How Ethics Can Help You Make Better Decisions | Michael Schur | TED

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Yi-Ping Cho (Marssi)

I've been a television comedy writer for almost 25 years.

我當電視喜劇編劇 已經有快二十五年了。

I have written sketches and animated shows

我寫過喜劇小品、動畫，

and sitcoms,

及情境喜劇，但過去 十年間我真正的熱情

but for the last decade,

my real passion has been the study of ethics.

是在研究倫理。

It's a classic cautionary tale, right?

這是個很典型的警世故事，對吧？

You move to Hollywood,

你搬到好萊塢、被大都市生活 和跑車引誘，不知不覺間，

you get seduced by the bright lights and the fast cars,

and before you know it,

你就開始在讀 十八世紀的德國哲學了。

you're reading 18-century German philosophy.

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

I've always been an intense rule follower.

我一直都是非常守規矩的人。

When I was in kindergarten,

讀幼兒園時，

our teacher would tell everyone to line up,

老師叫大家排成一列，

and I would immediately line up

我就會馬上去排，接著看著 其他還在東摸西摸的孩子，

and then I would look at all the other kids

who were still goofing off,

心想：「他們在幹嘛？

and I would think, "What are they doing?

他們沒聽見她說排成一列嗎？」

Did they not hear her, she said to line up."

I rinsed my mouth with mouthwash for at least 30 seconds every night,

每晚我都會用漱口水 漱口至少三十秒，

because on the label, it says "Use for 30 seconds."

因為標籤上寫著「使用三十秒」。

I know, I'm irritated by me, too.

我知道，我也覺得我很煩。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But the real reason that I became interested in ethics

但我對倫理產生興趣的真正原因，

is because in 2005,

是因為 2005 年時，

I royally and epically screwed something up.

我以很堂皇壯麗的方式 搞砸了某件事。

So, 2005, my wife JJ,

2005 年，我的太太 JJ

driving along in slow-moving traffic bumps into the guy in front of her.

在車速很慢的車流中開車， 撞到了她前面的傢伙，

Police officer looks everything over, doesn't see any damage,

警察檢查了一切，

沒發現損壞，他們交換了電話，

they exchange numbers and they go on their way.

就各自離開，幾天後，

A couple days later,

we get a notice that the guy wants 836 dollars

我們收到通知，這個傢伙 想索賠八百三十六元美金，

because, according to him, the entire fender needs to be replaced.

因為，依他的說法，

整個擋泥板都得換掉。

This is happening during Hurricane Katrina.

這件事發生在卡崔娜颶風的時候。

JJ and I had just been to New Orleans on a trip,

我和 JJ 剛去過紐奧良一趟，

we had really fallen in love with this beautiful city,

我們愛上了這個美麗的城市，

which was now literally under water.

而它現在真的是泡在水中。

I was very riled up.

我整個被惹毛了。

This was hitting me really hard.

我受到很大的打擊。

So I went and I looked at the guy's car,

所以我去看那個傢伙的車， 如果我非常近看，

and if I got very close,

and I strained my eyes,

盡力睜大眼睛，

I could just barely see this little line on the crease.

我才能非常勉強看到一條細小的線

位在縫隙上，很像記號，

It looked like the mark you make with a pencil on the wall

當你想把一幅畫掛在牆上時 用鉛筆畫上的記號。

when you're trying to hang a picture.

And I told the guy, essentially, that he shouldn't care about this.

我告訴這個傢伙，基本上，

他不該在乎這小痕跡。

I told him that things like this

我跟他說，這種事就是為什麼

were why car insurance rates in LA were so expensive.

洛杉磯的汽車保險費那麼貴的原因。

I told him that cars get little dings and dents all the time,

我告訴他車難免會有些小刮痕 和小凹陷，會在乎就太蠢了。

and he was stupid to care about that.

I told him that there were more important things in life than this,

我告訴他人生有比這個更重要的事，

like Hurricane Katrina.

比如卡崔娜颶風。

And then I made him an offer.

接著，我對他提議，

I said that I would donate 836 dollars to the Red Cross Katrina relief fund

我說，我願意捐贈

八百三十六元美金 給紅十字會的卡崔娜救濟基金，

in his name,

用他的名字捐，

if he agreed not to file this claim and fix his car.

只要他同意不提出索賠，

及不修車。

He said he would think it over.

他說他會想想。

So I went back to work,

我便回去工作，

and as very confident people want to do,

並做了非常有自信的人會想做的事，

I started telling all my friends about how awesome I was being.

我開始告訴所有的朋友我有多威。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And then they jumped in

接著他們也跳進來，

and started pledging more and more money

開始承諾加碼捐更多錢，

if this guy would agree not to fix his car.

