Directions: Read the following passage carefully and then translate
each underlined part into Chinese.
21. We might be inclined to attribute to the act of thinking complete
from language if the individual formed or were able to form his concepts without
the verbal guidance of his environment. Yet most likely the mental shape of an
individual, growing up under such conditions, would be very poor. Thus we may
conclude that the mental development of the individual and his way of forming
concepts depend to a high degree upon language. This makes us realize to what
extent the same language means the same mentality. In this sense thinking and
language are linked together. What distinguishes the
language of science from languages, as we ordinarily understand the word How is
it that scientific language is international What science strives for is an
utmost acuteness and clarity of concepts as regards their mutual relation and
their correspondence to sensory data. As an illustration, let us take the
language of Euclidean geometry and algebra. They manipulate with a small number
of independently introduced concepts, respectively symbols, such as the integral
number, the straight line, the point, as well as with signs which designate the
fundamental concepts. This is the basis for the construction, respectively
definition of all other statements and concepts. The connection between
concepts and statements on the one hand and the sensory data on the other hand
is established through acts of counting and measuring whose performance is
sufficiently well determined. 22. The super-national
character of scientific concepts and scientific language is due to the fact that
they have been set up by the best brains of all countries and all times. In
solitude and yet in cooperative effort as regards the final effect they created
the spiritual tools for the technical revolutions which have transformed the
life of mankind in the last centuries. Their system of concepts has served as a
guide in the bewildering chaos of perceptions so that we learned to grasp
general truths from particular observations. 23. What
hopes and fears does the scientific method imply for mankind I do not think
that this is the right way to put the question. Whatever this tool in the hand
of man will produce depends entirely on the nature of the goals alive in this
mankind. Once these goals exist, the scientific method furnishes means to
realize them. Yet it cannot furnish the very goals. The scientific method itself
would not have led anywhere. It would not even have been born without a
passionate striving for clear understanding. 24.
Perfection of means and confusion of goals seem--in my opinion--to
characterize our age. If we desire sincerely and passionately the safety, the
welfare and the free development of the talents of all men, we shall not be in
want of the means to approach such a state. Even if only a small part of mankind
strives for such gods, their superiority will prove itself in the long
run.