ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Emily Levine - Philosopher-comic
Humorist, writer and trickster Emily Levine riffs on science and the human condition.

Why you should listen

Humorist Emily Levine works a heady vein of humor, cerebral and thoughtful as well as hilarious. Oh, she's got plenty of jokes. But her work, at its core, makes serious connections -- between hard science and pop culture, between what we say and what we secretly assume ... She plumbs the hidden oppositions, the untouchable not-quite-truths of the modern mind.

Levine's background in improv theater, with its requirement to always say "yes" to the other actor's reality, has helped shape her worldview. Always suspicious of sharp either/or distinctions, she proposes "the quantum logic of and/and" -- a thoroughly postmodern, scientifically informed take on life that allows for complicated states of being. Like the one we're in right now.

For more on Levine's thoughts about life and death, read her blog, "The Yoy of Dying," at EmilysUniverse.com, along with updates on "Emily @ the Edge of Chaos" and pronouncements from Oracle Em.

More profile about the speaker
Emily Levine | Speaker | TED.com
TED2018

Emily Levine: How I made friends with reality

艾蜜莉萊文: 我如何和現實交朋友

Filmed:
2,276,380 views

艾蜜莉萊文帶著她聞名的機智和智慧,面對她身為喜劇演員/哲學家的終極挑戰:她讓死亡也很有趣。在這場個人化的演說中,她帶我們走上她的旅程,和現實交朋友——與死亡和解。生命是份珍貴的大禮,萊文說:「你要盡可能去活得充實,因爲到底你還是得把它還回去。」
- Philosopher-comic
Humorist, writer and trickster Emily Levine riffs on science and the human condition. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
I'm going to first tell you something that
in my grandmother祖母
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我要先告訴各位一件事,
如果我祖母還在,
00:16
would've會一直 elicited引起 a five-oy五-唉 alarm報警:
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她要是聽到這件事
肯定會發出五個「喲」的獨特感嘆:
00:19
"Oy-oy-oy-oy-oy這是什麼?."
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「喲~喲~喲~喲~喲。」
00:20
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
00:21
And here it is ...
are you ready準備?
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這件事就是……
你們準備好了嗎?
00:25
OK.
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好。
00:27
I have stage階段 IVIV lung cancer癌症.
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我有第四期肺癌。
00:32
Oh, I know, "poor較差的 me."
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喔,我知道,「我好可憐。」
00:33
I don't feel that way.
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我沒有那樣的感覺。
00:34
I'm so OK with it.
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我覺得還好。
00:37
And granted理所當然, I have certain某些 advantages優點 --
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沒錯,我有一些優勢——
00:39
not everybody每個人 can take
so cavalier騎士 an attitude態度.
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不是每個人都能
採取無憂無慮的態度。
00:42
I don't have young年輕 children孩子.
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我沒有年紀還小的孩子。
00:44
I have a grown長大的 daughter女兒 who's誰是
brilliant輝煌 and happy快樂 and wonderful精彩.
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我有個女兒,已經成年,
她很聰明、快樂,且美好。
00:48
I don't have huge巨大 financial金融 stress強調.
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我沒有很大的財務壓力。
00:52
My cancer癌症 isn't that aggressive侵略性.
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我的癌症沒有那麼具侵略性。
00:54
It's kind of like
the Democratic民主的 leadership領導 --
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就有點像是民主黨在領導——
00:56
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
01:00
not convinced相信 it can win贏得.
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不太肯定它能贏。
01:02
It's basically基本上 just sitting坐在 there,
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基本上,它就是坐在那裡,
01:04
waiting等候 for Goldman高盛 Sachs薩克斯
to give it some money.
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等著高盛集團給它一些錢。
01:06
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
01:07
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
01:12
Oh, and the best最好 thing of all --
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喔,還有,當中最棒的是——
01:15
I have a major重大的 accomplishment成就
under my belt.
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我已經有了一個重大的成就。
01:18
Yes.
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是的。
01:20
I didn't even know it until直到 someone有人
tweeted啾啾 me a year ago.
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連我自己也不知道,
直到一年前有人發推特訊息給我。
01:24
And here's這裡的 what they said:
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以下是他們說的:
01:26
"You are responsible主管
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「你要為美國男性
01:28
for the pussificationpussification
of the American美國 male."
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被娘娘腔化負起責任。」
01:32
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
01:33
