C12Test 05-Passage 3:What’s the purpose of gaining knowledge?
A'I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any subject.' That was the founder’s motto for Cornell University, and it seems an apt characterization of the different university, also in the USA, where I currently teach philosophy. A student can prepare for a career in resort management, engineering, interior design, accounting, music, law enforcement, you name it. But what would the founders of these two institutions have thought of a course called 'Arson for Profit'? I kid you not: we have it on the books. Any undergraduates who have met the academic requirements can sign up for the course in our program in 'fire science'.
生词：appreciatesinstitution n. 制度；建立；（社会或宗教等）公共机构；习俗
motto ['mɒtəʊ] n. 座右铭，格言；箴言
apt [æpt]adj. 恰当的；有…倾向的；灵敏的 be apt to do sth 1. to have a natural tendency to do something倾向于做某事，易于做某事 2. exactly right for a particular situation or purpos
e适当的，恰当的 ‘Love at first sight’ is a very apt description of how he felt when he saw her. 用“一见钟情”来形容他见到她时的感觉再恰当不过。 3. an apt pupil/student formal a student who is quick to learn and understand 聪明的学生
resort management旅游胜地管理 度假管理
you name it [口语]凡是你想到的说好了；无奇不有；随你讲什么都行，任凭你说Become obsessedwith learning everything you can find – new skills, approaches, ideas, you name it. 不断学习你所能到的一切——新的技能、方法、思想，一切凡是你能想到的
arson ['ɑːs(ə)n] n. 纵火；纵火罪 the crime of deliberately making something burn, especially a building纵火（罪），放火（罪）
I kid you not我不骗你 我不是在跟你开玩笑
译文：“我会成立一个机构，在这儿任何人都可以在任何科目上得到指导。”这是康奈尔大学(Cornell University)创始人的座右铭，它似乎是美国另一所大学的一个贴切的描述—这便是
我目前在美国教授哲学的地方。学生可以在度假管理、工程、室内设计、会计、音乐、执法等方面进行学习。但是，这两家机构的创始人会否想到一门叫做“纵火获益”的课程吗?我不骗你，我们在书上有。任何满足（一定）学术要求的本科生都可以报名参加我们的“消防科学”课程。
段落大意：引入主题：Fire science/ arson for profit.
B Naturally, the course is intended for prospective arson investigators, who can learn all the tricks of the trade for detecting whether a fire was deliberately set, discovering who did it, and establishing a chain of evidence for effective prosecution in a court of law. But wouldn’t this also be the perfect course for prospective arsonists to sign up for? My point is not to criticize academic programs in fire science: they are highly welcome as part of the increasing professionalization of this and many other occupations. However, it’s not unknown for a firefighter to torch a building. This example suggests how dishonest and illegal behavior, with the help of higher education, can creep into every aspect of public and business life.
prospective n. 预期；展望adj. 未来的；预期的 prospective employee/candidate/buyer etc 1. someone who is likely to do a particular thing or achieve a particular position可能成为雇员的人/可能成功的候选人/潜在的客户等 2. likely to happen很可能发生的 the prospective costs of providing pensions 提供养老金可能产生的成本 Prospective study前瞻性调查、远景调查 prospective earnings预期收益远景收益
trade n. 贸易，交易；行业；职业vt. 用…进行交换
prosecution n. 起诉，检举；进行；经营 1.[C,U] when a charge is made against someone for a crime, or when someone is judged for a crime in a court of law（被）刑事起诉a criminal prosecution 刑事诉讼 2. the prosecution the lawyers who try to prove in a court of law that someone is guilty of a crime〔刑事案件的〕检控方，控方•the chief witness for the prosecution 控方的主要证人 3.[U] formal when you do something that is your job〔职责的〕执行，履行•the prosecution of her duties 履行她的职责
creep n. 爬行；毛骨悚然的感觉；谄媚者vi. 爬行；蔓延；慢慢地移动；起鸡皮疙瘩 creep into
悄悄混进/开始发生于
译文：当然，这门课程是为未来的纵火调查人员准备的，他们可以学习这个职业的所有技巧—侦查是否故意纵火，发现纵火犯人，并在法庭上建立有效起诉的证据链。但这难道不是未来纵火犯的最佳选择吗?我的观点并不是批评”消防科学”这系列学术课程: 作为提升这个职业（其他别的职业也一样）越来越专业化的一部分（举措），它们是非常受欢迎的。然而，也不是没有发生过消防员纵火的案例。这个例子表明，在高等教育的帮助下，不诚实和非法的行为也会渗透到公共和商业生活的方方面面。
段落大意：
C I realized this anew when I was invited to speak before a class in marketing, which is another of our degree programs. The regular instructor is a colleague who appreciates the kind of ethical perspective I can bring as a philosopher. There are endless ways I could hav
e approached this assignment, but I took my cue from the title of the course: ‘Principles of Marketing '. It made me think to ask the students, ‘Is marketing principled?’ After all, a subject matter can have principled in the same of being ethical. Many of the students immediately assumed that the answer to my question about marketing principles was obviously it need not be done in a principled (=ethical ) fashion.
生词： anew adv. 重新；再 Today you have the opportunity to begin anew. 今天的你有机会重新开始生活。
cue n. 提示，暗示；线 vt. 给…暗示
译文： 当我被邀请在市场营销课(这是我们的另一个学位课程)上发言时，我再次意识到了这一点。常驻讲师是一个我视为哲学家的站在道德立场的一位同事。我有很多方法可以完成这项任务，但我从课程的标题——“营销原理”中获得了灵感。这让我想到问学生，“市场营销有原则吗?”毕竟，（任何）一个主题是可以在道德上有原则的。许多学生立刻认为，我关于营销原则的问题的答案显然是不需要以有原则的方式去做。
段落大意： 营销原理vs 伦理道德的思考；
D Is that obvious? I made the suggestion, which may sound downright crazy in light of the evidence, that perhaps marketing is by definition principled. My inspiration for this judgement is the philosopher Immanuel Kant, who argued that any body of knowledge consists of an end (or purpose ) and a means.
生词： downright adj. 明白的；直率的；显明的 adv. 完全，彻底；全然
in light of 根据；鉴于；从…观点
by definition 按照定义；当然地；明显地
译文：这很明显吗?我提出了这个建议—考虑到证据因素，这可能听起来非常疯狂--也许市场营销是有原则的。我对这一判断的启发是哲学家伊曼努尔·康德(Immanuel Kant)，他认为任何一种知识都是由目的和手段组成的。
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