真理和網際網路

By Vinton G. Cerf
翻譯：flyisland @ yeeyan.com

簡介
在「反低俗」越演越烈的現在，Vinton G. Cerf （網際網路之父，同時是Google副總裁）的這篇文章對我們大家都很有必要。讓我們許下這個新世紀願望——教導我們的孩子（更重要的教導我們自己）更加深入的思考他們的所見所聞，相比任何電子過濾器，這將更有助於建立堅持真理的基礎.

真理是一種強大的力量，石牆也在它不可抵擋的威力面前瓦解。網際網路是自由最強大的代言人之一，它將真理帶給那些希望找尋它的人們。毫不奇怪，一些政府和組織對網際網路及其揭示真理的能力感到恐懼。

但網際網路的力量像是一把雙刃劍，它同樣會傳遞錯誤的信息和未經證實的看法，深思熟慮和輕率愚蠢的想法一併在網際網路中共存。那該怎麼辦呢？

世上不存在能夠去偽存真的電子過濾器，也沒有能夠去蕪存菁的認知晶元。我們唯一能運用的方法就是：獨立思考，它不僅僅適用於網際網路，對於其他所有通信媒體也是同樣的。相對其他媒體，不過是迫使我們更加清楚的認識到這一點。泥沙俱下、良莠不齊的內容促使人思考，這是一個教育我們自己的機會。我們真的必須思考我們的所見所聞，必須對其進行評估和選擇，我們必須為自己選擇道路。還有什麼比這更好地教導我們的年輕一代做好準備，去迎接社會、經濟和科技全面變革的新世紀。

讓我們許下這個新世紀願望——教導我們的孩子更加深入的思考他們的所見所聞，相比任何電子過濾器，這將更有助於建立堅持真理的基礎。


Truth and the Internet
By Vinton G. Cerf

Truth is a powerful solvent. Stone walls melt before its relentless might. The Internet is one of the most powerful agents of freedom. It exposes truth to those who wish to see it. It is no wonder that some governments and organizations fear the Internet and its ability to make the truth known.

But the power of the Internet is like a two-edged sword. It can also deliver misinformation and uncorroborated opinion with equal ease. The thoughtful and the thoughtless co-exist side by side in the Internet's electronic universe. What's to be done?

There are no electronic filters that separate truth from fiction. No cognitive "V-chip" to sort the gold from the lead. We have but one tool to apply: critical thinking. This truth applies as well to all other communication media, not only the Internet. Perhaps the World Wide Web merely forces us to see this more clearly than other media. The stark juxtaposition of valuable and valueless content sets one to thinking. Here is an opportunity to educate us all. We truly must think about what we see and hear. We must evaluate and select. We must choose our guides. What better lesson than this to teach our young children to prepare them for a new century of social, economic and technological change?

Let us make a new Century resolution to teach our children to think more deeply about what they see and hear. That, more than any electronic filter, will build a foundation upon which truth can stand.

[ 本帖最後由 goodoctor 於 2009-2-8 10:56 編輯 ]