ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Robert Wright - Journalist, philosopher
The best-selling author of "Nonzero," "The Moral Animal" and "The Evolution of God," Robert Wright draws on his wide-ranging knowledge of science, religion, psychology, history and politics to figure out what makes humanity tick -- and what makes us moral.

Why you should listen

Author Robert Wright thinks the crises the human species now faces are moral in nature, and that our salvation lies in the intelligent pursuit of self-interest. In his book Nonzero, Wright argues that life depends on a non-zero-sum dynamic. While a zero-sum game depends on a winner and loser, all parties in a non-zero-sum game win or lose together, so players will more likely survive if they cooperate. This points to an optimistic future of ultimate cooperation among humans -- if we recognize the game.

Well-respected for his erudition and original thinking (Bill Clinton hailed him as a genius), Wright draws from multiple disciplines -- including science, religion, history and politics -- in his search for big-picture perspectives on today's problems, particularly terrorism, while offering guarded hope for where we might be headed. A Schwartz Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation, Wright also hosts an interview series with celebrated thinkers at Meaningoflifetv.com.

Wright's newest book, The Evolution of God, explores the history of the idea of God in the three Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

More profile about the speaker
Robert Wright | Speaker | TED.com
TEDSalon 2009 Compassion

Robert Wright: The evolution of compassion

Robert Wright: 同情心的进化论

Filmed:
292,619 views

Robert Wright用进化生物学和博弈论解释了为什么我们赏识“勿施于人”的黄金法则,为什么我们有时会忽略它并且为什么还存在着希望是,在不久的将来,我们都可能有同情心去遵循它。
- Journalist, philosopher
The best-selling author of "Nonzero," "The Moral Animal" and "The Evolution of God," Robert Wright draws on his wide-ranging knowledge of science, religion, psychology, history and politics to figure out what makes humanity tick -- and what makes us moral. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:13
I'm going to talk about compassion同情 and the golden金色 rule规则
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我将要谈谈同情心和黄金法则
00:17
from a secular世俗 perspective透视 and even from a kind of scientific科学 perspective透视.
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从一个非宗教的角度,更从一种科学的角度。
00:23
I'm going to try to give you a little bit of a natural自然 history历史
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我将试图告诉你一点
00:26
of compassion同情 and the golden金色 rule规则.
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同情心和黄金法则的自然历史。
00:28
So, I'm going to be sometimes有时 using运用 kind of clinical临床 language语言,
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所以,我有的时候将会用比较客观的语言,
00:33
and so it's not going to sound声音 as warm and fuzzy模糊
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所以可能不会听起来温暖和模糊
00:35
as your average平均 compassion同情 talk.
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就像你一般听到的有关同情心的演讲。
00:37
I want to warn警告 you about that.
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我想提醒你这点。
00:40
So, I do want to say, at the outset开始, that I think compassion's慈悲的 great.
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所以,我确实想说,起初,我觉得,同情心很棒。
00:44
The golden金色 rule规则 is great. I'm a big supporter支持者 of both.
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黄金法则很棒。我是它们俩的超级支持者。
00:47
And I think it's great that
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而且我觉得世界上的宗教,
00:49
the leaders领导者 of the religions宗教 of the world世界
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世界上的宗教领袖
00:52
are affirming肯定 compassion同情 and the golden金色 rule规则 as fundamental基本的 principles原则
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断言同情心和黄金法则是
00:57
that are integral积分 to their faiths信仰.
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他们的信仰的基础原则也是件很棒的事。
01:00
At the same相同 time, I think religions宗教 don't deserve值得 all the credit信用.
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同时,我想宗教并不是万能的。
01:03
I think nature性质 gave them a helping帮助 hand here.
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我觉得在这方面自然帮了它们一把。
01:07
I'm going to argue争论 tonight今晚 that compassion同情 and the golden金色 rule规则
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今晚我要讨论的是同情和黄金法则
01:12
are, in a certain某些 sense, built内置 into human人的 nature性质.
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在一定程度上,是人性自然的一部分。
01:15
But I'm also going to argue争论
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好。但是我还觉得
01:17
that once一旦 you understand理解 the sense in which哪一个 they are built内置 into human人的 nature性质,
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一旦你理解了他们是人性自然的一部分的感觉后,
01:21
you realize实现 that just affirming肯定 compassion同情,
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你将意识到只是确认同情心,
01:25
and affirming肯定 the golden金色 rule规则, is really not enough足够.
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确认黄金法则,是远远不够的。
01:28
There's a lot of work to be doneDONE after that.
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之后还有很多工作要做。好。
01:31
OK so, a quick natural自然 history历史, first of compassion同情.
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好。所以,很快的过一下自然历史,首先,同情心。
01:36
In the beginning开始, there was compassion同情,
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在最初,出现了同情心,
01:39
and I mean not just when human人的 beings众生 first showed显示 up,
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而且,我的意思是,不只是人类出现的时候,
