Versatile Man

It is, perhaps, no accident that many of the outstanding figures of the past were exceptionally versatile men. Right up until comparatively recent times, it was possible for an intelligent person to acquaint himself with almost every branch of knowledge. Thus, men of genius like Leonardo da Vinci or Sir Philip Sidney, engaged in many careers at once as a matter of course. Da Vinci was so busy with him numerous inventions, that he barely found the time to complete his paintings; Sidney, who died in battle when he was only thirty-two years old, was not only a great soldier, but a brilliant scholar and poet as well. Both these men came very near to fulfilling the Renaissance ideal of the ‘universal man’, the man who was proficient at everything.

Today, we rarely, if ever, hear that a musician has just invented a new type of submarine. Knowledge has become divided and sub-divided into countless, narrowly-defined compartments. The specialist is venerated; the versatile person, far from being admired, is more often regarded with suspicion. The modern world is a world of highly-skilled ‘experts’ who have had to devote the greater part of their lives to a very limited field of study in order to compete with their fellows.

With this high degree of specialization, the frontiers of knowledge are steadily being pushed back more rapidly than ever before. But this has not been achieved without considerable cost. The scientist, who outside his own particular subject is little more than a moron, is a modern phenomenon; as is the man of letters who is barely aware of the tremendous strides that have been made in technology. Similarly, specialization has indirectly affected quite ordinary people in every walk of life. Many activities which were once pursued for their own sakes, are often given up in despair; they require techniques, the experts tell us, which take a life-time to master. Why learn to play the piano, when you can listen to the world’s greatest pianists in your own drawing-room?

Little by little, we are becoming more and more isolated from each other. It is almost impossible to talk to your neighbor about his job, even if he is engaged in roughly the same work as you are. The Royal Society in Britain includes among its members only the most eminent scientists in the country. Yet it is highly disconcerting to find that even here, as one of its Fellows put it, at a lecture only 10% of the members can understand 50% of what is being said!

By L. G. Alexander

1. It is, perhaps, no accident that many of the outstanding figures of the past were exceptionally versatile men.

在过去很多杰出的人物都非常多才多艺，恐怕这并非偶然。

2. Right up until comparatively recent times, it was possible for an intelligent person to acquaint himself with almost every branch of knowledge.

直到近些年，对于一个头脑灵活的人，熟知各个学科也并非难事。

3. Thus, men of genius like Leonardo da Vinci or Sir Philip Sidney, engaged in many careers at once as a matter of course.

像李奥纳多·达·芬奇和菲利普·西德尼这样的天才，理所当然可以同时精通很多学科。

4. Da Vinci was so busy with him numerous inventions, that he barely found the time to complete his paintings; Sidney, who died in battle when he was only thirty-two years old, was not only a great soldier, but a brilliant scholar and poet as well.

达·芬奇在完成发明的同时，几乎无法抽出任何时间仍然完成了他的绘画事业；西德尼仅仅32岁就战死沙场了，他不仅仅是一个伟大的士兵，更是杰出的学者、诗人。

5. Both these men came very near to fulfilling the Renaissance ideal of the ‘universal man’, the man who was proficient at everything.

这些人都像极了文化复兴时代那些理想中的、事事精通的“通识之士”。

6. Today, we rarely, if ever, hear that a musician has just invented a new type of submarine.

而今，我们如果听说一个音乐学家发明了一个新型的潜水艇，这简直是不可思议的事情。

7. Knowledge has become divided and sub-divided into countless, narrowly-defined compartments.

学科已经被细分成一个个非常狭窄的领域。

8. The specialist is venerated; the versatile person, far from being admired, is more often regarded with suspicion.

专家值得钦佩；可对于多才多艺的人，在得到敬佩之前，似乎更多的是怀疑。

9. The modern world is a world of highly-skilled ‘experts’ who have had to devote the greater part of their lives to a very limited field of study in order to compete with their fellows.

如今的世界，是专业技能高超的“专家们”的天下。他们需要花上大半生时间钻研某一个领域，才有可能与同行竞争。

10. With this high degree of specialization, the frontiers of knowledge are steadily being pushed back more rapidly than ever before.

随着专业化的提升，前沿知识正以前所未有的速度推进着。

11. But this has not been achieved without considerable cost.

然而，这些成就也使得我们付出了巨大的代价。

12. The scientist, who outside his own particular subject is little more than a moron, is a modern phenomenon; as is the man of letters who is barely aware of the tremendous strides that have been made in technology.

科学家一旦离开了自己研究的领域，就好像一个傻子一样；文学家对于科技的进步几乎一无所知。这都是现在普遍的社会现象。

13. Similarly, specialization has indirectly affected quite ordinary people in every walk of life.

同样，专业化也悄无声息的影响着各行各业的普通人。

14. Many activities which were once pursued for their own sakes, are often given up in despair; they require techniques, the experts tell us, which take a life-time to master.

专家告诉大家，有些技能是需要通过毕生的努力才有可能精通的。所以人们无可奈何的放弃了很多他们曾经非常感兴趣的活动。

15. Why learn to play the piano, when you can listen to the world’s greatest pianists in your own drawing-room?

当你在自家客厅可以欣赏到世界上最杰出的钢琴家的演奏时，为什么你还要自己去学习钢琴呢？

16. Little by little, we are becoming more and more isolated from each other.

渐渐地，人们的隔阂越来越深。

17. It is almost impossible to talk to your neighbor about his job, even if he is engaged in roughly the same work as you are.

即使你的邻居和你的工作非常相似，你也几乎不可能同他聊起他工作上的事情。

18. The Royal Society in Britain includes among its members only the most eminent scientists in the country.

英国皇家学会的会员都是全国最优秀的科学家。

19. Yet it is highly disconcerting to find that even here, as one of its Fellows put it, at a lecture only 10% of the members can understand 50% of what is being said!

令人深感不安的是，正如他们的一名会员所说，即使在这里举办一场讲座，恐怕也只有10%的成员能听懂50%的内容。

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