Militant atheism | Richard Dawkins

翻译人员: yifan xie 校对人员: Wang Qian

进会场时播的音乐太好听了

That splendid music, the coming-in music,

"The Elephant March" from "Aida," is the music I've chosen for my funeral.

那是歌剧《阿依达》中的 “The Elephant March", 是我为自己的葬礼准备的音乐。

(Laughter)

(笑)

And you can see why. It's triumphal.

大家都明白吧，这是充满着胜利感的音乐。

I won't feel anything, but if I could,

我觉得 - 当然我不会感觉到任何东西，但如果死后有感觉的话，

I would feel triumphal at having lived at all,

我会觉得生存过就是一种胜利，

and at having lived on this splendid planet,

在这么一个辉煌的星球生存过，

and having been given the opportunity to understand

得到机会去了解，

something about why I was here in the first place, before not being here.

为什么我会在来到这里之前存在。

Can you understand my quaint English accent?

大家都能听懂我古雅的英文口音吗？

(Laughter)

Like everybody else, I was entranced yesterday by the animal session.

和大家一样，我为昨天有关动物的那一段而着迷。

Robert Full and Frans Lanting and others;

Robert Full, Frans Lanting, 和其他演讲人，

the beauty of the things that they showed.

都展示了优美的东西。

The only slight jarring note was when Jeffrey Katzenberg said of the mustang,

唯一稍微有点不和谐的是当Jeffery Katzenberg说到野马的时候，

"the most splendid creatures that God put on this earth."

“上帝在地球上创造的最优美的生物。”

Now of course, we know that he didn't really mean that,

当然，我们知道他不是真的要表达这个意思，

but in this country at the moment, you can't be too careful.

但是在这个国家这个时候，你不得不非常小心。

(Laughter)

（笑）

I'm a biologist, and the central theorem of our subject: the theory of design,

我是一个生物学家，而我们学科的中心主题是：设计的理论，

Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection.

达尔文的物竞天择的进化论，

In professional circles everywhere, it's of course universally accepted.

在任何一个职业圈里，当然都是被广为接受的。

In non-professional circles outside America, it's largely ignored.

在美国以外的非职业圈里则是基本上没人理睬的。

But in non-professional circles within America,

但是在美国的非职业圈里呢，

it arouses so much hostility --

它却引来了那么多的敌意 --

(Laughter)

（笑）

it's fair to say that American biologists are in a state of war.

可以这么说美国的生物学家们在进行着一场战争。

The war is so worrying at present,

而这场战争现在是那么的让人担心，

with court cases coming up in one state after another,

法庭诉讼案件在一个又一个的州出现，

that I felt I had to say something about it.

我觉得我必须说点什么了。

If you want to know what I have to say about Darwinism itself,

如果你想知道我对达尔文主义的看法，

I'm afraid you're going to have to look at my books,

恐怕你必须看我的书，

which you won't find in the bookstore outside.

那本你无法在外面的书店找到的书。

(Laughter)

（笑）

Contemporary court cases

当下的法庭诉讼案件，

often concern an allegedly new version of creationism,

经常是关于一种所谓的新版本的创世说，

called "Intelligent Design," or ID.

叫智能设计或者ID

Don't be fooled. There's nothing new about ID.

不要被蒙骗了，ID没有新鲜的东西。

It's just creationism under another name,

它只是创世说换了个名堂而已。

rechristened -- I choose the word advisedly --

重新洗礼命名--我特意的这么说--

(Laughter)

（笑）

for tactical, political reasons.

--因为策略上和政治上的原因。

The arguments of so-called ID theorists

所谓的ID论者的论据

are the same old arguments that had been refuted again and again,

和那些被一次又一次的否定过的论据是一模一样的，

since Darwin down to the present day.

从达尔文的时代到今天。

There is an effective evolution lobby

有一个有效的进化论游说团体，

coordinating the fight on behalf of science,

代表着科学组织着战斗，

and I try to do all I can to help them,

而我则尽我所能的帮助他们，

but they get quite upset when people like me dare to mention

但他们会很不愉快，当像我这样的人胆敢提到

that we happen to be atheists as well as evolutionists.

我们是进化论者，同时也是无神论者。

They see us as rocking the boat, and you can understand why.

他们觉得我们在制造不必要的麻烦，你们都明白为什么原因。

Creationists, lacking any coherent scientific argument for their case,

创世论者们在没有任何有效论据的情况下，

fall back on the popular phobia against atheism:

只能够利用大众对无神论的恐惧心理。

Teach your children evolution in biology class,

如果你在生物课里教你的孩子进化论，

and they'll soon move on to drugs, grand larceny and sexual "pre-version."

那他们很快就会变成瘾君子，惯偷和性变态。

(Laughter)

（笑）

In fact, of course, educated theologians from the Pope down

事实上，当然，自教皇以下的有教养的神学家

are firm in their support of evolution.

都是坚决地支持进化论的。

This book, "Finding Darwin's God," by Kenneth Miller,

这本书，Kenneth Miller的“寻找达尔文的上帝”，

is one of the most effective attacks on Intelligent Design that I know

是对智能设计最有效的攻击之一

据我所知， 而让它更有效的地方是

and it's all the more effective because it's written by a devout Christian.

