Brief History of Disbelief 无神论简史
This series is about the disappearance 1 of something, religious faith. It's the story of what is often referred to as atheism 2, the history of the growing conviction that God doesn't exist.
Given the fact that so many recent history programs have all the resources of dramatic reconstruction 3, not to mention computer-generated animations 4, I should perhaps warn you that what you are not going to see in this program is anything that you might be tempted 5 to think of as "Walking With Atheists". I will not be seen leaning over a balcony like this, watching René Descartes nibbling 6 his quill 7 while he struggles with the problem of mind-brain duality, and there will be no blurred 8, slow motion shots of people making leaps of faith or failing to do so. But first of all, because I think such dramatization is somewhat vulgar and they are inappropriate.
And in any case, I think such an approach supposes that from the vantage point of a time machine, I'd be able to look down fondly upon individuals who are clearly antecedents of people like myself, who had to go through the penalties, dangers and risks of atheism, whilst I could luxuriate in the achievements which they won unknowingly on my behalf. Now in looking backwards 9, we will not find people who are the counterparts of those of us today who enjoy the luxury of thoughtless disbelief.
All the same, while these programs may reveal how the doctrine 10s and dogmas of religious faith have been called into question, I suppose that the doctrines 11 and dogmas of modern television require me to present you with a trailer of what you have in store.
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?
Then he is not omnipotent 12.
Is he able but not willing?
Then he is malevolent 13.
In making this series, I have inevitably 14 discovered that the history of faith and doubt is a great deal more complicated than it might seem.
Is God both able and willing?
Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing?
Then why call him God?
Words & Phrases
atheism: (n.) Disbelief in or denial of the existence of God or gods. 无神论
René Descartes: French mathematician 15 and philosopher. Considered the father of analytic 16 geometry, he formulated 17 the Cartesian system of coordinates 18. His philosophy is based on the rationalistic premise 19 “I think, therefore I am.” 笛卡尔
quill: (n.) A writing pen made from the shaft 20 of a feather. 羽毛笔
antecedents: (n.) One's ancestors. 祖先
doctrine: (n.) A principle or body of principles presented for acceptance or belief, as by a religious, political, scientific, or philosophic 21 group; dogma. 教条
dogma: (n.) A doctrine or a corpus of doctrines relating to matters such as morality and faith, set forth 22 in an authoritative 23 manner by a church. 【神学】教义
whence: (adv.) From where; from what place 从何处；从哪里
cometh: 【古语】=comes
"Walking With Atheists": Here alludes 24 to the immensely popular Walking With Dinosaurs 25 by the BBC, while poking 26 fun at himself and his fellow atheists.
- He was hard put to it to explain her disappearance.他难以说明她为什么不见了。
- Her disappearance gave rise to the wildest rumours.她失踪一事引起了各种流言蜚语。
- Atheism is the opinion that there is no God.无神论是认为不存在上帝的看法。
- Atheism is a hot topic.无神论是个热门话题。
- The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
- In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。
- You'll see your team cheerleaders and mascot performing new animations as well. 你会看到啦啦队队长跟吉祥物也都会有全新的动作。 来自互联网
- Ability to create simple movie and animations using graphic & multimedia software. 能够用平面和多媒体软件制作简单的电影及动画。 来自互联网
- I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
- I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。
- We sat drinking wine and nibbling olives. 我们坐在那儿，喝着葡萄酒嚼着橄榄。
- He was nibbling on the apple. 他在啃苹果。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- He wrote with a quill.他用羽毛笔写字。
- She dipped a quill in ink,and then began to write.她将羽毛笔在墨水里蘸了一下，随后开始书写。
- She suffered from dizziness and blurred vision. 她饱受头晕目眩之苦。
- Their lazy, blurred voices fell pleasantly on his ears. 他们那种慢吞吞、含糊不清的声音在他听起来却很悦耳。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。
- All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。
- He was impelled to proclaim his doctrine.他不得不宣扬他的教义。
- The council met to consider changes to doctrine.宗教议会开会考虑更改教义。
- To modern eyes, such doctrines appear harsh, even cruel. 从现代的角度看，这样的教义显得苛刻，甚至残酷。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- His doctrines have seduced many into error. 他的学说把许多人诱入歧途。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- When we are omnipotent we shall have no more need of science.我们达到万能以后就不需要科学了。
- Money is not omnipotent,but we can't survive without money.金钱不是万能的，但是没有金钱我们却无法生存。
- Why are they so malevolent to me?他们为什么对我如此恶毒？
- We must thwart his malevolent schemes.我们决不能让他的恶毒阴谋得逞。
- In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去，毫无疑问是会散伙的。
- Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。
- The man with his back to the camera is a mathematician.背对着照相机的人是位数学家。
- The mathematician analyzed his figures again.这位数学家再次分析研究了他的这些数字。
- The boy has an analytic mind. 这男孩有分析的头脑。
- Latin is a synthetic language,while English is analytic.拉丁文是一种综合性语言，而英语是一种分析性语言。
- He claims that the writer never consciously formulated his own theoretical position. 他声称该作家从未有意识地阐明他自己的理论见解。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- This idea can be formulated in two different ways. 这个意思可以有两种说法。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- The town coordinates on this map are 695037. 该镇在这幅地图上的坐标是695037。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- Let me premise my argument with a bit of history.让我引述一些史实作为我立论的前提。
- We can deduce a conclusion from the premise.我们可以从这个前提推出结论。
- He was wounded by a shaft.他被箭击中受伤。
- This is the shaft of a steam engine.这是一个蒸汽机主轴。
- It was a most philosophic and jesuitical motorman.这是个十分善辩且狡猾的司机。
- The Irish are a philosophic as well as a practical race.爱尔兰人是既重实际又善于思想的民族。
- The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
- He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。
- David speaks in an authoritative tone.大卫以命令的口吻说话。
- Her smile was warm but authoritative.她的笑容很和蔼，同时又透着威严。