Militant atheism | Richard Dawkins

譯者: Coco Shen 審譯者: Geoff Chen

這美妙的音樂﹐剛剛的進場音樂 -

That splendid music, the coming-in music,

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

那是歌劇《阿依達》中的“The Elephant March", 是我為自己的葬禮準備的音樂。

(Laughter)

(笑)

And you can see why. It's triumphal.

不難理解，它充滿了勝利感。

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

我覺得 - 當然到時候我什麼也感覺不到，但如果我能的話

I would feel triumphal at having lived at all,

我會覺得活過本身就是勝利，

and at having lived on this splendid planet,

在這麼一個美妙的星球活過，

and having been given the opportunity to understand

有這個機會能去了解

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

為什麼我會在這裡﹐在我出現在這裡之前

Can you understand my quaint English accent?

大家都能聽懂我古雅的英文口音嗎？

(Laughter)

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

和大家一樣，我為昨天有關動物的那一段而著迷。

Robert Full and Frans Lanting and others;

Robert Full, Frans Lanting, 和其他演講人，

the beauty of the things that they showed.

都展示了優美的東西。

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

唯一稍微有點不和諧的是當Jeffery Katzenberg說到野馬的時候，

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

「上帝在地球上創造的最優美的生物。」

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

當然，我們知道他不是真的要表達這個意思，

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

但是在這個國家這個時候，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,

我是一個生物學家，而我們學科的中心主題是：設計的理論，

Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection.

達爾文的物競天擇的演化論，

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

在任何地方的專業圈裡，都被廣為接受

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

在美國以外的非專業圈裡則是基本上沒人理睬的

But in non-professional circles within America,

但是在美國的非專業圈裡呢，

it arouses so much hostility --

它卻引來了那麼多的敵意 --

(Laughter)

（笑）

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

可以說美國的生物學家們在進行著一場戰爭。

The war is so worrying at present,

而這場戰爭現在是那麼的讓人擔心，

with court cases coming up in one state after another,

法庭訴訟案件在一個又一個的州出現，

that I felt I had to say something about it.

我覺得我必須說點什麼

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

如果你想知道我對達爾文主義的看法，

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

恐怕你必須看我的書，

which you won't find in the bookstore outside.

那本你無法在外面書店找到的書

(Laughter)

（笑）

Contemporary court cases

現在法庭訴訟案件，

often concern an allegedly new version of creationism,

經常是關於一種所謂的新版本的創世說，

called "Intelligent Design," or ID.

叫智能設計或者ID

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

不要被矇騙了，ID不是什麼新觀念

It's just creationism under another name,

它只是創世說換了個名堂而已。

rechristened -- I choose the word advisedly --

重新洗禮命名--我特意的這麼說--

(Laughter)

（笑）

for tactical, political reasons.

--因為策略上和政治上的原因。

The arguments of so-called ID theorists

所謂的ID論者的論據

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

和那些被一次又一次的否定過的論據是一模一樣的，

since Darwin down to the present day.

從達爾文的時代到今天。

There is an effective evolution lobby

有一個有效的演化論遊說團體，

coordinating the fight on behalf of science,

代表著科學組織著戰鬥，

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

而我則盡我所能地幫助他們，

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

當像我這樣的人膽敢提到我是演化論者

that we happen to be atheists as well as evolutionists.

同時也是無神論者時，他們會很不愉快

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

他們覺得我們在製造不必要的麻煩，你們都明白為什麼原因。

Creationists, lacking any coherent scientific argument for their case,

創世論者們在沒有任何有效論據的情況下，

fall back on the popular phobia against atheism:

只能夠利用大眾對無神論的恐懼心理。

Teach your children evolution in biology class,

如果你在生物課裡教你的孩子演化論，

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

那他們很快就會變成癮君子、慣竊、和性變態。

(Laughter)

（笑）

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

事實上，當然，自教皇以下有教養的神學家

are firm in their support of evolution.

都是堅決地支持演化論的。

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

這本書，Kenneth Miller 的“尋找達爾文的上帝”，

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

是對智能設計最有效的攻擊之一

據我所知，而讓它更有效的地方是

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

它是有一個虔誠的基督徒寫的。

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

像Kenneth Miller這樣的人可以說是上帝賜給演化論遊說團體的禮物--

(Laughter)

（笑）

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

-- 因為他們揭露了演化論就是

tantamount to atheism.