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
01:37
Not that I can take
all the credit信用, but ...
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我不敢說功勞全是我的,但……
01:40
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
01:44
But what if you don't have my advantages優點?
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但,如果你沒有我這樣的優勢呢?
01:48
The only advice忠告 I can give you
is to do what I did:
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我能給予你的唯一忠告,
就是做我所做的:
01:52
make friends朋友 with reality現實.
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和現實交朋友。
01:55
You couldn't不能 have a worse更差 relationship關係
with reality現實 than I did.
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你和現實的關係不可能比我還糟。
02:00
From the get-go一開始走,
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從一開始,
02:02
I wasn't even attracted吸引 to reality現實.
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我甚至不太被現實吸引。
02:05
If they'd他們會 had Tinder火種 when I met會見 reality現實,
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若在我遇見現實時就有 Tinder
(常用在一夜情的社交軟體),
02:08
I would have swiped刷卡 left
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我就會立馬拒絕它,
02:09
and the whole整個 thing would have been over.
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我們的關係就此結束。
02:11
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
02:13
And reality現實 and I --
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而現實和我——
02:15
we don't share分享 the same相同 values,
the same相同 goals目標 --
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我們沒有相同的價值觀、
相同的目標——
02:18
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
02:19
To be honest誠實, I don't have goals目標;
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老實說,我沒有目標;
02:22
I have fantasies幻想.
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我有幻想。
02:24
They're exactly究竟 like goals目標
but without the hard work.
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它們就像目標一樣,只是不用努力。
02:28
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
02:30
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
02:31
I'm not a big fan風扇 of hard work,
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我不太癡迷「努力」,
02:34
but you know reality現實 --
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但,你知道現實——
02:36
it's either push, push, push, push, push
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它就是不斷推、推、推、推、推,
02:39
through通過 its agent代理人,
the executive行政人員 brain function功能 --
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透過它的代理人,大腦執行功能——
邁向死亡的「好呀」之一:
02:44
one of the "yaysyays" of dying垂死:
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02:45
my executive行政人員 brain function功能
won't慣於 have me to kick around anymore.
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我的大腦執行功能不再讓我健在了。
02:49
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
02:53
But something happened發生
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但發生了一件事,
02:56
that made製作 me realize實現
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讓我了解到,
03:00
that reality現實 may可能 not be reality現實.
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現實可能不是現實。
03:05
So what happened發生 was,
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發生的事情就是,
03:07
because I basically基本上 wanted reality現實
to leave離開 me alone單獨 --
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因為我基本上希望現實走開
別管我,丟下我一個人就好——
03:11
but I wanted to be left alone單獨
in a nice不錯 house
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但我希望被丟在一間很好的房子裡,
03:14
with a Wolf range範圍
and Sub-Zero次零 refrigerator冰箱 ...
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裡面有頂級的廚具和冰箱……
03:18
private私人的 yoga瑜伽 lessons教訓 --
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私人瑜伽課——
03:20
I ended結束 up with
a development發展 deal合同 at Disney迪士尼.
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我最後得到的是迪士尼的開發協議。
03:24
And one day I found發現 myself
in my new office辦公室
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有天我發現我自己
坐在我的新辦公室裡,
03:28
on Two Dopey遲鈍 Drive駕駛 --
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位在 Dopey Drive 2號
(迪士尼路名)——
03:30
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
03:33
which哪一個 reality現實 thought
I should be proud驕傲 of ...
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現實認為我應該要以為此傲……
03:36
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
03:37
And I'm staring凝視 at the present當下
they sent發送 me to celebrate慶祝 my arrival到達 --
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我盯著他們為了慶祝我的到來
而為我準備的禮物——
03:42
not the Lalique拉力克 vase花瓶 or the grand盛大 piano鋼琴
I've heard聽說 of other people getting得到,
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不是我常聽有人得到的
Lalique 花瓶或大鋼琴,
03:47
but a three-foot-tall三英尺高,
stuffed填充的 Mickey米奇 Mouse老鼠
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而是三英呎高的填充米老鼠,
