Thoughts to You From Yours Truly - ( TYYT ) - ( 70 ) - Web is Wonderful Worker But Bad Boss ( 互聯網是好僕人但壞老闆 ) - April, 25, 2011
There is a profoundly inspiring song composed and sung by the great Joni Mitchell that is my undisputed favourite. It is called " Both Sides Now " which beautifully portraits the enigmatic and ever changing nature of love and life. More specifically, it metaphors love and life as the clouds viewed from different perspectives and appearing in countless shapes and forms. So, it is the same with all phenomena in nature and our life.
我十分喜歡一首由Joni Mitchell（茱妮米雪爾）所作的名曲，名字叫Both Sides Now ! (或翻譯作 " 兩面觀吧! " )。歌詞十分美麗和深刻地描寫了人生的變幻無常，以及愛情的神秘和高深莫測。歌詞以雲霧無盡的不同形態，莫測高深的性質， 來比喻愛情和人生，可以用不同角度觀察，便能夠領悟到不同的味道和啟示。大自然和我們生命中的變遷，就有如雲霧般變化無窮，多采多姿，悲歡離合，有得有失。
Imagine a time before the 1970s when the World Wide Web is just an academic term and magical concept which we cannot do without nowadays. The web has increased our daily convenience by leaps and bounds and has revolutionized the instant exchange of information thus improving all vital services such as health, finance, commerce and even social interaction. Lately, it is also instrumental in bringing about the overthrow of autocratic governments and serving the cause of democracy. The web is an undoubtedly wonderful worker for human kind.
讓我們追想1970 前沒有互聯網的年代，當年internet只是一個學術名詞，至今沒它不成了。它令我們日常生活的方便，倍增了不知有多少，也實現了 即時資訊傳遞，改進了所有重要服務，如醫療，金融，商業，以及社交溝通等。近日，它更加有效地幫助推翻一些極權政府，推動了不少民主制度的改革。從這角度 去看，互聯網的確是人類的一個好僕人。
Notwithstanding all the above merits the web is by no means immune from abuses and thus also inevitably subject to the BOTH SIDES NOW syndrome. Starting from the individual level the misuse of the web can lead to crimes of all abominations. Then, over indulgence in web surfing can deprive the individual especially teenagers of the opportunity in acquiring inter-personal communication skills which is vital to success in society later on in their lives. Thirdly, due to the advent of unhealthy video games which propagate violence and ambition ( such as kung fu fighting, war games and world domination ) human values like respect for life, property and other people are grossly degraded. The web is just like every other phenomena in this world. There must be a good and a bad side to things. Therefore, we must reduce the web to a wonderful worker and never let it become a bad boss !
話雖然這般說，但它也是經常被濫用的，所以它亦是無可避免地，成為" BOTH SIDES NOW ! " " 兩面觀吧！" 現象的一部分。在個人的層面，它的濫用可以導致醜惡的罪行。單是沉迷上網，便會令人喪失人與人之間的社交溝通技巧，這對年輕人將來在社會謀生的能力，大打 折扣。第三方面，由於有很多不良電子遊戲的出現 （ 如功夫打鬥，世界爭霸戰，各式各樣的戰爭遊戲 ），都表揚了暴力和強權的邪惡傾向，以及低扁人性和生命價值，對他人生命和財產的輕視，極端不健康。由此可見，互聯網真是一個壞老闆，就有如其他大自然和人類社會的一切現象，都是有好有壞，必須以兩面而觀之。因此，我們一定要把它打壓成為好僕人，不能讓它變成我們的壞老闆，切記，切記！
JKHC ( 鄭冠合 )
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Poem - Sadly Inspired by the Stars - Poetry & Prose - ( 6 ) - April, 15, 2011
Poem - Sadly Inspired by the Stars ( 觀星之神傷 - 弔天災人禍的死難者 ) - Poetry & Prose - ( 6 ) - April 15, 2011
千億銀河天外天,
Millions of galaxies spanning the endless universe
繁星閃爍耀目前，
With billions of stars twinkling before our eyes
借問辰宿命何貴，
Could they tell us how precious life really is ?
天際遙遙暗愁眠。
Sadly the immense void just stands yonder in silence !
JKHC ( 鄭冠合 )
( Dedicated to all victims of natural and man made disasters )
千億銀河天外天,
Millions of galaxies spanning the endless universe
繁星閃爍耀目前，
With billions of stars twinkling before our eyes
借問辰宿命何貴，
Could they tell us how precious life really is ?
天際遙遙暗愁眠。
Sadly the immense void just stands yonder in silence !
