现代大学英语精读第二版book3unit4

GilbertHighetDiogenesandAlexanderReinforcementTextAnalysisDiogenesandAlexanderBackgroundWarmingupUnit4Questions/ActivitiesCheck-onPreviewObjectivesWarmingupDiogenesandAlexanderUnit4WarmingupQuestions/Activities1.WhatdoestheauthortellusaboutDiogenes?Whowashe?Whatwashisphilosophy?Whatdidhethinkwastheproblemwithpeople?Howdidheintendtohelpthem?Whatwerethekeyvalueshepromoted?How,inhisopinion,couldwefindtruehappiness?2.WhatdoestheauthortellusaboutAlexander?WhatdidthiskinghaveincommonwithDiogenes,thebeggar?WhywasAlexanderconsideredamanofdestiny?3.Howwouldyoucontrastthetwocharacters?WhydidAlexanderdecidetovisitDiogenes?WhatdidDiogenesreallymeanwhenhesaidthatAlexanderwasblockingthesunlight?Objectives1.Content:•differencesandsimilaritiesbetweenDiogenesandAlexander•Cynicismanditspresentsignificance•philosophyvs.power2.Writing:comparisonandcontrast•Diogenes—Alexander•Diogenes—otherbeggars/hermits/philosophers•Alexander—otherMacedonians(officers&officials)Here,thealternatingcomparison/contrast(subjectbysubject)isused.WarmingupBackgroundAlexanderDiogenesDiogenesandAlexanderUnit4BackgroundDiogenes1.WhowasDiogenes?•Abeggar•Aphilosopher•Amissionary2.Doctrine:Cynicismthedoctrinethatscornedworldlyneedsandpleasuresandheldthatvirtuewasthekeytotheonlygood:thebeliefofacynic,whomaintainsthatpeopleareallmotivatedbyselfishness,thatnoonewillhelpothersforgoodandsincerereasons2.Whatarethemajortenets(principles)ofCynicism?Doyoufindanyexpressionsoftheseprinciplesinthetext?•self-sufficiency•shamelessness•outspokenness•perfectionofvirtueDiogenes犬儒主义（Cynicism）是个外来词，中文里本来没有现成的对应词汇，通常将它理解为讥诮嘲讽，愤世嫉俗，玩世不恭。和玩世不恭恰恰相反，早期的犬儒是极其严肃的，狄奥根尼是一个激烈的社会批评家。他立志要揭穿世间的一切伪善，热烈地追求真正的德行，追求从物欲之下解放出来的心灵自由。狄奥根尼确实愤世嫉俗，他曾经提着一个灯笼在城里游走，说：“我在找一个真正诚实的人。”随着犬儒哲学的流行，其内涵开始发生了微妙的变化。一位名叫德勒斯的犬儒派，某富翁送给他一笔钱，他收下了，对富翁说：“你慷慨大度地施舍给我，而我痛痛快快地取之于你，既不卑躬曲膝，也不唠叨不满。”这里暗含的逻辑是，金钱本是无所谓的东西，我若拒绝你的馈赠，倒显得我把金钱看得太重，太当回事了。我若收下金钱又表示感谢，那也是把金钱看重了，当回事了。因此，正确的做法就是，只要你肯给，我就若无其事地收下它。早期的犬儒派是依据一种道德原则去蔑视世俗的观念，后期的犬儒派依然在蔑视世俗的观念但却失去了依据的道德原则。这就引出了一个始料不及的后果：既然无所谓高尚，也就无所谓下贱。既然没有什么东西是了不得的，因而也就没有什么东西是要不得的。不难想象，基于这种无可无不可的立场，一个人可以很方便地一方面对世俗观念做出满不在乎的姿态，另一方面又毫无顾忌地去获取他想要获取的任何世俗的东西。于是，对世俗的全盘否定就变成了对世俗的照单全收，而且还往往是对世俗中最坏的部分的不知羞耻的照单全收。于是，愤世嫉俗就变成了玩世不恭。犬儒一词的演变证明，从愤世嫉俗到玩世不恭，其间只有一步之差。一般来说，愤世嫉俗总是理想主义的，而且是十分激烈的理想主义。玩世不恭则是彻底的非理想主义，彻底的无理想主义。偏偏是那些看上去最激烈的理想主义反倒很容易转变为彻底的无理想主义，其间原因何在？因为，许多愤世嫉俗的理想主义者在看待世界时缺少程度意识或曰分寸感，对他人缺少设身处地的同情的理解，不承认各种价值之间的紧张与冲突，这样，他们很容易把世界看成一片漆黑，由此便使自己陷入悲观失望，再进而怀疑和否认美好价值的存在，最终则是放弃理想放弃追求。早期的犬儒是坚持内在的美德和价值，鄙视外在的世俗的功利。