that I was just in the process of completing,

一年前（意指2002），我跟你們提過一本書

that has come out in the interim, and I would like to talk to you today

一本我即將完成的書

about some of the controversies that that book inspired.

該書在這期間已經出版，而我今天想向你們談談

The book is called "The Blank Slate,"

這本書所引發的一些議題。

based on the popular idea

這本書叫做《心靈白板論》（The Blank Slate）

that the human mind is a blank slate,

心靈白板論奠基在常識的觀點上

and that all of its structure comes from

認為人類的心靈就像一塊白板

socialization, culture, parenting, experience.

而心靈的所有結構都來自

The "blank slate" was an influential idea in the 20th century.

社會化、文化、父母的教育、經驗。

Here are a few quotes indicating that:

在二十世紀裡，"心靈白板論"是具影響力的觀點。

"Man has no nature," from the historian

以下有些引言表示了那樣的觀點：

Jose Ortega y Gasset;

歷史學家Jose Ortega y Gasset說

"Man has no instincts," from the

"人無天性"

anthropologist Ashley Montagu;

人類學家Ashley Montagu說

"The human brain is capable of a full range of behaviors

"人無本能"

and predisposed to none," from the late scientist Stephen Jay Gould.

前陣子才過世的科學家Stephen Jay Gould說

There are a number of reasons to doubt that the human mind

"人腦雖然能夠實踐各種行為，但卻沒有任何先天傾向"

is a blank slate,

存在著一些理由懷疑心靈白板論

and some of them just come from common sense.

亦即懷疑人類心靈是否像一塊白板

As many people have told me over the years,

而其中有些理由正是來自常識。

anyone who's had more than one child

如同許多人在這幾年裡告訴我的一樣，

knows that kids come into the world

任何擁有一個小孩以上的人都知道

with certain temperaments and talents;

來到這個世界的小孩

it doesn't all come from the outside.

天生具有某些性格與天賦；

Oh, and anyone who

這些性格或天賦不是來自外在。

has both a child and a house pet

喔，任何擁有

has surely noticed that the child, exposed to speech,

一個小孩與一隻寵物的人

will acquire a human language,

一定已經注意到，受到語言刺激的小孩

whereas the house pet won't,

將會習得人類的語言，

presumably because of some innate different between them.

但是寵物卻不能，

And anyone who's ever been

也許這是因為小孩與寵物之間某個先天的差異。

in a heterosexual relationship knows that

任何曾跟異性談過戀愛的人

the minds of men and the minds of women are not indistinguishable.

都知道

There are also, I think,

男人與女人的心理是有差別的。

increasing results from

我認為，從對人類的科學研究裡

the scientific study of humans

也有越來越多的研究成果

that, indeed, we're not born blank slates.

這些成果顯示我們的心靈

One of them, from anthropology,

並不是先天就像一塊白板。

is the study of human universals.

其中一個來自人類學的成果

If you've ever taken anthropology, you know that it's a --

是在研究人類共有的性質。

kind of an occupational

如果你曾上過人類學的課，

pleasure of anthropologists to show

你會知道

how exotic other cultures can be,

顯現其他文化可能多麼獨特

and that there are places out there where, supposedly,

是人類學家特有的樂趣。

everything is the opposite to the way it is here.

譬如說，去指出可能有一個地方，

But if you instead

那裡的每件事情都跟這裡的相反。

look at what is common to the world's cultures,

但是，換個角度看

you find that there is an enormously rich set

如果你去檢視世界各地文化的共通性，

of behaviors and emotions

從全世界超過六千多種的文化中

and ways of construing the world

你會發現許多

that can be found in all of the world's 6,000-odd cultures.

共通的行為與情緒，

The anthropologist Donald Brown has tried to list them all,

以及各種分析世界的方式。

and they range from aesthetics,

人類學家Donald Brown曾試圖將它們全部列出來，

affection and age statuses

範圍從美學、

all the way down to weaning, weapons, weather,

屬性、年齡層

attempts to control, the color white

一直列到斷奶、武器、氣候

and a worldview.

嘗試控制、白色

Also, genetics and neuroscience

以及世界觀。

are increasingly showing that the brain

另外，遺傳學與神經科學

is intricately structured.