JKHC ( 鄭冠合 )
( Dedicated to all victims of natural and man made disasters )
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Thoughts to you from yours truly - ( 69 ) - April 10, 2011
Thoughts to You from Yours Truly - ( TYYT ) - ( 69 ) - Lesson from the French Revolution ( 法國大革命的啟示 ) - April 10, 2011
While the great French Revolution of 1789 is generally remembered as the inauguration of the democratic era in human history ( although Americans will no doubt say that 1776 is the beginning of democracy ) it is the painful lesson behind the circumstances of its birth that we must always be aware of for the good of the human race. The noble ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity are the slogans and hallmarks of democracy. These bench marks clearly set democracy far apart from other autocratic systems especially the feudalistic idea of monarchy - the naive and foolish claim of one person destined by heaven to rule his fellow citizens reinforced by military and economic oppression. While democracy is certainly not the best system of government ( I sincerely doubt if there were one given human nature for what it is - selfish and greedy ! ) it is perhaps the second best or the best compromise available. That is for this reason that I totally agree with the assessment of democracy by the famous British novelist , Edward Morgan Forster. He only gave two cheers for democracy in his book of essays of the same name. Democracy is based on the sensible idea that more heads are better than one " eternally absolute " head no matter how great the latter is supposed to be. Do not think for a moment that you are indispensable or that your head is better than everyone else's put together. It's just a naive, self-centred and greed motivated nonsense so critically denounced by " the revolution ". Such thinking is clearly an anti-revolutionary crime !
當我們紀念1789年法國大革命，尊它為民主政體的起源時 （ 某些人或許會覺得1776年美國獨立時，才是民主政體的開始 ），我們也應該記着它背面的環境細節，吸取教訓，才可以避免歷史再度重演。那些尊貴的理想，如自由，平等 和博愛等，都令到民主制度，別樹一幟，從其他政治制度獨立出來。尤其甚者，是民主政體與獨裁體制，平等和公道多了。比如君主專政，這是十分幼稚和愚蠢的信 念，以某一個人是上天安排來統治國家作基礎，更加使用武力和經濟壓力，迫害老百姓，實在不要得。雖然民主制度並不完美，但是仍可以算是一種最佳妥協方法，以平衡各 色各樣政制的不足。因此，我同意英國小說作家愛德華摩根福斯特，對民主制度給予二次歡呼，而不作三次致敬的說法。民主的理念，是建基於大多數人的智慧，必定比一個人的智慧為強，無論那一個人是多麼聰明。請不要妄想以為你自己是不能代替的，這是極度幼稚，自我中心，和貪婪的想法，而且平民革命以將這些想法切底批判了。這種思想，實在是一種反革命的罪行！
Let us forget rhetoric ( aka empty talk ) and fall back on reason which is the only sensible way to avoid human conflict and our ultimate self-destruction. Further, in order to avoid cultural and religious differences let us fall back on science and a materialistic outlook for those who don't care about spirituality anyway. Nature tells us that things and phenomena in this world are neither absolute nor eternal. Nature works in invariant cycles. So, how can any political machinery be the only absolute power that can exist for all perpetuity ( Isn't that exactly the feudalistic concept of dynasty that is supposed to have been done away with by " the revolution " ? ). There is a time for everything - a time to control and a time to let go. Even time itself is not absolute but different for people moving at different speed according to Albert Einstein. Again, in quantum mechanics each particle has its mirror image antiparticle. No entity can ever exist alone on its own. That is the invariant law of nature from which no one can be exempt. Enough is enough or else one will bring disrepute upon oneself for stepping over the line on natural justice and facing the inevitable fall from grace.
讓我們忘記政治口號（ 又叫作空談），以理性為基礎，因為只有這途徑，才能避免人與人之間的衝突，以及最終導致人類的滅亡。再者，為避免文化和信仰的差別，讓我們倚靠有客觀標準 的科學去作分析。這樣會更加物資化，以迎合不相信靈性的某些人。大自然告訴我們，這世界上沒有絕對和永恆的事物。自然界的操作，是以無休止的週期進行的。那麼怎會有一個政治機器，可以永久獨裁地統治下去呢？( 這豈不是一種封建制度，而這正是平民革命所推翻了的不法行為？ ）大自然的定律，是任何事物都有適當的時間去處理，有控制的時候，也有放鬆的時刻。甚至連 時間本身亦因人而異。愛因斯坦的相對論，已證明了在不同速度移動的人，對時間的感受是各有不同的。再者，量子力學也證明了，每一粒子都有一個如鏡中影像的 伙伴，這世界上沒有一樣東西是可以單獨存在的。這是大自然永不變易的定律，絕對沒有人可以避免受到這些定律約束的。不要太過份，適可而止吧，否則便會身敗 名裂，因為違反自然定律的人，必定會遭到天誅地滅的。
Now, comes the most important lesson to be learned from the French Revolution. Do not treat people, especially the citizens you rule, like dirt. When citizens are stripped of their basic human rights and needs they are inevitably forced to rebel. Leave people something to hope for. Let them at least air their grievances if not really address their grievances in practical terms. Nowadays, feeding people with materialistic wealth which is their own to start with is not nearly good enough even though one chooses to call this a gift from " the party ". Furthermore, such material wealth is created at such huge moral costs as social injustice, corruption and lawlessness. On top of all these curses, there are constant pains and sorrow arising from falling school buildings built by greedy businessmen and sanctioned by corrupt officials and the banning of criticism and even comments on baby deaths from sale of toxic milk. What has the world become? Is this a fair price to be paid by common citizens for economic prosperity or is it, in fact, a farcical excuse for monopoly of power ? The Big Brother and Dreaded Despot are no longer viable approaches to politics. Instead, dialogue and transparency are the order of the day in today's world of real time information exchange. Let me say it again. Forget the cunning rhetorical excuses and get back to basic human standards of compassion, fairness and equality - in short respect basic human rights which are universal as borne out by the laws of nature. May true liberty, equality and fraternity prevail over neo-despotism and political rhetoric !
