aliens or one of our successors will cast an eye on our ruined planet,

外星人或是繼承我們的物種將會審視我們這顆毀滅的星球

and ask themselves what ever happened to homo sapiens.

然後自問人類發生了什麼事

Their answer might look a little like this.

他們的回答可能是這樣的

The root cause won’t be the specific catastrophe,

根本的原因可能不是什麼大災難、

conflict or devastation that eradicates us;

衝突或是足以滅絕人類的毀滅性活動

the problem will begin with the architecture of the human brain.

問題可能出在於人類腦袋的結構

This tool will be remembered for being, in part, deeply impressive,

這個器官會記得一部份印象深刻的的記憶

containing a 100 billion neurons

它包含一兆個

capable of extraordinary computations and combinations.

擁有傑出的計算和統合能力的神經

As aliens will note,

外星人可能會注意到

a particular part of the mind where our most dazzling thoughts unfolded

儲存我們最活躍的記憶的區塊

was known to neuroscientists as the neocortex;

就是神經學家所稱的新皮層

a part that in humans was many times larger than that found in any other species.

這部分也比所有發現物種的新皮層還要大好幾倍

This is what helped the hugely clever ape to produce

這幫助聰明的人猿創造出

The Magic Flute, Anna Karenina, Concorde and civilisation.

魔笛音樂劇、劇本 安娜·卡列尼娜、協和號飛機和文明

However, our alien friends will also note

然而，我們的外星朋友也會注意到

that the human mind contained another component,

人類的思想包含了另一種

very influential but far less impressive,

很有影響力卻不那麼重要的組件

known as the reptilian brain

有如爬蟲類的腦

(an aggressive lustful impulsive section of machinery),

（結構中好鬥好色又衝動的區域）

with a great deal more in common

跟土狼和嚙齒類動物有著很多相同之處

with what might be found in a hyena or a small rodent.

跟土狼和嚙齒類動物有著很多相同之處

Because of this reptilian brain

因為有這個爬蟲類的腦

ended up with three grave problems:

人類有三個主要的因素以自我毀滅

Firstly, tribalism.

首先，部落制度

Humans were always on the verge of developing violent hatreds of foreigners

人類總是會發展出對於外族的暴力仇恨

and manifested strong ongoing tendencies to slaughter strangers in vast numbers.

還有極力傾向殺掉龐大數量的外地人

They could never reliably see the humanity

他們在同族的所有成員中永遠看不到人性

in all members of their own kind.

他們在同族的所有成員中永遠看不到人性

Secondly, homo sapiens was fatefully prone to short-term thinking.

其次，人類註定短視近利的思考

Even when confronted by data,

就算有數據論證擺在眼前

it could only imagine the near-term future, a few years at best,

人類也只能想像近程的未來，幾年就已經夠好了

viewing the long-term as a chimerical and unreal state.

遠程的未來則是空想和不切實際的領域

Its immediate impulses were left uncontained

他們即時的衝動毫無包容力

and worked to destroy its individual and collective future.

並且會摧毀個人和集體的未來

Lastly, homo sapiens had an especially keen fondness for wishful thinking.

最後一項，人類超級喜歡癡心妄想

Though capable of immense intellectual achievement,

就算擁有良好的智能

its mind hated to reflect on itself,

卻沒有反應在心智上

it couldn’t bear to submit its ideas to rational scrutiny,

他無法接受將想法理性審視

it preferred to act rather than think and daydream rather than plan.

喜歡先做後想，先做白日夢再來計畫

Having invented the scientific method,

發明科學的方法

it preferred, in most cases, to not to use it.

但大部分都用不到

It had a narcotic desire for distraction and fantasy.

對於娛樂和幻想有著癡心的渴望

It didn’t want to know itself.

不想了解自己

For many generations, these three flaws were more or less endured.

幾個世代以來，這三個缺陷有增有減

Certain institutions were invented to attenuate them:

人類發明了幾個機構來減緩缺陷

the law, sound government, education, philosophy, science.

法律、政府、教育、哲學、科學

It worked, sort of.

他們發揮了一點效用

Humans did keep wiping out swathes of their fellows,

人類持續將同類中的缺陷遮蔽掉

but they didn’t scupper the species as a whole.

但他們並沒有視種族為一個整體

What caused the ultimate destruction

導致最終毀滅的

was the increasing yet untrammelled power of the neocortex.

是腦中新皮層增加無上限的力量

This mighty tool eventually managed to capture fire, contain the elements,

這個強大的工具最後掌控了火源，包括了多種元素

and give homo sapiens a godlike power over the planet,

給人類神力般的力量掌控這個星球

while the animal overall

而全部動物

still operated with reflexes as serene and gentle as those of a hyena.

則仍然維持平靜和善有如獵狗的本能

The cost of its mistakes grew ever larger,

這個錯誤的代價越來越大

its powers became uncontained while its wisdom remained intermittent and fragile.

這股力量變得沒有包容力，而人類的智慧則變得片段式且脆弱的

Eventually, its might outpaced its capacity for self-control;

最後，人類可能超過了自己自治的能力

it became a nuclear armed rodent.

變成核能武裝的齧齒類動物

There was one thing that might have saved humanity: love.

有一個東西或許可以拯救人類: 愛

And three varieties of love in particular:

尤其是這三種愛:

Firstly, the love of the stranger;

首先是對於陌生人的愛

the capacity to see the other as like oneself

視他人如同自己人的能力

and worthy of the same mercy and charity.

以及感恩和慈悲的價值

Secondly, the love of the unborn:

第二項，是對於未出世生命的愛

the concern for those who do not yet exist

關心那些還未出世

and whom one will never know

且沒人知道是誰的生命

but whose lives one is shaping in the selfish present.

但他們的生命卻是個人的禮物

Thirdly, the love of the truth:

第三個，是對於真裡的愛

the strength to resist illusion and lies

抵抗錯覺和謊言的力量

and square up to uncomfortable facts of all kinds.

並勇敢面對所有不安的事實

We don’t need to be aliens of the future to understand all this.

我們不需要變成未來的外星人來理解這些東西

We can see the disaster scenario only too well right now.

我們現在就可以看到那個災難的情結

The fate of civilisation lies ultimately not in the law courts,

人類文明的命運最終並不取決在法院內

at the ballot box or in the corridors of governments.

投票箱或是政府

It lies in our ability to master

而是取決於我們掌握到的能力

the most short-term, selfish and violent of our impulses

最短期內，我們自私和暴力的衝動

active in the dense folds of organic matter between our ears;

活躍於我們兩耳之間的細密皺摺中

it lies in learning how relentlessly to try to compensate

但那也仰賴我們如何不斷學習去彌補

for the flawed architecture of the human mind.

人類思想中的缺陷