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1、無20102010 1212一一InIn thethe earlyearly 20th20th century,century, fewfew thingsthings werewere moremore appealingappealing thanthan thethe promisepromise of of scientificscientificknowledge.knowledge. InIn a a worldworld strugglingstruggling withwith rapidrapid industrialization,industrialization, sc

2、iencescience andand technologytechnology seemedseemed to to offeroffersolutionssolutions to to almostalmost everyevery blem. NewlyNewly createdcreated statestate collegescolleges andand universitiesuniversities devoteddevoted themselvesthemselvesalmostalmost entirelyentirely to to scienti

3、fic,scientific, technological,technological, andand engineeringengineering fields.fields. ManyMany AmericansAmericans camecame to to believebelievethatthat scientificscientific certaintycertainty couldcould notnot onlyonly solvesolve scientificscientific problems,problems, butbut alsoalso reformrefo

4、rm politics,politics, government,government,andand business.business. TwoTwo worldworld warswars andand a a GreatGreat DepressionDepression rockedrocked thethe confidenceconfidence of of manymany peoplepeople thatthatscientificscientific expertiseexpertise alonealone couldcould createcreate a a pros

5、perousprosperous andand orderedordered world.world. AfterAfter WorldWorld WarWar , , thetheacademicacademic worldworld turnedturned withwith newnew enthusiasmenthusiasm to to humanistichumanistic studies,studies, whichwhich seemedseemed to to manymany scholarsscholars thethebestbest wayway to to ens

6、ureensure thethe survivalsurvival of of democracy.democracy. AmericanAmerican scholarsscholars fannedfanned outout acrossacross muchmuch of of thetheworldworldwithwith supportsupport fromfrom thethe FordFord Foundation,Foundation, thethe FulbrightFulbright program,program, etc.etc.to to promotepromo

7、te thethe teachingteachingof of literatureliterature andand thethe artsarts in in anan efforteffort to to makemake thethe casecase forfor democraticdemocratic freedoms.freedoms.InIn thethe AmericaAmerica of of ourour ownown time,time, thethe greatgreat educationaleducational challengechallenge hasha

8、s becomebecome anan efforteffort to tostrengthenstrengthen thethe teachingteaching of of whatwhat is is nownow knownknown as as thethe STEMSTEM disciplinesdisciplines (science,(science, technology,technology,engineering,engineering, andand math).math). ThereThere is is considerableconsiderable andan

9、d justifiedjustified concernconcern thatthat thethe UnitedUnited StatesStates is is fallingfallingbehindbehind muchmuch of of thethe restrest of of thethe developeddeveloped worldworld in in thesethese essentialessential disciplines.disciplines. India,India, China,China, Japan,Japan, andandotherothe

10、r regionsregions seemseem to to bebe seizingseizing technologicaltechnological leadership.leadership.AtAt thethe samesame time,time, perhapsperhaps inevitably,inevitably, thethe humanitieshumanitieswhilewhile stillstill popularpopular in in eliteelite collegescolleges andanduniversitiesuniversitiesh

11、avehave experiencedexperienced a a significantsignificant decline.decline. HumanisticHumanistic disciplinesdisciplines areare seriouslyseriously underfunded,underfunded,notnot justjust byby thethe governmentgovernment andand thethe foundationsfoundations butbut byby academicacademic institutionsinst

12、itutions themselves.themselves. HumanistsHumanists areareusuallyusually amongamong thethe lowest-paidlowest-paid facultyfaculty membersmembers at at mostmost institutionsinstitutions andand areare oftenoften lightlylightly regardedregardedbecausebecause theythey dodo notnot generategenerate grantgra

13、nt incomeincome andand becausebecause theythey provideprovide nono obviousobvious credentialscredentials ( (資質(zhì)資質(zhì)) ) forformostmost nonacademicnonacademic careers.careers.UndoubtedlyUndoubtedly AmericanAmerican educationeducation shouldshould traintrain moremore scientistsscientists andand engineers.

14、engineers. MuchMuch of of thethe concernconcernamongamong politicianspoliticians aboutabout thethe statestate of of AmericanAmerican universitiesuniversities todaytoday is is focusedfocused onon thethe absenceabsence of of “realrealworldworld” educationeducationwhichwhich meansmeans preparationprepa

15、ration forfor professionalprofessional andand scientificscientific careers.careers. ButBut thethe ideaidea thatthatinstitutionsinstitutions or or theirtheir studentsstudents mustmust decidedecide betweenbetween humanitieshumanities andand sciencescience is is false.false. OurOur societysociety could

16、could notnotsurvivesurvive withoutwithout scientificscientific andand technologicaltechnological knowledge.knowledge. ButBut wewe wouldwould bebe equallyequally impoverishedimpoverished ( (貧困貧困的的) ) withoutwithout humanistichumanistic knowledgeknowledge as as well.well. ScienceScience andand technol

17、ogytechnology teachteach usus whatwhat wewe cancan do.do.HumanisticHumanistic thinkingthinking helpshelps usus understandunderstand whatwhat wewe shouldshould do.do.It It is is almostalmost impossibleimpossible to to imagineimagine ourour societysociety withoutwithout thinkingthinking of of thethe e

18、xtraordinaryextraordinaryachievementsachievements of of scientistsscientists andand engineersengineers in in buildingbuilding ourour complicatedcomplicated world.world. ButBut trytry to to imagineimagine ourourworldworld as as wellwell withoutwithout thethe remarkableremarkable worksworks thatthat h

19、avehave defineddefined ourour cultureculture andand values.values. WeWe havehave alwaysalwaysneeded,needed, andand wewe stillstill need,need, both.both.二二無WillWill therethere everever bebe anotheranother Einstein?Einstein? ThisThis is is thethe undercurrentundercurrent of of conversationconversation

20、 at at EinsteinEinstein memorialmemorialmeetingsmeetings throughoutthroughout thethe year.year. A A newnew EinsteinEinstein willwill emerge,emerge, scientistsscientists say.say. ButBut it it maymay taketake a a longlong time.time.AfterAfter all,all, moremore thanthan 200200 yearsyears separatedsepar

21、ated EinsteinEinstein fromfrom hishis nearestnearest rival,rival, IsaacIsaac Newton.Newton.ManyMany physicistsphysicists saysay thethe nextnext EinsteinEinstein hasnhasnt t beenbeen bornborn yet,yet, or or is is a a babybaby now.now. ThatThats s becausebecausethethe questquest forfor a a unifiedunif

22、ied theorytheory thatthat wouldwould accountaccount forfor allall thethe forcesforces of of naturenature hashas pushedpushed currentcurrentmathematicsmathematics to to itsits limits.limits. NewNew mathmath mustmust bebe createdcreated beforebefore thethe problemproblem cancan bebe solved.solved.ButB

23、ut researchersresearchers saysay therethere areare manymany otherother factorsfactors workingworking againstagainst anotheranother EinsteinEinstein emergingemerginganytimeanytime soon.soon.ForFor oneone thing,thing, physicsphysics is is a a muchmuch differentdifferent fieldfield today.today. InIn Ei

24、nsteinEinsteins s day,day, therethere werewere onlyonly a a fewfewthousandthousand physicistsphysicists worldwide,worldwide, andand thethe theoreticianstheoreticians whowho couldcould intellectuallyintellectually rivalrival EinsteinEinstein probablyprobablywouldwould fitfit intointo a a streetcarstr

25、eetcar withwith seatsseats to to spare.spare.EducationEducation is is different,different, too.too. OneOne crucialcrucial aspectaspect of of EinsteinEinsteins s trainingtraining thatthat is is overlookedoverlooked is is thetheyearsyears of of philosophyphilosophy hehe readread as as a a teenagerteen

26、agerKant,Kant, SchopenhauerSchopenhauer andand Spinoza,Spinoza, amongamong others.others. It It taughttaughthimhim howhow to to thinkthink independentlyindependently andand abstractlyabstractly aboutabout spacespace andand time,time, andand it it wasnwasnt t longlong beforebefore hehebecamebecame a

27、a philosopherphilosopher himself.himself.“TheThe independenceindependence createdcreated byby philosophicalphilosophical insightinsight is isin in mymy opinionopinionthethe markmark of of distinctiondistinctionbetweenbetween a a meremere artisanartisan ( (工匠工匠) ) or or specialistspecialist andand a

28、a realreal seekerseeker afterafter truth,truth,” EinsteinEinstein wrotewrote in in 1944.1944.AndAnd hehe waswas anan accomplishedaccomplished musician.musician. TheThe interplayinterplay betweenbetween musicmusic andand mathmath is is wellwell known.known.EinsteinEinstein wouldwould furiouslyfurious

29、ly playplay hishis violinviolin as as a a wayway to to thinkthink throughthrough a a knottyknotty physicsphysics blem.Today,Today, universitiesuniversities havehave producedproduced millionsmillions of of physicists.physicists. ThereThere arenarent t manymany jobsjobs in in sciencescience

30、 forforthem,them, soso theythey gogo to to WallWall StreetStreet andand SiliconSilicon ValleyValley to to applyapply theirtheir analyticalanalytical skillsskills to to moremorepracticalpracticalandand rewardingrewardingefforts.efforts.“MaybeMaybe therethere is is anan EinsteinEinstein outout thereth

