基础英语GroundlessBeliefs.ppt

Click to edit Master title style,Click to edit Master text styles,Second level,Third level,Fourth level,Fifth level,11/7/2009,#,单击此处编辑母版标题样式,1,*,单击此处编辑母版文本样式,第二级,第三级,第四级,第五级,基础英语GroundlessBeliefs,on the ground of,ground:the foundation for an argument,a belief,or an action;a basis,Examples:,Jane was late on the ground of the heavy traffic.,Tom left on the ground that he was ill.,以 为理由，基础,=on the ground that,They rest upon mere tradition,or on sb.s bare assertion unsupported by even a shadow of proof(Para.1),They are only based on tradition,or on somebodys,assertion,but are not supported even by the least,amount of proof.,strong statements without,the support of proof,the slightest trace of,to be based on,Paragraph 2,Many of strongest convictions were established then.(Para.2),They are strong because they have been in our mind for such a long time.They are strong because they were imprinted on our mind when we were little children,before we were able to judge for ourselves.They are strong because they were passed on to us during our most formative years and often by people we trusted and loved.,firm belief or opinion,conviction/opinion/view/sentiment/belief,Conviction is a belief that excludes doubt.（勿庸置疑的信念）,Opinion is applicable to a judgment,especially a personal judgment,based on grounds insufficient to rule out the possibility of dispute.,View stresses individuality of outlook.（强调个人的某些观点）,Sentiment and especially feeling stress the role of emotion as a determinant(强调作为一种决定因素的情感作用),A belief is a conclusion,not necessarily derived firsthand,to which one subscribes strongly(一种观点，不一定是人们极力相信的第一个观点),Paragraph 3,But if the staunchest Roman Catholic and the staunchest Presbyterian had been exchanged when infants,and if they had been brought up with home and all other influences reserved,we can have little doubt what the result would have been.(Para.3),But if they were exchanged when they were infants and brought up in different homes and under different influences,then the staunchest Roman Catholic would be the staunchest Presbyterian,and vice versa.This shows that our beliefs are largely influenced by our surroundings.,by exchanging all kinds of influence theyve got from home or other sources,It is consistent with all our knowledge of psychology to conclude that each would have grown up holding exactly the opposite beliefs to those he holds now(Para.3),We can conclude,based on all our knowledge of psychology,that each would have grown up having exactly the opposite beliefs to what they have now.,The same thing is true,of course,of many beliefs other than those of a religious nature.(Para.3),Not only are religious beliefs like this.Many other beliefs are,too.,If we had grown up in a community where polygamy or head-hunting,or infanticide,or gladiatorial fighting,or dueling,was regarded as the normal and natural thingthen we should have grown up to regard it as“obviously”natural and perfectly moral and proper.(Para.3),Polygamy,head-hunting,infanticide,gladiatorial fighting and dueling are practiced only in some communities or practiced in certain historical times.They are considered immoral,improper and abnormal elsewhere or in modern times.,fundamental/essential/vital,Fundamental suggests sth.that is a basic thing without which an entire system would collapse.（强调基础或根基是无形事物或抽象事物）,Essential suggests sth.that is the very basic nature of a thing.（必不可少的特点，本质）,Vital suggests sth.that is necessary to a things existence,continuation or well-being.（强调对某物存在、发展极为重要）,Example:,Monarchy had undergone fundamental,changes.,To seek truth is one of the fundamental principles of Mao Zedong thought.,Social stability is essential to economic construction.,Transportation and communication are vital to economic development.,Paragraph 4,Of course we do not cease to adopt new beliefs on mere suggestions to take only the most striking examples,the enormous influence of newspapers and the effectiveness of skilful advertising.(Para.4),Of course it does not mean that when we grow up we no longer have these mistaken beliefs.We still do.We are still easy and often willing victims of newspapers and advertising.,Much of what passes as such is not,strictly,thinking at all.It is the mere“parroting”of ideas picked up by chance and adopted as our own without question.Most people,most of the time,are mere parrots.(Para.4),what people take as thinking,Most people,most of the time,are mere parrots.They simply echo,or repeat others ideas without question.,But as we leave childhood,we tend to accept only such new ideas as fit in with the ideas we already hold;and all conflicting ideas seem to us“obviously”absurd.