03:50
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
03:51
with a catalog目錄, in case案件 I wanted
to order訂購 some more stuff東東
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附上一份型錄,
以免我還想訂購更多
03:54
that didn't jive黑話 with my aesthetic審美.
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和我美感不搭的東西。
03:56
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
03:57
And when I looked看著 up in the catalog目錄
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當我翻閱著型錄
03:59
to see how much
this three-foot-high三英尺高 mouse老鼠 cost成本,
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看看這隻三英呎高的老鼠要多少錢時,
04:03
here's這裡的 how it was described描述 ...
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我看到它被這樣描述……
04:07
"Life-sized壽命大小."
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「實體大小」。
04:09
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
04:14
And that's when I knew知道.
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就在那時,我懂了。
04:16
Reality現實 wasn't "reality現實."
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現實並不是「現實」。
04:19
Reality現實 was an imposter冒名頂替者.
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現實是個冒名頂替者。
04:21
So I dived跳水 into quantum量子 physics物理
and chaos混沌 theory理論
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所以,我埋頭去讀
量子物理和混沌理論,
04:26
to try to find actual實際 reality現實,
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試圖找出真正的現實,
04:28
and I've just finished a movie電影 --
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且我剛完成一部電影——
04:30
yes, finally最後 finished --
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是的,終於完成了——
04:32
about all that,
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內容就是那些東西,
04:33
so I won't慣於 go into it here,
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在這裡我不打算談它,
04:35
and anyway無論如何, it wasn't until直到
after we shot射擊 the movie電影,
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總之,一直到我們
拍了那部電影之後,
04:37
when I broke打破 my leg
and then it didn't heal癒合,
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我弄斷了我的腳,它卻沒有復元,
04:39
so then they had to do
another另一個 surgery手術 a year later後來,
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一年之後他們得要再做另一個手術,
04:42
and then that took a year --
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那花了一年——
04:43
two years年份 in a wheelchair輪椅,
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共兩年坐在輪椅上,
04:44
and that's when I came來了
into contact聯繫 with actual實際 reality現實:
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那時我才接觸到了真正的現實:
04:50
limits範圍.
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限制。
04:52
Those very limits範圍 I'd spent花費
my whole整個 life denying否認
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我一生都在否認、推開、
04:55
and pushing推動 past過去 and ignoring無視
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忽視的那些限制,
04:59
were real真實,
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都是真的,
05:01
and I had to deal合同 with them,
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而我得要處理它們,
05:03
and they took imagination想像力,
creativity創造力 and my entire整個 skill技能 set.
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我用上了想像力、創意,
和我所有的技能,才搞定它們。
05:09
It turned轉身 out I was great
at actual實際 reality現實.
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結果發現,我很擅長真正的現實。
05:14
I didn't just come to terms條款 with it,
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我並不是只順從忍受它,
05:16
I fell下跌 in love.
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我陷入愛河。
05:17
And I should've應該 known已知,
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我早該知道的,
05:19
given特定 my equally一樣 shaky搖搖欲墜
relationship關係 with the zeitgeist時代精神 ...
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畢竟我和時代精神的關係
也是一樣不穩固……
05:24
I'll just say, if anyone任何人
is in the market市場 for a BetamaxBetamax --
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姑且這樣說,如果有人
想買 Beta 錄影帶——
05:28
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
05:30
I should have known已知 that the moment時刻
I fell下跌 in love with reality現實,
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我早該知道我愛上現實的那一刻,
05:34
the rest休息 of the country國家 would decide決定
to go in the opposite對面 direction方向.
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全國其他人就會決定要朝反方向走。
05:37
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
05:40
But I'm not here to talk about Trump王牌
or the alt-rightALT-權 or climate-change氣候變化 deniers否認
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但我不是要來談川普、另類右派,
或否認氣候變遷的人,
05:44
or even the makers製造商 of this thing,
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或甚至這個東西的製造者,
05:47
which哪一個 I would have called a box,
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我會把這個東西稱為盒子,
05:49
except that right here, it says,