31、ere today,today,” saidsaid ColumbiaColumbia UniversityUniversity physicistphysicist BrianBrian Greene,Greene,“butbut it it wouldwould bebe a a lotlot harderharder forfor himhim to to bebe heard.heard.”EspeciallyEspecially consideringconsidering whatwhat EinsteinEinstein waswas posing.“T

32、heThe actualactual fabricfabric of of spacespace andand timetime curving?curving? MyMy God,God, whatwhat anan idea!idea!” GreeneGreene saidsaid at at a a recentrecentgatheringgathering at at thethe AspenAspen Institute.Institute. “It It takestakes a a certaincertain typetype of of personperson whowh

33、o willwill bangbang hishis headhead againstagainst thethewallwall becausebecause youyou believebelieve youyoull ll findfind thethe solution.solution.”PerhapsPerhaps thethe bestbest examplesexamples areare thethe fivefive scientificscientific paperspapers EinsteinEinstein wrotewrote in in hishis “mir

34、aclemiracle yearyear” of of1905.1905. TheseThese “thoughtthought experimentsexperiments” werewere pagespages of of calculationscalculations signedsigned andand submittedsubmitted to to thetheprestigiousprestigious journaljournal AnnalenAnnalen derder PhysikPhysik byby a a virtualvirtual unknown.unkn

35、own. ThereThere werewere nono footnotesfootnotes or or citations.citations.WhatWhat mightmight happenhappen to to suchsuch a a submissionsubmission today?today?“WeWe allall getget paperspapers likelike thosethose in in thethe mail,mail,” GreeneGreene said.said. “WeWe putput themthem in in thethe jun

36、kjunk file.file.”無20102010一一OnlyOnly twotwo countriescountries in in thethe advancedadvanced worldworld provideprovide onon guaranteeguarantee forfor paidpaid leaveleave fromfrom workwork to to carecareforfor a a newbornnewborn child.child. LastLast springspring oneone of of thethe two,two, Australi

37、a,Australia, gavegave upup thatthat dubiousdubious distinctiondistinction bybyestablishingestablishing paidpaid familyfamily leaveleave startingstarting in in 2011.2011. I I wasnwasnt t surprisedsurprised whenwhen thisthis didndidnt t makemake thethe newsnewsherehere in in thethe UnitedUnited States

38、Stateswewere re nownow thethe onlyonly wealthywealthy countrycountry withoutwithout suchsuch a a policy.policy.TheThe UnitedUnited StatesStates doesdoes havehave oneone explicitexplicit familyfamily policy,policy, thethe FamilyFamily andand MedicalMedical LeaveLeave Act,Act, passedpassedin in 1933.1

39、933. It It entitlesentitles workersworkers to to as as muchmuch as as 1212 weeksweeks unpaidunpaid leaveleave forfor carecare of of a a newbornnewborn or or dealingdealingwithwith a a familyfamily medicalmedical blem. DespiteDespite thethe modestymodesty of of thethe benefit,benefit, thet

40、he ChamberChamber of of CommerceCommerce andandotherother businessbusiness groupsgroups foughtfought it it bitterly,bitterly, describingdescribing it it as as “government-rungovernment-run personnelpersonnel managementmanagement”andand a a “dangerousdangerous precedent.precedent.” InIn fact,fact, ev

41、eryevery stepstep of of thethe way,way, as as (usually)(usually) DemocraticDemocratic leadersleaders havehavetriedtried to to introduceintroduce work-familywork-family balancebalance measuresmeasures intointo thethe law,law, businessbusiness groupsgroups havehave beenbeen stronglystronglyopposed.opp

42、osed.AsAs YaleYale lawlaw professorprofessor AnneAnne A1stottA1stott argues,argues, justifyingjustifying parentalparental supportsupport dependsdepends onon definingdefining thethefamilyfamily as as a a socialsocial goodgood that,that, in in somesome sense,sense, societysociety mustmust paypay for.f

43、or. InIn herher bookbook NoNo Exit:Exit: WhatWhat ParentsParentsOweOwe TheirTheir ChildrenChildren andand WhatWhat SocietySociety OwesOwes Parents,Parents, sheshe arguesargues thatthat parentsparents areare burdenedburdened in in manymanywaysways in in theirtheir lives:lives: therethere is is “nono

44、exitexit” whenwhen it it comescomes to to children.children. “SocietySociety expectsexpectsandandneedsneedsparentsparents to to provideprovide theirtheir childrenchildren withwith continuitycontinuity of of care,care, meaningmeaning thethe intensive,intensive, intimateintimate carecarethatthat human

45、human beingsbeings needneed to to developdevelop theirtheir intellectual,intellectual, emotional,emotional, andand moralmoral capabilities.capabilities. AndAnd societysocietyexpectsexpectsandand needsneedsparentsparents to to persistpersist in in theirtheir rolerole forfor 1818 years,years, or or lo

