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SheilaOrfano_TheRashomonEffect_2020E-_你的记忆可信吗？_-
A samurai is found dead in a quiet bamboo grove . 一位武士陈尸于僻静的竹林中。
One by one , the crime’s only known witnesses recount their version of the events that transpired . 命案仅有的几位证人 逐一从各自的视角 描述了事件经过。
But as they each tell their tale, it becomes clear that every testimony is plausible , yet different. 然而,当他们逐个叙述时, 显然,每个人的证词 都能自圆其说,却又互相矛盾,
samurai:n.(日)武士;武士阶级; grove:n.小树林;果园; One by one:一个接一个; witnesses:n.[法]证人; v.作证; recount:v.叙述;重新计算;n.重算; transpired:v.公开;为人所知;发生;(植物)水分蒸发;(transpire的过去式和过去分词) testimony:n.[法]证词,证言;证据; plausible:adj.貌似可信的,花言巧语的;貌似真实的,貌似有理的;
And each witness implicates themselves. 而且每位证人都承认自己涉案。
This is the premise of “In a Grove,” a short story published in the early 1920s by Japanese author Ryūnosuke Akutagawa. 这就是日本作家芥川龙之介 早在 1920 年发表的 短篇小说《竹林中》的引文。
Though many know this tale of warring perspectives by a different name: 不过,大多数人知道的可能是 这扑朔迷离故事的别名:
implicates:v.牵涉,涉及(某人); (implicate的第三人称单数和复数) premise:n.前提;假定;v.假定;预述(条件等);引导(论述等);; short story:短篇小说(指一万字以内的小说); perspectives:n.[数]透视,远景,看法;构面;观点展示(perspective的复数形式);
In 1950, Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa adapted two of Akutagawa’s stories into one film. 1950 年,日本导演黑泽明 将芥川的两篇小说 改编成了一部电影。
This movie introduced the world to an enduring cultural metaphor that has transformed our understanding of truth, justice and human memory. 这部电影向世界介绍了 一个经久不衰的文化隐喻, 这个隐喻转变了我们 对真相、正义和人类记忆的所知。
The Rashomon effect describes a situation in which individuals give significantly different but equally conceivable accounts of the same event. 罗生门效应描述的情况是, 个体对同一个事件给出了截然不同 却又同样可信的描述。
filmmaker:n.电影制作人;电影摄制者; adapted:adj.适于…的; v.使适应,使适合; (adapt的过去分词和过去式) enduring:adj.持久的;耐久的;v.忍耐;忍受;持续;持久;(endure的现在分词) cultural:adj.与文化有关的;文化的;与艺术、文学、音乐等有关的; metaphor:n.暗喻,隐喻;比喻说法; transformed:v.使改变形态;使改变外观(或性质);(transform的过去分词和过去式) justice:n.公平;公正;司法制度;审判; describes:v.描述;形容;把…称为;画出…图形;(describe的第三人称单数) individuals:n.[经]个人;[生物]个体(individual的复数); significantly:adv.意味深长地;值得注目地; conceivable:adj.可能的;想得到的,可想像的;
Often used to highlight the unreliability of eyewitnesses , the Rashomon effect usually occurs under two specific conditions. 罗生门效应常常被用来强调 目击证人的不可靠, 这种效应经常在两种特定条件下发生。
The first: there’s no evidence to verify what really happened. 其一:没有证据印证究竟发生了什么。
And the second: there’s pressure to achieve closure , often provided by an authority figure trying to identify the definitive truth. 其二:有人施压想要了结事件, 这种压力通常来自 试图对真相得出定论的权威人物。
highlight:vt.突出;强调;使显著;加亮;n.最精彩的部分;最重要的事情;加亮区; unreliability:n.不可靠,不可信赖;不安全; eyewitnesses:n.目击者;见证人;(eyewitness的复数) occurs:v.重现(occur的第三人称单数); specific:adj.特殊的,特定的;明确的;详细的;[药]具有特效的;n.特性;细节;特效药; evidence:n.证据,证明;迹象;明显;v.证明; verify:vt.核实;查证; closure:n.关闭;终止,结束;v.使结束;使终止;; provided:conj.假如; v.提供; (provide的过去分词和过去式) authority:n.权威;权力;当局; identify:v.识别:鉴定:确认:发现: definitive:n.限定词;adj.决定性的;最后的;限定的;
But the Rashomon effect undermines the very idea of a singular , objective truth. 但罗生门效应动摇了 存在单一、客观真相的想法。
In the source material, 在原始作品中,
