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
答案:ACDAD
如何用英语表达“你得减肥了”
实用口语情景轻松学:我没在海里游过泳
实用口语情景轻松学:奶奶过生日美颠儿颠儿的
2011年实用口语练习:这只是“权宜之计”
英语口语主题:交际英语热门话题47个(14--同事之间)
如何用英文表达“你活该”
20条地道实用英语句型(1)
2011年实用口语练习:口语当中的ball
疯狂口语要素精选11
大运会必备接待口语
2011年实用口语练习:Join a club 社团活动
实用口语情景轻松学:我怀疑我是否能及格
男生女生:我们可以只当朋友吗?
英文如何表达“拍马屁”或“巴结”
口语情景对话:走遍美国精选 感恩节ACT 1 - 1
实用口语:你以为你是谁啊?
职场英语情景会话:Farewell before Christmas 圣诞前的道别
“潜规则”之职场八条
实用口语情景轻松学:您要的早餐送上来了
英语口语主题:交际英语热门话题47个(2--介绍)
英语口语-安慰
实用口语情景轻松学:我想买个数码摄像机
口语情景对话:走遍美国精选 当仁不让 ACT 3 - 2
实用口语情景轻松学:有假钞的时候要送到银行去
实用口语:Bob Brings Cookies to the market
英语口语主题:交际英语热门话题47个(3--邀请)
最常用的26句生活用语
2011年实用口语练习:遮人耳目
2岁的萝莉口译员Lucy Wang
2011年实用口语练习:从头至尾
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |