E.O. Wilson: Advice to young scientists

Translator: Thu-Huong Ha Reviewer: Morton Bast

翻译人员: David Shi 校对人员: Ray Liu

What I'm going to do is to just give a few notes,

今天我想分享几个要点,

and this is from a book I'm preparing called

这些要点来自我正在写作的一本书,

"Letters to a Young Scientist."

书名叫"给一个年轻的科学家的信".

I'd thought it'd be appropriate to

我想由我来谈还算合适,

present it, on the basis that I have had extensive experience

因为我在许多领域有教育和辅导科学家的

in teaching, counseling scientists across a broad array of fields.

丰富的经验.

And you might like to hear some of the principles that I've developed in doing

或许你想听听我在教育和辅导的过程中

that teaching and counseling.

总结出的一些原则.

So let me begin by urging you,

那么首先让我督促你

particularly you on the youngsters' side,

尽量在自己所选择的道路上

on this path you've chosen,

走的尽可能的远一些

to go as far as you can.

特别是对于年轻人来说

The world needs you, badly.

这个世界非常需要你.

Humanity is now fully into the techno-scientific age.

人类文明已完全进入技术科学时代,

There is going to be no turning back.

这一趋势不可扭转.

Although varying among disciplines -- say, astrophysics,

虽然不同学科会有所不同 -- 比如说天体物理学,

molecular genetics, the immunology, the microbiology, the public

分子遗传学, 免疫学, 微生物学, 公共卫生学,

health, to the new area of the human body as a symbiont,

还有将人体看作共生有机体的新的领域的学科,

to public health, environmental science.

以及环境科学,

Knowledge in medical science and science overall

关于医疗科学和所有科学的知识,

is doubling every 15 to 20 years.

每15到20年都会增加一倍.

Technology is increasing at a comparable rate.

科技发展的速度也是如此.

Between them, the two already pervade,

正如各位在座的都已知道的,

as most of you here seated realize,

科学和科技

every dimension of human life.

在迅速发展的同时 已充满人类生活的各个角落.

So swift is the velocity of the techno-scientific revolution,

技术科学的进步速度是如此之快,

so startling in its countless twists and turns, that no one can predict

其变化是如此令人应接不暇,

its outcome even a decade from the present moment.

无人能够预测哪怕只是十年后的情况

There will come a time, of course,

当然总会有一天

when the exponential growth of discovery and knowledge,

这个从公元17世纪即开始的

which actually began in the 1600s,

发现和知识的迅猛增长

has to peak and level off,

会到达顶峰并开始减缓

but that's not going to matter to you.

不过这和你关系不大,

The revolution is going to continue

因为这个革命

for at least several more decades.

会至少持续几十年.

It'll render the human condition

人们那时所处的环境

radically different from what it is today.

将会被改变到同现在大不一样.

Traditional fields of study are going to continue to grow

传统研究领域会持续增长,

and in so doing, inevitably they will meet and create new disciplines.

它们将不可避免的相互交叉而产生新的学科.

In time, all of science will come to be

经过一段时间后, 所有科学都将成为对原则和定律描述的连续体,

a continuum of description, an explanation of networks, of principles and laws.

成为一个对其所形成网络的解释.

That's why you need not just be training

所以你不应该只学习一门专业,

in one specialty, but also acquire breadth in other fields,

而应该获取其它领域广博的知识.

related to and even distant from your own initial choice.

这些领域可能和你最初的选择很接近但也可能相距甚远

Keep your eyes lifted and your head turning.

睁大你的眼睛, 探索你的周围.

The search for knowledge is in our genes.

对知识的追寻就在我们的基因里.

It was put there by our distant ancestors

那是我们散布在世界各个角落的遥远的祖先

who spread across the world,

放在我们的基因里的.

and it's never going to be quenched.

这份热情永远不会停止.

To understand and use it sanely,

由于人类的一部分文明还需要进化,

as a part of the civilization yet to evolve

理解并理智地使用知识

requires a vastly larger population of scientifically trained people like you.

需要大量的像你们一样受到科技教育的人,

In education, medicine, law, diplomacy,

包括今天存在的教育, 医学, 法律, 外交,

government, business and the media that exist today.

政府, 商业和媒体.

Our political leaders need at least a modest degree of scientific

我们的政治领袖至少需要一定程度的科学知识,

literacy, which most badly lack today --

但现在极其缺乏 --

no applause, please.

请不要鼓掌.

It will be better for all

如果他们能在就职之前就做好这些准备 而不是边做边学

if they prepare before entering office rather than learning on the job.

那么对于所有人来说都是有好处的

Therefore you will do well to act on the side,

这样的话

no matter how far into the laboratory

在你的职业生涯当中

you may go, to serve as teachers

无论你钻研的多深

during the span of your career.

