PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARD SCIENCE
Stephen Hawking
Whether we like it or not, the world we live in has changed a great deal in the last hundred years, and it is likely to change even more in the next hundred. Some people would like to stop the changes and go back to what they e as a purer and simpler age. But as history shows, the past was not that wonderful. It was not so bad for a privileged minority, though even they had to do without modern medicine, and childbirth was highly risky for wom en. But for the vast majority of the population, life was nasty, brutish, and short.
Anyway, even if one wanted to, one couldn't put the clock back to an earlier age. Knowledge and techniques can't just be forgotten. Nor can one prevent further advances in the future. Even if all government money for rearch were cut off (and the prent government is doing its best), the force of competition would still bring about advances in technology. Moreover, one cannot stop inquiring min质量信息
ds from thinking about basic science, whether or not they are paid for it. The only way to prevent further developments would be a global state that suppresd anything new,and human initiative and inventiveness are such that even this wouldn't succeed. All it would do is slow down the rate of change.
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If we accept that we cannot prevent science and technology from changing our world, we can at least try to ensure that the changes they make are in the right directions. In a democratic society, this means that the public needs to have a basic understanding of science, so that it can make informed decisions and not leave them in the hands of experts.At the moment, the public is in two minds about science. It has come to expect the steady in crea in the standard of living that new developments in science and technology have brought to continue, but it also distrusts science becau it doesn't understand it. This distrust is evident in the cartoon figure of the mad scientist working in his laboratory to produce a Frankenstein.It is also an important element behind support for the Green parties. But the public also has a great interest in science, particularly astronomy, as is shown by the large audiences for television ries such as The Sky at Night if and for science fiction.
What can be done to harness this interest and give the public the scientific background it needs to make informed decisions on subjects like acid rain, the greenhou effect, nuclear weapons, and genetic engineering? Clearly, the basis must lie in what is taught in schools.But in schools science is often prented in a dry and uninteresting manner. Children learn it by rote to pass examinations, and they don't e its relevance to the world around them. Moreover, science is often taught in terms of equations. Although equations are a brief and accurate way of describing mathematical ideas, they frighten most people. When I wrote a popular book recently, I was advid that each e quation I included would have the sales. I included one equation,
Einstein 's famous equation, E = mc2.Maybe I would have sold twice as many copies without it.
Scientists and engineers tend to express their ideas in the form of equations becau they need to know the preci values of quantities. But for the rest of us, a qualitative grasp of scientific concepts is sufficient, and this can be conveyed by words and diagrams, without the u of equations.
The science people learn in school can provide the basic framework. But the rate of scientific progress is now so rapid that there are always new developments that have occurred since one was at school or university. I never learned about molecular biology or transistors at school, but genetic engineering and computers are two of the developm ents most likely to change the way we live in the future. Popular books and magazine articles about science can help to put across new developments, but even the most successful popular book is read by only a sm all proportion of the population.Only television can reach a truly mass audience. There are some very good science programmes on TV, but others prent scientific wonders simply as magic, without explaining them or showing how they fit into the framework of scientific ideas. Producers of television science programmes should realize that they have a responsibility to educate the public, not just entertain it.
The world today is filled with dangers,hence the sick joke that the reason we have not been contacted by an alien civilization is that civilizations tend to destroy themlves when they reach our stage. But I have sufficient faith in the good n of the public to believe that we might prove this wrong.
Language Study
attitude:
manner or way one thinks about, behaves toward, or fee ls toward sb. or sth. (usu. followed by to/ towards) 看法; 态度
The boy has a bad attitude towards his schoolwork.
His son's attitude to work made him angry.
likely:
1) probable (When functioning as an a., the word is often ud in the following patterns: it is , be likely to do sth.) 可能的
It is likely that my roommate will win the first-class scholarship.
An earthquake is likely to strike the area in a year or two.
Economists say that the quick economic growth is likely to continue throughout the 2010s.
2) probably (When ud as an ad., the word is often preceded by "most", "more than", or "very". You
don't u it as an ad. on its own.) 可能
It is reported that another sandstorm will very likely come in the next 24 hours.
We will most likely stay home during the Spring Festival.
do without:
manage to survive, continue, or succeed although you do not have sth. you need,
want, or usu. Have 没有… 而设法对付过去
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You'll have to do without your dinner if you don't get back in time.
I can't afford a car, so I guess I'll have to do without.
highly:
1) very 很
Mr. Smith was a highly successful salesman.
It em s highly likely that she will take the job.
2) to a high level or standard 非常
Most of the people prent at the meeting are highly educated women.
The chairman of the department was the most highly paid member of faculty.
anyway:
(ud to change the subject of a conversation or to support an idea or argument) anyhow 不管怎么说
--- "I've got a terrible cold."
---"Have you? Oh, dear. Anyway, so you're not going to go away this weekend?"