越來越多證據顯示大腦

This is a recent study by the neurobiologist Paul Thompson

有相當複雜的結構。

and his colleagues in which they --

以下是神經生物學家Paul Thompson與他的同事

using MRI --

最近的研究

measured the distribution of gray matter --

他們使用MRI（核磁共振顯影器）

that is, the outer layer of the cortex --

測量以兩人為一組的許多人

in a large sample of pairs of people.

測量這些人的大腦灰質－

They coded correlations in the thickness

亦即腦皮層的外層－的分布。

of gray matter in different parts of the brain

他們採取一種人為的色彩編碼方式

using a false color scheme, in which

來對位在大腦不同位置的灰質

no difference is coded as purple,

對這些灰質彼此之間的關連做編碼

and any color other than purple indicates

沒有任何差異的被編碼為紫色，

a statistically significant correlation.

除了紫色之外的顏色

Well, this is what happens when you pair people up at random.

顯示有統計上顯著的關連。

By definition, two people picked at random

嗯，這是當我們隨機配對任何兩個人的結果。

can't have correlations in the distribution

根據定義，被隨機挑出的兩個人

of gray matter in the cortex.

不可能在腦皮層的灰質分布上

This is what happens in people who share

有任何關聯。

half of their DNA -- fraternal twins.

以下是具有一半相同基因（DNA）的兩個人－異卵雙胞胎－

And as you can see, large amounts of the brain

的實驗結果。

are not purple, showing that if one person

如同你可以看到的，大腦的絕大部分

has a thicker bit of cortex

都不是紫色的，這顯示如果其中一個人

in that region, so does his fraternal twin.

在那個區塊的腦皮層比較厚

And here's what happens if you

則他的異卵雙胞胎也會是這樣。

get a pair of people who share all their DNA --

如果你有一組人是具有相同基因的－

namely, clones or identical twins.

亦即複製人或同卵雙胞胎－

And you can see huge areas of cortex where there are

這裡是他們的結果。

massive correlations in the distribution of gray matter.

而且你可以看到腦皮質的絕大部分

Now, these aren't just

在灰質的分布上有顯著的關連性。

differences in anatomy,

現在，這不只是

like the shape of your ear lobes,

在解剖上的差異，

but they have consequences in thought and behavior

像是你耳垂的形狀，

that are well illustrated in this famous cartoon by Charles Addams:

它們會在思想與行為上有重要的影響

"Separated at birth, the Mallifert twins meet accidentally."

這可以用Charles Addams著名的漫畫來說明：

As you can see, there are two inventors

"出生時分離，Mallifert雙胞胎意外相遇。"

with identical contraptions in their lap, meeting

如同你可以看到的，有兩個發明家

in the waiting room of a patent attorney.

在專利律師事務所的等候室裡相遇，

Now, the cartoon is not such an exaggeration, because

膝上的盤子裡有著一模一樣的東西。

studies of identical twins who were separated at birth

現在，這幅漫畫並沒有很誇張，

and then tested in adulthood

因為對出生就分離的雙胞胎的研究顯示

show that they have astonishing similarities.

當他們在成年時受測試

And this happens in every pair of identical twins

他們彼此間會有驚人的相似性。

separated at birth ever studied --

而且對每一組從出生就分離的同卵雙胞胎來說

but much less so with fraternal twins separated at birth.

這就是研究的結果

My favorite example is a pair of twins,

但是對出生就分離的異卵雙胞胎來說，結果沒那麼驚人。

one of whom was brought up

我偏好的例子是一對雙胞胎

as a Catholic in a Nazi family in Germany,

其中一個在德國被納粹家庭收養

the other brought up in a Jewish family in Trinidad.

養育成一名天主教徒的，

When they walked into the lab in Minnesota,

另一個則是在特立尼達島被猶太家庭收養。

they were wearing identical navy blue shirts with epaulettes;

當他們走進在明尼蘇達的實驗室時，

both of them liked to dip buttered toast in coffee,

他們穿著都有肩章且一模一樣的藍色海軍襯衫，

both of them kept rubber bands around their wrists,

他們都喜歡把奶油麵包浸到咖啡裡，

both of them flushed the toilet before using it as well as after,

他們的手腕上都帶著橡皮筋，

and both of them liked to surprise people

他們在上廁所的前後都會各沖一次水，

by sneezing in crowded elevators to watch them jump.