等同於無神論的謊言。

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

而像我這樣的人呢，在製造麻煩。

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

不過在這裡，我要為創世論者說點好話。

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

這可不是我常幹的事，所以請細心聽好。

(Laughter)

（笑）

I think they're right about one thing.

我覺得他們在一件事上是對的。

I think they're right that evolution

他們正確地認識到

is fundamentally hostile to religion.

演化論跟宗教是根本上勢不兩立的。

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

我已經說過了很多演化論者，像教宗一樣

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

同時信奉宗教，但我覺得他們在自欺欺人。

I believe a true understanding of Darwinism

我相信達爾文主義的真正含義

is deeply corrosive to religious faith.

是對宗教信仰有很大的腐蝕性的。

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

也許我現在聽起來像是在為無神論講道，

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

但我保證這不是我要做的事情。

In an audience as sophisticated as this one,

在一群這麼有智慧的聽眾面前

that would be preaching to the choir.

那就像向唱詩班講道。

No, what I want to urge upon you --

不，我所要想你們敦促的是--

(Laughter)

（笑）

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

我所要向你們敦促的是成為無神論的鬥士。

(Laughter)

（笑）

(Applause)

（鼓掌）

But that's putting it too negatively.

但這又把它說得太消極了。

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

如果我要--如果我是一個要維護宗教信仰的人，

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

我會非常害怕演化論科學會帶來的

and indeed science generally, but evolution in particular,

任何科學，但特別是演化論，

to inspire and enthrall, precisely because it is atheistic.

去激勵和吸引人心的積極作用，正因為它是無神的。

Now, the difficult problem for any theory of biological design

現在，一個在所有生物設計論都難解決的問題

is to explain the massive statistical improbability of living things.

是怎樣去解析物種生存的極高的統計上的不可能性。

Statistical improbability in the direction of good design --

向好的設計發展的統計上的不可能性--

"complexity" is another word for this.

換個說法就是複雜性。

The standard creationist argument --

標準的神創論的論據-- 只有一個， 它們歸根到底就只有這個--

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

takes off from a statistical improbability.

除去所有統計上的不可能性。

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

生物的複雜性不可能只是偶然

therefore, they must have had a designer.

所以它們一定有一個設計者。

This argument of course, shoots itself in the foot.

這個論據當然，是自相矛盾的。

任何可以設計複雜事物的設計者

Any designer capable of designing something really complex

has to be even more complex himself,

一定要比他所涉及的東西更複雜，這還不包括

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

我們期望他做的其他事情，

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

譬如說寬恕罪過，保佑婚姻，聆聽祈禱--

favor our side in a war --

-- 和在打仗的時候站到我們這邊 --

(Laughter)

（笑）

disapprove of our sex lives, and so on.

-- 干涉我們的性生活，和別的。

(Laughter)

（笑）

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

複雜性是所有生物理論都要解決的問題，

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

但你不能通過幻想出一個跟複雜的機體來解決它，

thereby simply compounding the problem.

從而使問題進一步加深。

Darwinian natural selection is so stunningly elegant

達爾文的自然選擇是那麼讓驚人的優雅

because it solves the problem of explaining complexity

因為它解決了解析複雜性的的問題

in terms of nothing but simplicity.

用非常簡單的方式。

Essentially, it does it by providing a smooth ramp

基本上，這是通過簡單的累積

of gradual, step-by-step increment.

逐漸一步步的變化。

But here, I only want to make the point

不過在這裡， 我只是要強調

that the elegance of Darwinism is corrosive to religion,

達爾文主義的優雅對宗教是有腐蝕性的

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

正因為它是如此的優雅，簡單，有力，

so economically powerful.

有那麼強大的經濟性。

它有著像一座美麗的吊橋那樣發達的系統。

It has the sinewy economy of a beautiful suspension bridge.

The God theory is not just a bad theory.

上帝的理論不僅是劣拙的理論。

It turns out to be -- in principle --

到頭來，它在原則上不能解決要解決的問題。

incapable of doing the job required of it.

So, returning to tactics and the evolution lobby,

那麼，回到策略和演化論遊說團上來，

I want to argue that rocking the boat

我要辨論也許製造麻煩正是我們應該做的事。

may be just the right thing to do.

