同济大学博士生综合英语考试

TheTwoCulturesTheseparationbetweentheliteraryandscientifichasbeengettingdeeper;thereisnowpreciouslittlecommunicationbetweenthetwocultures,butonlydifferentkindsofincomprehensionanddislikebetweenthem.Thetraditionalcultureliteraryisrapidlydeclining-standingonitsprecariousdignity,becausethetraditionalcultureisconservativeandintolerant,whereasthescientificculturewhichisnotrestrictiveandconfidentisexpansive.Thereareagoodmanyscientistsindistinguishablefromliterarypersons,andviceversa.Nevertheless,asafirstapproximation,thescientificcultureisrealenough,andsoisitsdifferencefromthetraditionalculture.Thescientistsareontheupandup,theyhavethestrengthofasocialforcebehindthem,boththeyoungscientistandoldscientistsworkindignityintheiruniversities,concentratingontheirresearch.Thereisatouchofthefrontierqualitiesaboutthewholescientificculture,andtheclimateofpersonalrelationsissingularlybracing.Althoughboththescientistsandtheculturesareegotisms,thedifferencebetweenthemisthatunlikethecultures,thescientists’egotismsaredrivenbyacommonpurpose.Itishardtodescribethehowmuchthetraditionalculturegetsthroughliteraryculture.Althoughagoodmanyscientistshavethetastesofliterarypersons,theliterarycultureinfiltrationismuchless.Comparedwithotherformsofarts,suchasgraphic,poetryandnovels,musicmaybetheonlyoneartwhichiscultivatedamongscientist.Theprestigeofthetraditionalcultureishighenoughforsomeofthemtomakeagallantshotattheyoungerrank-and-fileofscientistsfortheydonotreadatall.Thenovelist’nametothetraditionalcultureisatokenofesoteryliteraryexcellence,butmosttechniciansdonotthinkso.Thedifferentattitudestowardnovelistisameasureoftheincommunicabilityofthetwocultures,thetraditionculturethinkthescientistsarelosingagreatdeal,butthesomeofthatlossisinevitable.Thescientistsbelievethatonecan’tcomprehendtheworldunlessyouknowthestructureofscience;probablyitistrue,becausewithoutanyscientificunderstandingmaymissawholebodyofexperience.sotheintellectualofscienceispenetratingdeeper.Thegreatestenrichmentthescientificculturegivesusisamoralone.Thescientificcultureisalmosttotallyimmunefromtheparticulartemptationmadeupofmoralvanity,self-indulgenceandmaterialbenefits.Butbecausethetwoculturesscarcelytouch,thetraditionculturelackofthosemoral.OnSelf-RespectFromretrospectionthatthewriteronceheldanopinionthatinnocenceendswhenoneisstrippedofthedelusionthatonelikesoneself,thewriterintrospectsmisplacedself-respect.Whenthewriterwasanineteen-year-oldgirl,shefailedtobeelectedtoPhiBetaKappa,whichshehadalreadypredicted,butshestillcouldn’tstanditwhentheresultcame.Thewriterdefinestheessenceofself-respect,shedeemsthatself-respecthasnothingtodowithapprovalofothersandreputation,becausethepeoplewithcouragecanbeself-respectwithoutapprovalofothersandreputation.Doingthingswithoutself-respectisjustlikeanunwillingaudiencetoaninterminabledocumentarythatdetailshisfailingsoverandoveragain;whiletheself-respectonehasthecourageoftheirmistakes.Happinessornotdependsonwhetheronerespectthemselves.Itisimproperforsomepeopledeemthatoneleadsacozylifemustownself-respect,theself-respecthasnothingtodowithsuperstitionwhichcanofferguardtoagainstdanger.Self-respectconcernsaseparatepeace,aprivatereconciliation.Peoplewithself-respecthavethecourageoftheirmistakes,theyknownthepriceofthings,theydon’tcomplainundulyoftheunfairness,andtheyexhibitcertaintoughness,akindofmoralnerve.Soself-respectstemsfromthewillingnesstoacceptresponsibilityforone’sownlife.Whenourgrandparentswereyoung,theyhadinstilledthesensethatonelivesbydoingthingsonedoesnotparticularlywanttodo,theyhadtoputfearsanddoubtstooneside,andhadtoweighimmediateinterestsandlong-terminterests.Thus,whetherornottheyhadself-respect,theyknewallaboutwhatisself-respect.Self-respectpersoncanrecognizethatanythingworthhavingitsprice.Theyarealwayswillingtoaccepttheriskandwillingtoinvestsomethingofthemselves,theymaynotplayatall,butwhentheydoplay,theyknowtheodd.Self-respectcanbeequalizedtoadiscipline,ahabitofmindwhichcanbedeveloped,trainedandcoaxedforth,butcanneverbefakedout.Self-respectisakindofritual,helpingustorememberwhoandwhatweare.Soinordertorememberwhoandwhatweare,wemusthaveknownwhatself-respectis.Peoplewillpossesseverythingsuchastheabilityofdiscriminating,loving,andtoremainindifferenceiftheyarearmedoftheintrinsicworthwhichconstitutesself-respect.Ifwearealienationfromourselves,wewilleasilydespiseothersandremainblindtoourfatalweaknesses,also,wearepeculiarlyinthralltoeveryonewesee.Soself-respectfreesusfromtheexpectationsofothers,giveusbacktoourselves,andenrichourinteriorabundance.OnSelf-RespectEveryoneofusmaybemisunderstandtheessenceofself-respect,especiallyinvigorousyouthorearlierdays.Itisnormalthatfeelingoflessconfidentoccurredoftenwhentheyoungmansufferedlightorserioussetback.Therewasabouttheperseveringyoungmanattimesacertainstrainoftenderness,evokedbyexperiences,disappointments,andhardshipsinhisownlife.Wewillneverbematureandhappyifwecaremuchaboutwhatpeoplethoughtinourtimes.Thedismalfactisthatself-respecthasnothingwodowithboththeapprovalsofothersandreputation.Justonlyweresp