只要這個傢伙同意不修他的車。

So suddenly, it was 2,000 dollars,

突然間，就提高到兩千元美金，

then it was 5,000 dollars.

接著到了五千元美金。

In like, a day and a half,

才花了大約一天半，

I had pledges from hundreds of people, all across the country,

我就讓全國各地幾百個人承諾

of more than 25,000 dollars

捐助超過總共兩萬五千元美金，

if this guy would agree not to file an insurance claim and fix his car.

只要這個傢伙同意 不要提出索賠及修車。

And by the way, he has no idea this is happening.

順道一提，他完全不知道有這檔事。

He is completely in the dark.

他完全不知情。

I started a blog,

我建立了一個部落格，

where I gave people hourly updates -- yeah.

每小時更新資訊給大家——真的。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

It's beginning to dawn on you what a bad idea this is, right?

各位已經開始明白這個點子 有多糟糕了，對吧？

I started a blog, gave people updates,

我建立了部落格 來提供大家更新的資訊，

I got media inquires from news programs, from NPR.

還有媒體來探詢，包括 新聞節目和全國公共廣播電台。

I had a dream of rescuing New Orleans by myself,

我有個夢想，

要靠我自己拯救紐奧良，

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

with nothing more than my computer

且只需要用我的電腦

and a fire hose of self-righteous anger.

以及自認正當的大量憤怒。

And then I started to feel sick to my stomach.

接著，

我開始有了厭惡感。

And so did JJ, at the exact same moment.

同時，JJ 也有同感。

We both were suddenly overcome with this awful feeling

我們兩人都突然有種

相當糟糕的感受，覺得我們 做的事有非常不好的地方，

that there was something very bad and wrong

about what we were doing,

但我們又點不出是什麼地方。

but we could not pinpoint what it was.

I just remember thinking,

我只記得我當時想：

"Alright, I don't care about cars getting little dings and dents,

「好，

我不在乎車有些小刮痕 和小凹陷，但這個傢伙在乎。

but this guy does.

那有錯嗎？我不覺得那有錯。

Is that wrong somehow?

I don't think that's wrong.

And also, is this little, tiny negotiation that we're in

此外，我們進行的這個 小小協商真的值得

really worth all of this fury and rage and shame

我針對他激起這麼多 憤怒、怒火，及羞辱嗎？

that I'm whipping up and sending in his direction?

I don't think it is."

我不覺得值得。」

So I did what any rational person would do in this situation.

於是，我做了任何理性的人 在這個情況下會做的事。

I started crying, and I hid under my bed.

我開始躲在床底下哭。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And then, I started reading philosophy.

接著，我開始讀哲學。

And I started calling philosophy professors

我開始打電話給哲學教授， 請他們跟我談談這件事。

and asking them to talk this out with me.

And in the process --

過程中——

yeah, and they all, by the way, did it,

是，順道一提，他們 都答應了，因為哲學教授

because philosophy professors love talking about philosophy.

超愛談哲學。

The drop of a hat,

轉眼間他們就都在和你談哲學了。

they will all talk about philosophy with you.

So in the process,

所以，過程中，我學到 許多非常棒的理論，

I learn all of these incredibly wonderful theories

that the smartest people who have ever lived

都是史上最聰明的人

have developed over the last 2,500 years

在過去兩千五百年間發展出來的，

that help us make better decisions and become better people.

協助我們做出更好的決策， 並成為更好的人。

For example, I learned about Immanuel Kant

比如，我學到康德，

and the categorical imperative.

以及「定言令式」。

So Kant says, when we're about to do something

康德說，當我們打算做某件事時，

we have to design a rule or a maxim

我們得設計一條規則或準則，

that we could will to be universal.

把它一般化，套用到所有人。

Meaning, we have to imagine,

意即，我們得想像， 如果人人去做我們打算做的事，

what if everyone did what we're about to do,

what would happen to the world?

世界會怎樣？會沒問題？ 還是會整個搞砸？

Would it be OK or would it get all screwed up?

So the maxim I'm designing here is something like,

所以我設計的準則是：

anytime two people are in any kind of negotiation,

任何時候，兩個人進行任何協商時，

one of them can drag into the negotiation

其中一個人可以在協商中扯入

an entirely unrelated global calamity

完全不相關的全球大災難，

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

and tell the other person

並告訴對方，他們不該 在意他們在意的事，

that they shouldn't care about whatever they care about,

因為他們應該改成在意那場災難。

because they should care about that instead.

That world would suck, right?

那種世界很鳥，對吧？比如，

Like, your sister borrows five dollars from you,

你妹妹向你借了五塊錢美金，

you ask for it back,

你請她還錢，

she says, "How dare you care about five dollars

她說：「你好大膽竟然在乎五塊錢，

when the polar ice caps are melting?"