My approach to attacking creationism is --

我攻擊創世論的方法和演化論遊說團不一樣.

unlike the evolution lobby --

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

我攻擊創世論的方法是從整體上來攻擊宗教，

And at this point I need to acknowledge the remarkable taboo

在這個時候我要指出一個異乎尋常的禁忌--

against speaking ill of religion,

我們不能說宗教的壞話的禁忌。

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

而我將藉用已故的Douglas Adams所說的話，

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

他是我一個很好的朋友，如果他沒有來過TED的話，

certainly should have been invited.

那麼他在世的時候你們真的應該要請他。

(Richard Saul Wurman: He was.)

(Richard Saul Wurman: 我們邀請過他了。）

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

Richard Dawkins: 是嗎，好。我就想他肯定來過。

He begins this speech, which was tape recorded in Cambridge

在他死前不久有段在劍橋錄製演講

shortly before he died --

是這樣開始的。

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

他說科學假設必須通過各種各樣的測試

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

而這些假設都是建立在容易被反證的基礎上的，他接著說，

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

我引用他的話， “宗教好像並不是這樣子的”

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

在它的中心有一些我們奉以為神聖的概念。

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

它的意思就是有這麼一個概念或者說法

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

你不允許說它有任何不好的地方。

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

你不可以，為什麼呢？因為你不可以。

(Laughter)

（笑）

"Why should it be that it's perfectly legitimate

為什麼我們可以理所當然的支持民主黨或者共和黨，

to support the Republicans or Democrats,

this model of economics versus that,

這種經濟模式或者那種經濟模式，蘋果Mac或者微軟Windows,

Macintosh instead of Windows,

but to have an opinion about how the universe began,

但是當我們說到宇宙起源的時候，

about who created the universe --

當說到誰創造了宇宙的時候-- 不行，那是個神聖的話題。

no, that's holy.

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

所以，我們習慣了不去挑戰宗教的概念

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

而當Richard挑戰宗教時能引起那麼多的不滿， 這真的很有意思，

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,

「每個人都為此而憤怒了，

because you're not allowed to say these things.

因為你是不許說這些話的，但當你理性地看這個時間

Yet when you look at it rationally,

there's no reason why those ideas

我們沒有理由不去公開辯論這些宗教概念

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

這和其他話題是一樣的，只是我們有不去討論它們的默契

except that we've agreed somehow between us

that they shouldn't be."

而已。」 我引用Douglas的話到此結束。

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

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

在我看來，不僅是科學對宗教有腐蝕性，

religion is corrosive to science.

宗教對科學也有腐蝕性。

It teaches people to be satisfied with trivial,

它教導人們去滿足於瑣碎的、超自然的謬論

supernatural non-explanations,

and blinds them to the wonderful, real explanations

而看不到我們觸手可及的美妙的真理。

that we have within our grasp.

It teaches them to accept authority, revelation and faith,

它教導他們接受權威、啟示、和信仰

instead of always insisting on evidence.

而放棄對佐證的不懈追求。

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

這就是Douglas Adams, 在他的書《最後一眼》裡精彩的照片。

Now, there's a typical scientific journal,

這裡是一份典型的科學刊物，the Quarterly Review of Biology.

The Quarterly Review of Biology.

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

而我將作為客座編輯來編輯

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

一份題為《恐龍是因為小行星撞擊地球而滅絕的嗎?》的特刊。

And the first paper is a standard scientific paper,

第一份論文是標準的的科學論文

presenting evidence,

羅列證據， 「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,

通過使用鉀-氬法鑑定Yucatan的隕坑里的年代後，

indicate that an asteroid killed the dinosaurs."

顯示了恐龍是因為小行星撞擊地球而滅絕的。」

Perfectly ordinary scientific paper.

非常典型的科學論文。

Now, the next one.

下一份，「皇家學會的主席

"The President of the Royal Society

has been vouchsafed a strong inner conviction

被賜予了一個堅強的信念 -- （笑）--

that an asteroid killed the dinosaurs."

恐龍是因為小行星撞擊地球而滅絕的。」

(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."

恐龍是因為小行星撞擊地球而滅絕的。」

(Laughter)

（笑）

"Professor Hordley was brought up

「Hordley 教授被帶引致

to have total and unquestioning faith" --

完全毫無疑問的信仰」--

(Laughter) --

（笑）

"that an asteroid killed the dinosaurs."