01:42
but actually其实 even before that.
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而事实上是更早。
01:44
I think it's probably大概 the case案件 that, in the human人的 evolutionary发展的 lineage血统,
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我想这可能是这样,在人类的演化谱系,
01:48
even before there were homoHOMO sapiens智人,
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甚至比智人出现的更早,
01:51
feelings情怀 like compassion同情 and love and sympathy同情
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同情心、爱和怜悯的感觉
01:53
had earned their way into the gene基因 pool,
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已经找到了进入基因库的方式,
01:57
and biologists生物学家 have a pretty漂亮 clear明确 idea理念 of how this first happened发生.
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并且生物学家对它最初的出现已经有了很清晰的想法。
02:00
It happened发生 through通过 a principle原理 known已知 as kin亲属 selection选择.
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它是通过亲缘选择的原则出现的。
02:04
And the basic基本 idea理念 of kin亲属 selection选择 is that,
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亲缘选择的基本想法是,
02:10
if an animal动物 feels感觉 compassion同情 for a close relative相对的,
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如果一个动物对近亲有同情的感觉,
02:13
and this compassion同情 leads引线 the animal动物 to help the relative相对的,
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而且这种同情使这个动物去帮助这个亲戚,
02:17
then, in the end结束, the compassion同情 actually其实 winds up helping帮助 the genes基因
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最终,这种同情心事实上帮助这个基因
02:22
underlying底层 the compassion同情 itself本身.
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隐含在这个同情心本身。
02:25
So, from a biologist's生物学家 point of view视图, compassion同情 is actually其实
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所以,从一个生物学家的角度看,同情心是事实上
02:29
a gene's基因的 way of helping帮助 itself本身. OK.
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一个基因帮助它自己的方式。好。
02:33
I warned警告 you this was not going to be very warm and fuzzy模糊.
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我提醒过你这将不是那么温暖和模糊不清。好吧。
02:37
I'll get there -- I hope希望 to get a little fuzzier模糊的.
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我继续。我希望说得有一点模糊。
02:40
This doesn't bother me so much,
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对我来说这不是--这并不让我觉得那么麻烦,
02:42
that the underlying底层 Darwinian达尔文 rationale合理 of compassion同情
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这隐含在达尔文原理的同情心
02:46
is kind of self-serving自顾自 at the genetic遗传 level水平.
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在基因的层面上是为自我服务的。
02:48
Actually其实, I think the bad news新闻 about kin亲属 selection选择
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事实上,我觉得坏消息是关于亲缘选择
02:51
is just that it means手段 that this kind of compassion同情
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只是说明这种同情心
02:55
is naturally自然 deployed部署 only within the family家庭.
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只是自然的在家庭里展开的。
02:58
That's the bad news新闻. The good news新闻 is compassion同情 is natural自然.
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这是坏消息。好消息是同情心是自然的。
03:01
The bad news新闻 is that this kin亲属 selected compassion同情
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坏消息是这种亲缘选择的同情心
03:04
is naturally自然 confined受限 to the family家庭.
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是自然的被局限在家庭中。
03:06
Now, there's more good news新闻 that came来了 along沿 later后来 in evolution演化,
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现在,在之后的进化中有了更多的好消息,
03:10
a second第二 kind of evolutionary发展的 logic逻辑.
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第二种进化的逻辑。
03:13
Biologists生物学家 call that "reciprocal倒数 altruism利他主义." OK.
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生物学家称那是互利主义。好的。
03:16
And there, the basic基本 idea理念 is that
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互利主义基本的观点是
03:19
compassion同情 leads引线 you to do good things for people who then will return返回 the favor偏爱.
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同情心带领你去为那些能回报你的人做好事。
03:27
Again, I know this is not as inspiring鼓舞人心 a notion概念 of compassion同情
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再一次,你知道,这不是像
03:32
as you may可能 have heard听说 in the past过去,
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你过去听到过的同情心的概念那样鼓舞人心,
03:34
but from a biologist's生物学家 point of view视图, this reciprocal倒数 altruism利他主义 kind of compassion同情
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但是从一个生物学家的角度看,这种互利主义的同情心,
03:39
is ultimately最终 self-serving自顾自 too.
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最终还是为自我服务的。
03:42
It's not that people think that, when they feel the compassion同情.
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那不是人在感觉到同情心的时候想的。
03:44
It's not consciously自觉 self-serving自顾自, but to a biologist生物学家, that's the logic逻辑.
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那不是有意识的为自我服务,但是,对于一个生物学家来说,那就是他的逻辑。
03:49
And so, you wind up most easily容易 extending扩展 compassion同情 to friends朋友 and allies盟国.
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所以,你会最容易对你的朋友和同盟者产生同情心。
03:55
I'm sure a lot of you, if a close friend朋友 has something really terrible可怕 happen发生 to them,
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我确信你们大多数人,当一个亲近的朋友身上发生了非常严重的事情时,
04:01
you feel really bad.
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你会感觉很糟。
04:03
But if you read in the newspaper报纸
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但是如果你是在看报纸
04:04
that something really horrible可怕 happened发生 to somebody you've never heard听说 of,
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上写有一些很可怕的事情发生在一些你从来不认识的人身上的时候,