We ought to spend less on the defence missiles, which I think are pretty uless anyway.
put/turn the clock back:
return to a situation that ud to exist, usually becau the prent situation is unpleasant 倒退, 开倒车
The employment bill in which women are not allowed to take jobs will put the clock back fifty years.
Forget all about it and look to the future; you can't turn the clock back.
cut off:
stop providing (sth.) 切断, 中断; 切下, 剪下
Water and electricity supplies in the city have been cut off becau of the American air attacks.
Their phone has been cut off becau they haven't paid the bill.
bring about:
make (sth.) happen 引起, 导致
Some educators are hoping to bring about major changes in the educational system.
Jealousy in a relationship is often brought about by a lack of trust.
moreover:
in addition to what has been said; further; besides 而且, 再者
Local people would like a new road. Moreover, there are good economic reasons for building one.
She saw that there was a man immediately behind her.
Moreover he was obrving her strangely.
inquire:
ek information by questioning; ask (also spelled "e nquire"; sometimes followed by about or wh-clau) 询问
"Is som ething wrong?" he inquired. I rang up to inquire about train times.
He asked for his key and inquired whether there had been any messages for him.
such ... that:
(formal or literary) ud to give a reason or explanation for sth. 如此… 以致于
The nature of the job was such that he felt obliged to tell no one about it.
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His manner was such that he would offend everyone he met.
initiative:
1) the ability to make decisions and take action without waiting for sb. to tell you what to do 首创精神
I wish my son would show a bit more initiative.
The workers are able to solve the problems on their own initiative.
2)ud in the phra "take the initiative" : be the first person to take action to improve a situation or relationship, esp. when other people are waiting for sb. el to do sth. 主动
Why don't you take the initiative and arrange a meeting?
Don't stand around waiting for someone el to take the initiative.
slow down:
become slower, or make sb. or sth. Slower 减慢
It em s likely that the economy will slow down over the next twelve months.
There is no cure for the dia, although drugs can slow down its rate of develop- ment.
The driver slowed the bus down when he saw a boy standing in the road.
rate:
1) the speed at which sth. happens over a period of time 速度
The rate at which hair grows can be very slow.
The world's forests are disappearing at an even faster rate than experts had thought.
2) a certain am ount of one thing considered in relation to a unit of another thing 比率
Britain held the record of having the highest divorce rate in Europe.
Business are closing all over that country at a rate of fifty a week.
ensure:
make sure (followed by a n. or thai-clau) 保证, 确保
This new treaty will ensure peace .
Com e early to ensure that you get a at.
informed:
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having or showing knowledge 有知识的, 了解情况的; 明智的确
Science is now enabling us to make more informed choices about how we u common drugs.
According to informed sources, he has been enrolled by Harvard University.
inform:
tell (ud in the patterns: inform sb. of/about sth., inform sb. + thai-clau, inform sb. It is a fairly formal word. In conversation you usually u tell. 告诉, 通知
They informed us of their arrival at Pudong Airport.
灌肠好不好Have you informed the police that there's been an accident?
"I just added a little soy sauce," he informed us.
主意的近义词是什么at the moment:
now, at the prent moment 此刻, 目前
I'm rather busy at the moment; could I call you back?
At the moment, no one is talking to me.
复恐匆匆说不尽in two minds (about sth.):
unable to decide whether or not you want sth. or want to do sth. 犹豫不决; 三心二意
I think she's in two minds about whether to accept his prent or not.
steady:
1) constant 平稳的
The government's policies have brought a period of steady economic growth with falling unemployment.
There has been a steady improvement in her condition.
2) firm 稳定的
---"That ladder doesn't look very safe.
---"Oh well, it is steady as a rock."
Keep the camera steady while you take a picture.
audience:
1) a group of people who watch and listen to sb. speaking or performing in public (ud as a collective countable noun) 观众, 听众
The audience began clapping and cheering as soon as the film star appeared on the stage.
The singer called for a member of the audience to join him on stage.
2) the people who read a writer's books (ud as a collective countable noun, usu. singular) 读者
His cond book will attract a narrower audience, mainly teachers and college students.
His book reached an even wider audience when it was filmed for television.
basis:
(pl. bas) 1) the facts or ideas from which sth. can be developed; foundation (usu. ud as a singular noun, followed by for or of) 基础
The video will provide a basis for class discussion. The rearch will form the basis of a book.
2) the circumstance that provides a reason for some action or opinion (usu. followed by of or thai-clau)
You must stay at hom e, on the basis of the medical reports we have received.
Students are able, on the basis of experience, to choo which subjects to specialize in.
On the basis that recognizing the problem is halfway to a solution, we should pay much attention to his comments.
lie in:
exist or be found in sth. 在于
His skill lies in his ability to communicate quite complicated ideas.
