allegiance n.(L141) loyalty or the obligation of loyalty, as to a nation, sovereign,or cause Examples： Many heads of state demand their military forces swear allegiance to them. The Foundation needs and deserves our allegiance and financial support for it to continue to be the premier organization in our field. V.Text analysis 1. The serious part of my life ever since boyhood has been devoted to two different objects which for a long time remained separate and have only in recent years united into a single whole.(L14) 自少年时代起，我一生中的重要时光都 致力于 实现两个不同 的目标。长期以来，这了两个目标一直上分离的。唯近几年 才合为一体。 2 I was troubled by skepticism and unwillingly forced to the conclusion that most of what passes for knowledge open to reasonable doubt.(L810) That :introduces an appositive clause. Open to means being willing to consider or being easily affected. 大多数被当作上知识的东西都 可以 合理地质疑。 3 But I discovered that many mathematical demonstrations, which my teachers expected me to accept, were full of fallacies, and that, if certainty were indeed discoverable in mathematics,it would be in a new kind of mathematics, with more solid foundations than those that had hitherto been thought secure.（ L13-18） I discovered that and that Fallacies means a statement or an argument based on a false or an invalid inference. 但后来我却发现，老师们期望我接受的许多数学 论证都充满了 缪误 ；假如确性果真能发现于数学 ，它也是在一种新的数学中，其基本原理比迄今 为止被认为是无懈可击的数学原理更为牢固。 4. there was nothing more that I could do in the way of making mathematical knowledge indubitable.(L25- 27) indubitable : unquestionable. 在使数学知识 不容置疑 这个方面，我已 尽了全力 。 5. And I am convinced that intelligence, patience, and eloquence can, sooner or later, lead the human race out of its self-imposed tortures provided it does not exterminate itself meanwhile.(30-33) 我 相信 :只要人类不自相残杀，智慧、忍耐和雄辩终 归会指引人类走出 自找的 磨难。 6. But I remain completely incapable of agreeing with those who accept fatalistically the view that man is born to trouble.(L3839) fatalistically : in a way of showing a belief in fate. 但我 始终不能 完全苟同 宿命 论者认为人类生来注 定要受难的观点。 7.And there have been morbid miseries fostered by gloomy creeds, which have led men into profound inner discords that made all outward prosperity of no avail.(L44 47) morbid : dreadful gloomy creeds: negative creeds discords: disagreement no avail.: meaningless, useless 悲观的信念 孳生了 病态的 痛苦，致使人类的内 部极 不和谐 ，从而使外部的繁荣 毫无成果 。 8.To preserve hope in our world makes calls upon our intelligence and our energy.(L56 57) makes calls upon: makes demands on 对我们的世界一直抱有希望， 要求 我们付出智慧和 精力 . 9.The last half of my life has been lived in one of those painful epochs of human history during which the world is getting worse, and past victories which had seemed to be definitive have turned out to be only temporary.(L59 62) epochs: a period of historical time 我的后半生一直在人类历史的一个痛苦 时代 中度过 。在此期间，世界日益恶化，过去似乎已成定局的 胜利结果都只是短暂的。 10. Hardly anyone was haunted by the fear of great wars. Hardly anyone thought of the nineteenth century as a brief interlude between past and future barbarism. Interlude:a free period of time between activities 几乎无人因害怕大规模的战争而 提心吊胆 ，几乎 无人认为 19世纪是过去的野蛮和未来的 野蛮 之间 的 短暂间歇 。 11.New thoughts, new hopes, new freedoms, and new restrictions upon freedom are needed if the world is to emerge from its present perilous state.(L77 79) emerge from: avoid perilous: dangerous 如果世界要 摆脱 目前 岌岌可危的 状态，必须要 有新的思想、新的希望、新的 自由以及对自由 的新的限制。 12. It is comparatively easy to have an immense effect by means of a dogmatic and precise gospel. (L81 83) comparatively: relatively immense effect: powerful effect gospel: a set of instructions or teachings 用 教条式的 简明 教义 去产生 巨大影响 ，是比较容易 的。 13. Nor can I believe with any wholeheartedness in any partial doctrine which deals only with some part or aspect of human life.(L85-87) 我也不能完全 相信 只涉及人类生活某一部分或某一 方面的任何片面的学说。 14. Institutions mould character and character transforms institutions. Reforms in both must march hand in hand. (92 94) 制度 塑造 性格，性格 改变 制度，两者的改革必须 并驾齐驱。 