unit 1 can we know the universe.ppt

Unit 1 Can We Know the Universe? — Reflections on a Grain of Salt Carl Sagan Can we know the universe? — Reflections on a Grain of Salt universe : 1) All matter and energy, including Earth, the galaxies and all therein, and the contents of intergalactic space, regarded as a whole. 宇宙 (一切物质和能量，包括被视为一个整体的地球，各星系及其所包容的星体，和星系间空间电的物质) 2) The earth together with all its inhabitants and created things 世界(地球及其上面的所有居住者和被创造的事物) 3) The human race 人类 reflection (on): consideration of some subject matter, idea, or purpose 沉思, 反省, 思考 Expressions Patterns Structure Part 1 (Para. 1-2) Structure penetrate (to/into/through/etc.): v. pierce through something；to see through 刺穿,穿透;看透，洞察 by no means: in no way; not at all 决不, 一点也不 distort to give a false or misleading account of; misrepresent曲解，歪曲，误传 eg: The newspaper accounts of international affairs are sometimes distorted. 那家报纸对国际事件的报道有时是歪曲事实的。 to twist out of a proper or natural relation of parts; misshape 扭歪，扭曲，使变形 eg: Years of pain had distorted his face. 多年的痛苦扭曲了他的脸。 Cultural Notes Aristotle(384 b.c.—322 b.c.) a Greek philosopher; a pupil of Plato; the tutor of Alexander the Great; influence on Western thought; Accordingly, science sometimes requires courage -- at the very least, the courage to question the conventional wisdom. Part 2 (Para. 3-9) In what sense the universe is intractable and immune to any human attempt at full knowledge? Why are human beings highly motivated to find regularities and natural laws? Structure The Milky Way Galaxy The Milky Way Galaxy Those creatures who find everyday experience a muddled jumble of events with no predictability, no regularity, are in grave peril. The living beings would be in great danger, if they couldn’t make any predictions of their life according to the regularities and natural laws of the universe. Part 3 (Para. 10-12) What is the ideal universe for the author? Do