04:07
you can probably大概 live生活 with that.
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你知道,你可以没什么事。好的。
04:09
That's just human人的 nature性质.
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那只是人类的本性。
04:11
So, it's another另一个 good news新闻/bad news新闻 story故事.
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所以,这是另一个好消息坏消息的故事。
04:13
It's good that compassion同情 was extended扩展 beyond the family家庭
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好消息是因为同情心在进化的逻辑中
04:15
by this kind of evolutionary发展的 logic逻辑.
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超越了家庭的范畴。
04:17
The bad news新闻 is this doesn't bring带来 us universal普遍 compassion同情 by itself本身.
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坏消息这没有给我们带来普遍存在的同情心。好的。
04:22
So, there's still work to be doneDONE.
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所以,还有要做的工作。
04:24
Now, there's one other result结果 of this dynamic动态 called reciprocal倒数 altruism利他主义,
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现在,这种互利主义带来了另外一种结果,
04:29
which哪一个 I think is kind of good news新闻,
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我觉得是个很好的消息,
04:31
which哪一个 is that the way that this is played发挥 out in the human人的 species种类,
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那是以人类物种作为完结,好的,
04:35
it has given特定 people an intuitive直观的 appreciation升值 of the golden金色 rule规则.
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那使人们对黄金法则有一种直觉的鉴赏。好的。
04:39
I don't quite相当 mean that the golden金色 rule规则 itself本身 is written书面 in our genes基因,
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我的意思不是说黄金法则是我们基因的一部分,
04:43
but you can go to a hunter猎人 gatherer采集 society社会
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但是你可以去一个猎人聚集的,
04:47
that has had no exposure曝光 to any of the great religious宗教 traditions传统,
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没有任何宗教传统的社会,
04:50
no exposure曝光 to ethical合乎道德的 philosophy哲学,
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没有伦理道德哲学的显现,
04:52
and you'll你会 find, if you spend time with these people,
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然后你会发现,如果你花时间和这些人在一起,
04:54
that, basically基本上, they believe that one good turn deserves值得 another另一个,
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那么,基本上,他们做好事应该得到回报,
04:57
and that bad deeds行为 should be punished处罚.
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做坏事应该被惩罚。
04:59
And evolutionary发展的 psychologists心理学家 think that these intuitions直觉 have a basis基础 in the genes基因.
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而且进化论的心理学家认为这些直觉在基因中是有基础的。
05:05
So, they do understand理解 that if you want to be treated治疗 well,
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所以,他们明白如果你要被很好的对待,
05:09
you treat对待 other people well.
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你应该对很好的对待别人。
05:11
And it's good to treat对待 other people well.
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而且对别人好是一件好事。
05:13
That's close to being存在 a kind of built-in内建的 intuition直觉.
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那差不多是在直觉中被建立的。
05:17
So, that's good news新闻. Now, if you've been paying付款 attention注意,
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所以,那是好消息。现在,如果你注意听了,
05:20
you're probably大概 anticipating期待 that there's bad news新闻 here;
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你可能正在想坏消息是什么,好的,
05:23
we still aren't to universal普遍 love,
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那就是我们还没达到普遍存在的爱,
05:25
and it's true真正 because, although虽然 an appreciation升值 of the golden金色 rule规则 is natural自然,
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而且那是真的,因为,虽然对黄金法则的理解是自然的,
05:30
it's also natural自然 to carve雕刻 out exceptions例外 to the golden金色 rule规则.
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但是这也很自然地雕刻出黄金法则的例外情况。
05:35
I mean, for example, none没有 of us, probably大概, want to go to prison监狱,
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我的意思是,例如,我们中间没有人,或许,想进监狱,
05:39
but we all think that there are some people who should go to prison监狱. Right?
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但是我们老是觉得有一些人应该被关在监狱里。对吧?
05:42
So, we think we should treat对待 them differently不同 than we would want to be treated治疗.
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所以,我们觉得我们应该对他们和他们对我们不一样。
05:46
Now, we have a rationale合理 for that.
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现在,我们对于这个有一个基本原理。
05:48
We say they did these bad things that make it just that they should go to prison监狱.
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我们说他们做了坏事所以他们就应该进监狱。
05:53
None没有 of us really extends扩展 the golden金色 rule规则 in truly diffuse扩散 and universal普遍 fashion时尚.
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我们中间没有人真的将用真实的扩散的并且全面的方式将黄金法则扩大。
05:57
We have the capacity容量 to carve雕刻 out exceptions例外,
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我们有这个能力去雕刻出例外情况,
06:00
put people in a special特别 category类别.
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将人放在一个特殊的类别里。
06:02
And the problem问题 is that -- although虽然 in the case案件 of sending发出 people to prison监狱,
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问题是,虽然是这种把人送进监狱的情况,
06:06
you have this impartial公正 judiciary司法
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你有中立的法官
06:09
determining决定 who gets得到 excluded排除 from the golden金色 rule规则 --
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来决定,你知道,那是黄金法则之外的人,
06:13
that in everyday每天 life, the way we all make these decisions决定
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在每一天生活中,我们作出对于
