評論
打印
The 20th century was seduced by the idea that humans will advance as part of a collective and that the enlightened few have the right—the duty even—to impose progress on the benighted masses whether they choose it or not.
20世紀，人們很受這么一種思想的誘騙：人類會作為一個集體向前發展，少數的開明人士有權利——甚至有責任——將進步強加到愚昧的大眾身上，而不管他們愿意與否。
The blood of millions and the fall of the Berlin Wall, 20 years ago this year, showed how much the people beg to differ.
上百萬人的鮮血和20年前柏林墻的倒塌表明人民對此是多么難以茍同。
Coercion will always have its attractions for those able to do the coercing,
強迫手段對于那些能夠強迫別人的人總是有吸引力的。
but, as a source of enlightened progress, the subjugation of the individual in the interests of the community has lost much of its appeal.
但是，作為明智的進步的動因，個人利益必須服從集體利益的思想已經大大失去了它的吸引力。
Instead the modern age has belonged to material progress and its predominant source has been science.
當今時代已經屬于物質進步的時代，而它的主要動因是科學。
Yet, nestling amid the quarks and transistors and the nucleic acids and nanotubes, there is a question.
然而，就在夸克、半導體、核酸和納米管等 涌現的同時，出現了一個問題。
Science confers huge power to change the world.
科學給了我們改變世界的巨大力量，
Can people be trusted to harness it for good?
但我們能相信人類會將其用在好的方面嗎？