它是有一个虔诚的基督徒写的。

People like Kenneth Miller could be called a "godsend" to the evolution lobby,

像Kenneth Miller这样的人可以说是上帝赐给进化论游说团体的礼物 --

(Laughter)

（笑）

because they expose the lie that evolutionism is, as a matter of fact,

-- 因为他们揭露了进化论就是

tantamount to atheism.

等同于无神论的谎言。

People like me, on the other hand, rock the boat.

而像我这样的人呢，在制造麻烦。

But here, I want to say something nice about creationists.

不过在这里，我要为创世论者说点好话。

It's not a thing I often do, so listen carefully.

这可不是我常干的事，所以请细心听好。

(Laughter)

（笑）

I think they're right about one thing.

我觉得他们在一件事上是对的。

I think they're right that evolution

他们正确的认识到，进化

is fundamentally hostile to religion.

跟宗教是根本上势不两立的。

I've already said that many individual evolutionists, like the Pope,

我已经说过了很多进化论者，想教宗一样，

are also religious, but I think they're deluding themselves.

同时信奉宗教的，但我觉得他们在自欺欺人。

I believe a true understanding of Darwinism

我相信达尔文主义的真正含义

is deeply corrosive to religious faith.

是对宗教信仰有很大的腐蚀性的。

Now, it may sound as though I'm about to preach atheism,

也许我现在听起来像是在为无神论讲道，

and I want to reassure you that that's not what I'm going to do.

但我保证这不是我要做的事情。

In an audience as sophisticated as this one,

在一群这么有智慧的听众面前

that would be preaching to the choir.

那就像向唱诗班报道。

No, what I want to urge upon you --

不，我所要想你们敦促的是--

(Laughter)

（笑）

Instead, what I want to urge upon you is militant atheism.

我所要向你们敦促的是成为无神论的斗士。

(Laughter)

（笑）

(Applause)

（鼓掌）

But that's putting it too negatively.

但这又把它说得太消极了。

If I was a person who were interested in preserving religious faith,

如果我要--如果我是一个要维护宗教信仰的人，

I would be very afraid of the positive power of evolutionary science,

我会非常害怕进化论科学会带来的

and indeed science generally, but evolution in particular,

任何科学，但特别是进化论，

to inspire and enthrall, precisely because it is atheistic.

去激励和控制人心的积极作用，正因为它是无神的。

Now, the difficult problem for any theory of biological design

现在，一个在所有生物设计论都难解决的问题

is to explain the massive statistical improbability of living things.

是怎样去解析物种生存的极高的统计上的不得能性。

Statistical improbability in the direction of good design --

向好的设计发展的统计上的不可能性 --

"complexity" is another word for this.

或个说法就是复杂性。

The standard creationist argument --

标准的神创论的论据 -- 只有一个， 它们归根到底就只有这个 --

there is only one; they're all reduced to this one --

takes off from a statistical improbability.

除去所有统计上的不可能性。

Living creatures are too complex to have come about by chance;

生物太复杂了不可能随机产生的；

therefore, they must have had a designer.

所以它们一定有一个设计者。

This argument of course, shoots itself in the foot.

这个论据当然，是自相矛盾的。

任何可以设计复杂事物的设计者

Any designer capable of designing something really complex

has to be even more complex himself,

一定要比他所涉及的东西更复杂，这还没有说到

and that's before we even start on the other things he's expected to do,

我们期望他做到的其他事情，

like forgive sins, bless marriages, listen to prayers --

譬如说宽恕罪过，保佑婚姻，聆听祈祷 --

favor our side in a war --

-- 和在打仗的时候站到我们这边 --

(Laughter)

（笑）

disapprove of our sex lives, and so on.

-- 不赞同我们的性生活，和别的。

(Laughter)

（笑）

Complexity is the problem that any theory of biology has to solve,

复杂性是所有生物理论都要解决的问题，

and you can't solve it by postulating an agent that is even more complex,

但你不能通过幻想出一个跟复杂的机体来解决它，

thereby simply compounding the problem.

从而使问题进一步加深。

Darwinian natural selection is so stunningly elegant

达尔文的自然选择是那么让惊人的优雅

because it solves the problem of explaining complexity

因为它解决了解析复杂性的的问题

in terms of nothing but simplicity.

用非常简单的方式。

Essentially, it does it by providing a smooth ramp

基本上，这是通过简单的累积

of gradual, step-by-step increment.

逐渐的一步步的变化。

But here, I only want to make the point

不过在这里， 我只是要强调

that the elegance of Darwinism is corrosive to religion,

达尔文主义的优雅对宗教是有腐蚀性的

precisely because it is so elegant, so parsimonious, so powerful,

正因为它是如此的优雅，简单，有力，

so economically powerful.

有那么的强大的经济性。

它有着像一座美丽的吊桥那样的发达的系统。

It has the sinewy economy of a beautiful suspension bridge.

The God theory is not just a bad theory.

上帝的理论不仅是劣拙的理论。

It turns out to be -- in principle --

到头来，它在原则上不能解决要解决的问题。

incapable of doing the job required of it.

So, returning to tactics and the evolution lobby,

那么，回到策略和进化论游说团上来，

I want to argue that rocking the boat

我要辨论也许制造麻烦正是我们应该做的事。

may be just the right thing to do.

My approach to attacking creationism is --

我攻击创世论的方法和进化论游说团不一样.

unlike the evolution lobby --

my approach to attacking creationism is to attack religion as a whole.