現在，讓我們看看法國大革命給予我們的教訓。這就是不能將你所管治的老百姓看作爛泥，當你把他們趕到走投無路時，他們沒有其他選擇，唯有導致官迫民反，起 來革你的命了！你必須留給他們一點東西，作為生命中的希望。至少給他們發洩怨氣，不要說真正為他們解決問題了。到了現今，單給予老百姓物需要是不足夠的。 其實，國家的資源，本來便屬於老百姓，是應該供應給人民的，那管你美其名為黨的恩賜。況且，現今的經濟發展，社會已付出了沉重的道德代價，更做成很多社會 不公平現象，貪污和目無法紀。除此之外，老百姓更要受盡痛苦，奸商和貪官鉤結，違規建築物倒塌，以及毒奶粉所做成的生靈塗炭。這真是世風日下，算是什麼一 回事？這經濟發展的代價實在太大了。其實，這些事情，如經濟繁榮等，都是為永久獨裁專政鋪路的藉口。老大哥和暴君獨裁，已經成為過去了的, 以及不合時宜的封建思 想。對話和有透明度才是合潮流的做法，以適應即時傳訊的新科技紀元。讓我再次呼籲，所有政府必須返回公義，平等和自由的管治方式，這是天經地義的任務，有 大自然定律為根據，是不能推卸的責任。讓自由，平等，博愛，真理正義長存！
JKHC ( 鄭冠合 )
While the great French Revolution of 1789 is generally remembered as the inauguration of the democratic era in human history ( although Americans will no doubt say that 1776 is the beginning of democracy ) it is the painful lesson behind the circumstances of its birth that we must always be aware of for the good of the human race. The noble ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity are the slogans and hallmarks of democracy. These bench marks clearly set democracy far apart from other autocratic systems especially the feudalistic idea of monarchy - the naive and foolish claim of one person destined by heaven to rule his fellow citizens reinforced by military and economic oppression. While democracy is certainly not the best system of government ( I sincerely doubt if there were one given human nature for what it is - selfish and greedy ! ) it is perhaps the second best or the best compromise available. That is for this reason that I totally agree with the assessment of democracy by the famous British novelist , Edward Morgan Forster. He only gave two cheers for democracy in his book of essays of the same name. Democracy is based on the sensible idea that more heads are better than one " eternally absolute " head no matter how great the latter is supposed to be. Do not think for a moment that you are indispensable or that your head is better than everyone else's put together. It's just a naive, self-centred and greed motivated nonsense so critically denounced by " the revolution ". Such thinking is clearly an anti-revolutionary crime !
當我們紀念1789年法國大革命，尊它為民主政體的起源時 （ 某些人或許會覺得1776年美國獨立時，才是民主政體的開始 ），我們也應該記着它背面的環境細節，吸取教訓，才可以避免歷史再度重演。那些尊貴的理想，如自由，平等 和博愛等，都令到民主制度，別樹一幟，從其他政治制度獨立出來。尤其甚者，是民主政體與獨裁體制，平等和公道多了。比如君主專政，這是十分幼稚和愚蠢的信 念，以某一個人是上天安排來統治國家作基礎，更加使用武力和經濟壓力，迫害老百姓，實在不要得。雖然民主制度並不完美，但是仍可以算是一種最佳妥協方法，以平衡各 色各樣政制的不足。因此，我同意英國小說作家愛德華摩根福斯特，對民主制度給予二次歡呼，而不作三次致敬的說法。民主的理念，是建基於大多數人的智慧，必定比一個人的智慧為強，無論那一個人是多麼聰明。請不要妄想以為你自己是不能代替的，這是極度幼稚，自我中心，和貪婪的想法，而且平民革命以將這些想法切底批判了。這種思想，實在是一種反革命的罪行！
Let us forget rhetoric ( aka empty talk ) and fall back on reason which is the only sensible way to avoid human conflict and our ultimate self-destruction. Further, in order to avoid cultural and religious differences let us fall back on science and a materialistic outlook for those who don't care about spirituality anyway. Nature tells us that things and phenomena in this world are neither absolute nor eternal. Nature works in invariant cycles. So, how can any political machinery be the only absolute power that can exist for all perpetuity ( Isn't that exactly the feudalistic concept of dynasty that is supposed to have been done away with by " the revolution " ? ). There is a time for everything - a time to control and a time to let go. Even time itself is not absolute but different for people moving at different speed according to Albert Einstein. Again, in quantum mechanics each particle has its mirror image antiparticle. No entity can ever exist alone on its own. That is the invariant law of nature from which no one can be exempt. Enough is enough or else one will bring disrepute upon oneself for stepping over the line on natural justice and facing the inevitable fall from grace.