而且他們都喜歡在擁擠的電梯裡，

Now --

透過打噴嚏來嚇人一跳。

the story might seem to good to be true,

現在－

but when you administer

這個故事可能看起來不像是真的，

batteries of psychological tests,

但是當你進行

you get the same results -- namely,

一系列的心理學實驗

identical twins separated at birth show

你會得到一樣的結果－亦即

quite astonishing similarities.

出生就分離的同卵雙胞胎

Now, given both the common sense

顯現相當驚人的相似性。

and scientific data

現在，就常識

calling the doctrine of the blank slate into question,

與科學證據

why should it have been such an appealing notion?

兩者都質疑了心靈白板論，

Well, there are a number of political reasons why people have found it congenial.

為什麼心靈白板論會有這樣的吸引力呢？

The foremost is that if we're blank slates,

嗯，有一些政治的理由來解釋為什麼人們會喜歡心靈白板論。

then, by definition, we are equal,

第一個理由是：如果我們的心靈像一塊白板，

because zero equals zero equals zero.

根據定義，我們就是平等的，

But if something is written on the slate,

因為０等於０等於０等於０。

then some people could have more of it than others,

但是，如果白板上已經有寫上東西了，

and according to this line of thinking, that would justify

有些人會比其他人還擁有更多東西，

discrimination and inequality.

而且根據這樣的思路，

Another political fear of human nature

這將為歧視與不平等提供理據。

is that if we are blank slates,

另一個政治理由是害怕人性

we can perfect mankind --

如果我們的心靈像一塊白板，

the age-old dream of the perfectibility of our species

我們可以透過社會化的過程

through social engineering.

讓人類變得完美－

Whereas, if we're born with certain instincts,

這是人類完善性的古老夢想。

then perhaps some of them might condemn us

如果我們天生就有某些天賦，

to selfishness, prejudice and violence.

或許其中有些人會宣告我們有罪

Well, in the book, I argue that these are, in fact, non sequiturs.

說我們是自私的、偏見的與暴力的。

And just to make a long story short:

嗯，在書裡，我論證這些說法事實上都是不牢靠的。

first of all, the concept of fairness

讓我長話短說：

is not the same as the concept of sameness.

首先，公平的概念

And so when Thomas Jefferson wrote

不同於等同的概念。

in the Declaration of Independence,

所以當Thomas Jafferson

"We hold these truths to be self-evident,

在《獨立宣言》裡寫道：

that all men are created equal,"

"我們認為這些真理是不證自明的，

he did not mean "We hold these truths to be self-evident,

所有的人生而平等"

that all men are clones."

他並不是意指，

Rather, that all men are equal in terms of their rights,

“所有的人都是相同的”這些真理是不證自明的。

and that every person ought to be treated

而是說，所有的人是在權利上平等，

as an individual, and not prejudged

而且每個人應該被當作是

by the statistics of particular groups

一個個體，而且不會受到他們所屬的

that they may belong to.

特定團體的統計資料

Also, even if we were born

而有所偏私。

with certain ignoble motives,

另外，就算我們

they don't automatically lead to ignoble behavior.

天生具有某些不好的性格，

That is because the human mind

這些性格不會自動地導致不好的行為。

is a complex system with many parts,

那是因為人類的心靈

and some of them can inhibit others.

是一個具有許多部分的複雜系統，

For example, there's excellent reason to believe

而且其中的一些可以限制其他的部份。

that virtually all humans are born with a moral sense,

舉例來說，我們有很好的理由去相信

and that we have cognitive abilities that allow us

事實上所有的人天生就有道德感

to profit from the lessons of history.

而且我們具有從歷史中

So even if people did have impulses

學到教訓的認知能力。

towards selfishness or greed,

所以，就算人們確實有

that's not the only thing in the skull,

自私或貪婪的傾向，

and there are other parts of the mind that can counteract them.

那不會是在頭顱裡唯一的東西，

In the book, I

而且心靈的其他部份可以反制那些不好的部份。

go over controversies such as this one,

在書裡，

and a number of other hot buttons,

我檢視了像這樣的一個爭議，

hot zones, Chernobyls, third rails, and so on --

以及一堆其他的敏感議題，

including the arts, cloning, crime,

像是車諾比事件、政治家不敢討論的議題等等，

free will, education, evolution,

包含藝術、複製人、犯罪、

gender differences, God, homosexuality,

自由意志、教育、演化、

infanticide, inequality, Marxism, morality,

性別差異、上帝、同性戀、

Nazism, parenting, politics,

殺嬰罪、不平等、馬克思主義、道德、

race, rape, religion, resource depletion,

納粹主義、養育子女、政治、

social engineering, technological risk and war.

