3、动物的创造力 ...
-
Animal creativity动物的创造力
Primal instincts原始本能
【1】In 1960 Jane Goodall, a British primatologist, observed chimpanzees in Gombe National Park in Tanzania. At that point, it was thought only humans had the capacity to create and use tools, but the chimpanzees were using slim blades of grass to fish termites from their mounds (see picture). Louis Leakey, a palaeontologist and Ms Goodall’s mentor, mused: “Now we must redefine tool, redefine man, or accept chimpanzees as human.”
1960年，英国灵长类动物学家简·古道尔（Jane Goodall）在坦桑尼亚贡贝国家公园对观察了黑猩猩。那时，人们认为只有人类有能力创造和使用工具，但是黑猩猩却能用纤细的草叶从土堆里钓白蚁（见图）。古道尔的导师、古生物学家路易斯·利基（Louis Leakey）若有所思地写道：“现在我们必须重新定义工具，重新定义人类，要不就接受黑猩猩也是人类。”
【2】Since then the distinction between animals and humans has become increasingly nuanced. In addition to toolmaking, chimpanzees—and many other animals besides—display emotion and self-awareness. Studies show that elephants grieve, rats have empathy and pigs form strong friendships. In “The Creative Life of Animals” Carol Gigliotti, a professor emerita at Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver, has compiled research that examines such behaviour through the lens of creativity.
从那以后，动物和人类之间的差别变得越来越微妙。除了制造工具，黑猩猩——以及许多其他动物——还会表现出情感和自我意识。研究表明，大象会感到悲伤，老鼠有同理心，猪会建立牢固的友情。在《动物的创造性生活》一书中，温哥华艾米丽卡尔艺术与设计大学的荣誉教授卡罗·吉利奥蒂（Carol Gigliotti）从创造力的角度进行了研究来审视动物的这些行为。
【3】This requires a more inclusive, and generous, definition of creativity, for it is not a trait obviously exhibited by a prairie dog or caddis fly. Creativity, Ms Gigliotti contends, is not the exclusive domain of Jane Austen or Leonardo da Vinci. Nor is she referring to Pigcasso, the artistic pig rescued from an industrial pork facility outside Cape Town whose paintings have sold for thousands of dollars. Instead, Ms Gigliotti suggests discarding humankind’s “master of the universe” perspective to consider creativity from the animal’s point of view. “If animals in their own cultures can solve problems or create products of value to them, it seems accurate to consider these as creative,” she writes.
这就需要对创造力有一个更广泛、更宽泛的定义，因为它不是草原土拨鼠或石蝇所能明显表现出来的特质。吉利奥蒂认为，创造力并不是简·奥斯汀（Jane Austen）或莱昂纳多·达·芬奇（Leonardo da Vinci）的专属特征。也不是“猪加索”（Pigcasso）独有，这只富有艺术天赋的猪在开普敦郊外的一个猪肉工厂中获救，它的画作已经卖出了数千美元。相反，吉利奥蒂建议我们抛弃人类“主宰宇宙”的观点，从动物的角度思考创造力。她写道：“如果动物在它们的文化中能够解决问题或创造对它们有价值的产品，那么认为这些成果富有创造性似乎也合情合理。
【4】Beaver lodges and dams are a case in point: there is no single template for their construction. Each river or lake has its unique features and beavers create a custom- made structure to adapt to the given habitat—so, in the author’s intriguing framework, dams deserve to be considered a creative enterprise. In the less practical, more aesthetic realm, consider Julie’s earring. Julie, a chimpanzee studied in the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage Trust in Zambia, stuck a piece of long grass in her ear, adjusted and wore it. The behaviour (a fashion trend, perhaps?) was soon sported by eight of the 12 members of the group.
海狸窝和水坝就是一个很好的例子：它们的筑房没有单一的模板。每条河流或湖泊都有其独一无二的特点，海狸会根据特定的栖息地创造出一个特制的结构——因此，在作者有趣的思想架构中，水坝值得被视为一项具有创造性的事业。在实用性略差、美感性更强的领域，可以考虑朱莉（Julie）的耳环。赞比亚亚奇方希野生动物保护区（ChimfunshiWildlife Orphanage Trust）的研究对象黑猩猩朱莉把一根长草插在耳朵里，调整好后戴在身上。这一行为（也许是一
种时尚趋势?）很快被12名成员中的8位竞相模仿。
【5】Ms Gigliotti says it would be an error to assume that animal creativity has to match the human version, though some examples turn out to be inarguably appealing to the human eye. Take the elaborate creation of a bowerbird. Its bower—two parallel rows of slender branches that arc towards each other above a platform lined with bits of glass, shells, leaves, flowers and feathers—is a beautiful ruse by the male to attract a female for mating.
