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Jeremy Rifkin. The Empathic Civilisation.

傑瑞米·雷夫金 "有同理心的文明"

In the last ten years

過去十年中

there's been some very interesting developments in evolutionary biology

出現一些非常有趣的發展 在演化生物學

neurocognitive science, child development, research and many other fields

神經認知學 兒童發展 研究及其它許多領域裡

which is beginning to challenge some of these long held shibboleths that we've had

並開始挑戰一些長久以來

about human nature and the meaning of the human journey.

關於人性和人生旅途真義的教條

But, there is another frame of reference emerging in the sciences

然而 在科學領域中浮現出另一個

which is quite interesting and really challenges these assumptions.

相當有趣的思考框架 而且的確挑戰了這些傳統假設

And with that, the institutions that we have created based on those assumptions

基於那些傳統假設 我們創造了目前的機制

our educational institutions, our business practices, our governing institutions, etc.

我們的教育機構 商業運作 政府制度等等

Let me take you back to the early 1990s

讓我帶你回至1990年代早期

sleepy little laboratory in Parma, Italy.

在意大利帕瑪的小實驗室裡

And scientists had a MRI brain scanning machine on a macaque monkey

科學家們利用核磁共振腦部掃瞄機檢查一隻猴子

as the macaque monkey was trying to open up a nut.

當這隻猴子試著剝開一顆堅果時

They wanted to see how the neurons would light up.

他們想知道猴子的神經元會如何顯示點亮

So the monkey's trying to open up the nut, the neurons light up

猴子試著剝開堅果 神經元點亮了

and just by serendipity, and this is how science sometimes happens

而碰巧這時有一個人走進實驗室裡

a human being walked in the laboratory, I don't know if it was by mistake

我不知這是否為誤會 但這就是科學發現偶爾迸發的時侯

and he was hungry and saw the nuts and opened up one of the nuts

這個人餓了 看到堅果 接著就撬開其中一個

and tried to crack it open.

並試著把它碎開

The macaque monkey was totally shocked

這只彌猴完全嚇傻了

because, who was this invader in his laboratory?

因為不知道侵入實驗室的是哪位仁兄

And he didn't move, he just gazed at this human trying to open up the nut

它一動也不動 只是瞪著試著撬開堅果的這個人類

just like he had done a few seconds earlier

如同它幾秒鐘前在做的事

and then the scientist looked on the MRI brain scanner

接著科學家在一旁看著核磁共振腦部掃瞄機

the same exact neurons were lighting up

當它觀察正在打開堅果的人類時

when he observed the human being opening the nut

剛好同樣的神經元正在點亮

as when the monkey opened the nut,

如同這隻猴子打開堅果時那樣

and the scientists had not a clue as to what this was

但科學家們對這種現象毫無頭緒

they thought the MRI machine had broken.

他們認為核磁共振腦部掃瞄機已經壞了

They then began to put MRI brain scanning machines on other primates

然後他們開始把機器用在其它靈長類動物上

especially chimpanzees with our big neocortex.

特別是有大範圍新皮質層的黑猩猩

Then they went to humans, and what they found over and over again

然後又用在人類身上 科學家們重複不斷發現某種

is something called 'Mirror Neurons'.

叫作"鏡像神經元"的東西

And that is that we are apparently soft-wired

顯然我們是"軟線連接"

some of the primates, all humans

一些靈長類動物 或所有人類

we suspect elephants, we're not sure about dolphins and dogs, we've just begun.

我們懷疑大象 海豚 狗也是 這一切才剛開始研究

But all humans are soft-wired with mirror neurons

但所有的人類的鏡像神經元都是"軟線連接"

so that, if I'm observing you, your anger, your frustration

也就是如果我正觀察你憤怒或沮喪

your sense of rejection, your joy, whatever it is, and I can feel what you're doing

你被拒絕的感覺 你的快樂或其他情緒 那我就能做到感同身受

the same neurons will light up in me as if I'm having that experience myself.

同樣的神經元會在我腦中點亮 彷彿我自己有那種體驗

Now, this isn't all that unusual.

這不是多麼奇怪的事

We know if a spider goes up someone's arm

我們知道如果蜘蛛爬上一個人的手臂

and I'm observing it going up your arm, I'm going to get a creepy feeling.

而我也正觀察到著它 那我就會感到毛骨悚然

We take this for granted, but we're actually soft-wired

我們認為這理所當然 可實際上我們是"軟線連接"

to actually experience another's plight as if we're experiencing it ourself.