06:17
about who we're not going to extend延伸 the golden金色 rule规则 to,
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谁将被排除在黄金法则之外的决定,
06:20
is we use a much rougher粗糙 and readierreadier formula.
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我们用一个更加粗糟和准备好的公式,
06:23
Basically基本上 it's just like, if you're my enemy敌人, if you're my rival对手 --
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并且基本上是,如果你是我的敌人,如果你是我的竞争对手,好的,
06:27
if you're not my friend朋友, if you're not in my family家庭 --
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如果你不是我的朋友,如果你不是我的家庭成员,
06:29
I'm much less inclined to apply应用 the golden金色 rule规则 to you.
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我将更少的倾向于将你纳入黄金法则。好的。
06:34
We all do that,
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我们都差不多这样做,
06:36
and you see it all over the world世界.
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而且你可以看到整个世界都是这样。
06:39
You see it in the Middle中间 East:
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你知道,你看中东。
06:42
people who, from Gaza加沙, are firing射击 missiles导弹 at Israel以色列.
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从加沙来的人正在向以色列发射导弹。
06:45
They wouldn't不会 want to have missiles导弹 fired解雇 at them, but they say,
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他们不想向他们发射导弹,但是他们说,
06:47
"Well, but the Israelis以色列人, or some of them have doneDONE things
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“那,但是以色列人,或者一些以色列人以前做过一些事情
06:49
that put them in a special特别 category类别."
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可以使被放在一个特殊的类别里。”
06:51
The Israelis以色列人 would not want to have an economic经济 blockade封锁 imposed征收 on them,
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以色列人不希望经济封锁强加在他们身上,
06:54
but they impose强加 one on Gaza加沙, and they say,
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但是他们希望强加在加沙,而且他们说,
06:56
"Well, the Palestinians巴勒斯坦人, or some of them, have brought this on themselves他们自己."
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“那,巴勒斯坦人,或者是一些巴勒斯坦人,他们自找的。“
06:59
So, it's these exclusions排除 to the golden金色 rule规则 that amount to a lot of the world's世界 trouble麻烦.
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所以,正是这些黄金法则的例外情况给世界造成了很多麻烦。
07:07
And it's natural自然 to do that.
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而且他们是很自然的这样做的。
07:10
So, the fact事实 that the golden金色 rule规则 is in some sense built内置 in to us
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所以,在某种程度上黄金发则是我们一部分的这个事实,
07:13
is not, by itself本身, going to bring带来 us universal普遍 love.
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靠它自己不能给我们带来普遍性的爱。
07:19
It's not going to save保存 the world世界.
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它拯救不了世界。
07:21
Now, there's one piece of good news新闻 I have that may可能 save保存 the world世界. Okay.
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现在,我有一个能拯救世界的好消息。好。
07:26
Are you on the edges边缘 of your seats here?
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你现在紧张吗?
07:29
Good, because before I tell you about that good news新闻,
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好,因为在我告诉你这个好消息之前,
07:31
I'm going to have to take a little excursion短途旅行 through通过 some academic学术的 terrain地形.
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我将不得不涉猎一下学术的领域。
07:36
So, I hope希望 I've got your attention注意 with this promise诺言 of good news新闻
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所以,我希望我已经得到了你对于
07:39
that may可能 save保存 the world世界.
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这个能拯救世界的好消息的关注。
07:42
It's this non-zero-sumness非零sumness stuff东东 you just heard听说 a little bit about.
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它是你们刚听到一点的总和非零。
07:45
It's just a quick introduction介绍 to game游戏 theory理论.
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这只是对游戏理论的一个很快的介绍。
07:48
This won't惯于 hurt伤害. Okay.
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不会让人很难受。好。
07:50
It's about zero-sum零和 and non-zero-sum非零和 games游戏.
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这是有关“零和”与“非零和”的游戏。
07:52
If you ask what kind of a situation情况
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如果你问什么样的情况
07:56
is conducive有利于 to people becoming变得 friends朋友 and allies盟国,
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有利于人们成为朋友和盟友,
07:59
the technical技术 answer回答 is a non-zero-sum非零和 situation情况.
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技术的回答是非零总和的情况。
08:02
And if you ask what kind of situation情况
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如果你问什么样的情况
08:04
is conducive有利于 to people defining确定 people as enemies敌人,
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是有利于人们定义敌人的概念,
08:06
it's a zero-sum零和 situation情况.
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那是零和的情况。好。
08:08
So, what do those terms条款 mean?
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那么,这些词汇的意思是什么?
08:10
Basically基本上, a zero-sum零和 game游戏 is the kind you're used to in sports体育,
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基本上,一个零和的游戏,是你习惯在运动会中遇到的,
08:13
where there's a winner优胜者 and a loser失败者.
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其中有优胜者和失败者。
08:15
So, their fortunes命运 add up to zero.
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所以,他们的情况加起来是零。
08:18
So, in tennis网球, every一切 point is either good for you and bad for the other person,
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那么,在网球比赛中,每一分都是对于你是好的,对于另外那个人是坏的,
08:23
or good for them, bad for you.
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或者是对于另外那些人是好的,对于你是坏的。
08:25
Either way, your fortunes命运 add up to zero. That's a zero-sum零和 game游戏.
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不管怎么看,你们的情况加起来都是零。这就是零和游戏。
08:28
Now, if you're playing播放 doubles双打,
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现在,如果你玩双打,
08:30
then the person on your side of the net
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那么在你网子这边的人
08:32
is in a non-zero-sum非零和 relationship关系 with you,
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与你就是非零和的关系。
08:35
because every一切 point is either good for both of you -- positive, win-win双赢 --
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因为每一分不是对你们俩同时都是好的,积极的,双赢,
08:38
or bad for both of you, it's lose-lose两败俱伤.
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就是对你们两个同时都是坏的,双输。好。
08:40
That's a non-zero-sum非零和 game游戏.
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那个是非零和的游戏。
08:42
And in real真实 life, there are lots of non-zero-sum非零和 games游戏.
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那么在现实生活中,有很多非零和的游戏。
08:45
In the realm领域 of economics经济学, say, if you buy购买 something:
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在经济领域中,比方说,如果你买东西,
08:48
that means手段 you'd rather have the merchandise商品 than the money,
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那意味着你宁愿要商品也不要钱,
08:51
but the merchant商人 would rather have the money than the merchandise商品.
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但是商人是宁愿要钱也不要商品。
08:54
You both feel you've won韩元.
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你们两个都感觉你们赢了。好。
08:56
In a war战争, two allies盟国 are playing播放 a non-zero-sum非零和 game游戏.
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在战争中,两个同盟正在玩非零和的游戏。
08:59
It's going to either be win-win双赢 or lose-lose两败俱伤 for them.
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那对于他们将是双赢或者双输。
09:02
So, there are lots of non-zero-sum非零和 games游戏 in real真实 life.
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这样,在现实生活中有很多的非零和的游戏。
09:09
And you could basically基本上 reformulate重新制定 what I said earlier,
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那么你基本上可以再用形式表示我刚才说的,
09:13
about how compassion同情 is deployed部署 and the golden金色 rule规则 is deployed部署,
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关于同情心和黄金法则是怎么被调用的话,
09:16
by just saying, well, compassion同情 most naturally自然 flows流动 along沿 non-zero-sum非零和 channels渠道
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只是说的话,那么,同情心最自然地在非零和的渠道中流淌,
09:22
where people perceive感知 themselves他们自己 as being存在 in a potentially可能 win-win双赢 situation情况
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那样人们把他们自己看成与他们的
09:25
with some of their friends朋友 or allies盟国.
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朋友或者同盟是潜在的双赢关系。
09:28
The deployment部署 of the golden金色 rule规则
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黄金法则的调用
09:30
most naturally自然 happens发生 along沿 these non-zero-sum非零和 channels渠道.
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最自然的发生在这些非零和的遇到中。
09:33
So, kind of webs of non-zero-sumness非零sumness
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所以,非零和的网,
09:35
are where you would expect期望 compassion同情 and the golden金色 rule规则
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是你可以期待同情心和黄金法则
09:39
to kind of work their magic魔法.
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发挥他们神奇力量的地方。
09:41
With zero-sum零和 channels渠道 you would expect期望 something else其他.
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零和的渠道,你只能期待别的了。
09:43
Okay. So, now you're ready准备 for the good news新闻 that I said might威力 save保存 the world世界.
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好。那么,现在你已经准备好来听我刚才说可能拯救世界的那个好消息了。
09:47
And now I can admit承认 that it might威力 not too,
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那现在我可以承认那也不一定能拯救世界,
09:50
now that I've held保持 your attention注意 for three minutes分钟 of technical技术 stuff东东.
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现在我已经让你注意了三分钟的技术的东西。
09:56
But it may可能. And the good news新闻 is that history历史
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但是它是有可能的。而且好消息是历史
10:01
has naturally自然 expanded扩大 these webs of non-zero-sumness非零sumness,
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已经自然地将非零和的网扩展,
10:05
these webs that can be these channels渠道 for compassion同情.
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这些网可以是同情心的渠道。
10:09
You can go back all the way to the stone age年龄:
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你可以一直回到石器时代,
10:12
technological技术性 evolution演化 -- roads道路, the wheel, writing写作,
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而且,我想,从技术革命,公路,轮胎,写字,
10:20
a lot of transportation运输 and communication通讯 technologies技术 --
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很多交通和交流技术
10:23
has just inexorably无情 made制作 it so that more people
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正是无情的使更多的人
10:26
can be in more non-zero-sum非零和 relationships关系
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能够和
10:29
with more and more people at greater更大 and greater更大 distances距离.
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更多的人在更远的距离中拥有跟多的非零和的关系。
10:32
That's the story故事 of civilization文明.
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那也差不多使人类文明的故事。
10:35
It's why social社会 organization组织 has grown长大的 from the hunter-gatherer狩猎采集 village
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这是为什么社会组织已经从猎采的村子
10:40
to the ancient state, the empire帝国, and now here we are in a globalized全球化 world世界.