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可是就在這裡,寫著:
05:52
"This is not a box."
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「這不是盒子。」
05:54
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
05:59
They're gaslightinggaslighting me.
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這對我來說真是精神虐待。
06:01
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
06:03
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
06:06
But what I do want to talk about
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但我想要談的,
06:11
is a personal個人 challenge挑戰 to reality現實
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向現實做個人挑戰,
06:16
that I take personally親自,
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我認為是針對我,
06:19
and I want to preface前言 it
by saying that I absolutely絕對 love science科學.
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我想要先加一段序言:
我真的很愛科學。
06:26
I have this --
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我有這種——
06:27
not a scientist科學家 myself --
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我並不是科學家——
06:29
but an uncanny神秘的 ability能力 to understand理解
everything about science科學,
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但有一種不尋常的能力,
可以了解科學的一切,
06:34
except the actual實際 science科學 --
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除了真正的科學——
06:36
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
06:37
which哪一個 is math數學.
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也就是數學。
06:38
But the most outlandish異乎尋常 concepts概念
make sense to me.
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但最古怪的概念對我來說是合理的。
06:44
The string theory理論;
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弦理論;
06:46
the idea理念 that all of reality現實 emanates發出
from the vibrations振動 of these teeny蠅頭 --
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概念是,所有的現實都來自
這些小東西的震動——
06:50
I call it "The Big Twang鼻音."
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我稱之為「大撥弦聲」。
06:52
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
06:54
Wave-particle波粒 duality二元性:
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波粒二象性:
06:56
the idea理念 that one thing
can manifest表現 as two things ...
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概念是,一樣東西可以
呈現成兩樣東西……
07:00
you know?
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你們知道嗎?
07:01
That a photon光子 can manifest表現
as a wave and a particle粒子
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一個光子可以呈現成
一個波以及一個粒子,
07:05
coincided恰逢 with my deepest最深 intuitions直覺
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正好符合我最深的直覺,
07:07
that people are good and bad,
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人是好的也是壞的,
07:09
ideas思路 are right and wrong錯誤.
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想法是對的也是錯的。
07:11
Freud弗洛伊德 was right about penis陰莖 envy羨慕
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佛洛依德對於
陰莖嫉妒的看法是對的,
07:13
and he was wrong錯誤 about who has it.
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但對於誰會嫉妒則是錯的。
07:16
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
07:19
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
07:22
Thank you.
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謝謝。
07:23
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
07:24
And then there's this slight輕微
variation變異 on that,
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接著,還有個稍微不同的版本,
07:28
which哪一個 is reality現實 looks容貌 like two things,
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就是現實看起來像是兩樣東西,
07:30
but it turns out to be the interaction相互作用
of those two things,
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但結果卻是那兩樣東西的交互作用,
07:34
like space空間 -- time,
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比如空間——時間,
07:37
mass -- energy能源
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質量——能量,
07:38
and life and death死亡.
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還有生——死。
07:42
So I don't I understand理解 --
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所以,我不了解——
07:43
I simply只是 just don't understand理解
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我就是不了解
07:47
the mindset心態 of people who are out
to "defeat打敗 death死亡" and "overcome克服 death死亡."
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想要去「打敗死亡」
和「克服死亡」的人是什麼心態。
07:51
How do you do that?
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怎麼辦得到?
07:53
How do you defeat打敗 death死亡
without killing謀殺 off life?
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你要如何打敗死亡但不要殺死生命?
07:56
It doesn't make sense to me.
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這對我來說並不合理。
07:58
I also have to say,
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我也得要說,
08:00
I find it incredibly令人難以置信 ungrateful忘恩負義.
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我覺得這樣很忘恩負義。
08:04
