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万物简史(MP3+中英字幕) 第561期:达尔文的非凡见解(10)

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Darwin was placed in an agonizing quandary. If he rushed into print to preserve his priority, he would be taking advantage of an innocent tip-off from a distant admirer. But if he stepped aside, as gentlemanly conduct arguably required, he would lose credit for a theory that he had independently propounded. Wallace's theory was, by Wallace's own admission, the result of a flash of insight; Darwin's was the product of years of careful, plodding, methodical thought. It was all crushingly unfair.

达尔文被置于一种左右为难的境地。如果他抢先发表自己的作品以确保自己的优先权,他就会占了一位远在千山万水之外的无辜的仰慕者的便宜;如果他退让一步,就如发扬绅士风度所必须做的那样。他就会失去他自己独立研究所得的理论的发现权。华莱士自己也承认,他的理论是灵光一现的产物;而达尔文的理论则是十几年仔细研究、周密思考的结果。因此,这是绝对不公正的。
达尔文与华莱士

To compound his misery, Darwin's youngest son, also named Charles, had contracted scarlet fever and was critically ill. At the height of the crisis, on June 28, the child died. Despite the distraction of his son's illness, Darwin found time to dash off letters to his friends Charles Lyell and Joseph Hooker, offering to step aside but noting that to do so would mean that all his work, "whatever it may amount to, will be smashed." Lyell and Hooker came up with the compromise solution of presenting a summary of Darwin's and Wallace's ideas together. The venue they settled on was a meeting of the Linnaean Society, which at the time was struggling to find its way back into fashion as a seat of scientific eminence. On July 1, 1858, Darwin's and Wallace's theory was unveiled to the world. Darwin himself was not present. On the day of the meeting, he and his wife were burying their son.

好像是为了增加他的痛苦似的,达尔文那和他同名的小儿子查尔斯感染了猩红热,病情极为严重。6月28日,病况危急到了顶点,小查尔斯去世了。尽管悲痛之极,达尔文还是抽时间给他的朋友查尔斯·莱尔和约瑟夫·胡克匆匆写了一封信,提出愿意给华莱士让路,但说要是这么做,那就是意味着他所有的工作“都将付诸东流,无论那成果有多大意义”。莱尔和胡克找到了一种两全其美的方法。他们将达尔文和华莱士观点的概要同时提交给林奈学会的一次会议,当时该学会正在为恢复自己作为科学权威的地位而努力。1858年7月1日,达尔文和华菜士的理论被公之于世。达尔文本人并没有参加会议。开会的那一天,他和他的妻子正在安葬他们的小儿子。

重点单词   查看全部解释    
innocent ['inəsnt]

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adj. 清白的,无辜的,无害的,天真纯洁的,无知的

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conduct [kən'dʌkt]

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n. 行为,举动,品行
v. 引导,指挥,管理

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admirer [əd'maiərə]

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n. 赞赏者;钦佩者;爱慕者

 
settled ['setld]

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adj. 固定的;稳定的 v. 解决;定居(settle

 
credit ['kredit]

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n. 信用,荣誉,贷款,学分,赞扬,赊欠,贷方

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plodding

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adj. 单调乏味的;沉重缓慢的 v. 沉重地走;辛勤工

 
solution [sə'lu:ʃən]

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n. 解答,解决办法,溶解,溶液

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priority [prai'ɔriti]

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n. 优先权,优先顺序,优先

 
compromise ['kɔmprəmaiz]

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n. 妥协,折衷,折衷案
vt. 妥协处理,危

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methodical [mə'θɔdikəl]

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adj. 有条不紊的,井然的

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