讀"叔本華文集"

最近因為工作的緣故, 搬家到紐約.
明顯得有一種強烈的鄉下人進城的感覺.
鄉下人進城的感受之一是上下班不用(能)開車了. 坐公交車上下班的一個好處是有時間可以讀點"閑書". 於是把放在書堆裏很久的一本"叔本華文集"(中國言實出版社, 1996年12月第一版,第一次印刷).

讀到“論心理”一章.第二十四節,有個地方覺得前後矛盾.

摘錄如下：

"即使在接受訓練的能力方麵， 人類也是超過其他動物的. 回教徒被訓練每日五次麵向麥加祈禱， 他們固定不變的這樣作. 基督徒被訓練於某些場合在自己胸前畫十字和跪拜等；而一般宗教則形成訓練技巧中的真正傑作， 即心理能力的訓練. 大家都知道， 這種訓練是不能太早開始的.有人認為,除非我們在某人的六歲以前,以嚴肅熱烈的態度開始不斷地他述說某種事情使他產生深刻印象，否則這種事情便不能在這個人的腦海裏牢固不拔,我覺得沒有比這種看法更明顯不過了."

讀來， 覺得“這種訓練是不能太早開始的.” 與前後文有矛盾。 覺得應該是“這種訓練越早開始越好”的意思。

於是有網上找來英文翻譯來讀：

“Man even surpasses all the lower order of animals in hiscapacity for being trained. Mohammedans are trained to pray five times a daywith their faces turned towards Mecca;and they do it regularly. Christians are trained to make the sign of the Crosson certain occasions, and to bow, and so forth; so that religion on the wholeis a real masterpiece of training—that is to say, it trains people what theyare to think; and the training, as is well known, There is no absurdity, howeverpalpable it may be, which may not be fixed in the minds of all men, if it isinculcated before they are six years old by continual and earnest repetition.For it is the same with men as with animals, to train them with perfect successone must begin when they are very young.”

 

啊哈! 不出所料: “cannotbegin too early.”

此句應該理解為: “It can not be too early tobegin the training.” Or “the training begins the earlier the better.”

讀來， 覺得“這種訓練是不能太早開始的.” 與前後文有矛盾。 覺得應該是“這種訓練越早開始越好”的意思。

於是有網上找來英文翻譯來讀：

“Man even surpasses all the lower order of animals in hiscapacity for being trained. Mohammedans are trained to pray five times a daywith their faces turned towards Mecca;and they do it regularly. Christians are trained to make the sign of the Crosson certain occasions, and to bow, and so forth; so that religion on the wholeis a real masterpiece of training—that is to say, it trains people what theyare to think; and the training, as is well known, There is no absurdity, howeverpalpable it may be, which may not be fixed in the minds of all men, if it isinculcated before they are six years old by continual and earnest repetition.For it is the same with men as with animals, to train them with perfect successone must begin when they are very young.”

 

啊哈! 不出所料: “cannotbegin too early.”

此句應該理解為: “It can not be too early tobegin the training.” Or “the training begins the earlier the better.”