能體會到另一個人的實際苦難 彷彿我們自己正在經歷一樣

But mirror neurons are just the beginning of a whole range of research

但鏡像神經元只是整個研究範圍的開始

going on in neuropsychology and brain research and in child development

涵蓋了神經心理學 腦部研究 兒童發展

that suggests that we are actually soft-wired not for aggression

研究暗示我們神經元的"軟線連接" 不是為了侵略

and violence and self interest and utilitarianism

暴力 自利和功利主義

that we are actually soft-wired for sociability

我們"軟線連接"真正目的是社交性

'attachment' as John Bowlby might have said

如同約翰·鮑比(英國發展心理學家)可能會說的"依附"

affection, companionship, and that the first drive is the drive to actually 'belong'.

即關愛 陪伴 而最重要的驅動力實際上是"歸屬感"

It's an empathic drive.

即同理心的驅動力

What is empathy? Very complicated.

什麼是同理心? 這非常複雜

When little babies are in a nursery and one baby cries

當一群嬰兒在育兒室裡 其中有一位嬰兒在哭時

the other babies will cry in response, they just don't know why.

其它嬰兒作為回應也會哭 他們不知道為何

That's empathic distress, it's built into their biology.

這就是同理心的例子 這根植在嬰兒的生理中

Around two and half years of age, a child actually can begin to recognize himself in a mirror.

大約在兩歲半左右 一個孩童實際上能開始在鏡子中辨識出自我

That's when you begin to mature empathy as a cultural phenomenon.

這時同理心作為一種文化現象就開始發展成熟

And then, once a toddler can identify themselves

然後一旦學走路的小孩開始認同自我

then they know that if they're observing someone else have a feeling

就會知道如果自己觀察到別人有某種感覺

they know that if they feel something, it's because they're feeling it because someone else has it.

就會知道自己也感覺到某種東西 自己會有感覺是因為別人也有同樣感覺

They're two separate beings.

所以自我和他者是分開的存在

Selfhood that goes together with empathic development.

自我與同理心一起發展

Increasing selfhood, increasing empathic development.

自我越發展 同理心也隨之發展

Around eight years of age a child learns about birth and death

大約在八歲時 一個孩童學習到出生和死亡的概念

they learn where they came from, that they have a one and only life

他們學習到自己從何而來 以及自己只有一條生命

that life is fragile and vulnerable and one day they're gonna die.

學習到生命是脆弱的和易受傷害的 而且有一天自己也會死亡

That's the beginning of an existential trip.

這就是自我存在旅程的開始

Because when a child learns about birth and death and they have a one and only life

因為當孩童學習出生和死亡 並且知道自己只有一條生命時

they realise how fragile and vulnerable life is.

他們會瞭解到生命是有多脆弱和易受傷害

It's very tough being alive on this planet

生存在這個星球上非常艱難

whether you're a human being, or a fox navigating the forest.

無論你是人類或是在森林裡搜索食物的狐狸

So when a child learns that life is vulnerable and fragile

所以當一位孩童學到生命易受傷害且脆弱

and that every moment is precious, and that they have their own unique history

以及需珍惜每時每刻 每個人都有自己獨特的生命歷程

it allows a child then, to experience another's plight in the same way.

生命的脆弱性能讓一位孩童同樣體會到另一個人的苦難

That, that other person, or other being (could be another creature)

即另一個人 或另一個存在(也可能是另一個生物)

has a one and only life, it's tough to be alive and the odds are not always good.

只有唯一的生命 而且生存是艱難的 存活的機率不高

So if you think about the times that we've empathized with each other or fellow creatures

如果你回頭反思 當我們對彼此或同類生物感同身受時

it's always because we felt their struggle.

這一直都是因為我們感受到對方的掙扎

We have the whiff of death in empathy, and the celebration of life.

我們對一瞬間的死亡有同理心 歡慶生命

And we show solidarity with our compassion.

我們會用同情心表露出團結

Empathy is the opposite of Utopia.

同理心是烏托邦的反面

There is no empathy in Heaven, I guarantee you, I'll tell you before you get there.

我保證在天堂裡沒有同理心 在你到天堂前我會跟你解釋

There isn't any empathy in Heaven because there's no mortality.

在天堂裡沒有同理心 因為沒有死亡

There's no empathy in Utopia because there is no suffering.

烏托邦裡沒有同理心 因為沒有痛苦

Empathy is grounded in the acknowledgement of death and the celebration of life

同理心的基礎是承認死亡以及歡慶生命

and rooting for each other to flourish and be.

而且對彼此的興盛和存在要有堅實的基礎

It's based on our frailties and imperfections.

這是我們自身的脆弱和不完美所致

So when we talk about building an empathic civilization, we're not talking about Utopia.

所以當我們談論建立一個有同理心的文明時 我們不是在講烏托邦

We're talking about the ability of human beings to show solidarity

我們是在談論人類展現團結的能力

not only with each other

不只是與彼此團結

but our fellow creatures who have a one and only life on this little planet.