「恐龍是因為小行星撞擊地球而滅絕的

"Professor Hawkins has promulgated an official dogma

道金斯教授頒發了一份官方教條

binding on all loyal Hawkinsians

規定所有忠誠的信奉道金斯的人，

that an asteroid killed the dinosaurs."

認知恐龍是因為小行星撞擊地球而滅絕的。」

(Laughter)

（笑）

That's inconceivable, of course.

這當然是不可思議的。

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，一位記者問老布什總統

whether he recognized the equal citizenship and patriotism

他是否承認在美國的人們會擁有同等的公民權和愛國主義

of Americans who are atheists.

如果他們是無神論者的話

Mr. Bush's reply has become infamous.

布希先生很著名的回答說

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

「不，我不認為無神論者應該被當作公民，

nor should they be considered patriots.

他們也不應該被當作愛國者。

This is one nation under God."

這是一個上帝引領下的國度 。」

Bush's bigotry was not an isolated mistake,

布希的偏執並不是一個單獨的錯誤，

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

在興致所至的時候脫口而出，然後又收回去。

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

他面對反覆的讓他澄清和收回這句話的要求並沒有退讓。

He really meant it.

他是真的這麼認為的。

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

更重要的是，他知道這並不影響他的競選，相反，

quite the contrary.

Democrats as well as Republicans parade their religiousness

民主黨和共和黨都標榜他們的宗教信仰，

if they want to get elected.

如果他們要獲選的話。兩個黨都說這是上帝帶領下的國家。

Both parties invoke "one nation under God."

What would Thomas Jefferson have said?

如果托馬斯•杰佛遜看到這個情況的話他會怎麼說呢？

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

順便說一句, 我通常並不為作為英國人而非常自豪，

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

but you can't help making the comparison.

但實在忍不住要作出這個比較。

(Applause)

（鼓掌）

In practice, what is an atheist?

事實上，一個無神論者是個怎樣的人呢？

An atheist is just somebody who feels about Yahweh

一個無神論者只是一個對耶和華的看法

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

和任何正經的基督教徒對托爾或者巴爾或者金牛犢的看法一樣的人。

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

正如之前所說，我們對人類歷史上絕大部分的神來說都是無神論者。

that humanity has ever believed in.

只是我們有些人不相信的神要更多一個而已。

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

無論我們怎樣定義無神論，它都肯定是這麼一種學術信仰，

that a person is entitled to hold without being vilified

一個人有權利去相信而不用為此被詆毀為一個

as an unpatriotic, unelectable non-citizen.

不愛國沒有選舉權的非公民的信仰。

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

然而，這是一個不可否認的現實，選擇成為一個無神論者

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

就是相當於介紹你自己是希特勒先生或者魔王小姐。

And that all stems from the perception of atheists

這些都源於把無神論者看為

as some kind of weird, way-out minority.

怪誕的，過時的少數派別。

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

Natalie Angier 在《紐約客》雜誌上寫過一分相當傷感的文章，

saying how lonely she felt as an atheist.

說作為一個無神論者她覺得多麼孤獨。

She clearly feels in a beleaguered minority.

她明顯覺得自己屬於受困擾的少數派，

But actually, how do American atheists stack up numerically?

但是實際上，到底美國無神論者們的數目加起來有多少呢？

The latest survey makes surprisingly encouraging reading.

最新的調查結果出人意外的振奮人心。

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

基督教，當然，佔了人口裡最大的份額

有將近一億六千萬。

with nearly 160 million.

But what would you think was the second largest group,

但你覺得第二大的群體是哪個呢,

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

令人信服的比二百八十萬猶太教，加上一百一十萬的穆斯林，

Hindus, Buddhists and all other religions put together?

加上印度教，佛教和別的宗教加起來都要多的？

The second largest group, with nearly 30 million,

第二大的有著將近3千萬的，

is the one described as non-religious or secular.

是那個被稱為不信教或者非宗教的群體。

You can't help wondering why vote-seeking politicians

你是感到奇怪，為什麼追求票數的政客們

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

那麼路人皆知的被譬如說猶太教遊說團體說嚇到。

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

以色列這個國家好像

好像都要靠美國猶太人的投票，但在相同的時候，

while at the same time,

consigning the non-religious to political oblivion.