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发展成古代的国家,王国,和现在我们在的全球的世界。
10:43
And the story故事 of globalization全球化 is largely大部分 a story故事 of non-zero-sumness非零sumness.
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全球化的故事是一个很大的非零和的故事。
10:47
You've probably大概 heard听说 the term术语 "interdependence相互依存"
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你可能已经听说了互相依赖这个词
10:49
applied应用的 to the modern现代 world世界. Well, that's just another另一个 term术语 for non-zero-sum非零和.
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应用于当今世界。那,这只是非零和的另一个说法。
10:53
If your fortunes命运 are interdependent相互依存 with somebody,
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如果你的命运和另一个人的命运相互依赖,
10:56
then you live生活 in a non-zero-sum非零和 relationship关系 with them.
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那么你和那些人的关系就是非零和的关系。
10:59
And you see this all the time in the modern现代 world世界.
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而且在你总是可以在当今的世界看到这种关系。
11:01
You saw it with the recent最近 economic经济 crash紧急,
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你可以看到在近期的金融危机,
11:03
where bad things happen发生 in the economy经济 --
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经济发生了很多不好的事,
11:06
bad for everybody每个人, for much of the world世界.
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对每个人都不好,对世界都不好。
11:09
Good things happen发生, and it's good for much of the world世界.
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好事发生了,这对世界都好。
11:12
And, you know, I'm happy快乐 to say, I think there's really evidence证据
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而且,你知道,我很高兴可以说,我想确实有证据
11:15
that this non-zero-sum非零和 kind of connection连接
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证明这种非零和的联系
11:18
can expand扩大 the moral道德 compass罗盘.
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可以扩大道德的范畴。
11:21
I mean, if you look at the American美国 attitudes态度
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我的意思是,如果你看美国
11:24
toward Japanese日本 during World世界 War战争 IIII --
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对日本的态度,在二战期间,
11:28
look at the depictions描写 of Japanese日本
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看对日本人的描写,
11:30
in the American美国 media媒体 as just about subhuman类人的,
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在美国的媒体中,就是不是人,
11:32
and look at the fact事实 that we dropped下降 atomic原子 bombs炸弹,
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而且看我们扔了原子弹的事实,
11:34
really without giving it much of a thought --
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真是没有考虑很多。
11:37
and you compare比较 that to the attitude态度 now,
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但是你对比现在对日本的态度,
11:39
I think part部分 of that is due应有 to a kind of economic经济 interdependence相互依存.
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我觉得那部分是根据一种经济互相依赖的关系。
11:42
Any form形成 of interdependence相互依存, or non-zero-sum非零和 relationship关系
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任何形式的互相依赖,非零和的关系
11:45
forces军队 you to acknowledge确认 the humanity人性 of people.
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迫使你了解人们的人性。
11:48
So, I think that's good.
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所以,我想那很好。
11:50
And the world世界 is full充分 of non-zero-sum非零和 dynamics动力学.
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而且世界上充满了非零和的动态。
11:53
Environmental环境的 problems问题, in many许多 ways方法, put us all in the same相同 boat.
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环境问题,在很多角度,把我们所有人放在同一个船上。
11:57
And there are non-zero-sum非零和 relationships关系 that maybe people aren't aware知道的 of.
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而且还有一些人们可能还没注意到的非零和的关系。
12:02
For example, probably大概 a lot of American美国 Christians基督徒
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好,所以,举个例子,可能很多的美国基督徒
12:06
don't think of themselves他们自己 as being存在 in a non-zero-sum非零和 relationship关系
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并不认为他们和
12:10
with Muslims穆斯林 halfway around the world世界,
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世界另一头的穆斯林是非零和的关系,
12:12
but they really are, because if these Muslims穆斯林 become成为 happier幸福 and happier幸福
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但是他们确实是,因为如果穆斯林
12:17
with their place地点 in the world世界 and feel that they have a place地点 in it,
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在他们的地方变得越来越高兴,而且觉得他们在世界上拥有一个地方,
12:20
that's good for Americans美国人, because there will be fewer terrorists恐怖分子
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那对美国人来说是好事,因为那样汇减少威胁
12:23
to threaten威胁 American美国 security安全.
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美国安全的恐怖分子。
12:25
If they get less and less happy快乐, that will be bad for Americans美国人.
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如果穆斯林们越来越不快乐,那对美国人来说是坏事儿。好。
12:29
So, there's plenty丰富 of non-zero-sumness非零sumness.
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所以,有很多非零和的存在。
12:32
And so, the question is: If there's so much non-zero-sumness非零sumness,
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那所以,问题是:如果有这么多的非零和存在,
12:37
why has the world世界 not yet然而 been suffused弥漫的 in love, peace和平, and understanding理解?
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那为什么这个世界现在还没有充满爱,和平与理解呢?
12:41
The answer's答案是 complicated复杂. It's the occasion场合 for a whole整个 other talk.
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这个答案很复杂。它可能可以促成整个另外一个演讲。
12:44
Certainly当然, a couple一对 of things are that,
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但是当然有一些事情是那样,
12:48
