1、The Harm That Good Men Do,About the Author,Bertrand Arthur William Russell(1872-1970) was know as a British philosopher, logician, essayist, and social critic, best known for his work in methematical logic and analytic philosophy. His most influential contributions include his defense of logicism, a
2、nd his theories of definite descriptions and logical atomism. Along with G.E. Moore, Russell is generally recognized as one of the founders of analytic philosophy. Along with Kurt Godel, he is also often credited with being one of the two most important logicians of the 20th century.,Over the course
3、 of his long career, Russell made significant contributions, not just to logic and philosophy, but to a broad range of other subjects, and many of his writings on a wide variety of topics have influenced generations of general readers. After a life marked by controversy, Russell was awarded the Orde
4、r of Merit in 1949 and Nobel Prize for Literature in 1950. Also noted for his many spirited anti-war and anti-nuclear protests, Russell remained a prominent public figure until his death at the age of 97.,Bertrand Arthur William Russell(1872-1970),Introduction to the Text,In The Harm That Good Men D
5、o, Russell, the inimitable British Voltaire, evaluates the difficulty and dilemma of answering children, or their more adult versions, just what is a “good man?” A contemporary in the critical spirit of Lu Xun, and the vitriolic(讽刺的）critic of his fellow Americans, H. L. Mencken, Russell is the “ enf
6、ant terrible” of English letters. He deflates（打击）, debunks（揭露） and denigrates（贬低） the conventionally defined “good man,” as generally a moralistic fop（花花公子）, a mere defender of the superficial status quo.Chauvinstic, religiously zealous, a petty moralist, and anti-intellectual, this “good man is oft
7、en a caricature behind which cynical politicians can hide. “Good men” are often inquisitorial, safeguarding the public from unpopular or critical opinions, a nemesis in most political systems, including so-called democracies, where the “tyranny of the majority rests on their discerning and protectiv
8、e eyes.,Russell attacks these “good man” who represent the unjust power of the dominant classes. “ The world is full of injustice and those who profit by injustice are in a position to administer rewards and punishmentsand to invent ingenious justifications.”However, on closing his critical litany(冗
9、长的陈述） against the conventional “good man,” Russell offers the hope of science and reason; they eventually will enable men to realize that institutions based on hatred and injustice wil not produce happy societies, and that “good men” deed a morality based on “love of life Pleasure in growth, and not
10、 upon repression（压制） or exploitation.” Though difficult and painful to follow, Russells criticism and positive suggestions are a positive beacon(警示灯） of lucidity（明了事理） and light for all who would like to be called “good men,” or “good women.”,Language Points,Lines3-5, para.1 He has a wholesome horro
11、r of wrongdoing, and realizes that it is our painful duty to castigate sin. He has a healthy aversion to bad behavior, and he is aware that it is our painful duty to punish someone whose bahavior had broken Gods laws or has gone aginst principle of marality.,wholesome(adj.): healthy; good for you, a
12、nd likely to improve your life either phisically morally or emotionallyE.g. A healthy diet includes lots of wholesome natural food with plenty of proteins and vitamins.Were going on a camping holiday to give the kids a taste of wholesome outdoor life.,Lines 5-8, para. 1,He has a still greater horror
13、 of wrong thinking, and considers it the business of the authorities to safeguard the young against those who question the wisdom of the views generally accepted by middle-aged successful citizens. He has a still stronger dislike of wrong thinking, and considers it the business of the authorities to
14、 protect the young from being exposed to those who feel doubt about the wisdom of the views which have already been accepted by middle-aged successful citizens.,question sth/ whether-clause: express your doubt about its value or whether it is true E.g. Experts have questioned the usefulness of vitam
15、in pills. Two months ago, results from a European study questioned whether early treament with the drug really improved survival.question sb.: ask someone about sth, esp, officially E.g. When questioned about the issue, the Foreign Minister declined to comment. Several men were questioned by police
16、yesterday about the burglary.,Lines 11-13, para. 1,he may promote industry, sobriety, and virtue among wage-earners and their children by seeing to it that failures in these respects receive due punishiment;he may encourage workers and their children to be diligent, serious ,and moral by making sure