也跟我們的生物同胞團結 它們在這個小小星球上也有唯一的生命

We are 'homoempathicus', so here is the question

我們是"懂得同理心的人類"(注:"homoempathicus"為作者自創字 homo+empathy)

We know that consciousness changes in history

所以 問題是我們要知道歷史上意識的改變

the way our brain is wired today is not the way a medieval serf's brain would be wired,

我們今日大腦神經連接的方式 與中世紀農奴連接的方式不同

and their brain wouldn't be the same as the wiring of a forager/hunter 30,000 years ago.

而他們的大腦也不會與三萬年前的搶匪或獵人相同

So the question I asked at the beginning of this study six years ago is

所以我六年前的研究 一開始的問題是

How does consciousness change in history?

意識在歷史上是如何改變的?

Because I wanted to imagine the following proposition

因為我想要設想以下的論點:

Is it possible that, we human beings who are soft-wired for empathic distress

腦部軟線連接能感受到他者痛苦的人類

is it possible we could actually extend our empathy to the entire human race

是否真能把我們的同理心拓展至整個人類種族之中?

as an extended family

作為一個延伸的大家庭

and to our fellow creatures as part of our evolutionary family

也拓展至其它生物同胞 視其為演化家族裡的一部份

and to the biosphere as our common community?

再拓展至生物圈中 當成共同的社群?

If it's possible to imagine that

如果有可能想像這點

then we may be able to save our species and save our planet.

那麼我們就可能拯救物種和我們的星球

And when I say to you tonight, if it's impossible to even imagine that

當我今晚向你這樣說時 如果甚至不可能這樣想像

I don't see how we're going to make it.

那我就不懂我們要如何才能成功

Empathy is the invisible hand.

同理心是"看不見的手"

Empathy is what allows us to stretch our sensibility with another

同理心能讓我們延伸與他人之間的感性

so that we can cohere in larger social units.

這樣我們才能在更大的社會組成上凝聚

To empathise is to civilise, to civilise is to empathise.

感同身受即文明化 文明化亦是感同身受

With forager/hunter societies, communication only extended to

在劫掠打獵的社會中 溝通只能延伸至區域性的部落

the local tribe and shouting distance.

或聲音可及的範圍

Everyone over in the next mountain was the 'alien other'.

在下一座山頭中的每個人都是"相異的他者"

So empathy only extended to blood ties.

也就是同理心只延伸至血親

When we went to the great hydraulic-agricultural civilisations

當我們進入偉大的水耕農業文明時

script allowed us to extend the central nervous system

文字能讓我們拓展中央神經系統

and to annihilate more time and space and bring more people together

消除更大的時間和空間界線 把更多人聚在一起

and the differentiation of skills and the increasing selfhood

而技能的分工和日益高漲的自我意識

not only led to theological consciousness but empathy now extended to a new fiction.

不只導致了神學上的意識 也讓同理心擴展至一個新的架構

And that is, instead of just associating with one's blood ties

那就是 同理心不只是與一個人的血親有關

we de-tribalised and began associations based on religious ties.

我們還去部落化 並開始把同理心與宗教互相連繫

So a new fiction

也就是一個新架構

Jews start to see all other Jews as extended family and empathise with Jews.

猶太人開始視其他猶太人為延伸的家人 他們也感同身受

Christians start to see all other Christians as extended family and empathise with Christians

基督徒開始視其他基督徒為延伸的家人 道理亦然

Muslims the same.

回教徒也同樣如此

When we get to the 19th century, the industrial revolution

當我們進入19世紀的工業革命時

and we extend markets now to larger areas and create a fiction called 'The Nation State'.

我們現在延伸市場至更大的區域 並創造出叫作"民族國家"的架構

And all of a sudden, the Brits start to see others in Britain as extended family

突然間 英國人開始視其它英國人為延伸的家人

the Germans start to see Germans as extended family, the Americans as Americans.

德國人和美國人也開始如此

There was no such thing as 'Germany'. There was no such thing as 'France'. These are fictions.

實際上沒有"德國" 沒有"法國" 這些是虛幻的架構

But they allow us to extend our families so that we can have loyalties and identities

但它們能讓我們延伸我們的家庭觀 讓我們擁有忠誠和認同感

based on the new complex energy communication revolutions we have

根據我們新擁有的複雜能源 通訊革命

that annihilate time and space.

消珉了時間和空間的界線

But if we have gone from empathy in blood ties

但如果我們已從血親之間的同理心

to empathy in religious associational ties

到宗教信仰之間的同理心

to empathy based on national identification

再到根據國家認同的同理心

is it really a big stretch to imagine the new technologies

那麼去想像新的科技能讓我們把同理心

allowing us to connect our empathy to the human race at large in a single biosphere?