種族、宗教、資源枯竭、

And needless to say, there were certain risks

社會工程、科技風險與戰爭。

in taking on these subjects.

不用說，在討論這些議題時，

When I wrote a first draft of the book,

有某些風險存在。

I circulated it to a number of colleagues for comments,

當我寫出那本書的初稿時，

and here are some of

我把初稿拿給我的一些同事看，希望他們提供建議，

the reactions that I got:

以下是一些我在當時

"Better get a security camera for your house."

得到的回應：

"Don't expect to get any more awards, job offers

"最好在你家裝設安全監控設置"

or positions in scholarly societies."

"不要期望會得到任何獎項、工作機會

"Tell your publisher not to list your hometown

或是學術社群中的重要位置。"

in your author bio."

"告訴你的出版社，不要在作者簡介裡

"Do you have tenure?"

提供你的住址。"

(Laughter)

"你拿到終身職了嗎？"

Well, the book came out in October,

（笑聲）

and nothing terrible has happened.

那本書在十月時出版，

I -- I like --

而且沒有發生任何可怕的事。

There was indeed reason to be nervous,

我－我喜歡－

and there were moments in which I did feel nervous,

確實有需要顧慮的理由，

knowing the history

而且有些時候我確實感到緊張，

of what has happened to people

因為我知道歷史上

who've taken controversial stands

那些在行為科學中

or discovered disquieting findings

採取有爭議的立場

in the behavioral sciences.

或是有著讓人顧慮的發現的人

There are many cases, some of which I talk about in the book,

會有什麼下場。

of people who have been slandered, called Nazis,

有許多人的例子，我在書裡討論了其中的一些例子

physically assaulted, threatened with criminal prosecution

這些人被毀謗，被稱為納粹黨，

for stumbling across or arguing

他們被攻擊、被威脅要提起訴訟

about controversial findings.

只是因為他們越界或是

And you never know when you're going to

討論了那些有爭議的發現。

come across one of these booby traps.

你絕不會知道你何時

My favorite example is a pair of psychologists

會踏入那些邪惡陷阱中的一個。

who did research on left-handers,

我偏好的一個例子是兩個心理學家

and published some data showing that left-handers are, on average,

對左撇子的研究，

more susceptible to disease, more prone to accidents

他們發表了一些證據顯示左撇子平均來說，

and have a shorter lifespan.

比較容易患病、容易遭逢意外，

It's not clear, by the way, since then,

以及壽命比較短。

whether that is an accurate generalization,

順道一提，從那之後，

but the data at the time seemed to support that.

我們不清楚那是否是一個正確的普遍宣稱，

Well, pretty soon they were barraged

不過在當時，那些資料似乎支持他們的說法。

with enraged letters,

嗯，很快的，他們受到猛烈的批評

death threats,

接到表達憤怒的信件、

ban on the topic in a number of scientific journals,

死亡的威脅、

coming from irate left-handers

許多科學期刊都禁止該議題的討論、

and their advocates,

這些都來自被激怒的左撇子

and they were literally afraid to open their mail

以及他們的支持者，

because of the venom and vituperation

因為這些他們不慎引起的

that they had inadvertently inspired.

怨恨與責罵

Well,

他們真的害怕拆開他們的郵件。

the night is young, but the book has been out

嗯，

for half a year,

現在可能還有點言之過早，但是我的書

and nothing terrible has happened.

已經出版半年，

None of the dire professional consequences

沒有任何可怕的事發生。

has taken place --

沒有可怕的工作危機

I haven't been

發生－

exiled from the city of Cambridge.

我還沒被

But what I wanted to talk about

逐出劍橋市。

are two of these hot buttons

但是我想在此談論的是

that have aroused the strongest response

在《心靈白板論》收到的

in the 80-odd reviews

八十幾份評論中

that The Blank Slate has received.

引起最激烈反應的

I'll just put that list up for a few seconds,

兩個敏感議題。

and see if you can guess which two

我將停留幾秒在這頁列出所有議題的畫面

-- I would estimate that probably two of these topics

看看你們是否可以猜到是哪兩個

inspired probably 90 percent

－我估計那兩個議題可能

of the reaction in the various reviews

在各種評論中

and radio interviews.

與電台訪問中引發

It's not violence and war,

百分之九十的反動。