I mean, you're given特定
this extraordinary非凡 gift禮品 --
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我是指,得到了這樣非凡的禮物——
08:07
life --
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生命——
08:08
but it's as if you had asked Santa聖誕老人
for a Rolls-Royce勞斯萊斯 Silver Shadow陰影
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但就好像你向聖誕老人許願要
勞斯萊斯 Silver Shadow 車
08:13
and you had gotten得到
a salad沙拉 spinner旋轉 instead代替.
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卻得到了一個沙拉脫水器。
08:16
You know, it's the beef牛肉 --
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你知道的,牢騷在於——
08:19
the beef牛肉 with it is that it comes
with an expiration呼氣 date日期.
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牢騷在於它也帶有有效期限。
08:22
Death死亡 is the deal合同 breaker斷路器.
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死亡是交易中不能通融的條件。
08:25
I don't get that.
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我不懂。
08:27
I don't understand理解 --
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我不了解——
08:28
to me, it's disrespectful不恭.
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對我來說,那是失禮的。
08:29
It's disrespectful不恭 to nature性質.
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對大自然的失禮。
08:32
The idea理念 that we're going
to dominate支配 nature性質,
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認為我們要支配大自然,
08:34
we're going to master nature性質,
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我們要掌管大自然,
08:37
nature性質 is too weak
to withstand經受 our intellect智力 --
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大自然太弱,無法承受
我們的智慧——
08:41
no, I don't think so.
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不,我不這麼認為。
08:45
I think if you've actually其實 read
quantum量子 physics物理 as I have --
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我認為,如果你有真的
跟我一樣去讀量子物理——
08:48
well, I read an email電子郵件
from someone有人 who'd誰願意 read it, but --
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嗯嗯,我讀了一封電子郵件,
寄件者有讀過它,但——
08:51
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
08:55
You have to understand理解
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你得要了解,
08:56
that we don't live生活 in Newton's牛頓
clockwork發條裝置 universe宇宙 anymore.
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我們不再生活在
牛頓的規律宇宙中了。
09:00
We live生活 in a banana香蕉 peel universe宇宙,
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我們生活在一個香蕉皮的宇宙中,
09:03
and we won't慣於 ever be able能夠
to know everything
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我們不可能知道一切,
09:07
or control控制 everything
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或控制一切,
09:09
or predict預測 everything.
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或預測一切。
09:10
Nature性質 is like a self-driving自駕車 car汽車.
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大自然就像自動駕駛的車。
09:12
The best最好 we can be is like
the old woman女人 in that joke玩笑 --
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我們能做到最好的狀況就是
像那個笑話中的老女人——
09:16
I don't know if you've heard聽說 it.
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不知道你們是否有聽過那笑話。
09:18
An old woman女人 is driving主動
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一個老女人在開車,
09:20
with her middle-aged中年 daughter女兒
in the passenger乘客 seat座位,
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乘客座位上的是她的中年女兒,
09:24
and the mother母親 goes
right through通過 a red light.
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媽媽直接闖過一個紅燈。
09:27
And the daughter女兒 doesn't want to say
anything that makes品牌 it sound聲音 like,
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女兒並不想說出聽起來像這樣的話:
09:31
"You're too old to drive駕駛,"
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「你太老了,不該開車。」
09:33
so she didn't say anything.
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所以她什麼也沒說。
09:35
And then the mother母親
goes through通過 a second第二 red light,
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接著,媽媽闖了第二個紅燈,
09:37
and the daughter女兒,
as tactfully婉轉 as possible可能,
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女兒盡可能圓融地說:
09:40
says, "Mom媽媽, are you aware知道的
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「媽,你知不知道
09:42
that you just went through通過
two red lights燈火?"
203
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你剛闖了兩個紅燈?」
09:44
And the mother母親 says, "Oh, am I driving主動?"
204
572615
1995
媽媽說:「喔,我在開車嗎?」
09:46
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
09:50
(Applause掌聲)
206
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4364
(掌聲)
09:55
So ...
207
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所以……
09:58
and now, I'm going to take a mental心理 leap飛躍,
208
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我要做一個精神上的跳躍,
這對我來說很容易,
10:02
which哪一個 is easy簡單 for me because
I'm the Evel埃維爾 Knievel沃爾 of mental心理 leaps飛躍;
209
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因為我是精神跳躍的