我攻击创世论的方法是从整体上来攻击宗教，

And at this point I need to acknowledge the remarkable taboo

在这个时候我要指出一个异乎寻常的禁忌 --

against speaking ill of religion,

我们不能说宗教的坏话的禁忌。

and I'm going to do so in the words of the late Douglas Adams,

而我将借用已故的Douglas Adams所说的话，

a dear friend who, if he never came to TED,

他是我一个很好的朋友，如果他没有来过TED的话，

certainly should have been invited.

那么他在世的时候你们真的应该要请他。

(Richard Saul Wurman: He was.)

(Richard Saul Wurman: 我们邀请过他了。）

Richard Dawkins: He was. Good. I thought he must have been.

Richard Dawkins: 是吗，好。我就想他肯定来过。

He begins this speech, which was tape recorded in Cambridge

他开始这段在剑桥录下来的演讲，

shortly before he died --

在他死前不久。

he begins by explaining how science works through the testing of hypotheses

他通过解析科学怎样通过测试各种各样的猜想而运转

that are framed to be vulnerable to disproof, and then he goes on.

而这些猜想都是建立在容易被反证的基础上的，他接着说，

I quote, "Religion doesn't seem to work like that.

我引用他的话， “宗教好像并不是这样子的”

It has certain ideas at the heart of it, which we call 'sacred' or 'holy.'

在它的中心有一些我们奉以为神圣的概念。

What it means is: here is an idea or a notion

它的意思就是有这么一个概念或者说法

that you're not allowed to say anything bad about.

你不允许说它有任何不好的地方。

You're just not. Why not? Because you're not."

你不可以，为什么呢？因为你不可以。

(Laughter)

（笑）

"Why should it be that it's perfectly legitimate

为什么我们可以理所当然的支持民主党或者共和党，

to support the Republicans or Democrats,

this model of economics versus that,

这种经济模式或者那种经济模式，苹果Mac或者微软Windows,

Macintosh instead of Windows,

but to have an opinion about how the universe began,

但是当我们说到宇宙的起源的时候，

about who created the universe --

当说到谁创造了宇宙的时候 -- 不行，那是个神圣的话题。

no, that's holy.

So, we're used to not challenging religious ideas,

所以，我们习惯了不去挑战宗教的概念

and it's very interesting how much of a furor Richard creates

而当Richard挑战宗教时能引起那么多的不满， 这真的很有意思，

when he does it." --

他指的是我不是哪位

He meant me, not that one.

"Everybody gets absolutely frantic about it,

每个人都为此而愤怒了，

because you're not allowed to say these things.

因为你是不许说这些话的，但当你理性地看到它的时候

Yet when you look at it rationally,

there's no reason why those ideas

我们并没有不去公开的讨论那些宗教的概念的理由

shouldn't be as open to debate as any other,

这和其他话题是一样的，只是我们有不去讨论它们的默契

except that we've agreed somehow between us

that they shouldn't be."

而已”， 我引用Douglas的话到此结束。

And that's the end of the quote from Douglas.

In my view, not only is science corrosive to religion;

在我看来，不仅是科学对宗教有腐蚀性，

religion is corrosive to science.

宗教对科学也有腐蚀性。

It teaches people to be satisfied with trivial,

它教导人们去满足于琐碎的，超自然的谬论

supernatural non-explanations,

and blinds them to the wonderful, real explanations

而看不到我们触手可及的美妙的真理。

that we have within our grasp.

It teaches them to accept authority, revelation and faith,

它教导他们接受权威，启示和信仰

instead of always insisting on evidence.

而放弃对佐证的不懈追求。

There's Douglas Adams, magnificent picture from his book, "Last Chance to See."

这就是Douglas Adams, 在他的书“最后一眼”里精彩的照片。

Now, there's a typical scientific journal,

这里是一份典型的科学刊物，the Quarterly Review of Biology.

The Quarterly Review of Biology.

And I'm going to put together, as guest editor,

而我将作为客座编辑来收集

a special issue on the question, "Did an asteroid kill the dinosaurs?"

一份题为“恐龙是因为小行星撞击地球而灭绝的吗”的特刊。

And the first paper is a standard scientific paper,

第一份论文是标准的的科学论文

presenting evidence,

罗列证据， “在介於白堊紀和第三紀之間的含銥黏土層

"Iridium layer at the K-T boundary,

and potassium argon dated crater in Yucatan,

通过使用钾-氩法鉴定Yucatan的陨坑里的年代后，

indicate that an asteroid killed the dinosaurs."

显示了恐龙是因为小行星撞击地球而灭绝的。

Perfectly ordinary scientific paper.

非常典型的科学论文。

Now, the next one.

下一份，“皇家学会的主席

"The President of the Royal Society

has been vouchsafed a strong inner conviction

被赐予了一个坚强的信念” -- （笑）--

that an asteroid killed the dinosaurs."

恐龙是因为小行星撞击地球而灭绝的。”

(Laughter)

（笑）

"It has been privately revealed to Professor Huxtane

“Huxtane教授在私底下被告示

that an asteroid killed the dinosaurs."

恐龙是因为小行星撞击地球而灭绝的。”

(Laughter)

（笑）

"Professor Hordley was brought up

“Hordley 教授被带引致

to have total and unquestioning faith" --

完全毫无疑问的信仰” --

(Laughter) --

（笑）

"that an asteroid killed the dinosaurs."