你都可以另外成为不错的老师

I'll now proceed quickly,

我现在将很快地切入到一个话题,

and before else, to a subject that is both a vital asset

这个话题对于一个科研方面的生涯非常重要,

and a potential barrier to a scientific career.

但也可能成为一个障碍.

If you are a bit short in mathematical skills,

如果你数学能力不太强,

don't worry.

不用太担心.

Many of the most successful scientists

很多今天非常成功的科学家的

at work today are mathematically semi-literate.

数学能力都比较一般.

A metaphor will serve here:

有一个比喻:

Where elite mathematicians and statisticians

精英数学家, 统计学家和理论家

and theorists often serve as architects in the expanding realm

常常是正在开拓的科技领域中的架构师,

of science, the remaining large majority of

但其他大部分的基础应用科学家,

basic applied scientists, including a large portion of those who could be

其中有很多可称为一流水平,

said to be of the first rank, are the ones who map the terrain, they scout

他们的工作则是, 测量疆土, 开发前线,

the frontiers, they cut the pathways,

砍树修路,

they raise the buildings along the way.

并一路盖起栋栋高楼.

Some may have considered me foolhardy,

有些人或许会觉得我不太明智,

but it's been my habit to brush aside the fear of mathematics

但我在和未来科学家交谈时,

when talking to candidate scientists.

常常告诫他们不要害怕数学.

During 41 years of teaching biology at Harvard,

在我41年哈佛生物教学的职业生涯中,

I watched sadly as bright students turned away

我很痛心地看到，

from the possibility of a scientific career

很多非常有天赋的学生放弃了成为科学家的机会

or even from taking non-required courses in science

甚至在选修课选择时也避开科学相关的内容

because they were afraid of failure.

因为他们害怕失败．

These math-phobes deprive science and medicine

这些对于数学的恐惧让科学和医学领域

of immeasurable amounts of badly needed talent.

丧失了无数急切需要的人才

Here's how to relax your anxieties, if you have them:

如果你也有这样的恐惧 你可以这样来放松

Understand that mathematics is a language

数学是一门语言，

ruled like other verbal languages,

它就像其它口头语言一样

or like verbal language generally, by its own grammar

或者和其他口头语言类似

and system of logic.

由它们自己的语法和逻辑系统来支配

Any person with average quantitative intelligence

任何具有一般的数学能力的人，

who learns to read and write mathematics

只要他有小学水平的数学的读写能力，

at an elementary level will, as in verbal language, have little difficulty

如果他们想要去掌握大部分科学学科中和数学相关的内容

picking up most of the fundamentals

学习很多基础内容都不会太困难

if they choose to master the mathspeak of most disciplines of science.

就如同学习口头语言一样

The longer you wait to become at least semi-literate

而如果你想对数学语言至少有一些了解，那么你等待越久，

the harder the language of mathematics will be to master, just as again in any verbal

掌握难度就会越大，　同样就象任何一门口语一样．

language, but it can be done at any age.

只不过对于前者 不管你年龄多大，　都是可以做到的．

I speak as an authority

我有权这样说，

on that subject, because I'm an extreme case.

因为我就是这方面的一个极端例子．

I didn't take algebra until my freshman year

我直到大学一年级才在Alabama大学

at the University of Alabama.

学习代数．

They didn't teach it before then.

在那之前他们没有这门课．

I finally got around to calculus as a 32-year-old tenured professor at Harvard,

在我已是32岁的哈佛大学终身教授时，

where I sat uncomfortably in classes with undergraduate students,

我才和比我年龄一半多点的本科生很不舒服地坐在一起，

little more than half my age.

学习微积分．

A couple of them were students

有几个学生还是我教的一门科,

in a course I was giving on evolutionary biology.

进化生物学的学生．

I swallowed my pride, and I learned calculus.

我收敛了我的骄傲 学习了微积分

I found out that in science and all its applications,

我发现对于科学和所有其应用来说，

what is crucial is not that technical ability,

重要的不是技术能力

but it is imagination in all of its applications.

而是应用科学过程中的想象力

The ability to form concepts with images of entities and processes

是那种可以从由直觉描绘出的实体和过程中

pictured by intuition.

形成概念的能力

I found out that advances in science rarely come upstream

我发现科学的发展很少来自上游，

from an ability to stand at a blackboard

即很少来自那些站在黑板前

and conjure images from unfolding mathematical propositions

通过解释数学命题和公式

and equations.

来天马行空的能力

They are instead the products of downstream imagination leading to hard work,

相反 它们往往是下游的想象以及由这些想象引发的努力工作的结果．

during which mathematical reasoning may or may not prove to be relevant.