最終連結到單一生物圈中的人類種族 真的是天方夜談嗎?

And what reason would we stop here at the nation-state identity

我們有什麼理由只停留在民族國家的認同?

and only have ideological empathy or theological based empathy

或只有意識型態上的同理心? 或只基於神學的同理心?

or tribal-based blood-tie empathy?

或部落血親之間的同理心?

We have the technology that allows us to extend the central nervous system

我們擁有延伸中央神經系統的科技

and to think viscerally as a family, not just intellectually.

內心裡真正認為人類是個大家庭 而不只是理智上的認同

When that earthquake hit Haiti and then Chile, but especially Haiti

當地震襲擊海地和智利時 特別是海地

within an hour, the Twitters came out

在一小時內 推特上出現消息

and within two hours, some cell phone videos - YouTube

而兩小時以內出現在手機 Youtube上

and within three hours the entire human race

在三小時內整個人類種族知道這件事

was in an empathic embrace, coming to the aid of Haiti.

在同理心的擁抱之中援助海地

If we were, as the enlightenment philosophers suggested

如果我們真如啟蒙時期的哲學家所說

materialistic, self-interested, utilitarian, pleasure-seeking

是物質主義的 自私的 功利的 貪圖享樂的

it couldn't account for the response to Haiti.

這就不能解釋對海地地震的反應

Apparently, 175,000 years ago in the Rift Valley of Africa

顯然在十七萬五千年前的非洲大裂谷中

there were about 10,000 anatomically modern human beings walking the grasslands, our ancestors.

在解剖學觀點上 有大約一萬名在草地上行走的現代人類 也就是我們的祖先

The geneticists located one data base woman, it's a data baseline

遺傳學家定位了一位女人的資料 作為相關資料的基礎

apparently, her genes passed to everyone in this room tonight, the other ladies didn't make it.

顯然她的基因傳到了今晚坐在室內的各位身上 而當時其它女士沒有成功

Gets even more strange...

更奇怪的是

They located a single male, this is a data baseline for genetics

他們定位了一位單身男性的資料作為基因的基準

they call him the 'Y chromosome Adam'

他們稱他為"Y染色體亞當"

apparently a very potent guy

顯然是位性能力非常強的人

his genes passed to everyone in this room.

他的基因傳到在室內中的各位

So here's the news: 6.8 billion people, at various stages of consciousness

也就是說擁用各種意識舞台的68億人

theological, ideological, psychological, dramaturgical

不論是神學的 意識型態的 心理的 擬劇的

we're all fighting with each other with different ideas about the world

我們總是與彼此對抗 對世界有不同觀點

and guess what?

猜猜怎樣?

We all came from two people. The Bible got this one right.

我們所有人都來自於兩個人 聖經說對了這點

We could've come from many, but the point is

我們本來可能從許多其它的"兩人"而來 但重點是

we have to begin thinking as an extended family.

我們必須開始思考作為一個延伸的大家庭

We have to broaden our sense of identity.

我們必須擴展我們的認同感

We don't lose the old identities of nationhood, and our religious identities

我們不會失去舊有的國家認同 宗教認同

and even our blood ties.

甚至是血親認同

But we extend our identities so we can think of the human race as our fellow sojourners.

而是延伸我們的認同感 這樣我們才能把人類視為生命的同胞過客

And our other creatures here as part of our evolutionary family

而其它生物此時是演化家族中的一部份

and the biosphere as our community.

生物圈是我們的共同社區

We have to rethink the human narrative.

我們必須重新思考人類的脈絡

If we are truly homoempathicus, then we need to bring out that core nature.

如果我們真的是"懂得同理心的人類" 那麼我們就需要帶出這項核心本質

because, if it doesn't come out and it's repressed

因為如果不展現並壓抑此特質

by our parenting, our educational system, our business practice and government

藉由父母的養育 教育系統 商業運作 政府

the secondary drives come

那麼次要的驅動力就會出現

the narcissism, the materialism, the violence, the aggression.

譬如自戀 物質主義 暴力 侵略

If we can have a global debate

如果能夠有全球範圍的辯論的話

let us start here from the British Royal Society for the Arts

就讓我們從英國皇家學院開始

which apparently you are doing.

顯然這是各位正在做的

To begin rethinking human nature.

即開始重新思考人性

To bring out our empathic sociability

帶出我們具同理心的社交性

so that we can rethink the institutions and society

好讓我們能重新思考體制和社會

and prepare the groundwork for an empathic civilisation.

並準備好打下具同理心的文明基礎