TED演讲:达顿解释达尔文主义的美的理论(2)

I can, however, give you at least a taste of what I regard as the most powerful theory of beauty we yet have.

然而，我能给大家体会一下我认为迄今为止我们所有的最有力的关于‘美’的理论。

And we get it not from a philosopher of art, not from a postmodern art theorist or a bigwig art critic.

这一理论不是来自艺术哲学家，也不是来自后现代艺术理论家或是有名的艺术评论家。

No, this theory comes from an expert on barnacles and worms and pigeon breeding, and you know who I mean: Charles Darwin.

不，这一理论来自一位饲养藤壶、昆虫和鸽子的专家。你们知道我说的是谁--查尔斯·达尔文。

Of course, a lot of people think they already know the proper answer to the question, "What is beauty?"

当然，许多人认为他们已经知道了关于这个问题的正确答案，什么是美？

It's in the eye of the beholder¹. It's whatever moves you personally.

美是观者的主观感受。它是那些让你感动的东西。

Or, as some people, especially academics prefer, beauty is in the culturally conditioned eye of the beholder.

或者说，如一些人--尤其是学院派的人--推崇的，美存在于处在文化环境中的观者的眼中。

People agree that paintings or movies or music are beautiful because their cultures determine a uniformity of aesthetic² taste.

人们都同意绘画、电影或音乐是美妙的，这是因为他们的文化决定了统一的审美品味。

Taste for both natural beauty and for the arts travel across cultures with great ease.

对自然美景和对艺术作品的品味能轻而易举跨越不同文化。

Beethoven is adored³ in Japan. Peruvians love Japanese woodblock prints.

贝多芬在日本收到推崇。秘鲁人喜爱日本木版画。

Inca sculptures are regarded as treasures in British museums,

印加雕刻则被英国博物馆视若珍宝，

while Shakespeare is translated into every major language of the Earth.

莎士比亚的著作被译成地球上各种主要语言。

Or just think about American jazz or American movies -- they go everywhere.

再想下美国爵士乐或美国电影--他们随处可见。

There are many differences among the arts, but there are also universal, cross-cultural aesthetic pleasures and values.

这些艺术之间有许多不同，但也包含着普世的、跨越文化的审美愉悦和审美价值。

1 beholder   

n.观看者，旁观者

参考例句：

• Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 看起来觉得美就是美。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It has been said that art is a tryst, for in the joy of it maker and beholder meet. 有人说艺术是一种幽会，因为艺术家和欣赏者可在幽会的乐趣中相遇在一起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 aesthetic   

adj.美学的，审美的，有美感

参考例句：

• My aesthetic standards are quite different from his.我的审美标准与他的大不相同。
• The professor advanced a new aesthetic theory.那位教授提出了新的美学理论。

3 adored   

爱慕，崇拜( adore的过去式和过去分词 )； 非常喜欢

参考例句：

• For all her faults, Tallulah's friends tolerated and even adored her. 尽管塔卢拉有缺点，她的朋友们却宽容她，甚至崇拜她。
• They adored her as a living goddess. 他们把她当作活女神崇拜。