46、ngerlonger if if needed.needed.”WhileWhile mostmost parentsparents dodo thisthis outout of of love,love, therethere areare publicpublic penaltiespenalties forfor notnot providingproviding care,care,WhatWhat parentsparents do,do, in in otherother words,words, is is of of deepdeep concernconcern to to

47、 thethe state,state, forfor thethe obviousobvious reasonreason thatthat caringcaring forforchildrenchildren is is notnot onlyonly morallymorally urgenturgent butbut essentialessential forfor thethe futurefuture of of society.society. TheThe statestate recognizesrecognizes thisthis in inthethe largel

48、arge bodybody of of familyfamily lawslaws thatthat governgovern childrenchildrens s welfare,welfare, yetyet parentsparents receivereceive littlelittle helphelp in in meetingmeetingthethe life-changinglife-changing obligationsobligations societysociety imposes.imposes. ToTo classifyclassify parentspa

49、rents receivereceive littlelittle helphelp in in meetingmeeting thethelife-changinglife-changing obligationsobligations societysociety imposes.imposes. ToTo classifyclassify parentingparenting as as a a personalpersonal choicechoice forfor whichwhich therethere is isonon collectivecollective respons

50、ibilityresponsibility is is notnot merelymerely to to ignoreignore thethe socialsocial benefitsbenefits of of goodgood parenting;parenting; really,really, it it is is to tostealsteal thosethose benefitsbenefits becausebecause theythey accrue(accrue(不斷積累不斷積累)to)to thethe wholewhole of of societysocie

51、ty as as todaytodays s childrenchildren becomebecometomorrowtomorrows s productiveproductive citizenry(citizenry(公民公民). ). InIn fact,fact, byby somesome estimates,estimates, thethe valuevalue of of parentalparental investmentsinvestmentsin in children,children, investmentsinvestments of of timetime

52、andand moneymoney (including(including lostlost wages),wages), is is equalequal to to 20-30%20-30% of of grossgrossdomesticdomestic duct. If If thesethese investmentsinvestments generategenerate hugehuge socialsocial benefitsbenefitsas as theythey clearlyclearly dodothethe benefitsbenefit

53、sof of providingproviding moremore socialsocial supportsupport forfor thethe familyfamily shouldshould bebe thatthat muchmuch clearer.clearer.二二ThereThere areare fewfew moremore soberingsobering onlineonline activitiesactivities thanthan enteringentering datadata intointo college-tuitioncollege-tuit

54、ion calculatorscalculatorsandand gaspinggasping as as thethe WebWeb spitsspits backback a a six-figuresix-figure sum.sum. ButBut economistseconomists saysay familiesfamilies aboutabout to to gogo intointo debtdebtto to fundfund fourfour yearsyears of of partying,partying, as as wellwell as as studyi

55、ng,studying, cancan consoleconsole themselvesthemselves withwith thethe knowledgeknowledge thatthatcollegecollege is is anan investmentinvestment that,that, unlikeunlike manymany bankbank stocks,stocks, shouldshould yieldyield hugehuge dividends.dividends.A A 20082008 studystudy byby twotwo HarvardH

56、arvard economistseconomists notesnotes thatthat thethe “l(fā)abor-marketlabor-market premiumpremium to to skillskill”or orthethe amountamount collegecollege graduatesgraduates earnedearned thatthats s greatergreater thanthan whatwhat high-schoolhigh-school graduategraduate earnedearneddecreaseddecreased

57、無forfor muchmuch of of thethe 20th20th century,century, butbut hashas comecome backback withwith a a vengeancevengeance ( (報復(fù)性地報復(fù)性地) ) sincesince thethe 1980s.1980s. InIn2005,2005, TheThe typicaltypical full-timefull-time year-roundyear-round U.S.U.S. workerworker withwith a a four-yearfour-year col

58、legecollege degreedegree earnedearned $50,900,$50,900,62%62% moremore thanthan thethe $31,500$31,500 earnedearned byby a a workerworker withwith onlyonly a a high-schoolhigh-school diploma.diploma.ThereTheres s nono questionquestion thatthat goinggoing to to collegecollege is is a a smartsmart econo

59、miceconomic choice.choice. ButBut a a looklook at at thethe strangestrangevariationsvariations in in tuitiontuition revealsreveals thatthat thethe choicechoice aboutabout whichwhich collegecollege to to attendattend doesndoesnt t comecome downdown merelymerelyto to dollarsdollars andand cents.cents.

60、 DoesDoes goinggoing to to ColumbiaColumbia UniversityUniversity (tuition,(tuition, roomroom andand boardboard $49,260$49,260 in in 2007-08)2007-08)yieldyield a a 40%40% greatergreater returnreturn thanthan attendingattending thethe UniversityUniversity of of ColoradoColorado at at BoulderBoulder as