15. And if individuals are to retain that measure of initiative and flexibility which they ought to have, they must not be all forced into one rigid mould; or to change the metaphor, all drilled into one army.(L94 98) to retain that measure of initiative and flexibility: to retain a certain amount of passion, enterprise, and flexibility mould: n. shape 如果个人要 保持他们应有的那种程度的首创性和灵 活性 ，就万万不可将他们全都逼入同一种刻板的 模式 ；或者换个 比喻 ，把他们全都训练成一支部队。 16. Diversity is essential in spite of the fact that it precludes universal acceptance of a single gospel. preclude: prevent 多样性尽管 妨碍 了对单一教义的普遍接受，但它却 是必不可少 的 . 17. Nearly three-quarters of a century ago, walking alone in the Tiergarten through melting snow under the coldly glittering March sun, I determined to write two series of books; one abstract growing gradually more concrete; the other concrete, growing gradually more abstract. (106 111) Tiergarten:the largest park in Berlin 大约 75年前，在一个春寒料峭的三月天里的阳光 下，我踽踽独行在冰雪消融的蒂尔加藤公 园 。当 时我就决定要写两套丛书： 一套 抽象 ，一套 具体 ；前者逐渐变得更加具体；后者逐渐变得更加抽 象。 18. They were to be crowned by a synthesis, combining pure theory with a practical social philosophy.(L111 113) 二者将用一种 综合法 来 完成 即把纯理论与实 用的社会哲学结合起来 。 19. Freedom has come to be thought weakness, and tolerance has been compelled to wear the garb of treachery.(123 125) This sentence means freedom has been regarded as a defect and tolerance has been forced to appear as traitor (to the country). 自由已被视为软弱，宽容被迫穿上了 背叛 的衣袍 。 . 20. Old ideals are judged irrelevant, and no doctrine free from harshness commands respect.(L125 127) 旧的理想被认为 无关紧要 ，严谨的学说得不到尊重 。 21.The inner failure, though of little moment to the world, has made my mental life a perpetual battle. (L128129) of little moment to: unimportant to perpetual battle: continuing and lasting struggle 内在的失败虽对于世界 微不足道 ，但却把我的精神 生活变成一场 无休止的战争 。 22.I set out with a more or less religious belief in a Platonic eternal world, in which mathematics shone with a beauty like that of the last Cantos of the Paradiso.(L129132) Paradiso:one of three sections of Divine Comedythe greatest work of Dante(1266 1321). Divine Comedy comprises the Inferno（ 地狱） , the Purgatorio （ 炼狱） and the Paradiso（ 天堂） . 我开始近乎虔诚地相信 柏拉图的永恒世界 ，那里的 数学就像 天堂 的最后几个诗章一样灿烂美丽。 23.I may have conceived theoretical truth wrongly, but I was not wrong in thinking that there is such a thing, and that it deserves our allegiance. allegiance :loyalty 我对理论真理的构想或许是错误的，但我坚信 这样的真理是存在的，并值得我们去 效忠 。 . 24.Personal: to care for what is noble, for what is beautiful, for what is gentle; to allow moments of insight to give wisdom at more mundane times.(L147149) Mundane: ordinary with nothing new in it 我个人的幻想是： 关注崇高之事，关注美好之 事，关注高雅之事；让片刻的 顿悟 在 平凡的 岁月 中生出智慧。 VI. Structure of the Text Part I(Para.12): The author devotes his life to two objects: mathematics ,logic and philosophy. Para1: Having devoted half of his life to mathematics and logic, his skepticism eventually leads him to the conclusion that there is no certainty in mathematics and much of what passes for mathematical knowledge is dubitable. Para 2 :He assumes that mens inadequate mastery of nature and hostility to their fellows are the causes of human miseries and follies past and present. Part II (para.3-5) The author dedicates himself to studying philosophy and human society. Para.3 New thoughts, new freedoms and new restrictions upon freedom are needed. Para.4 Reforms in institutions and character must march hand in hand and diversity is essential. Para.5 The author writes two series of books, demonstrating his ideas. Part III.(Para.6-9) In spite of his success in his study,he feels two kinds of failure:one outward, one inward.But he is still optimistic about the future of mankind. Para.6-7 Outward failure: freedom ,tolerance,old ideas and doctrines are not treated justly. Para.8 I