first of all, there are a lot of zero-sum零和 situations情况 in the world世界.
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首先,世界上有很多零和的情况。
12:52
And also, sometimes有时 people don't recognize认识
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而且,你知道,有时候,一次一次地,人们不能识别出
12:56
the non-zero-sum非零和 dynamics动力学 in the world世界.
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世界上的非零和的动态情况
13:01
In both of these areas,
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而且我想,在这两个领域,
13:03
I think politicians政治家 can play a role角色.
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我想政治家都可以扮演一个角色。
13:06
This isn't only about religion宗教.
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这并不只是关于宗教。
13:08
I think politicians政治家 can help foster培育 non-zero-sum非零和 relationships关系,
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我认为政治家可以帮助建立非零和的关系,
13:13
Economic经济 engagement订婚 is generally通常 better than blockades封锁 and so on,
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订立经济合约比经济封锁好,
13:16
in this regard看待.
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我认为至少就这反面来说是这样。
13:18
And politicians政治家 can be aware知道的, and should be aware知道的 that,
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政治家需要注意,
13:21
when people around the world世界 are looking at them,
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当世界各地的人们都注视着他们时,
13:23
are looking at their nation国家
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他们其实是在注视他们所代表的国家,
13:25
and picking选择 up their cues线索
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人们在他们身上寻找线索,
13:27
for whether是否 they are in a zero-sum零和 or a non-zero-sum非零和 relationship关系 with a nation国家 --
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他们与其他国家是零和或者非零和的关系,
13:31
like, say, America美国, or any other nation国家 --
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例如,与美国,或者其他什么国家,
13:34
human人的 psychology心理学 is such这样 that they use cues线索 like:
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人们通常的心理就是利用线索:
13:37
Do we feel we're being存在 respected尊敬?
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我们是否得到了应有的尊重?
13:39
Because, you know, historically历史, if you're not being存在 respected尊敬,
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因为,他人不尊重你,
13:42
you're probably大概 not going to wind up in a non-zero-sum非零和,
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从历史上来看,那双方很那逃出零和的结局,
13:45
mutually相互 profitable有利可图 relationship关系 with people.
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或者建立其他互惠的关系。
13:48
So, we need to be aware知道的 of what kind of signals信号 we're sending发出 out.
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所以,我们必须注意我们在发出什么样的信号。
13:53
And some of this, again, is in the realm领域 of political政治 work.
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其中有些信号是类似于政治领域的工作。
13:58
If there's one thing I can encourage鼓励 everyone大家 to do,
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让我鼓励大家去做什么的话,
14:00
politicians政治家, religious宗教 leaders领导者, and us,
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无论是政治家、宗教领袖或者我们自己,
14:03
it would be what I call "expanding扩大 the moral道德 imagination想像力" --
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我唯一鼓励的是扩展我们的道德想象力。
14:08
that is to say, your ability能力 to put yourself你自己 in the shoes
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也就是你理解
14:11
of people in very different不同 circumstances情况.
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处于各种不同情况下人们的能力。
14:14
This is not the same相同 as compassion同情,
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这与同情不同,
14:16
but it's conducive有利于 to compassion同情. It opens打开 the channels渠道 for compassion同情.
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但是对施加同情有利。因为它开辟了同情的渠道。
14:22
And I'm afraid害怕 we have another另一个 good news新闻/bad news新闻 story故事,
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我们还有一个喜忧参半的故事,
14:25
which哪一个 is that the moral道德 imagination想像力 is part部分 of human人的 nature性质.
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那就是:到的想象力是人类本性的一部分。
14:28
That's good, but again we tend趋向 to deploy部署 it selectively选择.
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这是个好消息。但是,我们通常有选择性低在利用这一本性。
14:33
Once一旦 we define确定 somebody as an enemy敌人,
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一旦我们将某人划为敌人,
14:35
we have trouble麻烦 putting ourselves我们自己 in their shoes, just naturally自然.
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就很自然地无法理解他们的感受。
14:40
So, if you want to take a particularly尤其 hard case案件 for an American美国:
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典型的例子就是美国,
14:44
somebody in Iran伊朗 who is burning燃烧 an American美国 flag, and you see them on TV电视.
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那些你从电视上看到的烧美国国旗的伊朗人。
14:48
Well, the average平均 American美国 is going to resist
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普通美国人都会
14:51
the moral道德 exercise行使 of putting themselves他们自己 in that person's人的 head
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抵制站在对方的角度上思考问题这样的道德实践
14:55
and is going to resist the idea理念 that they have much in common共同 with that person.
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也会抵制这样的想法,即他们与伊朗人在大多数方面具有相同点。
14:58
And if you tell them, "Well, they think America美国 disrespects不尊重 them
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如果你告诉美国人,伊朗人是因为感觉美国人不尊重他们
15:02
and even wants to dominate支配 them, and they hate讨厌 America美国.
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甚至是妄图统治他们,所以他们憎恨美国人。
15:05
Has there ever been somebody who disrespected不尊重 you so much