17、 that those who are not will be punished,see to (it that): make sure; care for; attend toE.g. We must see to it that Party policies are implemented. Please see to it that no one comes in without identification.,Lines 13-15, para.1,he may be a trustee of a university and prevent an ill-judged respect
18、 for learning from allowing the employment of professors with subversive ideas. he may be a person who is responsible for overseeing a university and he may be aware that an unwise respect for learning should be stopped in order not to allow the employment of professors with destructive ideas, which
19、 tend to destroy, overthrow religion and government etc. by weakening peoples trust, confidence, belief, etc.,Lines 15-16, para. 1,Above all, of course, his “ morals,” in the narrow sense, must be irreproachable.Most importantly, it should be certain that his so called standard of behavior and princ
20、iples of right and wrong, superficially, must be free from blame or fault.,above all: most importantly E.g. Above all, dont forget to write. Max is fair, hardworking, and above all, honestin the narrow sense: superficially E.g. In a narrow sense, computers can orgnize, allocate and project. And they
21、 can do it a lot better,a lot cheaper and a lot faster than we can.in the broad/brodest sese of sth.: If you define a term in the broad/brodest sense. It means getting causes, reasons, understandings, etc. at the root. The opposite of the broad sense is the narrow sense.,irreproachable(adj.):without
22、 fault and therfore impossible to criticizeE.g. If you say that someones characer or behavior is irreprochable, you mean that they behave so well that they cannot be criticized. The way she tackled the problem was irreproachable.,Lines 1-3, para. 2,Among politicians good men have their uses, the chi
23、ef of which is to afford a smoke-screen behind which others can carry on their activities unsuspected.Some politicians make use of good men, the main purpose being to provide a smoke-screen behind which others(politicians) can carry on their activities without risk of being suspected.,Lines 4-6, par
24、a.2,A good man will never be suspected by the public of using his goodness to screen villains: this is part of his utility.The public will never feel that a good man is guilty of using his strict and lofty morality to prevent evil acts from being seen: this is one of the good mans uses.,Line 6-9, pa
25、ra. 2,It is clear that this combination of qualities makes a good man extremely desirable wherever a somewhat narrow-minded public objects to the transference of public funds into the hands of the deserving rich.It is clear that the combination of a good mans qualities makes him extremely useful whe
26、rever a narrow-minded public objects to the transference of public money into the hands of rich people.,narrow-minded (a.):not ready to listen to or tolerate the views of othersE.g. If you describe someone as narrow-minded, you are criticizing them because they are unwilling to consider new ideas or
27、 other peoples opinions. The article made free use of stereotypes(模式化的思想）about the military as being narrow-minded, authoritarian and bigoted(偏执的）.,the deserving rich: people who are rich, but worth of receiving public funds. In this essay, this is a sarcastic statement which means the rich arent de
28、serving of money taken from the general public. They do not need more money and insinuation(影射；含蓄的批评）is that the rich have gotten the money through underhandedness. E.g. deserving poor; to give money to a deserving cause.be deserving of : be worthy of E.g. he is deserving of great credit. Such peopl
29、e will never be deserving of trust.,Lines 9-12, para. 2,I am toldthough far be it from me to endorse this statementthat at a not very distant period in history there was an American President who was a good man and served this purpose.I am told though I would never support the statatementhat not lon
30、g ago in American history there was a president who was a good man and was used as a smoke-screen.,far be it from me ( to do sth.): I certainly would not want (to do sth.) E.g. Far be it from me to advise you what to do. Far be it from me to hurt his feelings.far be it from me to disagree/criticize:
31、 make disagreement/criticism less hostile or personal; I neither hope nor dare E.g. Far be it from me to critize her, I just think shes behaved extremely badly.,Lines 1-2, para. 3,Another of the uses of good men is that any undesirables can be kept out of politics by means of scandals.Another use of
32、 good men is that any unwanted people can be kept away from politics by revealing “ their shameful deeds and shabby charater” which will probably cause public feelings, esp. good mens feeling, of outrage or indignation.,keep out of: prevent sth; (cause sb. to) avoid sth.; enter( a place), remain out