讓我們忘記政治口號（ 又叫作空談），以理性為基礎，因為只有這途徑，才能避免人與人之間的衝突，以及最終導致人類的滅亡。再者，為避免文化和信仰的差別，讓我們倚靠有客觀標準 的科學去作分析。這樣會更加物資化，以迎合不相信靈性的某些人。大自然告訴我們，這世界上沒有絕對和永恆的事物。自然界的操作，是以無休止的週期進行的。那麼怎會有一個政治機器，可以永久獨裁地統治下去呢？( 這豈不是一種封建制度，而這正是平民革命所推翻了的不法行為？ ）大自然的定律，是任何事物都有適當的時間去處理，有控制的時候，也有放鬆的時刻。甚至連 時間本身亦因人而異。愛因斯坦的相對論，已證明了在不同速度移動的人，對時間的感受是各有不同的。再者，量子力學也證明了，每一粒子都有一個如鏡中影像的 伙伴，這世界上沒有一樣東西是可以單獨存在的。這是大自然永不變易的定律，絕對沒有人可以避免受到這些定律約束的。不要太過份，適可而止吧，否則便會身敗 名裂，因為違反自然定律的人，必定會遭到天誅地滅的。
Now, comes the most important lesson to be learned from the French Revolution. Do not treat people, especially the citizens you rule, like dirt. When citizens are stripped of their basic human rights and needs they are inevitably forced to rebel. Leave people something to hope for. Let them at least air their grievances if not really address their grievances in practical terms. Nowadays, feeding people with materialistic wealth which is their own to start with is not nearly good enough even though one chooses to call this a gift from " the party ". Furthermore, such material wealth is created at such huge moral costs as social injustice, corruption and lawlessness. On top of all these curses, there are constant pains and sorrow arising from falling school buildings built by greedy businessmen and sanctioned by corrupt officials and the banning of criticism and even comments on baby deaths from sale of toxic milk. What has the world become? Is this a fair price to be paid by common citizens for economic prosperity or is it, in fact, a farcical excuse for monopoly of power ? The Big Brother and Dreaded Despot are no longer viable approaches to politics. Instead, dialogue and transparency are the order of the day in today's world of real time information exchange. Let me say it again. Forget the cunning rhetorical excuses and get back to basic human standards of compassion, fairness and equality - in short respect basic human rights which are universal as borne out by the laws of nature. May true liberty, equality and fraternity prevail over neo-despotism and political rhetoric !
現在，讓我們看看法國大革命給予我們的教訓。這就是不能將你所管治的老百姓看作爛泥，當你把他們趕到走投無路時，他們沒有其他選擇，唯有導致官迫民反，起 來革你的命了！你必須留給他們一點東西，作為生命中的希望。至少給他們發洩怨氣，不要說真正為他們解決問題了。到了現今，單給予老百姓物需要是不足夠的。 其實，國家的資源，本來便屬於老百姓，是應該供應給人民的，那管你美其名為黨的恩賜。況且，現今的經濟發展，社會已付出了沉重的道德代價，更做成很多社會 不公平現象，貪污和目無法紀。除此之外，老百姓更要受盡痛苦，奸商和貪官鉤結，違規建築物倒塌，以及毒奶粉所做成的生靈塗炭。這真是世風日下，算是什麼一 回事？這經濟發展的代價實在太大了。其實，這些事情，如經濟繁榮等，都是為永久獨裁專政鋪路的藉口。老大哥和暴君獨裁，已經成為過去了的, 以及不合時宜的封建思 想。對話和有透明度才是合潮流的做法，以適應即時傳訊的新科技紀元。讓我再次呼籲，所有政府必須返回公義，平等和自由的管治方式，這是天經地義的任務，有 大自然定律為根據，是不能推卸的責任。讓自由，平等，博愛，真理正義長存！
JKHC ( 鄭冠合 )
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Thoughts to you from yours truly - ( 68 ) - April 6, 2011
Thoughts to You from Yours Truly - ( TYYT ) - ( 68 ) - Government Failing the People ( 政府辜負了老百姓 ) - April 6, 2011
As can be seen time and time again it is always the government that fails its people. The most recent natural disasters in Japan culminating in the unfolding nuclear disaster is a case in point. While the whole world marvels at the noble discipline of the Japanese people and their calmness and steadfastness in the face of tremendous adversities the Japanese government is dwarfed and put in a bad light for its feet dragging ( especially over the handling of the nuclear disaster ) and disorganized response in times of life threatening emergency. Not only are the rescue and life supporting efforts proven to be inadequate the Japanese government's less than hand on approach to the nuclear disaster may yet lead to the deepening of the crisis. According to the Japanese constitution the prime minister is supposed to set up a nuclear disaster coordinating department personally headed by him to take direct charge over the calamity. Instead, it was mostly up to the secretary of the cabinet to make sparse announcements on the ongoing crisis and the related disaster support efforts. Only once did the prime minister visit the disaster areas. This is obviously poor performance by any standard.
