TED演讲:达顿解释达尔文主义的美的理论(7)

So what were these ancient -- I mean, they're ancient, they're foreign, but they're at the same time somehow familiar.

因此这些古老的--我是说，它们是古老的，异域的，但同时它们也是我们熟悉的。

What were these artifacts for?

这些人工制品的用途是什么？

The best available answer is that they were literally¹ the earliest known works of art,

已有的最佳答案是它们就是已知最早的艺术品，

practical tools transformed into captivating aesthetic² objects,

从实用工具转变成迷人的审美对象，

contemplated³ both for their elegant shape and their virtuoso⁴ craftsmanship⁵.

它们那优雅的形状和精湛的工艺让人凝望深思。

Hand axes mark an evolutionary⁶ advance in human history

手斧标志了人类历史上进化的进步

tools fashioned to function as what Darwinians call "fitness signals"

从实用工具到审美对象就好像达尔文主义者所说的适应性信号，

that is to say, displays that are performances like the peacock's tail,

这就是说，它展示出了类似孔雀尾巴的用途，

except that, unlike hair and feathers, the hand axes are consciously cleverly crafted.

只是与毛发和羽毛不同，手斧是有意识的精巧制品。

Competently made hand axes indicated desirable personal qualities

制作精良的手斧表明了富有魅力的个人品质

intelligence, fine motor control, planning ability, conscientiousness⁷ and sometimes access to rare materials.

智力，精细的动作控制，规划能力，责任心，有时还有能得到稀有材料的能力。

Over tens of thousands of generations, such skills increased the status of those who displayed them

经过千万代的传承，这样的技巧提供了制作者的地位，

and gained a reproductive advantage over the less capable.

并比那些能力较差的人赢得了更多的繁衍后代的优势。

You know, it's an old line, but it has been shown to work

这是一句很古老的话了，但是现在仍然能起作用

"Why don't you come up to my cave, so I can show you my hand axes?"

“让我们到我的洞里去，这样我就能给你看看我的手斧了。”

1 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

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 contemplated   

adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式

参考例句：

• The doctor contemplated the difficult operation he had to perform. 医生仔细地考虑他所要做的棘手的手术。
• The government has contemplated reforming the entire tax system. 政府打算改革整个税收体制。

4 virtuoso   

n.精于某种艺术或乐器的专家，行家里手

参考例句：

• He was gaining a reputation as a remarkable virtuoso.作为一位技艺非凡的大师，他声誉日隆。
• His father was a virtuoso horn player who belonged to the court orchestra.他的父亲是宫廷乐队中一个技巧精湛的圆号演奏家。

5 craftsmanship   

n.手艺

参考例句：

• The whole house is a monument to her craftsmanship. 那整座房子是她技艺的一座丰碑。
• We admired the superb craftsmanship of the furniture. 我们很欣赏这个家具的一流工艺。

6 evolutionary   

adj.进化的；演化的，演变的；[生]进化论的

参考例句：

• Life has its own evolutionary process.生命有其自身的进化过程。
• These are fascinating questions to be resolved by the evolutionary studies of plants.这些十分吸引人的问题将在研究植物进化过程中得以解决。

7 conscientiousness   

责任心

参考例句：

• Conscientiousness is expected of a student. 学生要诚实。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Only has the conscientiousness, diligently works, can make a more splendid result! 只有脚踏实地，努力工作，才能做出更出色的成绩！ 来自互联网