霍金：若无贡献会安乐死

Professor Stephen Hawking (L) and his wife Elaine Mason

图为史蒂芬•霍金(左)和他的妻子伊莱恩•梅森(Elaine Mason)

Professor Stephen Hawking, the physicist, would consider assisted suicide if he felt he had nothing more to contribute to the world and was merely a burden, he has said.

物理学家史蒂芬•霍金教授曾表示，如果他觉得自己无法再对这个世界做出任何贡献，而仅仅是别人的负担，那么他会考虑协助自杀。

Prof Hawking, who has motor neurone disease, has argued that keeping someone alive against their own wishes is the “ultimate indignity, saying he would think about it in the event he was suffering great pain.

霍金患有运动神经元病，他认为如果别人不想活着，却非逼着别人活着，这是对他人“最大的侮辱。他曾表示，如果他遭受了巨大的痛苦，那么他会考虑协助自杀。

In an interview with Dara O’Briain, for a new BBC programme, the world-renowned scientist disclosed he suffered bouts of loneliness, because people can be afraid to talk to him or let him answer.

在接受BBC一个新节目的主持人达拉•奥布莱恩采访时，这位举世闻名的科学家透露，人们害怕和他交谈或者向他提问，因此他正承受着巨大的孤独。

In 2013, he offered his public support to the discussion of assisted dying, saying: “We don't let animals suffer, so why humans?"

2013年，他公开支持安乐死，并声称：“我们都不忍心让动物遭受痛苦，那为什么要让人们忍受呢?

In a programme to be broadcast on BBC One on June 15, Prof Hawking will offer further insights into his own life, alongside interviews with his children.

6月15日BBC1台将播出对霍金先生及其子女的访谈，霍金将剖析他对自己生命更深沉的感悟。

When asked by O’Briain about his support for assisted dying, and what condition he would have to be in to consider it for himself, the physicist said: "To keep someone alive against their wishes is the ultimate indignity.

当奥布莱恩问道关于他支持安乐死问题以及他在什么情况下会考虑安乐死时，霍金回答称：“违背一个人的意愿，强迫他活着，是对他人最大的侮辱。

"I would consider assisted suicide only if I were in great pain or felt I had nothing more to contribute but was just a burden to those around me.

“只有当我感受到巨大的痛苦，或我发现自己无法再做出任何贡献，而只是身边人的负担时，我才会考虑协助自杀。

But, he added: "I am damned if I'm going to die before I have unravelled more of the universe.

不过，他补充道：“如果我在揭示更多宇宙奥秘之前就死了，我会很懊恼。

He is not in pain, he said, but suffers occasional discomfort because he cannot adjust his own position.

目前，他还没有受到病痛的折磨，只是时不时会觉得不舒服，因为他无法调整自己的姿势。

O’Briain, a comedian and broadcaster who has a degree in theoretical physics, praised Prof Hawking for his “impressively honest answers, even to the most direct questions.

奥布莱恩是一名喜剧演员兼播音员，同时还有理论物理学学位。他称赞霍金的回答非常诚恳，哪怕面对最直接尖锐的问题也给出了回答。

He also asked the 73-year-old physicist, who communicates through his famous speech synthesiser, whether he ever finds life lonely.

他还问这位73岁的物理学家是否感到生活孤独，霍金只能用他那套著名的语音合成器同他人交流。

“At times I get very lonely because people are afraid to talk to me or don't wait for me to write a response, said Prof Hawking, who is currently trialling even more sophisticated communication technology.

霍金答道：“有时候我觉得非常孤独，因为人们害怕同我讲话或者是不愿等我把回答写出来。他目前正在试验更为复杂的通讯技术设备。

“I'm shy and tired at times. I find it difficult to talk to people I don't know."

“我很害羞，有时也感到疲乏。我觉得跟我不认识的人交谈是件很困难的事。

When asked about what he misses about being able-bodied, he added: "I would like to be able to swim again. When my children were young, I missed not being able to play with them physically."

当被问及拥有健全的身体时让他最怀念的是什么时，霍金答道：“我希望能再游泳。我的孩子们还很小时，我没能亲身和他们一起玩耍。

Vocabulary

assisted suicide: 协助自杀，安乐死

motor neurone disease: 运动神经元疾病

unravel: 解开

speech synthesiser: 语音合成器