北極的冰正在融化耶！」 沒人會想住在這種世界吧？

No one wants to live in this world, right?

Kant also says, by the way,

順道一提，康德也說，

that you should treat people as ends in themselves,

你應該要把人視為是最終結果，

and not a means to an end,

而非達成結果的手段。

meaning, you shouldn't use people to get what you want.

意即，你不該利用人 來得到你想要的。

Well, that's what I was doing.

嗯，

那就是我在做的事。

I also learned about Aristotle and the study of virtue ethics.

我也學到亞里斯多德， 及德性倫理學的研究。

So Aristotle says there's certain qualities we should all have.

亞里斯多德認為有些特質 是大家都該有的，比如

Things like generosity and courage

慷慨、勇氣、友善，以及和善，

and friendliness and mildness,

and he wants us to practice them every day

他希望大家能天天練習這些，

so that we not only have them,

才能不僅擁有這些特質， 份量也要正確，

we have them in the exact right amount.

We don't have a deficiency of them,

不會太多或太少。

and we don't have an excess of them.

Now virtue ethics can be kind of, maddeningly imprecise,

德性倫理學可能有點 不精確到讓人惱火，

but at the very least, it was pretty clear that I was exhibiting an excess of anger

但至少可以很清楚看出來， 我展現出了過度的憤怒，

and maybe a deficiency of friendliness.

友善則也許不太夠，

I wasn't nailing it, is the point.

重點是，我做的不好。

Like, I definitely was not getting it exactly right.

我肯定不是完全沒錯。

Then I learned about utilitarianism,

接著，我學到功利主義，

made famous by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill.

因為邊沁及彌爾而為人所知。

And this one actually gave me a shred of hope

這套哲學可是給了我一線希望呢，

that I was doing something good,

它讓我覺得我在做好事， 因為功利主義者只在乎行為的結果，

because utilitarians only care about the results of our actions,

they only care that we are creating more happiness and pleasure

他們只在乎我們創造出的 快樂和愉悅超過了

than we are pain and suffering.

我們創造的痛苦和苦難。

So yes, I'm being obnoxious and moralistic,

所以，是的，我很可憎且愛說教，

and I hand it to this guy, causing him some amount of pain,

這個傢伙成了我的受害者， 我造成他一些痛苦，

but an enormous amount of money

但，一筆為數不少的錢

is going to be given to people in great need.

會被提供給非常有需要的人。

So the amount of happiness I’m creating

所以，我創造的快樂量超過

outweighs the amount of pain and suffering.

痛苦和苦難的量。

But the utilitarians also said

但，功利主義者也說，

that when we're calculating the amount of happiness

當我們在計算我們創造了 多少快樂或痛苦時，

or pain we've created,

we can't just think about the one person we're dealing with,

我們不能只是想著我們 處理的那個對象，我們得想想

we have to think about the fact that everybody in our society

我們社會上的每個人 現在不僅知道這件事發生了，

will now both know this happened

and will fear that it could someday happen to them.

也會害怕同樣的事 有一天發生在他們身上。

And since we've already seen what a terrible, stinky world

既然我們已經見識過了我那時想 創造的世界有多糟糕、討人厭，

I was trying to create,

everyone in our society would become a little bit bummed out and sad

我們社會的每個人都會對我 所做的事感到有點沮喪和感傷，

by what I did,

那麼，我創造的痛苦和苦難 在總量上可能會超過

and so the total amount of pain and suffering I've created

might actually outweigh the happiness.

快樂的量。

I never got a straightforward answer, obviously,

很顯然，我始終沒有 得到直接的答案，

because Aristotle never wrote

因為亞里斯多德從來沒有寫過關於

about, like, fender benders involving horse-drawn carriages

古雅典馬車小擦撞事故的事情。

in ancient Athens.

But at the very least,

但，最少，

it sure felt like Jeremy Bentham

感覺確實是邊沁和彌爾 會對我有點失望。

and John Stuart Mill would be a little disappointed in me.

And it sure felt like Aristotle would be a little annoyed,

感覺確實是亞里斯多德會有點惱火，

and it sure felt like Immanuel Kant would wave a disapproving finger at me.

感覺確實是康德會對我 搖搖手指頭表示不贊同。

And if all of the world's greatest philosophers

如果全世界最偉大的哲學家 都站在辯論的同一邊，

are on one side of a debate,

and you are on the other side ...

而你站在另一邊……

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

You fucked up, OK.

對，你就是搞砸了。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）（掌聲）

(Applause)

So I called the guy.