(Para.4),If we tend to accept such new ideas as fit in with the ideas we already hold,they are,strictly speaking,no longer new ideas.Therefore,it is often the case that when we say we are thinking,we are really rearranging our deeply-rooted prejudices.Experience has told us that it is not easy to develop and accept new ideas.The psychological reasons might be:,New ideas require a great effort to discover and absorb,and people have a natural tendency to be lazy(the force of inertia);,New ideas always threaten our sense of security,and people usually prefer not to enter what they consider dangerous waters(the fear of the unknown);,New ideas imply that our old ideas are wrong,and people feel that they make them foolish.They refuse to accept them in order to save their ego;,New ideas always put some vested interests in danger,and people often reject them to cling on to those interests.,Paragraph 5,It may be part of the traditional belief of the people or the race.(Para.5),A persons racial,cultural,national,political,class,gender,generation identity,while enabling him/her to see the world in a unique approach,also tends to limit his/her vision.,originate,a,.,originate from/in sth.,originate from/with sb.:to have sb./sth.as a cause of beginning,b.to be the creator or author of(sth.)发明,，,创造,Examples:,All theories originate from/in practice and in turn serve practice.,The optic theory originated with Einstein.,originate a new style of dancing,v,.,in ones favor=in favor of sb.,a,.,in support of;approving 支持，赞同,b.to,the advantage of 有利于,c.inscribed or made out to the benefit of 以为受款人,Examples:,We are in favor of her promotion to president.,The court decided in favor of the plaintiff.,a check in favor of a charity,But we should fully face the fact that beliefs which are merely inherited from the past must have originated at a time when men knew much less than they know today.So the fact that a belief is“old”is no argument in its favor.(Para.5),an appositive clause with“fact”as its antecedent,an attributive clause with“beliefs”as its antecedent,an attributive clause initiated by the relative adverb“when”with“a time”as its antecedent,when:at which time,But we should admit that the beliefs passed on to us by our ancestors are based on the limited knowledge of the old time.Their beliefs must be lack of strong supports since it is certain that we know much more than our ancestors did.Therefore,we should not adopt a belief just because it is old.,Paragraph 7,When we find ourselves entertaining an opinion about which there is a feeling that even to enquire into it would be absurd,unnecessary,undesirable or wickedwe may know that opinion is a non-rational one.(Para.7),Another common mistake we make is to judge opinions according to our feeling.An opinion is true because it is true,not because we like it or find it desirable or useful.In fact,truth can often be unpleasant or painful whereas untruth can be soothing and attractive.That is why opinions are often bitterly debated or enthusiastically cherished,precisely because their truthfulness is not established.,to realize that one is unconsciously doing sth.,Paragraph 9,The age-long struggle of the greatest intellects in the world to shake off that assumption is one of the marvels of history.(Para.9),It took many scientists of greatest learning hundreds of years to struggle against the assumption that the planets moved in circles.The success of getting rid of that assumption is one of the miracles in human history.,to get rid off,Paragraph 10,Many modern persons find it very difficult to credit the fact that men can ever have supposed otherwise.Yetthey did.(Para.10),Many modern people are hard to believe that for some time men had ever thought they were thinking with their hearts.Yet it is true that the ancient people really thought in that way.,to believe the fact,differently,Paragraph 12,An assumed or dogmatic proposition which had been universally accepted as“obvious”;and which,when challenged,was supported by reference to a dogma of Aristotle.Until Galileo actually demonstrated the contrary,nothing could have seemed more beyond possibility or doubt.(Para.12),It was a proposition that had been universally accepted as an obvious truth.Whenever it was challenged,it would be proved true with the strong support of Aristotles theory,one of the most firmly held dogmas.It would never be questioned or doubted if there was no Galileo who proved that the contrary was true by means of a demonstration.,consist,a.to be made up or composed,b.have sth.as its chief element or feature,c.to be compatible;accord,Examples:,New York City consists of five boroughs.,The beauty of the artists style consists in its simplicity.,True charity doesnt consist in almsgiving.,真正的慈善不在于施舍。,The information consists with her account.,v,.,Paragraph 13,Paragraph 14,Other beliefs are held through self-interest.Modern psychology leaves us no room for doubt on this point.We adopt and cling to some beliefs becauseor partly becauseit“pays”us to do so.(Para.14),We hold and cling to some beliefs merely because it is in our interest to believe them.Modern psychology has already proved this point,and as a result,there is nothing to doubt.,pay sb.to do sth.:to bring benefit or advantage to sb.to do sth.,But,as a rule,the person concerned is about the last person in the world to be able to recognize this in himself.