埃芙爾克尼芙爾(特技演員);
10:06
my license執照 plate盤子 says,
210
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我的牌照上寫著:
10:07
"Cogito我思, ergoERGO zoom放大."
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「我思,故我跑得很快。」
10:11
I hope希望 you're willing願意
to come with me on this,
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我希望你們願意
跟我一起來想想這件事,
10:14
but my real真實 problem問題 with the mindset心態
that is so out to defeat打敗 death死亡
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但這種心態讓我覺得煩擾的
地方在於:去打敗死亡,
10:20
is if you're anti-death防死,
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就好像你是「反死亡」的,
10:23
which哪一個 to me translates轉換 as anti-life抗生命,
215
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對我來說,等同你也反生命,
10:26
which哪一個 to me translates轉換 as anti-nature反自然,
216
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對我來說,等同你也反大自然,
10:30
it also translates轉換 to me as anti-woman反婦女,
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對我來說,等同你也反女性,
10:33
because women婦女 have long been
identified確定 with nature性質.
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因為長久以來女性一直
被認為等同於大自然。
10:37
And my source資源 on this is Hannah漢娜 Arendt阿倫特,
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這項資訊的來源是漢娜鄂蘭,
10:39
the German德語 philosopher哲學家 who wrote
a book called "The Human人的 Condition條件."
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她是名德國哲學家,
寫了一本書叫做《人的境況》。
10:44
And in it, she says that classically經典,
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在書中,她說,就古典主義來說,
10:47
work is associated相關 with men男人.
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工作和男性有關聯。
10:50
Work is what comes out of the head;
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2210
工作是從「頭」產生出來的;
10:52
it's what we invent發明,
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工作是我們發明的東西,
10:53
it's what we create創建,
225
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1531
是我們創造的東西,
10:55
it's how we leave離開 our mark標記 upon the world世界.
226
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是我們在這個世界上
留下痕跡的方式。
10:59
Whereas labor勞動 is associated相關 with the body身體.
227
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4442
而勞務則是和身體有關。
11:03
It's associated相關 with the people
who perform演出 labor勞動
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它和執行勞務的人有關,
11:06
or undergo經歷 labor勞動.
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或承受勞務的人。
11:08
So to me,
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所以,對我來說,
11:11
the mindset心態 that denies否認 that,
231
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否認這一點的心態,
11:15
that denies否認 that we're in sync同步
with the biorhythms生物節律,
232
663814
4313
否認我們和生物節律,
宇宙生物周期的
11:20
the cyclical週期性 rhythms節奏 of the universe宇宙,
233
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循環節奏同步的心態,
11:23
does not create創建 a hospitable好客
environment環境 for women婦女
234
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5654
並不會為女性
或和勞務相關的人創造出
11:28
or for people associated相關 with labor勞動,
235
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一個友好的環境,
11:31
which哪一個 is to say,
236
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1514
所謂勞務相關的人
11:32
people that we associate關聯
as descendants後人 of slaves奴隸,
237
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3419
就是我們認為
和奴隸後裔有關的人,
11:36
or people who perform演出 manual手冊 labor勞動.
238
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2347
或是進行人工勞務工作的人。
11:39
So here's這裡的 how it looks容貌
from a banana-peel-universe香蕉皮-宇宙 point of view視圖,
239
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5714
所以,從香蕉皮宇宙的觀點,
從我的心態,也就是我所謂的
11:45
from my mindset心態 which哪一個 I call
"Emily's艾米莉的 universe宇宙."
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「艾蜜莉的宇宙」,
所看到的樣子是這樣的。
11:49
First of all,
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首先,
11:52
I am incredibly令人難以置信 grateful感激 for life,
242
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5245
我對於生命充滿感激,
11:57
but I don't want to be immortal不朽.
243
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2067
但我不想要永生。
12:00
I have no interest利益 in having
my name名稱 live生活 on after me.
244
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我對於死後讓我的名字
流傳下去,並不感興趣。
12:04
In fact事實, I don't want it to,
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事實上,我不希望如此,
12:06
because it's been my observation意見
246
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1654
因為我觀察發現,
12:08
that no matter how nice不錯 and how brilliant輝煌
247
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2725
不論你有多好、多聰明、
12:10
or how talented天才 you are,
248
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1612
多有才華,
12:12
50 years年份 after you die, they turn on you.
249
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在你死後五十年,
他們都會反過來咬你一口。
