thevalueofscience必修三原文.docx

thevalueofscience必修三原文Thevalueofscience-FeynmanFromtimetotimepeoplesuggesttomethatscientistsoughttogivemoreconsiderationtosocialproblems-especiallythattheyshouldbemoreresponsibleinconsideringtheimpactofscienceonsociety.Itseemstobegenerallybelievedthatifthescientistswouldonlylookattheseverydifficultsocialproblemsandnotspendsomuchtimefoolingwithlessvitalscientificones,greatsuccesswouldcomeofitItseemstomethatwedothinkabouttheseproblemsfromtimetotime,butwedon,tputafull-timeeffortintothem-thereasonsbeingthatweknowwedon'thaveanymagicformulaforsolvingsocialproblems,thatsocialproblemsareverymuchharderthanscientificones,andthatweusuallydon,tgetanywherewhenwedothinkaboutthem.Ibelievethatascientistlookingatnonscientificproblemsisjustasdumbasthenextguy-andwhenhetalksaboutanonscientificmatter;hesoundsasnaiveasanyoneuntrainedinthematter.Sincethequestionofthevalueofscienceisnotascientificsubject,thistalkisdedicatedtoprovingmypoint-byexample.Thefirstwayinwhichscienceisofvalueisfamiliartoeveryone.Itisthatscientificknowledgeenablesustodoallkindsofthingsandtomakeallkindsofthings.Ofcourseifwemakegoodthings,itisnotonlytothecreditofscience;itisalsotothecreditofthemoralchoicewhichledustogoodwork.Scientificknowledgeisanenablingpowertodoeithergoodorbad-butitdoesnotcarryinstructionsonhowtouseit.Suchpowerhasevidentvalue-eventhoughthepowermaybenegatedbywhatonedoeswithit.IlearnedawayofexpressingthiscommonhumanproblemonatriptoHonolulu.InaBuddhisttemplethere,themaninchargeexplainedalittlebitabouttheBuddhistreligionfortourists,andthenendedhistalkbytellingthemhehadsomethingtosaytothemthattheywouldneverforget-andIhaveneverforgottenit.ItwasaproverboftheBuddhistreligion:Toeverymanisgiventhekeytothegatesofheaven;thesamekeyopensthegatesofhell.Whatthen,isthevalueofthekeytoheaven?Itistruethatifwelackclearinstructionsthatenableustodeterminewhichisthegatetoheavenandwhichthegatetohell,thekeymaybeadangerousobjecttouse.Butthekeyobviouslyhasvalue:howcanweenterheavenwithoutit?Instructionswouldbeofnovaluewithoutthekey.Soitisevidentthat,inspiteofthefactthatitcouldproduceenormoushorrorintheworld,scienceisofvaluebecauseitcanproducesomething.Anothervalueofscienceisthefuncalledintellectualenjoymentwhichsomepeoplegetfromreadingandlearningandthinkingaboutit,andwhichothersgetfromworkinginit.Thisisanimportantpoint,onewhichisnotconsideredenoughbythosewhotellusitisoursocialresponsibilitytoreflectontheimpactofscienceonsocietyIsthismerepersonalenjoymentofvaluetosocietyasawhole?No!Butitisalsoaresponsibilitytoconsidertheaimofsocietyitself.Isittoarrangematterssothatpeoplecanenjoythings?Ifso,thentheenjoymentofscienceisasimportantasanythingelse.ButIwouldlikenottounderestimatethevalueoftheworldviewwhichistheresultofscientificeffort.Wehavebeenledtoimagineallsortsofthingsinfinitelymoremarvelousthantheimaginingsofpoetsanddreamersofthepast.Itshowsthattheimaginationofnatureisfar;fargreaterthantheimaginationofman.Forinstance,howmuchmoreremarkableitisforusalltobestuck-halfofusupsidedown-byamysteriousattractiontoaspinningballthathasbeenswinginginspaceforbillionsofyearsthantobecarriedonthebackofanelephantsupportedonatortoiseswimminginabottomlesssea.IhavethoughtaboutthesethingssomanytimesalonethatIhopeyouwillexcusemeifIremindyouofthistypeofthoughtthatIamsuremanyofyouhavehad,whichnoonecouldeverhavehadinthepastbecausepeoplethendidn'thavetheinformationwehaveabouttheworldtoday.