歷史中有着無數例子， 盡是政府辜負了老百姓。最近在日本發生的極大災難，地震，海嘯而引起核電工廠洩漏輻射事件，又再次證明，永遠都是政府辜負了老百 姓。當全世界都稱讚日本老百姓，展示了無比社會紀律和極度忍耐，卻將日本政府的混亂和缺乏應變能力比下去了。政府對核電危機的緩慢反應，優柔寡斷，都是一派低 效率的寫照。除了拯救和善後支援，都表現差勁外，對輻射洩漏的束手無策，更加使危機有惡化趨勢。日本憲法有規定，如果遇上原子能的意外事件，首相是必須成 立特別委員會，由他親自直接處理。至今，我們多看見內閣秘書，在電視前面發佈言論，首相只有到過災難現場一次吧了。這是十分差勁的工作表現，更談不上鮮明 領導了。
The belated request for international assistance and passive cooperation with the IAEA the UN body in charge of monitoring nuclear accidents all reflected badly on the Japanese government's less than satisfactory efficiency. Apart from the possible intention to conceal or at least delay bad news the naive tendency to avoid the so-called loss of face could be another factor. While all citizens of the world generally expect simply a decent livelihood including basic humans right from their governments all establishments ( to a greater or lesser extent ) are geared at monopoly of power and incumbency of office as long as possible. This is the eternal conflict between the government and the governed. Having regards to the fact that a government should only stay in power so long as the people's mandate is with them there is absolutely no valid reason for its continued existence. Just like the WWII Nazis, the military government of the past Japanese Empire, the Gang of Four in China, the money for votes political parties in Taiwan and even the corporations favouring tendency in some US governments they were or are all failing the people in some major or minor ways. I am not going to do them the courtesy in even mentioning some repressive regimes such as Burma, Cuba, North Korea, the Middle East and Africa. Some of these dictators and other single party governments are holding on to power under the pretext of being the father to their nation. The great physicist, Richard Feynman once said :- " It is easy to cheat people and you are the easiest person to cheat. " This is so true ! Yet we must not forget what some great statesmen ( they are definitely not politicians ) such as President Abraham Lincoln who said this :- " You can fool all the people some of the time or some of the people all the time but you can never fool all of the people all the time. " When you , one of the people, becomes part of the government machinery you must heed these two pieces of wise counsel.
