It is a curious paradox that we think of the physical sciences as hard, the social sciences as soft, and the biological sciences as somewhere in between. This is interpreted to mean that our knowledge of physical system is more certain than our knowledge of biological systems, and these in turn are more certain than our knowledge of social systems. In terms of our capacity of sample the relevant universes, however, and the probability that our images of these universes are at least approximately correct, one suspects that a reverse order is more reasonable. We are able to sample earths social systems with some degree of confidence that we have a reasonable sample of the total universe being investigated. Our knowledge of social systems, therefore, while it is in many ways extremely inaccurate, is not likely to be seriously overturned by new discoveries. Even the folk knowledge in social systems on which ordinary life is based in earning, spending, organizing, marrying, taking part in political activities, fighting and so on, is not very dissimilar from the more sophisticated images of the social system derived form the social sciences, even though it is built upon the very imperfect samples of personal experience.
In contrast, our image of the astronomical universe, or even if earths geological history, ca easily be subject to revolutionary changes as new data come in and new theories are worked out. If we define the security of our image of various parts of the total system as the probability of their suffering significant changes, then we would reverse the order for hardness and as the most secure, the physical sciences as the least secure, and again the biological sciences as somewhere in between. Our image of the astronomical universe is the least secure of all simply because we observe such a fantastically small sample of it and its record-keeping is trivial records of biological systems. Records of the astronomical universe, despite the fact that we learnt things as they were long age, are limited in the extreme.
Even in regard to such a close neighbor as the moon, which we have actually visited, theories about its origin and history are extremely different, contradictory, and hard to choose among. Our knowledge of physical evolution is incomplete and insecure.
1.The word paradox means _____.
A.implication B.contradiction
C.interpretation D.confusion
2.Accroding to the author, we should reverse our classification of the physical sciences as hard and the social sciences as soft because _______.
A.a reverse ordering will help promote the development of the physical sciences
B.our knowledge of physical systems is more reliable than that of social systems
C.our understanding of the social systems is approximately correct
D.we are better able to investigate social phenomena than physical phenomena
3.The author believes that our knowledge of social systems is more secure than that of physical systems because______.
A.it is not based on personal experience
B.new discoveries are less likely to occur in social sciences
C.it is based on a fairly representative quantity of data
D.the records of social systems are more reliable
4.The chances of the physical sciences being subject to great changes are the biggest because _____.
A.contradictory theories keep emerging all the time
B.new information is constantly coming in
C.the direction of their development is difficult to predict
D.our knowledge of the physical world is inaccurate
5.We know less about the astronomical universe than we don about any social system because ______.
A.theories of its origin and history are varied
B.our knowledge of it is highly insecure
C.only a very small sample of it has been observed
D.few scientists are involved in the study of astronomy
参考答案:
ACDAD
国际英语资讯:Kenyan police pursue al-Shabab leader after killing of 4 in border region
国内英语资讯:Kiribati on right side of history by resuming diplomatic ties with China: Xi
国内英语资讯:Book on Xis discourses on diplomacy published
盘点世界上12个国家的护肤妙招 再不学起来就老了
国内英语资讯:China urges U.S. not to abuse force: spokesman
为了环保,金球奖晚宴首推全素食
国内英语资讯:China, Laos to enhance cooperation, boost ties
中国APP正在失去一群重要用户:印度人
国际英语资讯:Pentagon denies reports on U.S. pullback from Iraq
想成为自己希望中的那个人,永远都不晚
治疗宿醉的7个科学方法
国际英语资讯:Spotlight: Japans Abe rallies LDP lawmakers efforts towards constitutional amendment ami
国内英语资讯:Xi says China, Laos enjoy shared future
国内英语资讯:China to up support for innovative literary, artistic groups
国际英语资讯:Putin visits Damascus, meets Syrian president
哈根达斯要推出新的酒精冰淇淋,外媒反响不错
国内英语资讯:China successfully launches new communication technology experiment satellite
国际英语资讯:Hezbollah leader urges its fighters to attack U.S. soldiers
英1/3父母蜗居 1/4孩子无单独卧室
新鲜事:马斯克的SpaceX又做奇怪的事情了,要把大麻送上太空
BBC推荐:2020年必看电影(上)
国际英语资讯:43-hour rescue ends after 36 dead in building collapse in Cambodia
世界上最好的巧克力品牌是什么
怎样能让你身心都更强大?
国际英语资讯:Spotlight: Tensions escalate in Libya as east-based army says it has taken Sirte
国际英语资讯:Iran takes final step to end commitments to nuke deal
国际英语资讯:UN chief urges maximum restraint to stop escalation of global tensions
国际英语资讯:S.Koreas Moon offers DPRK broader inter-Korean cooperation
体坛英语资讯:My evolution has just started, says WBA title holder Xu Can
体坛英语资讯:Former winner Ovtcharov edges worlds runner-up to make World Cup quarters
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |