Issue226 [Victors小组]第十二周作业 by solartorch

solartorchUID: 2244205

226"People are mistaken when they assume that the problems they confront are more complex and challenging than the problems faced by their predecessors. This illusion is eventually dispelled with increased knowledge and experience."

1，        已知答案总是看起来要容易。With increased knowledge and experience 我们会更加清楚的认识这一点。
2，        科技方面的问题可以很适当的证明上述观点。for technical problems, most of the time are not more difficult. Knowledge is cumulating. 集成电路
3，        但是也不能一概而论，for moral problems, 由于科技的发展，克隆人，战争，原子弹

WORDS: 820         

Our society or we individuals are confronting with problems everyday. Do people nowadays deal with more complicated problems than their predecessors? Is this idea only a illusion that will obsolete with further knowledge and experience? In my opinion, I share the speaker's sentiment especially on technological problems we are facing today. But when referring to moral conflicts, we have to concede the complex situation we are staying in today.

First of all, we have to admit that problems with answers provided or solved by predecessors always seem like much easier to large extent. And with increased knowledge and experience we would understand this point much clearer. For example, the separation of powers in today effectively protects democracy and forestalls tyranny. As civilians in 21st century, we may treat it as logical necessity which need no contentious discuss and consideration. And seems it serves as an answer for the problem preservation of democracy with no much challenge. However, not until the understand of its history and insight into the background when Montesquieu first came out with this idea, will we experience the value and charm of this idea though it has been taken for granted in modern discussion of government and implemented in many constitutions throughout the world. Putting aside this particular case, when looking back at our personal study life, we may understand this feeling with even greater depth. Most of the time, when the question of mathematics, for instance, is provided together with elaborated solution or analysis; we normally cannot figure out the difficult hidden behind the problem and treat it as a simple one. But once we have the chance to face it independently without any help, like we face the problem in today's society without any hint or solution provided, it becomes a complicated enigma. This situation is normal with everyone. It's like a human being's delusion to mistake the extent of complicity about previous or historic problems. Yet with increased knowledge and experience, we usually can point out this mistake and prevent it in some sense.

Most of the technical problems we are facing today are just based on the same circumstances talking above. Looking in a superficial way, it seems like the problems we encountered are more and more difficult. For instance, in electronics area, our predecessors only need to consider how to deal with Small-Scale Integration (SSI) with only a few transistors contained in integrated circuits. But today, we are dealing with Ultra-Large Scale (ULS) Integration with beyond several hundred million transistors. Nevertheless, this vision neglect that our knowledge on technology transcends personal and idiosyncratic experience. The problems we're facing today are based on the problems having been solved by our predecessors. Though it looks like that the questions now are more complicated and challenging, the knowledge we use to construe it is accumulating all the time. So comparatively, our predecessors faced as much as challenge like us to some extent. Look back at the integrated circuits again, each step in that area is the result of technological breakthrough and innovation. From SSI to Medium-Scale Integration (MSI), followed by Large-Scale Integration (LSI), Very Large-Scale (VLS), till today's ULS, engineers and scientists have been striving standing on the shoulder of their predecessors. Hence, it is lacking of consideration to claim that people are facing more complex technological problems today than before.

However, sometimes in the societal and moral realm, things are a little bit different from the pure technological areas. Although our knowledge of facing further technological problems have been accumulating and is able pace with the development of it, our ability of dealing with moral questions have not underwent a great leap. The leading technology always makes us in quandary of how to solve the newly born societal problems. One of the representatives is the controversy surrounding human embryonic stem cell research. Opponents of the research argue that this practice is a slippery slope to reproductive cloning and tantamount to the instrumentalization of a human being. Some opponents in the pro-life movement also argue that a human embryo is a human life and is therefore entitled to protection. The ensuing debates have prompted authorities around the world to seek regulatory frameworks and highlighted the fact that stem cell research represents a social and ethical challenge today. By no means had this kind of problem ever been encountered by our predecessors. With the development of technology, many other problems like the internet crime or nuclear weapon threat are putting in front of us. The moral challenge we are facing today is inevitably promoted to a new level compared to our predecessors.

In conclusion, it is human nature to overlook the complex extent of problems faced by their predecessors. And with increased knowledge and experience we can gradually understand it. This situation always happens when encountering with technological problems. However, when talking about ethical and moral problems, people today are really confronting more challenge and complexity.

[ 本帖最后由 solartorch 于 2007-6-26 19:33 编辑 ]

jennetrjUID: 2275453

226"People are mistaken when they assume that the problems they confront are more complex and challenging than the problems faced by their predecessors. This illusion is eventually dispelled with increased knowledge and experience."