12:15
(Laughter笑聲)
250
723076
1476
(笑聲)
12:16
And I have actual實際 proof證明 of that.
251
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2515
我有真正的證據證明這一點。
12:19
A headline標題 from the Los洛杉磯 Angeles洛杉磯 Times:
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3232
洛杉磯時報的頭條寫著:
12:22
"Anne安妮 Frank坦率: Not so nice不錯 after all."
253
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3131
「安妮法蘭克終究沒有那麼好。」
(二戰的受害人,安妮日記的作者)
12:25
(Laughter笑聲)
254
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(笑聲)
12:30
Plus, I love being存在 in sync同步
255
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3362
此外,我喜歡和宇宙的
12:34
with the cyclical週期性 rhythms節奏 of the universe宇宙.
256
742206
2519
循環節奏同步。
12:36
That's what's so extraordinary非凡 about life:
257
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2269
那就是生命的不凡之處:
12:39
it's a cycle週期 of generation,
258
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2197
它是個循環:產生,
12:41
degeneration退化,
259
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1406
衰退,
12:42
regeneration再生.
260
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1599
再生。
12:44
"I" am just a collection採集 of particles粒子
261
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3898
「我」只是許多微粒的集合,
12:48
that is arranged安排 into this pattern模式,
262
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2879
它們被排列成這個模式,
12:51
then will decompose分解 and be available可得到,
263
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2762
將來會被分解開,所有的構成成份
12:53
all of its constituent組分 parts部分, to nature性質,
264
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2547
都會再次回到大自然中,可以再次
12:56
to reorganize改組 into another另一個 pattern模式.
265
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2154
被用來組織成另一個模式。
12:59
To me, that is so exciting扣人心弦,
266
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2459
對我來說,這很讓人興奮,
13:02
and it makes品牌 me even more grateful感激
to be part部分 of that process處理.
267
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4408
這甚至讓我更感激,
能夠成為那過程的一部分。
13:07
You know,
268
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1720
你們知道的,
13:09
I look at death死亡 now from the point of view視圖
of a German德語 biologist生物學家,
269
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6042
我現在從一位德國
生物學家的觀點來看待死亡,
13:15
Andreas安德烈亞斯 Weber韋伯,
270
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1455
安德里亞斯韋伯,
13:16
who looks容貌 at it as part部分
of the gift禮品 economy經濟.
271
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3602
他把死亡看做是禮物經濟的一部分。
13:20
You're given特定 this enormous巨大 gift禮品 -- life,
272
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2778
你得到了這份大禮——生命,
13:23
you enrich豐富 it as best最好 you can,
273
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2343
你就要盡可能活得充實,
13:25
and then you give it back.
274
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2060
因爲到底你還是得把它還回去的。
13:28
And, you know, Auntie阿姨 MameMame
said, "Life is a banquet宴會" --
275
796019
3333
你知道的,歡樂梅姑(電影)
說過:「人生是一場饗宴」——
13:31
well, I've eaten吃過 my fill.
276
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嗯,我已經吃了我足夠的份。
13:34
I have had an enormous巨大 appetite食慾 for life,
277
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2271
我對於人生的胃口很大,
13:36
I've consumed消費 life,
278
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1223
我吃完了生命,
13:37
but in death死亡, I'm going to be consumed消費.
279
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2635
在死亡中,我將會被吃完。
13:40
I'm going into the ground地面
just the way I am,
280
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3451
我將會以我的樣子回到土地中,
13:43
and there, I invite邀請 every一切 microbe微生物
281
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2951
在那裡,我邀請所有的微生物
13:46
and detritus-er碎石-er
282
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1356
和岩屑,
13:48
and decomposer分解
283
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2150
和分解者,
13:50
to have their fill --
284
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1166
取用他們的份——
13:51
I think they'll他們會 find me delicious美味的.
285
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2556
我想,他們會覺得我很可口。
13:54
(Laughter笑聲)
286
822101
1202
(笑聲)
13:55
I do.
287
823327
1250
真的。
13:57
So the best最好 thing about my attitude態度,
I think, is that it's real真實.
288
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5039
我想,關於我的態度,
最棒的一點就是,它是真實的。
14:02
You can see it.
289
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1326
你們可以看見它。
14:03
You can observe it.
290
831997
1151
你們可以觀察到它。
14:05
It actually其實 happens發生.
291
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1466
它是真正發生的。
14:06
Well, maybe not my enriching豐富 the gift禮品,
292
834662
3715
也許不是我充實了那份禮物,
14:10
I don't know about that --
293
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1755
我不確定那一點——
14:12
but my life has certainly當然