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有没有什么人不尊重你
15:07
that you kind of hated them briefly简要地"?
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使得你就因此很憎恨他们呢?
15:09
You know, they'll他们会 resist that comparison对照 and that's natural自然, that's human人的.
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他们会自发地抵制同情心,并且这种做法也是自然的,符合人性的。
15:12
And, similarly同样, the person in Iran伊朗:
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与之类似,伊朗人,
15:14
when you try to humanize赋予人性 somebody in America美国 who said that Islam伊斯兰教 is evil邪恶,
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当他们试图教化那些说穆斯林是魔鬼的美国人时,
15:18
they'll他们会 have trouble麻烦 with that.
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他们也感到了困难。
15:20
So, it's a very difficult thing to get people to expand扩大 the moral道德 imagination想像力
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所以很难扩大人民的道德想象力
15:25
to a place地点 it doesn't naturally自然 go.
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在那些不符合人类天性的领域。
15:28
I think it's worth价值 the trouble麻烦 because,
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但是我认为即使困难也是值得的,因为
15:31
again, it just helps帮助 us to understand理解.
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这帮助我们理解,
15:33
If you want to reduce减少 the number of people who are burning燃烧 flags,
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如果你想减少烧国旗的人数,
15:35
it helps帮助 to understand理解 what makes品牌 them do it.
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那么去了解他们为什么会那么做就很重要。
15:37
And I think it's good moral道德 exercise行使.
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并且我认为这是好的道德练习。
15:40
I would say here is where religious宗教 leaders领导者 come in,
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我再次强调宗教领袖就是这么来的,
15:43
because religious宗教 leaders领导者 are good at reframing重新定义 issues问题 for people,
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因为宗教领袖善于把事情重述给人们,
15:50
at harnessing治理 the emotional情绪化 centers中心 of the brain
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同时控制大脑中情绪的强度
15:52
to get people to alter改变 their awareness意识 and reframe重构 the way they think.
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使得人们改变他们的仪式,改变思考的方式。
15:57
I mean, religious宗教 leaders领导者 are kind of in the inspiration灵感 business商业.
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我的意思是宗教领袖是与灵魂打交道的。
16:01
It's their great calling调用 right now,
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这就是当前来自上帝的、对他们的召唤
16:03
to get people all around the world世界 better at expanding扩大 their moral道德 imaginations想象,
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让全世界的人们有更强的道德想象力,
16:07
appreciating欣赏 that in so many许多 ways方法 they're in the same相同 boat.
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认识到所有的人在很多方面是相同的。
16:11
I would just sum up the way things look, at least最小 from this secular世俗 perspective透视,
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我想总结一下事情的表象,从现实的角度,
16:17
as far as compassion同情 and the golden金色 rule规则 go,
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就同情和黄金法则来说,
16:21
by saying that it's good news新闻 that compassion同情 and the golden金色 rule规则
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黄金法则和同情
16:27
are in some sense built内置 into human人的 nature性质.
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都是人本性的一部分,这是一个好消息。
16:32
It's unfortunate不幸的 that they tend趋向 to be selectively选择 deployed部署.
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不幸的是,对它们的开发是选择性地。
16:37
And it's going to take real真实 work to change更改 that.
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需要我们付出努力来改变这种现状。
16:41
But, nobody没有人 ever said that doing God's work was going to be easy简单. Thanks谢谢.
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当然这很难,但是就像上帝的工作一样伟大,值得我们去做。谢谢。
16:46
(Applause掌声)
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(掌声响起)
Translated by Zhang Jing
Reviewed by Zhu Jie

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Robert Wright - Journalist, philosopher
The best-selling author of "Nonzero," "The Moral Animal" and "The Evolution of God," Robert Wright draws on his wide-ranging knowledge of science, religion, psychology, history and politics to figure out what makes humanity tick -- and what makes us moral.

Why you should listen

Author Robert Wright thinks the crises the human species now faces are moral in nature, and that our salvation lies in the intelligent pursuit of self-interest. In his book Nonzero, Wright argues that life depends on a non-zero-sum dynamic. While a zero-sum game depends on a winner and loser, all parties in a non-zero-sum game win or lose together, so players will more likely survive if they cooperate. This points to an optimistic future of ultimate cooperation among humans -- if we recognize the game.

Well-respected for his erudition and original thinking (Bill Clinton hailed him as a genius), Wright draws from multiple disciplines -- including science, religion, history and politics -- in his search for big-picture perspectives on today's problems, particularly terrorism, while offering guarded hope for where we might be headed. A Schwartz Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation, Wright also hosts an interview series with celebrated thinkers at Meaningoflifetv.com.

Wright's newest book, The Evolution of God, explores the history of the idea of God in the three Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

More profile about the speaker
Robert Wright | Speaker | TED.com

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