吉利奥蒂说，尽管一些实例毫无疑问地吸引了人们的眼球，但是认为动物的创造力必须与人类的创造力相匹敌这一观点是错误的。以园丁鸟的精巧创作为例，它的凉亭——两排平行的细长树枝在一个平台上相互交叉成弧状，平台上散落着玻璃碎片、贝壳、树叶、花朵和羽毛——是雄性吸引雌□□配的一个美丽陷阱。
【6】Though ostensibly a book about creativity, the author frequently veers off to discuss animal emotion (crayfish have feelings too; they can exhibit signs of anxiety) and intelligence (“the pigeon should be the poster child par excellence for intelligence”). She argues that animal personality is not limited to primates, your faithful mutt or stand-offish cat. There are hundreds of thousands of studies on animals’ character and they include ants, fish and mice. Anthropomorphism—the ascribing of human feelings to animals—is not the scientific sin it once was. Ms Goodall has said she was “quite unpleasantly” disparaged for doing just that. Today, she has pointed out with a sense of vindication, you can get a PhD in animal personality.
虽然表面上这是一本关于创造力的书，但作者经常偏离主题讨论动物情感（小龙虾也有情感，它们会表现出焦虑的迹象）和智力（“鸽子应该是智力杰出的代表”）。她认为动物的性格并不局限于灵长类动物、忠实的狗或高冷的猫。关于动物性格的研究有数十万项，其中包括蚂蚁、鱼和老鼠。拟人论（赋予动物以人的情感）已经不再是科学上的罪恶了。古道尔曾坦言，她正是因为这样做而受到了“非常令人不快”的诋毁。如今，她大义凛然地表示，你可以获得动物性格学博士学位。
【7】The book makes its strongest case when advocating a revision of how to think about, and act towards, animals. Ms Gigliotti points out that humans are only one of millions of species on Earth. She suggests a retreat from anthropocentrism in favour of recognition that animals are individuals with complicated, powerful, creative lives of their own.
这本书在提倡关于如何重新看待和对待动物的议题上，提出了最有力的论据。吉利奥蒂女士指出，人类只是地球上数百万物种中的一种。她建议我们放弃人类中心主义，转而承认动物是拥有自己复杂、强大、创造性生活的个体。
①短语
1.原文：it was thought only humans had the capacity to create and use tools
词典：the capacity to 有能力做...
例句：They do not have the capacity to mill the grain.
他们没有碾磨谷物的能力。
2.原文：In addition to toolmaking, chimpanzees—and many other animals besides
词典：in addition to除...之外（还有，也）
例句：In addition to headaches, you may develop stomach ulcers as well.
除了头痛，你还可能患上胃溃疡。
3.原文：that examines such behaviour through the lens of creativity
词典：the lens of ...的视角
例句：In that book, he examined Japanese society through the lens of law.
在那本书中，他从法律的角度审视了日本社会。
4.原文：Nor is she referring to Pigcasso
词典：refer to参考；涉及；指的是；适用于
例句：I promised not to refer to the matter again.
我答应过再不提这事了。
5.原文：perspective to consider creativity from the animal’s point of view
词典：from the point of view 从……的观点看
例句：I had seriously considered telling the story from the point of view of the wives.
我曾认真考虑过从妻子们的角度来讲述这个故事。
6.原文：Beaver lodges and dams are a case in point
词典：a case in point 恰当的例子
例句：A case in point is Ivy, 57, a pioneer in investment banking.
57岁的艾薇就是一个很恰当的例子，她是投资银行的先驱。
7.原文：dams deserve to be considered a creative enterprise
词典：deserve to 值得；应得
例句：These criminals deserve to be horse-whipped.
这些罪犯应该用马鞭抽一顿。
8.原文：though some examples turn out to be inarguably appealing to the human eye.