不信教的人卻基本上在政治上不值一提。

This secular non-religious vote, if properly mobilized,

這部分來在不信教的人的投票，如果適當地動員起來，

is nine times as numerous as the Jewish vote.

是猶太教的人票數的九倍。

Why does this far more substantial minority

為什麼這個影響力遠超別人的小數派

not make a move to exercise its political muscle?

不行動起來去運用它的政治力量呢？

Well, so much for quantity. How about quality?

好麼，數量有了，質量呢？

Is there any correlation, positive or negative,

有沒有什麼積極的或者消極的相關性，

between intelligence and tendency to be religious?

在智慧和信奉宗教的傾向之間呢？

[Them folks misunderestimated me]

（笑）

(Laughter)

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

我引用這份調查，這是ARIS的調查，

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

並沒有把它的數據從社會經濟等級或者教育程度，

IQ or anything else.

或者智商或者別的方面分開表述。

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

但Paul G. Bell不久前在Mensa雜誌上發的一篇文章

provides some straws in the wind.

給了我們一些提示。

Mensa, as you know, is an international organization

Mensa，你們知道，是一個國際組織，

for people with very high IQ.

為有高智商的人而設的。

And from a meta-analysis of the literature,

通過對文獻的統計分析，

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

Bell得出的結論， 我在這裡引用， 「從2007年以來展開的43個研究

on the relationship between religious belief,

宗教信仰和一個人的智商或受教育的程度的關係的項目裡，

and one's intelligence or educational level,

all but four found an inverse connection.

除了四個以外都找到了反比關係。

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

也就是說，一個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， 我沒有看過那42個研究項目所以我不能對這個統計分析發表看法

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這個方向上的研究。

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

而且我知道，如果我可以在這裡提一個小建議的話，

在這個聽眾群裡有人

there are people in this audience

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

可以輕易地資助一個大規模的研究調查來這個問題找個定論，

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

我提出這個建議，就算這是不重要的也好。

But let me know show you some data

但是讓我在這裡給你們看一些數據

that have been properly published and analyzed,

一些被正當的公佈和分析過的

on one special group -- namely, top scientists.

關於一個特別的群體即頂級的科學家的數據。

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

在1998年，Larson 和 Witham

調查過最頂尖的美國科學家，

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

那些有著被選入國家科學學院的榮譽科學家。

and among this select group,

在這個群體裡，

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

相信神的比例劇減至百分之七。

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

大概百分之二十是不可知論者，其餘的都可以被稱作無神論者。

Similar figures obtained for belief in personal immortality.

而相信有靈魂的比例則與此相近。

Among biological scientists, the figure is even lower:

在生物科學家裡，這個比例就更低了，

5.5 percent, only, believe in God.

只有百分之五點五相信有神。物理學家裡是百分之七點五。

Physical scientists, it's 7.5 percent.

I've not seen corresponding figures for elite scholars

我沒有看過與此相對應的關於其他領域的頂尖學者的數據

in other fields, such as history or philosophy,

例如歷史和哲學，

but I'd be surprised if they were different.

但如果這是不一樣的話我會感到驚訝。

So, we've reached a truly remarkable situation,

那麼，我們達到了一個真正不簡單的情況，

a grotesque mismatch between the American intelligentsia

一個怪誕的不搭配存在於美國的知識分子

and the American electorate.

和美國的選民之間。

A philosophical opinion about the nature of the universe,

一個關於宇宙的本質的哲學觀，

which is held by the vast majority of top American scientists

一個為絕大部分頂尖美國科學家

and probably the majority of the intelligentsia generally,

甚至於大多數的知識分子所持有的哲學觀，

is so abhorrent to the American electorate

卻那麼受美國選民的憎惡

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

以至於沒有普選的候選人敢於在公眾場合確認它。

If I'm right, this means that high office

如果我是正確的話，著就是意味著

in the greatest country in the world

這個世界上最偉大的國家的高級職位

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

是不向最有能力勝任的人-知識分子-開放的，

the intelligentsia --

unless they are prepared to lie about their beliefs.

除非他們做好在他們的信仰上撒謊的準備。

To put it bluntly: American political opportunities

直接點說，美國的政治機會

are heavily loaded against those

對那些

who are simultaneously intelligent and honest.