日本政府延遲向外國提出援助的要求，以及其被動地和IAEA（國際原子能監管處 ）合作和協調，更顯示了其試圖隱瞞或延遲發佈壞消息，將它的低效率表現無遺。可能原因，除了是試圖報喜不報憂外，更有可能是幼稚的面子問題，希望自己可以 應付一切，直到不能處理為止。所有世界上的老百姓，都是希望擁有一般像樣的溫飽，以及基本的人權吧了，而所有政府都是以不同的程度，去試圖爭取獨自當權， 以及永遠延長統治權。這就是政府和老百姓的永恆矛盾。常理告訴我們，政府是老百姓授權的施政機構，如果沒有他們的同意，那政府實在是沒有存在的合法基礎， 應立即解散，重新經過公平和公開的選舉，再度贏得公民的合法授權，才可繼續執政。就有如二次大戰的德國納粹黨，以前日本帝國的軍事政府，中國六十年代的四 人幫，台灣黑金政治的政黨，甚至美國很多傾向支持大企業的政府，都是不同程度地辜負了老百姓。其他專制獨裁的政權，如緬甸，古巴，北韓，以及某些中東，非洲 軍事政府，更不值得一提。總而言之，一切不尊重個人基本權利的政權，都應受到強烈的指責。這些政權，往往以為老百姓謀幸福作口號，以國家救星自居。其實在這 世界上沒有無了任何人便不成這回事，全都是一派胡言吧了。偉大的物理學家，李察費應文（ Richard Feynman )說得對:「 人是十分容易被欺騙的，而你自己便是最容易被你自己欺騙的人了。」不過我們也應聽取林肯總統的名言:「你可以暫時欺騙所有人，或長期欺騙一些人，但是，你 不可能長期欺騙所有人的。」當你有機會成為政府機構的一員，請深深反省以上的智理名言。
JKHC ( 鄭冠合 )
As can be seen time and time again it is always the government that fails its people. The most recent natural disasters in Japan culminating in the unfolding nuclear disaster is a case in point. While the whole world marvels at the noble discipline of the Japanese people and their calmness and steadfastness in the face of tremendous adversities the Japanese government is dwarfed and put in a bad light for its feet dragging ( especially over the handling of the nuclear disaster ) and disorganized response in times of life threatening emergency. Not only are the rescue and life supporting efforts proven to be inadequate the Japanese government's less than hand on approach to the nuclear disaster may yet lead to the deepening of the crisis. According to the Japanese constitution the prime minister is supposed to set up a nuclear disaster coordinating department personally headed by him to take direct charge over the calamity. Instead, it was mostly up to the secretary of the cabinet to make sparse announcements on the ongoing crisis and the related disaster support efforts. Only once did the prime minister visit the disaster areas. This is obviously poor performance by any standard.
歷史中有着無數例子， 盡是政府辜負了老百姓。最近在日本發生的極大災難，地震，海嘯而引起核電工廠洩漏輻射事件，又再次證明，永遠都是政府辜負了老百 姓。當全世界都稱讚日本老百姓，展示了無比社會紀律和極度忍耐，卻將日本政府的混亂和缺乏應變能力比下去了。政府對核電危機的緩慢反應，優柔寡斷，都是一派低 效率的寫照。除了拯救和善後支援，都表現差勁外，對輻射洩漏的束手無策，更加使危機有惡化趨勢。日本憲法有規定，如果遇上原子能的意外事件，首相是必須成 立特別委員會，由他親自直接處理。至今，我們多看見內閣秘書，在電視前面發佈言論，首相只有到過災難現場一次吧了。這是十分差勁的工作表現，更談不上鮮明 領導了。
The belated request for international assistance and passive cooperation with the IAEA the UN body in charge of monitoring nuclear accidents all reflected badly on the Japanese government's less than satisfactory efficiency. Apart from the possible intention to conceal or at least delay bad news the naive tendency to avoid the so-called loss of face could be another factor. While all citizens of the world generally expect simply a decent livelihood including basic humans right from their governments all establishments ( to a greater or lesser extent ) are geared at monopoly of power and incumbency of office as long as possible. This is the eternal conflict between the government and the governed. Having regards to the fact that a government should only stay in power so long as the people's mandate is with them there is absolutely no valid reason for its continued existence. Just like the WWII Nazis, the military government of the past Japanese Empire, the Gang of Four in China, the money for votes political parties in Taiwan and even the corporations favouring tendency in some US governments they were or are all failing the people in some major or minor ways. I am not going to do them the courtesy in even mentioning some repressive regimes such as Burma, Cuba, North Korea, the Middle East and Africa. Some of these dictators and other single party governments are holding on to power under the pretext of being the father to their nation. The great physicist, Richard Feynman once said :- " It is easy to cheat people and you are the easiest person to cheat. " This is so true ! Yet we must not forget what some great statesmen ( they are definitely not politicians ) such as President Abraham Lincoln who said this :- " You can fool all the people some of the time or some of the people all the time but you can never fool all of the people all the time. " When you , one of the people, becomes part of the government machinery you must heed these two pieces of wise counsel.