Akutagawa and Kurosawa use the tools of their media to give each character’s testimony equal weight, transforming each witness into an unreliable narrator . 芥川和黑泽分别在小说与电影中, 给每个角色的证词以同等权重, 从而使得每位证人的证词都不可靠。
undermines:暗中破坏; singular:adj.单数的;单一的;非凡的;异常的;n.单数; objective:n.目标; adj.客观的; source:n.来源;水源;原始资料; media:n.媒体;媒质(medium的复数);血管中层;浊塞音;中脉; transforming:v.使改变形态;使改变外观(或性质);使改观;(transform的现在分词) unreliable:adj.不可靠的;靠不住的; narrator:n.讲述者;(电视节目中的)幕后解说员;旁白员;
Without any hints on who’s sharing the most accurate account, the audience can’t tell which character to trust. 因为没有任何线索告诉我们 谁分享的事件经过最确切, 观众也无法判断该信任哪个角色。
Instead, each testimony takes on a truthful quality, and the audience is left doubting their convictions as they guess who ended the samurai’s life. 相反,每段证词都具备真实性, 观众只能一边猜测 谁夺走了武士的性命, 一边怀疑自己的判断。
Some might find this frustrating because the plot subverts expectations of how mysteries usually end. 有些人可能会感到沮丧, 因为剧情颠覆了 人们以往对悬疑小说结尾的期望。
hints:n.暗示,提示(hint的复数形式);v.暗示,示意(hint的单三形式); accurate:adj.精确的; convictions:n.判罪;定罪;坚定的看法(或信念);坚信;肯定;(conviction的复数) frustrating:adj.令人沮丧的;v.使沮丧;(frustrate的现在分词) plot:n.情节;阴谋;布局;小块土地;v.密谋;暗中策划;(在地图上)标出;绘制(图表); subverts:v.推翻;腐蚀(思想);(subverts是subvert的第三人称单数); expectations:n.预料;预期;期待;希望;指望;(expectation的复数)
But by refusing to provide a clear answer, these two artists capture the messiness and complexity of truth and human memory. 但正因为没有提供明确答案, 这两位艺术大家捕捉到 真相与人类记忆的纷乱与复杂。
Neuroscientists have found that when we form a memory, our interpretation of visual information is influenced by our previous experiences and internal biases . 神经科学家发现, 当我们记忆形成时, 我们对眼前信息的解读 会受到过往经历和内在偏见的影响。
Some of these biases are unique to individuals, but others are more universal . 有些偏见是个人独有的, 有些则更为普遍。
capture:v.俘虏;捕获;攻占;夺得;刻画,描述;n.(被)捕获;(被)俘获 messiness:n.乱糟糟;混乱; complexity:n.复杂性;难以理解的局势 Neuroscientists:n.神经系统科学家; interpretation:n.解释;翻译;演出; visual:adj.视觉的,视力的;栩栩如生的; influenced:v.影响;对…起作用;支配;左右;(influence的过去分词和过去式) previous:adj.以前的;早先的;过早的;adv.在先;在…以前; internal:n.内脏;本质;adj.内部的;里面的;体内的;(机构)内部的; biases:n.偏差,偏见(bias的复数形式);v.偏见(bias的三单形式); unique:adj.独特的,稀罕的;[数]唯一的;n.独一无二的人或物; universal:adj.普遍的;全体的;全世界的;共同的;
For example, egocentric bias can influence people to subconsciously reshape their memories in ways that cast a positive light on their actions. 比如说,自我中心偏差 能让人潜意识地重塑记忆, 让自己的行动显得更为积极。
Even if we were able to encode a memory accurately , recalling it incorporates new information that changes the memory. 即使我们能准确地记住, 在回忆时也会加入新信息, 让记忆发生改变。
And when we later recall that event, we typically remember the embellished memory instead of the original experience. 之后再回忆事件时, 我们通常会记住经过修饰的记忆, 而不是原始的经历。
egocentric:adj.[心理]自我中心的;利己主义的;n.利己主义者; subconsciously:adv.潜意识地; reshape:vt.改造;再成形; positive:adj.积极的;[数]正的,[医][化学]阳性的;确定的;n.正数;[摄]正片; encode:vt.(将文字材料)译成密码;编码,编制成计算机语言; accurately:adv.精确地,准确地; recalling:v.记起;回忆起;回想起;召回;(recall的现在分词) incorporates:组成公司; typically:adv.代表性地;作为特色地; embellished:v.美化;装饰;布置;对…添枝加叶;(embellish的过去分词和过去式) original:n.原件;原作;原物;原型;adj.原始的;最初的;独创的;新颖的;
These underlying psychological phenomena mean that the Rashomon effect can pop up anywhere. 这些基本的心理现象 意味着罗生门效应 随时随地都能出现。