既有智慧又誠實的人來說是很不利的。

(Laughter)

（鼓掌）

(Applause)

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

我不是這個國家的公民，所以我希望這不會被看作不雅觀

if I suggest that something needs to be done.

如果我指出有些事情必須要做。

(Laughter)

（笑）

And I've already hinted what that something is.

而我已經提示過這事什麼了。

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

通過我在TED的所見，我認為這是發起它的理想地方。

Again, I fear it will cost money.

再重複一遍，我擔心這得花上不少錢

We need a consciousness-raising,

我們需要為美國的無神論者搞一個提升自覺性的

coming-out campaign for American atheists.

出櫃運動。

(Laughter)

（笑）

This could be similar to the campaign organized by homosexuals

或者這可以像同性戀運動那樣組織，

a few years ago,

就像幾年前的一樣

although heaven forbid that we should stoop to public outing

不過但願我們不用強迫

of people against their will.

不願意出來遊行的人站出來。

In most cases, people who out themselves

在大多數情況下，站出來的人他們自己的身份

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

會除掉無神論者有毛病的荒誕說法。

On the contrary,

相反地，

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

他們可以展示無神論者經常是那些

who could serve as decent role models for your children,

可以為你們的孩子做好榜樣的人。

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

他們是那些廣告公司會請來推薦產品的人。

the kinds of people who are sitting in this room.

他們是那些坐在這裡的人。

There should be a snowball effect, a positive feedback,

這應該會產生一個雪球效應，一個積極反饋，

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

以至於當人多起來的時候，就會有更多的人參加。

There could be non-linearities, threshold effects.

這可能會產生非線性的界限點效應。

When a critical mass has been obtained,

當我們達到臨界數量以後，

there's an abrupt acceleration in recruitment.

人員的招募會得突發性的加速。

And again, it will need money.

然後呢，這需要錢。

I suspect that the word "atheist" itself

我懷疑無神論者這個詞本身

contains or remains a stumbling block

包含著或者仍然是一個絆腳石

far out of proportion to what it actually means,

遠遠超出了跟它所要表達的意思，對那些本來願意出來

and a stumbling block to people

who otherwise might be happy to out themselves.

表達自我的人是個絆腳石。

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

那麼，還有哪些詞可以用來鋪平道路，

oil the wheels, sugar the pill?

為齒輪加潤滑油，給藥丸價格糖衣呢？達爾文他自己偏向於使用不可知論者這個詞--

Darwin himself preferred "agnostic" --

and not only out of loyalty to his friend Huxley,

不僅是出於對他的發明這個說法的朋友赫胥黎的忠誠。

who coined the term.

Darwin said, "I have never been an atheist

達爾文說，「我從來就不是一個無神論者

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

從否認上帝的存在這個意思上來講。

I think that generally an 'agnostic'

我覺得基本上用一個不可知論者這個詞

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

可以很正確的描述我的心理狀態。 」

He even became uncharacteristically tetchy with Edward Aveling.

他甚至一反常態的對Edward Aveling感到惱怒

Aveling was a militant atheist

Avelieng 是一個無神論鬥士

who failed to persuade Darwin

他並沒有成功地說服達爾文

to accept the dedication of his book on atheism --

去接受他的關於無神論的書的獻辭 --

incidentally, giving rise to a fascinating myth

順帶提一句，這帶來一個有趣的傳說

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

就是卡爾馬克思想把資本論的獻辭寫給達爾文，

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

馬克思並沒有這麼做，其實想這麼做的人是Edward Aveling

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

真正發生的事是Aveling的情婦是馬克思的女兒，

and when both Darwin and Marx were dead,

當他們都死去後，

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

馬克思的作品和Aveling的作品被搞在一起了

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

其中有一封從達爾文的信說:「親愛的先生，非常感謝你

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

但我不要你把你的書的獻辭寫給我。」

was mistakenly supposed to be addressed to Marx,

這封信被錯誤的認為是寫給馬克思的，

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

這就帶來了你們都可能聽過了的這個傳說。

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

無法核實的街談巷議而已,

說馬克思要把資本論的獻辭寫給達爾文。

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

無論如何，其實是Aveling,當他們相遇的時候，達爾文向Aveling提出挑戰，

"Why do you call yourselves atheists?"