1，        已知答案总是看起来要容易。With increased knowledge and experience 我们会更加清楚的认识这一点。
2，        科技方面的问题可以很适当的证明上述观点。for technical problems, most of the time are not more difficult. Knowledge is cumulating. 集成电路
3，        但是也不能一概而论，for moral problems, 由于科技的发展，克隆人，战争，原子弹

WORDS: 820         

Our society or we individuals are confronting with problems everyday. Do people nowadays deal with more complicated problems than their predecessors? Is this idea only a illusion that will obsolete with further knowledge and experience? In my opinion, I share the speaker's sentiment especially on technological problems we are facing today. But when referring to moral conflicts, we have to concede the complex situation we are staying in today.[巧妙地转接到moral问题，赞！]

First of all, we have to admit that problems with answers provided or solved by predecessors always seem like much easier to large extent. And with increased knowledge and experience we would understand this point much clearer. For example, the separation of powers in today effectively protects democracy and forestalls tyranny. As civilians in 21st century, we may treat it as logical necessity which need no contentious discuss and consideration. And seems it serves as an answer for the problem preservation of democracy with no much challenge. However, not until the understand of its history and insight into the background when Montesquieu first came out with this idea, will we experience the value and charm of this idea though it has been taken for granted in modern discussion of government and implemented in many constitutions throughout the world. Putting aside this particular case, when looking back at our personal study life, we may understand this feeling with even greater depth. Most of the time, when the question of mathematics, for instance, is provided together with elaborated solution or analysis; we normally cannot figure out the difficult hidden behind the problem and treat it as a simple one. But once we have the chance to face it independently without any help, like we face the problem in today's society without any hint or solution provided, it becomes a complicated enigma. This situation is normal with everyone. It's like a human being's delusion to mistake the extent of complicity about previous or historic problems. Yet with increased knowledge and experience, we usually can point out this mistake and prevent it in some sense.

Most of the technical problems we are facing today are just based on the same circumstances talking above. Looking in a superficial way, it seems like the problems we encountered are more and more difficult. For instance, in electronics area, our predecessors only need to consider how to deal with Small-Scale Integration (SSI) with only a few transistors contained in integrated circuits. But today, we are dealing with Ultra-Large Scale (ULS) Integration with beyond several hundred million transistors. Nevertheless, this vision neglect that our knowledge on technology transcends personal and idiosyncratic experience. The problems we're facing today are based on the problems having been solved by our predecessors. Though it looks like that the questions now are more complicated and challenging, the knowledge we use to construe it is accumulating all the time. So comparatively, our predecessors faced as much as challenge like us to some extent. Look back at the integrated circuits again, each step in that area is the result of technological breakthrough and innovation. From SSI to Medium-Scale Integration (MSI), followed by Large-Scale Integration (LSI), Very Large-Scale (VLS), till today's ULS, engineers and scientists have been striving standing on the shoulder of their predecessors. Hence, it is lacking of consideration to claim that people are facing more complex technological problems today than before. [LZ的例证好像偏专业了点，这些专业名词看得我晕忽忽的，也许是自己井底之蛙，不过觉得还是用通俗些的好]

However, sometimes in the societal and moral realm, things are a little bit different from the pure technological areas. Although our knowledge of facing further technological problems have been accumulating and is able pace with the development of it, our ability of dealing with moral questions have not underwent a great leap. The leading technology always makes us in quandary of how to solve the newly born societal problems. One of the representatives is the controversy surrounding human embryonic stem cell research. Opponents of the research argue that this practice is a slippery slope to reproductive cloning and tantamount to the instrumentalization of a human being. Some opponents in the pro-life movement also argue that a human embryo is a human life and is therefore entitled to protection. The ensuing debates have prompted authorities around the world to seek regulatory frameworks and highlighted the fact that stem cell research represents a social and ethical challenge today. By no means had this kind of problem ever been encountered by our predecessors. With the development of technology, many other problems like the internet crime or nuclear weapon threat are putting in front of us. The moral challenge we are facing today is inevitably promoted to a new level compared to our predecessors.[后面的两个例证可以略展开使得文章的中心与首段重点moral问题相对应]

In conclusion, it is human nature to overlook the complex extent of problems faced by their predecessors. And with increased knowledge and experience we can gradually understand it. This situation always happens when encountering with technological problems. However, when talking about ethical and moral problems, people today are really confronting more challenge and complexity.