33 As we acquire more knowledge, things do not become more comprehensible, but more complex and mysterious

As we acquire more knowledge, things do not become more comprehensible, but more complex and mysterious.

Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

文勇五问：

这类题目属于典型的科技进步与人类福祉之间的关系讨论。

（1）我们为何要获取更多的知识？是为了更多地了解未知的世界吗？

（2）为了获取更多的知识，我们付出了怎样的代价？这些知识又能给我们带来哪些好处？你能举出具体的例子吗？例如：1986年美国“挑战者号”航天飞机在发射升空过程中爆炸，机上的宇航员全部罹难，人类为了探索太空的奥秘付出了生命的代价。但探索太空有着重要意义，人类从太空中获取了更多力量和更多的能源。例如：航天技术在现代医学中的应用，医用扫描仪、胎心监测仪等都与航天技术发展密不可分。

（3）获取的知识是否可能有负面的影响？你能举出具体的例子吗？例如：核能、克隆技术、生化武器等一旦使用不当可能会给人类带来毁灭性的灾难。

（4）“了解这个世界的复杂性和神秘性，并不会减少这个世界的复杂性和神秘性，就像无知并不能使世界变得更简单一样。”你如何评论以上这个论述？你也这样认为吗？这会使你得出何种与原命题相关的结论？

（5）对于你个人来说，是否愿意追求更多的知识？为什么？你是否能以亲身经历来论证你的命题？

翻译练习：

当我们年轻且无知的时候，世界似乎简单得多；后来，非常矛盾地（paradoxically），随着我们视野和知识面的扩大，它变得越来越复杂和神秘。我们已经掌握的知识似乎永远都不能为我们提供完全理解周围世界所需要的信息。

参考答案：

When we were young and ignorant, the world seemed much simpler; and later on, quite paradoxically, as our horizon and knowledge expand, it becomes increasingly complex and mysterious. It seems that the knowledge we’ve acquired can never offer us anywhere near as much information as is needed for us to totally understand the world around.

翻译练习：

随着科学以超过以往的速度更快地发展，人们并没有发现自己的知识越来越渊博；相反，他们发现自己越来越无知。现在，很多事物存在，但是关于它们是如何运作的，人们一无所知。

参考答案：

With science developing faster than ever before, people didn’t find themselves more and more knowledgeable; rather, they found themselves increasingly ignorant. Many things now exist, but as to how they work, people have no idea.

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