於是，我打電話給那個傢伙。

I apologized profusely,

我再三道歉，我把整個故事告訴他。

I told him the entire story.

He was very kind and forgiving,

他很仁慈且寬容， 讓我大大鬆一口氣。

which was an enormous relief to me.

I told him I had already cut him a check, which was in the mail.

我告訴他我已經開了 一張支票準備寄給他。

I went back to the blog, I told everybody the outcome.

我回到部落格，告訴大家結果。

Most people, not all, but most of them,

並非全部，但大部分的人 認為這算是挺讓人開心的結果。

thought it was a pretty happy outcome.

I encouraged them to give money to the Red Cross anyway,

我鼓勵他們還是要 把錢捐給紅十字會，

because giving money to hurricane victims is a nice thing to do,

因為捐錢給颶風受害者 是做好事，而最後，

and in the end,

more than 25,000 dollars was indeed donated

大家總共捐了超過兩萬五千元美金

to the Red Cross Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

給紅十字會的卡崔娜颶風救濟工作。

這就別鼓掌了，因為那是 一件鳥事的快樂結果。

Don't applaud that,

because that's the happy result of a bad event.

So why did this embarrassing, miserable mistake that I made

所以，

為什麼我犯下這個 丟臉又可悲的錯誤，

make me want to continue to study moral philosophy?

會讓我想要繼續

研究道德哲學？

If I told you that you were going to be on Jeopardy,

如果我告訴你，

你要上益智節目《危險邊緣》，

how would you prepare?

你會怎麼準備？

You would read some trivia books and flip through a world atlas.

你會去讀一些知識書籍， 翻一下世界地圖集。

If I told you that you were going to take a half-court shot

如果我告訴你，

你要在 NBA 比賽上 從半場的位置投籃，

at an NBA game

for the chance to win 50,000 dollars,

成功就能贏得五萬元美金， 你會怎麼準備？

how would you prepare?

You would get a basketball,

你會弄來一顆籃球，

you would go to the YMCA

你會到基督教青年會去練習

and you would practice hucking up half-court shots.

從半場的位置投球。

Well, you're probably never going to be on Jeopardy.

嗯，

你可能永遠不會上《危險邊緣》；

You are probably never going to take a half-court shot

你可能永遠不會在 NBA 比賽上 從半場的位置投籃，

at an NBA game

for a chance to win 50,000 dollars.

試圖贏得五萬元美金。

But you will, I guarantee it,

但我保證，你一定會

at some point,

在某個時點

become embroiled in a complicated,

被捲入一個複雜、

confusing, ugly, gut-wrenching moral dilemma.

讓人困惑、醜陋、 難受的道德兩難情況中。

That is just a fact of life on Earth.

在地球上的人生就是這麼一回事。

There will be a dilemma in which there is no clear rule to follow.

一定會遇到沒有明確 規則可循的兩難情況。

There is only a kind of, vague investigation

只會有某種模糊的調查，

and everything you do seems like it might be wrong.

而你所做的一切，

似乎都是錯的。

So how do you prepare for that?

你又要如何準備？

By reading theories of ethics

可以閱讀倫理的理論，

and understanding what they say,

了解它們在談什麼、

what they mean,

有什麼意涵、

how they purport to help us make better decisions

它們如何聲稱能夠協助 我們做出更佳的決定，

and become better people.

成為更好的人。

And by the way,

順道一提，

just reading these theories is no guarantee

單單閱讀這些理論

無法保證你會做出對的選擇，

that you will actually make the right choice

when you're inside one of these complicated

讓你在這些複雜且糾結的 兩難情況中找對方向。

and tangled ethical dilemmas.

You can take all the practice half-court shots you want

你可以在基督教青年會盡情 從半場的位置練習投籃，

at the YMCA,

but when you set foot on the floor of the NBA arena,

但當你真正站在 NBA 球場上，

and there are 15,000 screaming fans,

有一萬五千名粉絲在尖叫，

you're probably still going to throw up an air ball, right?

你可能還是會投出 籃外空心球，對吧？

But if you've prepared,

但，如果你有做準備，

you will increase your odds of success.

你的成功機會會增加。

You will increase the chances that you sink the shot

你會增加投籃命中的機會，

or that you at least get the ball close enough to the rim

或者你至少能把球投到 很接近籃框的地方，

that you don't embarrass yourself and become a meme.

不會讓你出糗，變成迷因。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Understanding ethical theories

了解倫理理論

is how we increase our chances of success at simply being human beings

讓我們可以更有機會成功地

扮演必須要

who have to negotiate with other human beings.

和其他人類協商的人類。

And to me, there is nothing more important than that.

對我而言，

沒什麼比那更重要了。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）