been enriched豐富 by other people.
294
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3568
但我的生命肯定是
被其他人給充實了。
14:15
By TEDTED,
295
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1205
包括 TED,
14:17
which哪一個 introduced介紹 me
to a whole整個 network網絡 of people
296
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3159
它讓我認識了一大堆人,
14:20
who have enriched豐富 my life,
297
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2679
這些人充實了我的生命,
14:22
including包含 Tricia崔西亞 McGillisMcGillis,
my website網站 designer設計師,
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3193
包括崔夏麥格里斯,
我的網站設計師,
14:26
who's誰是 working加工 with my wonderful精彩 daughter女兒
299
854104
2365
他和我那位很棒的女兒合作,
14:28
to take my website網站
and turn it into something
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3538
把我的網站轉變成我只需要
14:32
where all I have to do is write a blog博客.
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去寫網誌就夠了的地方。
14:33
I don't have to use
the executive行政人員 brain function功能 ...
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我不需要去使用大腦執行功能……
14:36
Ha, ha, ha, I win贏得!
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哈哈哈,我贏了!
14:40
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
14:41
And I am so grateful感激 to you.
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我也很感謝你們。
14:44
I don't want to say, "the audience聽眾,"
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我並不想用「觀眾」這個詞,
14:47
because I don't really see it
as we're two separate分離 things.
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因為我並不覺得
我們是兩樣分開的東西。
14:51
I think of it in terms條款
of quantum量子 physics物理, again.
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我再次用量子物理的角度來思考。
14:58
And, you know, quantum量子 physicists物理學家
are not exactly究竟 sure what happens發生
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你們知道的,量子物理
並不能完全肯定
當波變成微粒時會發生什麼事。
15:03
when the wave becomes a particle粒子.
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有不同的理論——
15:05
There are different不同 theories理論 --
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波函數坍塌、
15:07
the collapse坍方 of the wave function功能,
312
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退相干——
15:09
decoherence消相干 --
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但這些理論都有個共同點:
15:10
but they're all agreed約定 on one thing:
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現實透過交互作用才存在。
15:12
that reality現實 comes into being存在
through通過 an interaction相互作用.
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15:18
(Voice語音 breaking破壞) So do you.
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(聲音斷續)各位也是。
15:20
And every一切 audience聽眾 I've ever had,
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我曾經遇見的所有的觀眾也是,
15:22
past過去 and present當下.
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過去的和現在的都是。
15:25
Thank you so much for making製造 my life real真實.
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謝謝你們讓我的人生變真實。
15:29
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
15:30
Thank you.
321
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1151
謝謝你們。
15:31
(Applause掌聲)
322
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1460
(掌聲)
15:33
Thank you.
323
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1169
謝謝你們。
15:34
(Applause掌聲)
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1053
(掌聲)
15:35
Thank you.
325
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1159
謝謝你們。
15:36
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
15:37
Thank you.
327
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1181
謝謝你們。
Translated by Lilian Chiu
Reviewed by Yanyan Hong

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Emily Levine - Philosopher-comic
Humorist, writer and trickster Emily Levine riffs on science and the human condition.

Why you should listen

Humorist Emily Levine works a heady vein of humor, cerebral and thoughtful as well as hilarious. Oh, she's got plenty of jokes. But her work, at its core, makes serious connections -- between hard science and pop culture, between what we say and what we secretly assume ... She plumbs the hidden oppositions, the untouchable not-quite-truths of the modern mind.

Levine's background in improv theater, with its requirement to always say "yes" to the other actor's reality, has helped shape her worldview. Always suspicious of sharp either/or distinctions, she proposes "the quantum logic of and/and" -- a thoroughly postmodern, scientifically informed take on life that allows for complicated states of being. Like the one we're in right now.

For more on Levine's thoughts about life and death, read her blog, "The Yoy of Dying," at EmilysUniverse.com, along with updates on "Emily @ the Edge of Chaos" and pronouncements from Oracle Em.

More profile about the speaker
Emily Levine | Speaker | TED.com