在此过程中数学推理或许有关或许无关．

Ideas emerge when a part of the real or imagined world is studied

当研究现实或者非现实世界的某一部分时

for its own sake.

我们会有一些新的想法

Of foremost importance is a thorough, well-organized knowledge

最重要的是

of all that is known of the relevant entities and processes that might be involved in that domain

要对你计划进入的领域有一个充分的组织完善的了解

you propose to enter.

这包括所有和这个领域相关的所有已知的实体和流程

When something new is discovered,

当一个新的东西被发现时，

it's logical then that one of the follow-up steps is

很自然接下来要做的一件事

to find the mathematical and statistical methods to move its analysis forward.

就是用数学和统计方法来做进一步分析．

If that step proves too difficult for

如果这对于发现它的个人或图案来来说

the person or team that made the discovery,

来说过于困难，

a mathematician can then be added by them

那可以增加一个数学家,

as a collaborator.

作为一个合作者．

Consider the following principle,

请注意下面这个原则，

which I will modestly call Wilson's Principle Number One:

我很谦虚地称之为Wilson的第一原则：

It is far easier for scientists

科学家，包括医学研究人员

including medical researchers, to require needed collaboration

更容易得到数学和统计方面

in mathematics and statistics

的合作，

than it is for mathematicians and statisticians

相反如果数学家和统计学家想找到

to find scientists able to make use of their equations.

科学家来使他们的数学公式能派上用处的话，那要更困难一些．

It is important in choosing the direction to take in science

很重要一点，就是要选择既在你能力之内

to find the subject at your level of competence that interests you deeply,

而你又非常感兴趣的学科,

and focus on that.

然后专注在上面．

Keep in mind, then, Wilson's Second Principle:

然后请注意Wilson第二原则：

For every scientist, whether researcher, technician,

对任何一个科学家, 不管是研究人员, 技术人员，

teacher, manager or businessman,

教师,管理者或商人，

working at any level of mathematical competence,

无论他们用什么样的数学水平来工作

there exists a discipline in science or medicine

都存在一门科学或医学的学科，

for which that level is enough to achieve excellence.

在当中他们的数学水平足以让他们成就卓越

Now I'm going to offer quickly

现在我很快的再提供

several more principles that will be useful

几个原则，

in organizing your education and career,

来帮助你们计划教育和职业生涯．

or if you're teaching, how you might

或者如果你们选择教学，

enhance your own teaching and counseling of young scientists.

这些原则能提高你们教导年青科学家的能力．

In selecting a subject in which to conduct original research,

在选择你们将从事原创性研究，

or to develop world-class expertise,

或成为第一流专家的课题的时候，

take a part of the chosen discipline that is sparsely inhabited.

选择已确定的领域中很少人研究的一个部分．

Judge opportunity by how few other students and researchers

涉猎这一部分的学生和研究人员越少，

are on hand.

你的机会就越大

This is not to de-emphasize the essential requirement

但这并不是说广泛学习中的基本要求

of broad training, or the value of apprenticing yourself

或高质量项目中研究实习

in ongoing research to programs of high quality.

不再重要．

It is important also to acquire older mentors within these successful

因为同时很重要的一点就是在这些成功项目里结识年长的导师，

programs, and to make friends and colleagues of your age

并且结识同龄的, 能够互相帮助的

for mutual support.

朋友和同事．

But through it all, look for a way to break out,

但是无论如何 都要想办法找到一个不常见的领域和学科，

to find a field and subject not yet popular.

并取得突破．

We have seen this demonstrated already in the talks preceding mine.

在我之前的演讲中我们已经看到这样的例子．

There is the quickest way advances are likely to occur,

如果我们用每年每个研究人员的发现作为衡量指标，

as measured in discoveries per investigator per year.

那这是最快取得成绩的途径.

You may have heard the

也许你听说过，

military dictum for the gathering of armies:

在军队里有这样一句用兵名言

March to the sound of the guns.

向有枪声的方向前进．

In science, the exact opposite is the case: March away from the sound of the guns.

而在科学上则恰恰是相反: 离开有枪声的地方

So Wilson's Principle Number Three:

这就是Wilson的第三原则:

March away from the sound of the guns.

离开有枪声的地方

Observe from a distance,

在一定距离外观察,

but do not join the fray.

但不要加入战场,

Make a fray of your own.

创建一个你自己的战场.

Once you have settled on a specialty,

在你确定了一个你喜欢的专业,

and the profession you can love, and you've secured opportunity,

并且已经取得了机会后,

your potential to succeed will be greatly enhanced if you study it

只要你刻苦学习以成为一个专家.

enough to become an expert.