日本政府延遲向外國提出援助的要求，以及其被動地和IAEA（國際原子能監管處 ）合作和協調，更顯示了其試圖隱瞞或延遲發佈壞消息，將它的低效率表現無遺。可能原因，除了是試圖報喜不報憂外，更有可能是幼稚的面子問題，希望自己可以 應付一切，直到不能處理為止。所有世界上的老百姓，都是希望擁有一般像樣的溫飽，以及基本的人權吧了，而所有政府都是以不同的程度，去試圖爭取獨自當權， 以及永遠延長統治權。這就是政府和老百姓的永恆矛盾。常理告訴我們，政府是老百姓授權的施政機構，如果沒有他們的同意，那政府實在是沒有存在的合法基礎， 應立即解散，重新經過公平和公開的選舉，再度贏得公民的合法授權，才可繼續執政。就有如二次大戰的德國納粹黨，以前日本帝國的軍事政府，中國六十年代的四 人幫，台灣黑金政治的政黨，甚至美國很多傾向支持大企業的政府，都是不同程度地辜負了老百姓。其他專制獨裁的政權，如緬甸，古巴，北韓，以及某些中東，非洲 軍事政府，更不值得一提。總而言之，一切不尊重個人基本權利的政權，都應受到強烈的指責。這些政權，往往以為老百姓謀幸福作口號，以國家救星自居。其實在這 世界上沒有無了任何人便不成這回事，全都是一派胡言吧了。偉大的物理學家，李察費應文（ Richard Feynman )說得對:「 人是十分容易被欺騙的，而你自己便是最容易被你自己欺騙的人了。」不過我們也應聽取林肯總統的名言:「你可以暫時欺騙所有人，或長期欺騙一些人，但是，你 不可能長期欺騙所有人的。」當你有機會成為政府機構的一員，請深深反省以上的智理名言。
JKHC ( 鄭冠合 )
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Thoughts to you from yours truly - ( 67 ) - April 2, 2011
Thoughts to You from Yours Truly - ( TYYT ) - ( 67 ) - Self Reference Statement ( 自我參照的句子) - April 2, 2011
Language, logic and truth are all inter-connected like most natural or inter-personal phenomena in this world. In fact, language is the product of our consciousness which is in turn the basis and tool for our understanding of reality as we know it. According to the famous British scientist and mathematical physicist, Sir Roger Penrose who wrote the huge book The Road to Reality : A Complete guide to the Laws of the Universe there are, in fact, three separate sets of realities in this world - the physical world governed by invariant laws of nature ; our private mental world controlled by our own personal creative and imaginative rules and the perfect but theoretical mathematical world operated by rules of pure logic with absolute accuracy.
語言，邏輯和真理，都是互相關聯的事物，這就正如大多數自然界和人際關係的事情一般。其實，語言是我們意識下的產品，而意識又是我們接觸現實的基礎和工 具。根據英國數學物理學家，羅渣本諾斯 （ Sir Roger Penrose ) 在他的長達一千頁的巨著，The Road to Reality : A Complete Guide to the Laws of the Universe ( 到現實之路）中所詳述，現實是分為三個層面的。它們就是，被永不變易定律控制着的自然世界，擁有着個人的創造性和強大幻想力的精神世界，以及完美和純邏輯的精 確數學世界三者。
Let us talk about the language we must use to communicate with other living beings to get some insight into this important communication tool. Apart from the Ex-ante and Ex-post statements ( see my blog entry here :- http://jkhcforum.blogspot.com/2011/03/thoughts-to-you-from-yours-truly-65.html ) with predictive and simply historical contents respectively there are also some special cases of logically inconsistent statements in terms of their content. These are called self reference statements as discovered by the great British philosopher, Bertrand Russell. Although this is a very special case smart thinkers should also be aware of its existence to avoid getting into an illogical fallacy.
讓我們談談有關語言這種重要的溝通工具，希望藉機獲得一些深刻見解。除了以前提及的Ex-ante ( 前瞻句）和Ex-post (事後句），分別為預測性和歷史性的句語（ 在我這裡的部落格可重溫 http://jkhcforum.blogspot.com/2011/03/thoughts-to-you-from- yours-truly-65.html ）之外，也有些特殊句子，它們裡面是存在着一些邏輯上的謬誤，稱為self reference statement （自我參照句子），是偉大的英國哲學家，羅素（Bertrand Russell )所發現的。雖然它們只是極少數例子，但是作為一個有醒目思維的人，我們也應該認識到它們的性質和存在,以免墮入它們的邏輯謬誤中。
Take this question for example :- " This statement is wrong, true or false ? " If we say " true " then it would mean that the statement is wrong. On the other hand, if we say " false " it would mean that the statement is right. Either way, we end up with an illogical answer. The reason lies with the negative meaning of the word wrong and the positive and negative meanings of the other two words " true " and " false " respectively. Since the statement itself refers to nothing outside its own construction ( or some other fact apart from itself ) it is called a self reference statement. This will result in the combined effect of the word " wrong " ( a negative ) with the word " false " ( another negative ) to make the result positive ( implying the positive and opposite meaning of " right " ) - two negatives make a positive. If the other positive word " true " is applied then the resulting meaning will be of a negative meaning " wrong " ) - a negative and a positive makes a negative. This is interesting but shows that there exist inconsistencies in our language.