恐龙是因为小行星撞击地球而灭绝的

"Professor Hawkins has promulgated an official dogma

Hawkins 教授颁发了一份官方教条

binding on all loyal Hawkinsians

规定所有忠诚的信奉Hawkins的人，

that an asteroid killed the dinosaurs."

去认识到恐龙是因为小行星撞击地球而灭绝的。”

(Laughter)

（笑）

That's inconceivable, of course.

这当然是不可思议的。

But suppose --

但假如 --

[Supporters of the Asteroid Theory cannot be patriotic citizens]

（鼓掌）

(Laughter)

(Applause)

In 1987, a reporter asked George Bush, Sr.

-- 1987年，一位记者问老布什总统

whether he recognized the equal citizenship and patriotism

他是否承认在美国的人们会拥有同等的公民权和爱国主义

of Americans who are atheists.

如果他们是无神论者的话

Mr. Bush's reply has become infamous.

布什先生很著名的回答说

"No, I don't know that atheists should be considered citizens,

“不，我不认为无神论者应该被当作公民，

nor should they be considered patriots.

他们也不应该被当作爱国者。

This is one nation under God."

这是一个上帝引领下的国度 。”

Bush's bigotry was not an isolated mistake,

布什的偏执并不是一个单独的错误，

blurted out in the heat of the moment and later retracted.

在兴致所至的时候脱口而出，然后又收回去。

He stood by it in the face of repeated calls for clarification or withdrawal.

他面对反复的让他澄清和收回这句话的要求并没有退让。

He really meant it.

他是真的这么认为的。

More to the point, he knew it posed no threat to his election --

更重要的是，他知道这并不影响他的竞选，相反，

quite the contrary.

Democrats as well as Republicans parade their religiousness

民主党和共和党都标榜他们的宗教信仰，

if they want to get elected.

如果他们要获选的话。两个党都说这是上帝带领下的国家。

Both parties invoke "one nation under God."

What would Thomas Jefferson have said?

如果托马斯·杰斐逊看到这个情况的话他会怎么说呢？

[In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty]

顺便说一句, 我通常并不为作为英国人而非常自豪，

Incidentally, I'm not usually very proud of being British,

but you can't help making the comparison.

但实在忍不住要作出这个比较。

(Applause)

（鼓掌）

In practice, what is an atheist?

事实上，一个无神论者是个怎样的人呢？

An atheist is just somebody who feels about Yahweh

一个无神论者只是一个对耶和华的看法

the way any decent Christian feels about Thor or Baal or the golden calf.

和任何正经的基督教徒对托尔或者巴尔或者金牛犊的看法一样的人。

As has been said before, we are all atheists about most of the gods

正如之前所说，我们对人类历史上绝大部分的神来说都是无神论者。

that humanity has ever believed in.

只是我们有些人不相信的神要更多一个而已。

Some of us just go one god further.

(Laughter)

（笑）

(Applause)

（鼓掌）

And however we define atheism, it's surely the kind of academic belief

无论我们怎样定义无神论，它都肯定是这么一种学术信仰，

that a person is entitled to hold without being vilified

一个人有权利去相信而不用为此被诋毁为一个

as an unpatriotic, unelectable non-citizen.

不爱国没有选举权的非公民的信仰。

Nevertheless, it's an undeniable fact that to own up to being an atheist

然而，这是一个不可否认的现实， 选择成为一个无神论者

is tantamount to introducing yourself as Mr. Hitler or Miss Beelzebub.

就是相当于介绍你自己是希特勒先生或者魔王小姐。

And that all stems from the perception of atheists

这些都源于把无神论者看为

as some kind of weird, way-out minority.

怪诞的，过时的少数派别。

Natalie Angier wrote a rather sad piece in the New Yorker,

Natalie Angier 在“纽约人”杂志上写过一分相当伤感的文章，

saying how lonely she felt as an atheist.

说作为一个无神论者她觉得多么孤独。

She clearly feels in a beleaguered minority.

她明显的觉得自己属于受困扰的少数派，

But actually, how do American atheists stack up numerically?

但是实际上，到底美国无神论者们的数目加起来有多少呢？

The latest survey makes surprisingly encouraging reading.

最新的调查结果出人意外的振奋人心。

Christianity, of course, takes a massive lion's share of the population,

基督教，当然，占了人口里最大的份额

有将近一亿六千万。

with nearly 160 million.

But what would you think was the second largest group,

但你觉得第二大的群体是哪个呢,

convincingly outnumbering Jews with 2.8 million, Muslims at 1.1 million,

令人信服的比二百八十万犹太教，加上一百一十万的穆斯林，

Hindus, Buddhists and all other religions put together?

加上印度教，佛教和别的宗教加起来都要多的？

The second largest group, with nearly 30 million,

第二大的有着将近3千万的，

is the one described as non-religious or secular.

是那个被称为不信教或者非宗教的群体。

You can't help wondering why vote-seeking politicians

你是感到奇怪，为什么追求票数的政客们

are so proverbially overawed by the power of, for example, the Jewish lobby --

那么路人皆知的被譬如说犹太教游说团体说吓到。

the state of Israel seems to owe its very existence to the American Jewish vote --

以色列这个国家好像

好像都要靠美国犹太人的投票，但在相同的时候，

while at the same time,

consigning the non-religious to political oblivion.

