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127"Facts are stubborn things. They cannot be altered by our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions."
简要提纲:
1 所谓facts分为三层含义,综合看三种概念,它是不可以依据人的意志改变的;
2 第一层含义只世界的本来状态,事物存在即成facts,即使你想修改,得到的结果只是你弄出了新的东西,原有的facts依然存在。
3第二层含义是人们知道的那些正确的,已经发生过或存在的东西。自然法则是不能够改变的
4第三层含义指具体的人们认为正确的东西,这部分是可以修改的。
Can facts be altered according to people’s wishes or inclinations? The discussion of this issue among individuals and in society as a whole, in my view, is primarily up to how we cognize and understand the term of “facts”. Generally speaking, “facts” has three different kinds of meanings, which will be mentioned in my following contents, and I strongly agree with the speaker’s assertion that facts are stubborn things which cannot be altered by considering them all.
The first meaning of facts refers to the reality of the world, which includes nature, humanlized nature, society and the objective condition of human thought in a certain period of time. Facts of this kind already exist and will exist unalterable forever no matter what the situation, such as historical events, physics, etc. Coming to this field existence itself is a fact, and the facts can be ignored, misunderstood, or even proved wrong, but cannot be altered. Just as the earth is round and air is all around, history is replete with evidence to demonstrate this point. A notable case in point relates to Copernicus’ heliocentric theory in the 16th century, which was a direct attack upon the accepted wisdom of the time, the geocentric view of the universe postulated by Aristotle and Ptolemy. The Christian society looked upon his ideas as heterodoxy but cannot prevent the Heliocentricism gradually accepted by the whole society until the theory itself has been proved wrong nowadays. From the example, we can draw the conclusion that not only the Heliocentricism but the theory of Aristotle and Ptolemy is a fact for their existence in the history. If you want to alter them, you only set up other new theories and you can never alter the fact that they exist.
On the second level of facts, it means “things that are known to have happened, to be true or to exist”. Allow me to emphasize the word “known” which means human’s attendance. Facts of this level certainly have a narrow realm than the former one, but have identical essence. Facts are not equal with the opinions or even the theories and human beings could cognize them but could do nothing to alter the nature rules. Although human race become more able to explore the nature and improve their living environment, the achievement in our competence cannot change the eternal fact that the world are keeping balanced by plenty of principles, just as inventors never succeed in inventing a Perpetual-motion Machine after so many attempts.
Coming to the third level, facts means “things that are believed or claimed to be true”, in other words, it means such phenomena as political, economic, social or legal status quo. However, facts of this kind can be modified to some extent, for such systems are abstract constructs of our inclinations, wishes and passions to begin with. In addition, the actual situation or status quo of an issue can improve and develop due to the passion, desire and commitment.
In sum, although people of different dispositions have different subjective impressions and different judgements, facts cannot be altered. When it comes to the existence of the world, and to historical events and scientific truths, no measure of desire or even passion can change external reality. |
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