可是到后来，犬儒一词正好变成了它的反面：只认外在的世俗的功利，否认内在的德性与价值。王尔德说：“犬儒主义者对各种事物的价钱一清二楚，但是对它们的价值一无所知。”李银河：关于犬儒主义他们行为上以怪异和反常的行为向现有的秩序、制度、观念、习俗挑战，精神上则躲进个人的心灵深处寻求宁静和快乐。在现时中国，一个理想主义者很容易变成非理想主义者，对面前的苦难（特别是别人的苦难）转过脸去，躲进个人的心灵深处去寻求宁静和快乐。在中国，犬儒主义者比古希腊更多一层好处——安全。这就是我们所面临的可悲现实。心灵深处的宁静和快乐正是我们想得到的，只可惜，理想主义的丧失成为我们为获得这种宁静和快乐所付的代价。BackgroundAlexander•MacedonianKing:sonofPhilip•TheThinker:studentofAristotle•TheConqueror:Greece,Asia,Egypt–Whydoyouthinkhewantedtobringsomanyregionsunderhisrule?DetailedAnalysisStructureTextAnalysisCharacterAnalysisDiogenesandAlexanderUnit4Diogenes:thebeggar(paras.1-3)TextAnalysisCharacterAnalysisDiogenes:afreemanOtherpeople:half-menShelterFurnitureDressFoodPossessionsNatureofthelifecask,astoragejarmadeofearthenwareahouse(big,withmanyrooms)nonebeds,chairs,etc.(elaborate)blanket(half-naked)clothes(expensive)bitsoffoodbeggedfromothers,drinkingfromhishollowedhandselaboratenonehorses,servants,bankaccounts(anxious)alifebychoice,outofprinciple→natural,healthy,independentalifeasslavesoftheirpossessions→artificial,anxious,lossofvirtueDiogenes:thebeggar(paras.1-3)Therearecontrastswithinthebroadcontrast.•HowdidDiogenescontrastwithordinaryhomelesspeople?TextAnalysisCharacterAnalysisDiogenes:thephilosopher(para.4)1.“ASocratesgonemad”:repositioningofconventionbelownatureandreason2.Threekeyprinciples:•livinginaccordwithnature•totaldisregardofconvention•independence(freedom)beingtheonlytrue,lastinggoodTextAnalysisCharacterAnalysisDiogenes:themissionary(para.5)1.Comparisonwithordinaryhermits•Similarities:Bothgrewtiredofhumansocietywithitscomplicationsandwantedtolivesimply.•Differences:TextAnalysishermitswentawaytolivesimply—onasmallfarm,inaquietvillageoracaveDiogeneshadasenseofmission,deliberatelychosetoliveinthebusystreetsinAthensorCorinth,inordertoconvertpeopleCharacterAnalysisDiogenes:themissionary(para.5)2.Whatwashismission?•“torestampthecurrency”•callpeoplebacktothenaturalwayoflife—truelifeTextAnalysisCharacterAnalysisDiogenes:waysofteaching(para.6)1.HowdidDiogenesdifferfromotherphilosophersofhistime?•Plato:taughthisprivatepupilsinhisAcademy,whichhefoundedasoneoftheearliestcentersofadvancedlearningintheworld.•Aristotle:taughthisownprivatepupilsbytheuseoflaboratory,instruments,andspecimens.•Diogenes:taughtallthosewhowouldcaretolistenbyhisownexampleorbytakingpeoplearoundhimforexamples.TextAnalysisCharacterAnalysisDiogenes:waysofteaching(para.6)2.Hecarriedalightedlampinbroaddaylightandinspectedthefaceofeveryonehemet.TextAnalysis“Whenyouareallsobusy,IfeelIought