不信教的人却基本上在政治上不值一提。

This secular non-religious vote, if properly mobilized,

这部分来在不信教的人的投票，如果适当的动员起来，

is nine times as numerous as the Jewish vote.

是犹太教的人的票数的九倍。

Why does this far more substantial minority

为什么这个影响力远超别人的小数派

not make a move to exercise its political muscle?

不行动起来去运用它的政治力量呢？

Well, so much for quantity. How about quality?

好么，数量有了，质量呢？

Is there any correlation, positive or negative,

有没有什么积极的或者消极的相关性，

between intelligence and tendency to be religious?

在智慧和信奉宗教的倾向之间呢？

[Them folks misunderestimated me]

（笑）

(Laughter)

The survey that I quoted, which is the ARIS survey,

我引用这份调查，这是ARIS的调查，

didn't break down its data by socio-economic class or education,

并没有把它的数据从社会经济等级或者教育程度，

IQ or anything else.

或者智商或者别的方面分开表述。

But a recent article by Paul G. Bell in the Mensa magazine

但Paul G. Bell不久前在Mensa杂志上发的一篇文章

provides some straws in the wind.

给了我们一些提示。

Mensa, as you know, is an international organization

Mensa，你们知道，是一个国际组织，

for people with very high IQ.

为有高智商的人而设的。

And from a meta-analysis of the literature,

通过对文献的统计分析，

Bell concludes that, I quote -- "Of 43 studies carried out since 1927

Bell得出的结论， 我在这里引用， “从2007年以来展开的43个研究”

on the relationship between religious belief,

宗教信仰和一个人的智商或受教育的程度的关系的项目里，

and one's intelligence or educational level,

all but four found an inverse connection.

除了四个以外都找到了反比关系。

That is, the higher one's intelligence or educational level,

也就是说，一个人的智商或者受教育的程度越高，

the less one is likely to be religious."

他的信仰宗教的可能性就越低。”

Well, I haven't seen the original 42 studies,

好的， 我没有看过那42个研究项目所以我不能对这个统计分析发表看法

and I can't comment on that meta-analysis,

but I would like to see more studies done along those lines.

但我希望能看到更多这个方向上的研究。

And I know that there are -- if I could put a little plug here --

而且我知道，如果我可以在这里提一个小建议的话，

在这个听众群里有人

there are people in this audience

easily capable of financing a massive research survey to settle the question,

可以轻易的资助一个大规模的研究调查来这个问题找个定论，

and I put the suggestion up, for what it's worth.

我提出这个建议，就算这是不重要的也好。

But let me know show you some data

但是让我在这里给你们看一些数据

that have been properly published and analyzed,

一些被正当的公布和分析过的

on one special group -- namely, top scientists.

关于一个特别的群体即顶级的科学家的数据。

In 1998, Larson and Witham polled the cream of American scientists,

在1998年，Larson 和 Witham

调查过最顶尖的美国科学家，

those who'd been honored by election to the National Academy of Sciences,

那些有着被选入国家科学学院的荣誉的科学家。

and among this select group,

在这个群体里，

belief in a personal God dropped to a shattering seven percent.

相信神的比例剧减至百分之七。

About 20 percent are agnostic; the rest could fairly be called atheists.

大概百分之二十是不可知论者，其余的都可以被称作无神论者。

Similar figures obtained for belief in personal immortality.

而相信有灵魂的比例则与此相近。

Among biological scientists, the figure is even lower:

在生物科学家里，这个比例就更低了，

5.5 percent, only, believe in God.

只有百分之五点五相信有神。物理学家里是百分之七点五。

Physical scientists, it's 7.5 percent.

I've not seen corresponding figures for elite scholars

我没有看过与此相对应的关于其他领域的顶尖学者的数据

in other fields, such as history or philosophy,

例如历史和哲学，

but I'd be surprised if they were different.

但如果这是不一样的话我会感到惊讶。

So, we've reached a truly remarkable situation,

那么，我们达到了一个真正不简单的情况，

a grotesque mismatch between the American intelligentsia

一个怪诞的不搭配存在于美国的知识分子

and the American electorate.

和美国的选民之间。

A philosophical opinion about the nature of the universe,

一个关于宇宙的本质的哲学观，

which is held by the vast majority of top American scientists

一个为绝大部分顶尖美国科学家

and probably the majority of the intelligentsia generally,

甚至于大多数的知识分子所持有的哲学观，

is so abhorrent to the American electorate

却受到那么的受到美国选民的憎恶

that no candidate for popular election dare affirm it in public.

以至于没有普选的候选人敢于在公众场合确认它。

If I'm right, this means that high office

如果我是正确的话，着就是意味着

in the greatest country in the world

这个世界上最伟大的国家的高级职位

is barred to the very people best qualified to hold it --

是不向最有能力胜任的人-知识分子-开放的，

the intelligentsia --

unless they are prepared to lie about their beliefs.

除非他们做好在他们的信仰上撒谎的准备。

To put it bluntly: American political opportunities

直接点说，美国的政治机会

are heavily loaded against those

对那些

who are simultaneously intelligent and honest.

既有智慧又诚实的人来说是很不利的。

(Laughter)

（鼓掌）

(Applause)

I'm not a citizen of this country, so I hope it won't be thought unbecoming

我不是这个国家的公民，所以我希望这不会被看作不雅观

if I suggest that something needs to be done.