「為什麼你叫自己做無神論者呢？」

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

「不可知論者，」Aveling反擊說，「只是無神論者的體面的說法而已，

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

而無神論者只是不可知論者激進的說法而已。」

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

達爾文抱怨說:「但你為什麼要那麼激進呢?」

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

達爾文覺得無神論者這個說法可能可以為知識分子所接受，

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

但普通人卻不一定，我引用他的說法，「覺得它的味道太強烈了」

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

這當然，就是我們的老朋友，「不要製造麻煩」的說法。

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

歷史上並沒有記錄Aveling有沒有告訴達爾文說讓他不要自命不凡。

(Laughter)

（笑）

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

但無論怎樣都好，那已經是超過一百年以前的事了，

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

你會認為我們或許已經從那時成熟過來了。

Now, a friend, an intelligent lapsed Jew,

現在，我的一個朋友，一個平常會顯得更有智慧的猶太人，

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

在觀察安息日的時候順帶提到

為了保持文化上的團結一致，

describes himself as a "tooth-fairy agnostic."

他把自己稱作為一個「牙仙子不可知論者」

他不願意把自己稱作無神論者

He won't call himself an atheist

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

因為原則上是不可能證明一個否定的說法的，

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

但不可知論者這個說法卻可能暗示著上帝的存在

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樣的。

所以，我朋友對牙仙子的存在是嚴格的不可知論者。

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，不是嗎？和上帝一樣。

Like God.

Hence the phrase, "tooth-fairy agnostic."

這就有了這個說法，「牙仙子不可知論者」

Bertrand Russell made the same point

但伯特蘭•羅素提到了一樣的說法

using a hypothetical teapot in orbit about Mars.

他用的例子是一個假設上在火星軌道上的茶壺。

You would strictly have to be agnostic

嚴格來說你必須是一個不可知論者

about whether there is a teapot in orbit about Mars,

在有沒有一個茶壺在火星的軌道上這個問題上，

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

但這並不就意味著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樣。

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

我們必須嚴格以不可知論者的角度看待的事物

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

不只是牙仙子和茶壺，而是無窮無盡的。

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

如果你要相信它們中的一個，

unicorns or tooth fairies or teapots or Yahweh --

獨角獸或者牙仙子或者茶壺或者耶和華，

the onus is on you to say why.

你就有責任說出為什麼。

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

而不是讓我們說為什麼不。

We, who are atheists,

我們是無神論者，同時也是無牙仙子論者和無茶壺論者。

are also a-fairyists and a-teapotists.

(Laughter)

（笑）

But we don't bother to say so.

這是我們不為說這些事實而勞神而已，

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

這就是為什麼我朋友用牙仙子無神論者

as a label for what most people would call atheist.

來稱謂大多數人所說的無神論者。

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

儘管如此，如果我們要讓在內心深處是無神論者的人在公眾場合站出來，

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

我們需要一些比

牙仙子和茶壺不可知論者的更恰當的稱號來往在我們的旗號上

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

So, how about "humanist"?

那麼，人文主義者怎麼呀呢？

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

它的優勢是有著一個有組織良好的協會組成的世界性網絡

and journals and things already in place.

而且已經有期刊和別的設施。

My problem with it is only its apparent anthropocentrism.

我對它的唯一問題是它顯而易見的人類中心主義。

One of the things we've learned from Darwin

我們從達爾文學來的的東西之一

is that the human species is only one

是人類只不過是

among millions of cousins, some close, some distant.

幾百萬個近親遠親裡的一個分支。

And there are other possibilities, like "naturalist,"

還有其他的例如自然主義者之類的可能性。

but that also has problems of confusion,

但這也會帶來混淆，

because Darwin would have thought naturalist --

因為達爾文會認為自然主義者，

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

自然主義者的意思，當然，就是與超自然主義者相反的。

and it is used sometimes --

有時候它是這樣用的。

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

達爾文會為自然主義者的其他意思感到混淆，

which he was, of course,

他是這麼認為的，當然，而我推斷也會有別人

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

把它錯以為是裸體主義。

(Laughter)

（笑）

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

那樣的人可能就是那些在英國用私刑那群人

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

他們把錯把兒科醫生當成戀童癖。

(Laughter)

（笑）

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

我認為最好的代替無神論者這個叫法的就是簡答的非有神論者。

is simply "non-theist."