你成功的可能就会大大增加

There are thousands of professionally delimited

有成千的专业散布在

subjects sprinkled through physics and chemistry

从物理, 化学,

to biology and medicine.

到生物和医学,

And on then into the social sciences,

以及社会科学的各个领域.

where it is possible in short time to acquire

当一门专业里研究人员非常少的时候,

the status of an authority.

你可以在很短时间内

When the subject is still very thinly populated,

成为一个权威.

you can with diligence and hard work become

而且只要你刻苦努力,

the world authority.

就能成为世界级的权威.

The world needs this kind of expertise,

这个世界需要这样的专业知识,

and it rewards the kind of people

愿意成为这样专家的人

willing to acquire it.

也会得到丰盛的奖励.

The existing information and what you self-discover

现有的信息和你的独自的发现

may at first seem skimpy and difficult to connect

最开始可能让你觉得

to other bodies of knowledge.

很难和其它的知识体系联系起来.

Well, if that's the case,

如果是那样的话,

good. Why hard instead of easy?

很好. 那为什么要困难而不要容易呢?

The answer deserves to be stated as Principle Number Four.

答案值得被称为Wilson原则4.

In the attempt to make scientific discoveries,

在进行科学发现的尝试时,

every problem is an opportunity,

每个问题都是一次机会,

and the more difficult the problem,

而一个问题越难,

the greater will be the importance of its solution.

它被解决的意义就越重大.

Now this brings me to a basic categorization

这把我带到科学发现的

in the way scientific discoveries are made.

一个基本分类.

Scientists, pure mathematicians among them,

科学家, 包括纯数学家,

follow one or the other of two pathways:

一般选择两条途径:

First through early discoveries,

第一, 通过早期发现,

a problem is identified

一个问题被识别,

and a solution is sought.

解决方法被探索.

The problem may be relatively small;

这个问题或许相对很小;

for example, where exactly in a cruise ship does the norovirus begin to spread?

比如说病毒性胃肠炎在一个游艇上的什么地方开始传播开来?

Or larger, what's the role of dark matter in the expansion of the universe?

也可能很大, 如暗物质在宇宙膨胀过程中的所扮演的角色是什么?

As the answer is sought, other phenomena are typically discovered

在寻求答案的过程中, 其它现象又会出现,

and other questions are asked.

其它问题又会被提出.

This first of the two strategies is like a hunter,

这个两个策略中的第一个就象一个猎人

exploring a forest in search of a particular quarry,

在一个森林中寻找一个特定的猎物,

who finds other quarries along the way.

在这个过程中又找到了其它猎物.

The second strategy of research

而做研究的第二个策略

is to study a subject broadly

是广泛地研究一个主题,

searching for unknown phenomena or patterns of known phenomena

寻找未知现象或已知现象的规律,

like a hunter in what we call "the naturalist's trance,"

就象一个我们称为"博物学者的恍惚"的猎人,

the researcher of mind is open to anything interesting,

他的思维向任何有趣的事情

any quarry worth taking.

和任何值得猎取的猎物开放

The search is not for the solution of the problem,

这个研究不是为了找到一个问题的答案,

but for problems themselves worth solving.

而是找寻值得解决的问题.

The two strategies of research,

这两种原创性研究的策略

original research, can be stated as follows,

可以归纳成为

in the final principle I'm going to offer you:

我将送给你们的最后一个原则:

For every problem in a given discipline of science,

对于任何一个学科的每一个问题,

there exists a species or entity or phenomenon

都存在一个种类, 或实体, 或现象,

ideal for its solution.

是它理想的解决方法.

And conversely, for every species or other entity

相反, 对应任一个种类, 实体, 或现象,

or phenomenon, there exist important problems

都存在着一些问题

for the solution of which, those particular objects of research are ideally suited.

他们的解决方案都对应着一些特定的研究课题

Find out what they are.

找到这些研究课题

You'll find your own way to discover,

你会找到你自己的方式来发现,

to learn, to teach.

学习, 和教学.

The decades ahead will see dramatic advances

未来几十年会出现疾病防治, 一般健康和生活质量方面

in disease prevention, general health, the quality of life.

巨大的进步.

All of humanity depends on the knowledge and practice of the medicine and the science

所有人类文明都依赖你们即将成为专家的

behind it you will master.

医学和科学方面的知识和实践.

You have chosen a calling that will come in steps

你们回应了一个呼喊,

to give you satisfaction, at its conclusion, of a life well lived.

它会给你们一步一步地带来满足, 并且最终让你们觉得这一生非常有意义.

And I thank you for having me here tonight.

谢谢你们今晚邀请我.

(Applause)

(掌声)

Oh, thank you.

哦, 谢谢你们.

Thank you very much.

非常感谢你们.

I salute you.

向你们致敬.