如果我指出有些事情必须要做。

(Laughter)

（笑）

And I've already hinted what that something is.

而我已经提示过这事什么了。

From what I've seen of TED, I think this may be the ideal place to launch it.

通过我在TED的所见，我认为这是发起它的理想地方。

Again, I fear it will cost money.

再重复一遍，我担心这是件费钱的事。

We need a consciousness-raising,

我们需要为美国的无神论者搞一个提升自觉性的

coming-out campaign for American atheists.

出头面的运动。

(Laughter)

（笑）

This could be similar to the campaign organized by homosexuals

或者这可以像同性恋运动那样组织，

a few years ago,

就像几年前的一样

although heaven forbid that we should stoop to public outing

不过但愿我们不用强迫

of people against their will.

不愿意出来游行的人站出来。

In most cases, people who out themselves

在大多数情况下，站出来的人他们自己的身份

will help to destroy the myth that there is something wrong with atheists.

会除掉无神论者有毛病的荒诞说法。

On the contrary,

相反地，

they'll demonstrate that atheists are often the kinds of people

他们可以展示无神论者经常是那些

who could serve as decent role models for your children,

可以为你们的孩子做好榜样的人。

the kinds of people an advertising agent could use to recommend a product,

他们是那些广告公司会请来推荐产品的人。

the kinds of people who are sitting in this room.

他们是那些坐在这里的人。

There should be a snowball effect, a positive feedback,

这应该会产生一个雪球效应，一个积极反馈，

such that the more names we have, the more we get.

以至于当人多起来的时候，就会有更多的人参加。

There could be non-linearities, threshold effects.

这可能会产生非线性的界限点效应。

When a critical mass has been obtained,

当我们达到临界数量以后，

there's an abrupt acceleration in recruitment.

人员的招募会得突发性的加速。

And again, it will need money.

然后呢，这需要钱。

I suspect that the word "atheist" itself

我怀疑无神论者这个词本身

contains or remains a stumbling block

包含着或者仍然是一个绊脚石

far out of proportion to what it actually means,

远远超出了跟它所要表达的意思，对那些本来愿意出来

and a stumbling block to people

who otherwise might be happy to out themselves.

表达自我的人是个绊脚石。

So, what other words might be used to smooth the path,

那么，还有哪些词可以用来铺平道路，

oil the wheels, sugar the pill?

为齿轮加润滑油，给药丸价格糖衣呢？达尔文他自己偏向于使用不可知论者这个词--

Darwin himself preferred "agnostic" --

and not only out of loyalty to his friend Huxley,

不仅是出于对他的朋友发明这个说法的赫胥黎的忠诚。

who coined the term.

Darwin said, "I have never been an atheist

达尔文说，“我从来就不是 一个无神论者

in the same sense of denying the existence of a God.

从否认上帝的存在这个意思上来讲。

I think that generally an 'agnostic'

我觉得基本上用一个不可知论者这个词

would be the most correct description of my state of mind."

可以很正确的描述我的心理状态。”

He even became uncharacteristically tetchy with Edward Aveling.

他甚至一反常态的对Edward Aveling感到恼怒

Aveling was a militant atheist

Avelieng 是一个无神论斗士

who failed to persuade Darwin

他并没有成功地说服达尔文

to accept the dedication of his book on atheism --

去接受他的关于无神论的书的献辞 --

incidentally, giving rise to a fascinating myth

顺带提一句，这带来一个有趣的传说

that Karl Marx tried to dedicate "Das Kapital" to Darwin,

就是卡尔马克思想把资本论的献辞写给达尔文，

which he didn't, it was actually Edward Aveling.

马克思并没有这么做，其实想这么做的人是Edward Aveling

What happened was that Aveling's mistress was Marx's daughter,

真正发生的事是Aveling的情妇是马克思的女儿，

and when both Darwin and Marx were dead,

当他们都死去后，

Marx's papers became muddled up with Aveling's papers,

马克思的作品和Aveling的作品被搞在一起了

and a letter from Darwin saying, "My dear sir, thank you very much

其中有一封从达尔文的信说“亲爱的先生，非常感谢你

but I don't want you to dedicate your book to me,"

但我不要你把你的书的献辞写给我，”

was mistakenly supposed to be addressed to Marx,

这封信被错误的认为是写给马克思的，

and that gave rise to this whole myth, which you've probably heard.

这就带来了你们都可能听过了的这个传说。

It's a sort of urban myth, that Marx tried to dedicate "Kapital" to Darwin.

无法核实的街谈巷议而已,

说马克思要把资本论的献辞写给达尔文。

Anyway, it was Aveling, and when they met, Darwin challenged Aveling.

无论如何，其实是Aveling,当他们相遇的时候，达尔文向Aveling提出挑战，

"Why do you call yourselves atheists?"

“为什么你叫自己做无神论者呢？”

"'Agnostic, '" retorted Aveling, "was simply 'atheist' writ respectable,

“不可知论者，” Aveling反击说，“只是无神论者的体面的说法而已，

and 'atheist' was simply 'agnostic' writ aggressive."

而无神论者只是不可知论者激进的说法而已.”

Darwin complained, "But why should you be so aggressive?"

达尔文抱怨说,“但你为什么要那么激进呢？”

Darwin thought that atheism might be well and good for the intelligentsia,

达尔文觉得无神论者这个说法可能可以为知识分子所接受，

but that ordinary people were not, quote, "ripe for it."