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

它沒有強力的表示肯定沒有神的含義，

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

所以它會容易被茶壺或者牙仙子不可知論者所接受。

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

它完全可以和物理學家的神相兼容。

當人們--無神論者們

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

例如史提芬.霍金和阿爾伯特.愛因斯坦用上帝這個詞的時候，

they use it of course as a metaphorical shorthand

他們當然是把它用作一種簡略的隱喻

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

來表達那部分我們還不明白的深邃的神秘的物理學。

非有神論者都可以接受這些，不想無神論者一樣，

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

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

它不會有哪些恐懼的歇斯底里的反應。

But I think, actually, the alternative

當實際上我覺得，

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

我們要果斷的處理無神論者這個詞本身的問題，

precisely because it is a taboo word,

正因為它是一個禁忌詞

carrying frissons of hysterical phobia.

一個帶來一浪接一浪的歇斯底里的恐懼的詞。

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

也許使用無神論者這個詞會使參加我們運動的人達到臨界數量的難度

than with the word "non-theist,"

比使用非有神論者這個詞

or some other non-confrontational word.

或者使用別的非抵抗性的詞要大。

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

但如果我們成功使用無神論者這個令人恐懼的詞本身來達到臨界數量

the political impact would be even greater.

其政治影響將會更大。

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

現在，我說了 如果我信奉宗教的話，我會很害怕演化論。我會更進一步。

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

我會從總體上害怕科學，如果它能被人們適當的理解的話。

And this is because the scientific worldview

這是因為科學的世界觀

is so much more exciting, more poetic,

是那麼的令人興奮，那麼的有詩意，

more filled with sheer wonder

那樣充滿了十足的驚喜，和所有

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

在宗教想像力那貧困不堪的武器庫裡的東西相比。

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

正如另一位剛剛去世的英雄Cal Sagan,所說，

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

「為什麼從來沒有一個主流宗教在審視了科學以後

and concluded, 'This is better than we thought!

會得出這樣的結論，『這比我們的想法要好！

The universe is much bigger than our prophet said,

宇宙要比遠遠的我們的先知所說的要更大，

grander, more subtle, more elegant'?

更宏偉，更微妙，更優雅？』相反他們說，『不，不，不！

Instead they say, 'No, no, no!

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

我的神是一個渺小的神，但我要他保持這個樣子。』

A religion, old or new,

一個宗教，老的還是新的，

that stressed the magnificence of the universe

如果能夠強調宇宙的壯麗輝煌

as revealed by modern science,

正如現代科學所揭示的一樣

might be able to draw forth reserves of reverence and awe

那它能夠喚起的崇拜和尊敬或許將是

hardly tapped by the conventional faiths."

傳統宗教所難以觸及的。 」

Now, this is an elite audience,

現在在座的聽眾都是精英，

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

所以我會預計你們當中大概有百分之十是信仰宗教的。

Many of you probably subscribe to our polite cultural belief

也許你們當中的很多人都讚同我們這個大家都要尊敬宗教的有禮貌的文化信念，

that we should respect religion.

But I also suspect that a fair number of those

當我也懷疑有相當的一部分人

secretly despise religion as much as I do.

會像我那麼的鄙視宗教。

(Laughter)

（笑）

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

如果你是這些人當中的一個，當然你們當總的很多人可能都不是，

but if you are one of them,

但如果你是其中的一個，我向你要求再也不要那麼禮貌了，

I'm asking you to stop being polite,

come out, and say so.

站出來說出你的觀點，如果你剛好是富有的話，

And if you happen to be rich,

想一想你有什麼辦法能夠帶來一些影響。

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

The religious lobby in this country

這個國家的宗教遊說團

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

是受到各種基金的大力贊助的，這還沒提到所有的稅收，

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

例如坦普爾頓基金和發現學院。

We need an anti-Templeton to step forward.

我們需要一個「反坦普爾頓」站出來。

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

如果我的書能像史提芬.霍金的書那麼好賣的話，

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

而不只像道金斯的書那樣的話，我會自己來幹這件事。

人們老是談到這個話題，「911怎麼樣改變了你?」

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

Well, here's how it changed me.

那麼，這就是它怎麼改變我的。

Let's all stop being so damned respectful.

請不要再那麼充滿該死的敬意了。

Thank you very much.

很感謝大家。

(Applause)

（鼓掌）