词典：turn out to be结果是；原来是
例句：This may turn out to be the best football game of the lot.
这可能会是全部足球比赛中最棒的一场。
9.原文：the pigeon should be the poster child par excellence for intelligence
词典：par excellence 出类拔萃的；最卓越的
例句：He has been a meticulous manager, a manager par excellence.
他是位一丝不苟的经理，一位出类拔萃的经理。
10.原文：the ascribing of human feelings to animals
词典：ascribe to 把……归于；归因于；认为……是
例句：We do not ascribe a superior wisdom to government or the state.
我们并不将胜人一筹的智慧归属于政府或国家。
②长难句
原文：Nor is she referring to Pigcasso, the artistic pig rescued from an industrial pork facility outside Cape Town whose paintings have sold for thousands of dollars.
分析：这一句的主句是Nor is she referring to Pigcasso，因为否定词提前所以进行了倒装，谓语动词提到了主语前面，原语序应为she is referring to Pigcasso. 其中the artistic pig是Pigcasso的同位语，其中rescued from...是过去分词做后置定语，修饰the artistic pig，即为被解救的一只有艺术细胞的猪，而后面的whose引导的是定语从句，修饰限定的也是the artistic pig。
译文：也不是“猪加索”(Pigcasso)的专属，这只富有艺术天赋的猪在开普敦郊外的一个猪肉工厂中获救，它的画作已经卖出了数千美元。
2.原文：Ms Gigliotti says it would be an error to assume that animal creativity has to match the human version, though some examples turn out to be inarguably appealing to the human eye.
分析：主干句子主语是Ms Gigliotti，谓语是says，宾语是宾语从句，该从句省略了关系词that，that引导宾语从句，从句中形式主语是it，谓语是would be，宾语是an error，其中to assume that...部分是真正的宾语，其中that引导宾语从句，主语是animal creativity，谓语是has to match，宾语是the human version。而though引导的是让步状语从句。
译文：吉利奥蒂说，尽管一些实例毫无疑问地吸引了人们的眼球，但是认为动物的创造力必须与人类的创造力相匹敌这一观点是错误的。
③写作技巧
Instead, Ms Gigliotti suggests discarding humankind’s “master of the universe” perspective to consider creativity from the animal’s point of view.
相反，吉利奥蒂建议人们抛弃人类“主宰宇宙”的观点，从动物的角度思考创造力。
表达：在作文写作中表示从什么观点出发的时候会常常用到，从某个角度来分析等表述。文中的from ...point of view（从...角度出发）就是一个典型的用法，最经典的用法是表达自己的观点时用到的from my point of view，同义表达有as far as I\'m concerned，in my opinion等等。
例句：
From my point of view, while it is true that the income gap may stimulate the social development to some extent, it causes trouble as well.
在我看来，虽然收入差距确实在一定程度上刺激了社会发展，但它也带来了很多问题。
If women want to take on the business world they are welcome to it as far as I\'m concerned.
就我而言，如果妇女想承担起商业领域的重任，她们尽管这样做好了。
In my opinion, this is Rembrandt\'s greatest work.
在我看来，这是伦勃朗最伟大的作品。
④背景知识
猪加索（Pigcasso）：一头于2016年从屠宰场获救并喜欢绘画的南非小猪。主人乔安妮·莱夫森，在不小心刷子留在马厩里后见到了它的艺术天赋，然后开始支持它进行创造。这些年来它已经创作了 400 多幅画作，其中一些被拍卖，最近的画作《狂野与自由》用它的鼻子耗时数周才完成。德国的收藏家Peter Esser表示了对画作的喜爱，随后抛出2万英镑（约合人民币16.8万元）买下了这副作品，这打破了之前动物画家，黑猩猩刚果的最昂贵拍卖记录14,400 英镑。
⑤段落大意
【1】观念震荡：黑猩猩也能使用工具
【2】观念颠覆：动物居然也有情感和自我意识
【3】创造疑云：问题来了，动物有没有创造力？
【4】动物艺术：谁说动物没有艺术细胞？
【5】情况排除：不是所有的动物行为都能与人类创造力相比肩
【6】动物人格：谁说动物没有脑子和脾气
【7】书本推荐：《动物的创造性生活》，你值得一读
作者有话说
第3章 动物的创造力