但普通人却不一定，我引用他的说法，“觉得它的味道太强烈了”

Which is, of course, our old friend, the "don't rock the boat" argument.

这当然，就是我们的老朋友，“不要制造麻烦”的说法。

It's not recorded whether Aveling told Darwin to come down off his high horse.

历史上并没有记录Aveling有没有告诉达尔文说让他不要自命不凡。

(Laughter)

（笑）

But in any case, that was more than 100 years ago.

但无论怎样都好，那已经是超过一百年以前的事了，

You'd think we might have grown up since then.

你会认为我们或许已经从那时成熟过来了。

Now, a friend, an intelligent lapsed Jew,

现在，我的一个朋友，一个平常会显得更有智慧的犹太人，

who, incidentally, observes the Sabbath for reasons of cultural solidarity,

在观察安息日的时候顺带提到

为了保持文化上的团结一致，

describes himself as a "tooth-fairy agnostic."

他把自己称作为一个“牙仙子不可知论者。”

他不愿意把自己称作无神论者

He won't call himself an atheist

because it's, in principle, impossible to prove a negative,

因为原则上是不可能证明一个否定的说法的，

but "agnostic" on its own might suggest that God's existence

但不可知论者这个说法却可能暗示着上帝的存在

was therefore on equal terms of likelihood as his non-existence.

因此跟他的不存在的可能性是一样的。

所以，我朋友对牙仙子的存在是严格的不可知论者。

So, my friend is strictly agnostic about the tooth fairy,

but it isn't very likely, is it?

但它是不太可能存在的，不是吗？和上帝一样。

Like God.

Hence the phrase, "tooth-fairy agnostic."

这就有了这个说法，“牙仙子不可知论者，”

Bertrand Russell made the same point

但伯特兰·罗素提到了一样的说法

using a hypothetical teapot in orbit about Mars.

他用的例子是一个假设上在火星轨道上的茶壶。

You would strictly have to be agnostic

严格来说你必须是一个不可知论者

about whether there is a teapot in orbit about Mars,

在有没有一个茶壶在火星的轨道上这个问题上，

but that doesn't mean you treat the likelihood of its existence

但这并不就意味着你把它的存在的可能性

as on all fours with its non-existence.

看作跟它的不存在的可能性一样。

The list of things which we strictly have to be agnostic about

我们必须严格的以不可知论者的角度看待的事物

doesn't stop at tooth fairies and teapots; it's infinite.

不只是牙仙子和茶壶而是无穷无尽的。

If you want to believe one particular one of them --

如果你要相信它们中的一个，

unicorns or tooth fairies or teapots or Yahweh --

独角兽或者牙仙子或者茶壶或者耶和华，

the onus is on you to say why.

你就有责任说出为什么。

The onus is not on the rest of us to say why not.

而不是让我们说为什么不。

We, who are atheists,

我们是无神论者，同时也是无牙仙子论者和无茶壶论者。

are also a-fairyists and a-teapotists.

(Laughter)

（笑）

But we don't bother to say so.

这是我们不为说这些事实而劳神而已，

And this is why my friend uses "tooth-fairy agnostic"

这就是为什么我朋友用牙仙子无神论者

as a label for what most people would call atheist.

来称谓大多数人所说的无神论者。

Nonetheless, if we want to attract deep-down atheists to come out publicly,

尽管如此，如果我们要让在内心深处是无神论者的人在公众场合站出来，

we're going to have find something better to stick on our banner

我们需要一些比

牙仙子和茶壶不可知论者的更恰当的称号来往在我们的旗号上

than "tooth-fairy" or "teapot agnostic."

So, how about "humanist"?

那么，人文主义者怎么呀呢？

This has the advantage of a worldwide network of well-organized associations

它的优势是有着一个有组织良好的协会组成的世界性网络

and journals and things already in place.

而且已经有期刊和别的设施。

My problem with it is only its apparent anthropocentrism.

我对它的唯一问题是它显而易见的人类中心主义。

One of the things we've learned from Darwin

我们从达尔文学来的的东西之一

is that the human species is only one

是人类只不过是

among millions of cousins, some close, some distant.

几百万个近亲远亲里的一个分支。

And there are other possibilities, like "naturalist,"

还有其他的例如自然主义者之类的可能性。

but that also has problems of confusion,

但这也会带来混淆，

because Darwin would have thought naturalist --

因为达尔文会认为自然主义者，

"Naturalist" means, of course, as opposed to "supernaturalist" --

自然主义者的意思，当然，就是与超自然主义者相反的。

and it is used sometimes --

有时候它是这样用的。

Darwin would have been confused by the other sense of "naturalist,"

达尔文会为自然主义者的其他意思感到混淆，

which he was, of course,

他是这么认为的，当然，而我推断也会有别人

and I suppose there might be others who would confuse it with "nudism".

把它错以为是裸体主义。

(Laughter)

（笑）

Such people might be those belonging to the British lynch mob,

那样的人可能就是那些在英国用私刑的团伙

which last year attacked a pediatrician in mistake for a pedophile.

那些去年错把一个儿科医生当成恋童癖来攻击的人。

(Laughter)

（笑）

I think the best of the available alternatives for "atheist"

我认为最好的代替无神论者这个叫法的就是简答的非有神论者。

is simply "non-theist."

It lacks the strong connotation that there's definitely no God,

它没有强力的表示肯定没有神的含义，

and it could therefore easily be embraced by teapot or tooth-fairy agnostics.

所以它会容易的被茶壶或者牙仙子不可知论者所接受。

It's completely compatible with the God of the physicists.

它完全可以和物理学家的神相兼容。

当人们--无神论者们

When atheists like Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein use the word "God,"

例如史提芬.霍金和阿尔伯特.爱因斯坦用上帝这个词的时候，

they use it of course as a metaphorical shorthand

他们当然是把它用作一种简略的隐喻

for that deep, mysterious part of physics which we don't yet understand.

来表达那部分我们还不明白的深邃的神秘的物理学。

非有神论者都可以接受这些，不想无神论者一样，

"Non-theist" will do for all that, yet unlike "atheist,"

it doesn't have the same phobic, hysterical responses.

它不会有哪些恐惧的歇斯底里的反应。

But I think, actually, the alternative

当实际上我觉得，

is to grasp the nettle of the word "atheism" itself,

我们要果断的处理无神论者这个词本身的问题，

precisely because it is a taboo word,

正因为它是一个禁忌词

carrying frissons of hysterical phobia.

一个带来一浪接一浪的歇斯底里的恐惧的词。

Critical mass may be harder to achieve with the word "atheist"

也许使用无神论者这个词会使参加我们运动的人达到临界数量的难度

than with the word "non-theist,"

比使用非有神论者这个词

or some other non-confrontational word.

或者使用别的非抵抗性的词要大。

But if we did achieve it with that dread word "atheist" itself,

但如果我们成功的使用无神论者这个令人恐惧的词本身来达到临界数量

the political impact would be even greater.

其政治影响将会更大。

Now, I said that if I were religious, I'd be very afraid of evolution --

现在，我说了如果我信奉宗教的话，我会很害怕进化论。我会更进一步。

I'd go further: I would fear science in general, if properly understood.

我会从总体上害怕科学，如果它能被人们适当的理解的话。

And this is because the scientific worldview

这是因为科学的世界观

is so much more exciting, more poetic,

是那么的令人兴奋，那么的有诗意，

more filled with sheer wonder

那么的充满了十足的惊喜，和所有

than anything in the poverty-stricken arsenals of the religious imagination.

在宗教想象力那贫困不堪的武器库里的东西相比。

As Carl Sagan, another recently dead hero, put it,

正如另一位刚刚去世的英雄Cal Sagan,所说，

"How is it that hardly any major religion has looked at science

”为什么从来没有一个主流宗教在审视了科学以后

and concluded, 'This is better than we thought!

会得出这样的结论，“这比我们的想法要好！

The universe is much bigger than our prophet said,

宇宙要比远远的我们的先知所说的要更大，

grander, more subtle, more elegant'?

更宏伟，更微妙，更优雅？” 相反他们说，“不，不，不！

Instead they say, 'No, no, no!

My god is a little god, and I want him to stay that way.'

我的神是一个渺小的神，但我要他保持这个样子。”

A religion, old or new,

一个宗教，老的还是新的，

that stressed the magnificence of the universe

如果能够强调宇宙的壮丽辉煌

as revealed by modern science,

正如现代科学说揭示的一样

might be able to draw forth reserves of reverence and awe

那它能够唤起的崇拜和尊敬或许将是

hardly tapped by the conventional faiths."

传统宗教所难以触及的。”

Now, this is an elite audience,

现在在座的听众都是精英，

and I would therefore expect about 10 percent of you to be religious.

所以我会预计你们当中大概有百分之十是信仰宗教的。

Many of you probably subscribe to our polite cultural belief

也许你们当中的很多人都赞同我们这个大家都要尊敬宗教的有礼貌的文化信念，

that we should respect religion.

But I also suspect that a fair number of those

当我也怀疑有相当的一部分人

secretly despise religion as much as I do.

会像我那么的鄙视宗教。

(Laughter)

（笑）

If you're one of them, and of course many of you may not be,

如果你是这些人当中的一个，当然你们当总的很多人可能都不是，

but if you are one of them,

但如果你是其总的一个，我向你要求再也不要那么礼貌了，

I'm asking you to stop being polite,

come out, and say so.

站出来说出你的观点，如果你刚好是富有的话，

And if you happen to be rich,

想一想你有什么办法能够带来一些影响。

give some thought to ways in which you might make a difference.

The religious lobby in this country

这个国家的宗教游说团

is massively financed by foundations -- to say nothing of all the tax benefits --

是受到各种基金的大力赞助的，这还没提到所有的税收，

by foundations, such as the Templeton Foundation and the Discovery Institute.

例如坦普尔顿基金和发现学院。

We need an anti-Templeton to step forward.

我们需要一个反例坦普尔顿站出来。

If my books sold as well as Stephen Hawking's books,

如果我的说能像史提芬.霍金的书那么好卖的话，

instead of only as well as Richard Dawkins' books, I'd do it myself.

而不像只像Richard Dawkins的书那样的话，我会自己来干这件事。

人们老是谈到这个话题，“911怎么样改变的你？“

People are always going on about, "How did September the 11th change you?"

Well, here's how it changed me.

那么，它是这样改变了我的。

Let's all stop being so damned respectful.

请不要再那么充满该死的敬意了。

Thank you very much.

很感谢大家。

(Applause)

（鼓掌）