拿以下的問題為例:「這句子是錯的，是或否？」如果我們說是，那句子便是錯的了。反之，如果我們說否，那句子便是對的了。這樣一來，無論我們說是或否，都會產生邏輯上的謬誤。原 因在於那個錯字，是有負面的意思，而是與否兩者，卻分別帶着正面和負面的意思。由於這句子是自我參照句，即是說它只是針對自己，沒有涉及句子以外的事物。 這樣，如果我們說否，否字和錯字都是負面的意思，於是負負得正，便得到相反的正確那意思。假如我們說是字，這則有正面的意思，而錯字卻有負面意思，這樣一 來，正負便得負，所以句子便有錯的意思，這也正是其原本字面的意思。以上的情況，十分有趣，但比較罕見，卻證明了我們日常所用的語言，當中確是存在着一些 邏輯上的謬誤，切記為上策！
JKHC ( 鄭冠合 )
Language, logic and truth are all inter-connected like most natural or inter-personal phenomena in this world. In fact, language is the product of our consciousness which is in turn the basis and tool for our understanding of reality as we know it. According to the famous British scientist and mathematical physicist, Sir Roger Penrose who wrote the huge book The Road to Reality : A Complete guide to the Laws of the Universe there are, in fact, three separate sets of realities in this world - the physical world governed by invariant laws of nature ; our private mental world controlled by our own personal creative and imaginative rules and the perfect but theoretical mathematical world operated by rules of pure logic with absolute accuracy.
語言，邏輯和真理，都是互相關聯的事物，這就正如大多數自然界和人際關係的事情一般。其實，語言是我們意識下的產品，而意識又是我們接觸現實的基礎和工 具。根據英國數學物理學家，羅渣本諾斯 （ Sir Roger Penrose ) 在他的長達一千頁的巨著，The Road to Reality : A Complete Guide to the Laws of the Universe ( 到現實之路）中所詳述，現實是分為三個層面的。它們就是，被永不變易定律控制着的自然世界，擁有着個人的創造性和強大幻想力的精神世界，以及完美和純邏輯的精 確數學世界三者。
Let us talk about the language we must use to communicate with other living beings to get some insight into this important communication tool. Apart from the Ex-ante and Ex-post statements ( see my blog entry here :- http://jkhcforum.blogspot.com/2011/03/thoughts-to-you-from-yours-truly-65.html ) with predictive and simply historical contents respectively there are also some special cases of logically inconsistent statements in terms of their content. These are called self reference statements as discovered by the great British philosopher, Bertrand Russell. Although this is a very special case smart thinkers should also be aware of its existence to avoid getting into an illogical fallacy.
讓我們談談有關語言這種重要的溝通工具，希望藉機獲得一些深刻見解。除了以前提及的Ex-ante ( 前瞻句）和Ex-post (事後句），分別為預測性和歷史性的句語（ 在我這裡的部落格可重溫 http://jkhcforum.blogspot.com/2011/03/thoughts-to-you-from- yours-truly-65.html ）之外，也有些特殊句子，它們裡面是存在着一些邏輯上的謬誤，稱為self reference statement （自我參照句子），是偉大的英國哲學家，羅素（Bertrand Russell )所發現的。雖然它們只是極少數例子，但是作為一個有醒目思維的人，我們也應該認識到它們的性質和存在,以免墮入它們的邏輯謬誤中。
Take this question for example :- " This statement is wrong, true or false ? " If we say " true " then it would mean that the statement is wrong. On the other hand, if we say " false " it would mean that the statement is right. Either way, we end up with an illogical answer. The reason lies with the negative meaning of the word wrong and the positive and negative meanings of the other two words " true " and " false " respectively. Since the statement itself refers to nothing outside its own construction ( or some other fact apart from itself ) it is called a self reference statement. This will result in the combined effect of the word " wrong " ( a negative ) with the word " false " ( another negative ) to make the result positive ( implying the positive and opposite meaning of " right " ) - two negatives make a positive. If the other positive word " true " is applied then the resulting meaning will be of a negative meaning " wrong " ) - a negative and a positive makes a negative. This is interesting but shows that there exist inconsistencies in our language.
拿以下的問題為例:「這句子是錯的，是或否？」如果我們說是，那句子便是錯的了。反之，如果我們說否，那句子便是對的了。這樣一來，無論我們說是或否，都會產生邏輯上的謬誤。原 因在於那個錯字，是有負面的意思，而是與否兩者，卻分別帶着正面和負面的意思。由於這句子是自我參照句，即是說它只是針對自己，沒有涉及句子以外的事物。 這樣，如果我們說否，否字和錯字都是負面的意思，於是負負得正，便得到相反的正確那意思。假如我們說是字，這則有正面的意思，而錯字卻有負面意思，這樣一 來，正負便得負，所以句子便有錯的意思，這也正是其原本字面的意思。以上的情況，十分有趣，但比較罕見，卻證明了我們日常所用的語言，當中確是存在着一些 邏輯上的謬誤，切記為上策！
JKHC ( 鄭冠合 )
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