In biology , scientists starting from the same dataset and applying the same analytical methods, frequently publish different results. 在生物学中,科学家们用同样的分析方法 研究同样的数据集, 却常常会发表不同的结果。
Anthropologists regularly grapple with the impact personal backgrounds can have on an expert's perception . 人类学家经常要面对 个人背景对专业认知产生的影响。
underlying:adj.根本的; v.构成…的基础; (underlie的现在分词) psychological:adj.心理的;心理学的;精神上的; phenomena:n.现象(phenomenon的复数); pop up:v.突然出现; biology:n.(一个地区全部的)生物;生物学; dataset:na.数据集;数传机; applying:v.申请,请求;使用;应用;(apply的现在分词) analytical:adj.分析的;解析的;善于分析的; frequently:adv.频繁地,经常地;时常,屡次; publish:v.出版;发表;公布; Anthropologists:[人类]人类学家; regularly:adv.经常地;有规律地;定期的 grapple:v.扭打;搏斗;努力设法解决;n.格斗;紧握;抓机; impact:n.影响;效果;碰撞;冲击力;v.挤入,压紧;撞击;对…产生影响; personal:adj.个人的;身体的;亲自的;n.人事消息栏;人称代名词; perception:n.感知;知觉;看法;洞察力;
In one famous case, two anthropologists visited the Mexican village of Tepoztlan. 一个有名的例子就是,两位人类学家 探访了墨西哥的迪坡斯特兰村镇。
The first researcher described life in the town as happy and contented , while the second recorded residents as paranoid and disgruntled . 第一位研究学者描述说, 镇里的生活幸福而满足; 而第二位学者则记录的是, 居民既偏执又不满。
Experts aside, the Rashomon effect can also impact the general public , particularly when it comes to the perception of complicated world events. 抛开专家不谈,罗生门效应 也能影响普通公众, 尤其是在对复杂的世界事件的看法上。
For example, following a 2015 security summit between the United States and leaders from the Arab States, media reports about the summit varied enormously . 例如,在 2015 年 美国和阿拉伯国家领袖的安全峰会后, 媒体对该峰会的报道大相径庭。
described:v.描述;形容;把…称为;做…运动;(describe的过去分词和过去式) contented:adj.满足的;心安的;v.使…满足;使…安心(content的过去式和过去分词); residents:n.居民;住院医生;房客;(resident的复数) paranoid:adj.类似妄想狂的;属于偏执狂的;n.患妄想狂的人;偏执狂患者; disgruntled:adj.不满的;不高兴的; general public:n.普通百姓;大众;公众; particularly:adv.特别地,独特地;详细地,具体地;明确地,细致地; complicated:adj.复杂的;难懂的;v.使复杂化;(complicate的过去分词和过去式) summit:n.峰会;山顶;顶点;最高点; United:adj.联合的; v.联合,团结; (unite的过去分词和过去式) varied:adj.多变的;各式各样的;杂色的;v.改变;使多样化;(vary的过去式和过去分词) enormously:adv.巨大地,庞大地;非常地,在极大程度上;
Some stated that it had gone smoothly , while others called it a complete failure. 有的声称峰会进行顺利, 而有的则大呼峰会彻底失败。
It's tempting to fixate on why we have competing perceptions , but perhaps the more important question the Rashomon effect raises is, what is truth anyway? 虽然很容易纠结于 我们为什么会有互相矛盾的感受, 但也许罗生门效应 提出了一个更重要的问题: 真相到底是什么呢？
smoothly:adv.平稳地,平滑地;流畅地,流利地; tempting:adj.吸引人的;诱惑人的;v.引诱;(tempt的现在分词); fixate:v.(使)固定,注视; competing:adj.相互冲突的;相互矛盾的;v.竞争;对抗;参加比赛;(compete的现在分词) perceptions:n.认知;观念(perception的复数);理解;
Are there situations when an “objective truth” doesn’t exist? 是否有“客观真相”不存在的情况？
What can different versions of the same event tell us about the time, place and people involved ? 同一事件的不同版本 是否能让我们了解 时间、地点和涉及人物？
And how can we make group decisions if we’re all working with different information, backgrounds, and biases? 如果我们的信息、 背景和偏见各不相同, 我们又该如何做出集体决策呢？
Like most questions, these don’t have a definitive answer. 与大多数问题一样, 这些并没有明确答案。
involved:adj.有关的; v.涉及; (involve的过去式和过去分词)
But the enduring importance of Akutagawa’s story suggests there may be value in embracing the ambiguity . 但芥川故事里的重要意义经久不衰, 表明了接受不确定性 或许也有其价值。
embracing:n.拥抱;v.拥抱,包含;(embrace的现在分词) ambiguity:n.含糊;不明确;暧昧;模棱两可的话;