(Para.14),People who hold those beliefs through self-interest usually will not admit this.They usually try to cloak themselves with beautiful altruistic words.,generally speaking;usually,Indeed,he would probably be highly indignant if told of what anyone familiar with modern psychology can recognize so plainly.(Para.14),He would surely feel furious if someone told him a plain fact that he had held some beliefs through self-interest,which anyone who is familiar with modern psychology can recognize very easily.,attribute,v.,a.to relate to a particular cause or source;attribute sth.to,b.to regard as the work of a specified agent or creator,Examples:,David attributed his companys success to the unity of all the staff and their persevering hard work.,a symphony attributed to Mozart 由莫扎特创作的交响乐,Examples:,Organizing ability is essential attribute for a good manager.,Lightning bolts are an attribute of Zeus.,闪电是宙斯的象征,n,.,a.a quality or characteristic inherent in or ascribed to sb.or sth.,b.an object associated with and serving to identify a character,a personage,etc.,Human motivations are complicated.There are other-regarding motivations as well as self-regarding ones.Therefore it is wrong to be cynical and think that all beliefs are based on self-interest.However,we must admit that self interest is a very powerful factor.,It would be quite wrong to attribute all opinions even political opinions to self-interest.But it would be equally wrong to deny that this is one potent factor.(Para.14),But the meaning of this term might be understood in a broader sense.It may include his concern for position,popularity,fame,respect,love,etc.,Paragraph 15,But we may extend the term to cover also his interest in social position;popularity with his fellows;the respect and goodwill of those whose respect and goodwill he values.(Para.15),extend the meaning of the word,Many people are forced to hold a belief because he has become an important person in his group.If he gave up that belief,he would turn insignificant at once.,There is many a man who is unconsciously compelled to cling to a belief because he is a“somebody”in some circleand if he were to abandon that belief,he would find himself nobody at all.(Para.15),There are many people,an important person in a certain group of people who know each other,Paragraph 16,Putting it broadly,we should always suspect any of our opinions when we recognize that our happiness depends,directly or indirectly,upon our continuing to hold themwhen we might lose anything,material or otherwise by changing our opinion.(Para.16),If by changing our opinions we might lose something and therefore be unhappy,we must be suspicious about these opinions and try to find out whether we are not being blinded by our self-interest.,Paragraph 17,Somewhat similar is the acceptance of an opinion through the desireprobably not recognized by the person concernedto justify his own nature,his own position,or his own behavior.(Para.17),Accepting an opinion through the desire is also the same case.The desire of defending our weaknesses,mistakes,vulnerable positions or wrongdoings becomes another factor to accept a groundless opinion easily.Here it is no longer the interest to gain but the interest to avoid losing certain things.,The lazy and stupid person can readily adopt a set of opinions without questioning why,since they clearly know that these opinions are unobtainable to them,only people who have energy and ability can be rewarded with these opinions.,The lazy and bungling person can adopt a set of opinions which prove to his satisfaction that“the grapes are sour”the“grape”being the rewards that more energetic and competent men can win.(Para.17),an idiom describing those people who pretend to dislike what one really desires,because it is unobtainable,Paragraph 18,Many groundless opinions are held through sentimental associations.The thought is associated with memoriespleasant or unpleasant as the case may beof particular persons who held similar opinions.(Para.18),Very often we like or dislike an opinion because it is held by somebody we like or dislike.This is another common error.The fact is that there is no correlation between the truthfulness of an opinion and the person who holds that opinion.Nice and well-meaning people may have erroneous opinions,whereas unpleasant people may hold correct opinions.,Paragraph 19,In adult life,as we have often observed,a bitter quarrel may change a mans opinion entirely.Antagonism to a man usually produces some antagonism to his opinions.(Para.19),There was a time when we believed that we should oppose whatever our enemies supported and support whatever our enemies opposed.This often proved to be wrong.,hostility;dislike;hatred,belittle,v.,a.,to represent or speak of as contemptibly small or unimportant;disparage,b.to cause to seem less than another or little,Examples:,A poor but honest man is not to be belittled.,The size of