33、sideE.g. I prefer to keep out of arguments about money. Keep that dog out of my study.,Lines 2-4, para. 3,Ninety-nine men out of a hundred commit breaches of the moral law, but in general this facts does not become public. Ninety-nine men out of a hundred break the moral law, but usually this facts
34、does not become known to the mit a breath/breaches: break or neglect E.g. commit a breach of international practice,Lines 4-7, para.3,And when in the ninety-ninth case it becomes known in relation to any individual, the one man in the hundred who is genuinely innocent expresses genuine horror,while
35、the other ninety-eight are compelled to follow suit for fear of being suspected.And when in the ninety-ninth case it becomes public that someone in the hundred is involved, the one man in the hundred who is really innocent expresses his real indignation, but the other ninety-eight are reduced to doi
36、ng the same because they dont want to be suspected.,follow suit (fig.): do what someone elso has doneE.g. One of the major banks has lowered its interest rates and the other banks are expected to follow suit.,Lines 7-11, para. 3,When, therefore, any man of obnoxious opinions ventures into politics,
37、it is only necessary for those who have the preservation of our ancient institutions at heart to keep track of his private activites until they discover something which, if exposed, will ruin his political career.Therefore, when any man who has very different and disagreeable opinions risks going in
38、to political affairs and political life, it is necessary only for the people who want to keep the long-established laws or customs to watch the activities of the very unpleasant politician until they discover something which, if made known to the public, will destroy his political career.,venture in
39、to: risk going into venture into/through/out of: risk going somewhere when it could be unsafe E.g. Today is the first time Ive ventured out of doors since my illness.venture to do sth.: risk doing sth. E.g. I venture to say that men will live on the moon. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.,ventueon:
40、take the risk of losing sth. E.g. Jeff ventured his whole forture on one throw of the dice(骰子）.keep track of :follow the course or development of E.g. I read the newspapers to keep track of current events. I always make sure I keep track of all the money I spend.lose track of: fail to follow the cou
41、rse or development of,Lines 12-15, para. 3,They then have the courses open to them: to make the facts known and cause him to disppear in a cloud of obloquy; or to compel him to retire into private life by threats of exposure; or to derive for themselves a comforable income by means of blackmail.Ther
42、e are three availble options for them to choose:1)to make the facts become public and cause him to disappear in a mass of shame of disgrace; 2) to force him to retire into private life by threatening to reveal facts which could ruin him; 3) to obtain for themselves a reasonably large sum of money by
43、 threatening to reveal the facts.,be open to sb.: be available to sb. E.g. Dont get depressed because you failed, there are still several possibilities open to you. The competition is open to anyone over the age of sixteen.a cloud of : a large amount of; a mass of E.g. a cloud of grief; with a cloud
44、 of disappointment over ones face Clouds of smoke rose above the bombed city.derive(v.): get/obtain sth. derivefrom: get from E.g. The institute derives all its money from foreign investments. She derives great joy from playing the violin.,Lines 3-7, para. 3,All three, therefore, are to be commended
45、, and all three are only rended possible through the existence of good men.Therefore, all three courses seem favorable, and all three outlined course are made possible because of the existence of good men.( it is a cynical statement because at least one of them is illegal, the other two perhaps unet
46、hical.),render (v.):cause to becomeE.g. I rejected his advice in terms which rendered it impossible for him to address me again. New technology has rendered my old computer obsolete.,Lines 3-7, para.4,If he had not died as he did, we might not have had the war, and then the world would not have been
47、 made safe for democracy, nor would militarism have been overthrown, nor should we be now enjoying military despotisms in Spain, Italy, Hungary and Bulgaria.If the Archduke had not gotten himself murdered, we might not have had war( World War I); and then democracy would not have been saved in the w
48、orld; militarism would not have been overthrown; and we should not be now enjoying military tyranny in Spain, Italy, Hungary and Bulgaria.( The tone of this sentence , or rather ,of the whole paragraph, is sarcastic.),safe for sth./sb.: not causing or likely to cause harm or danger to sth./sb. E.g.
49、Are these toys safe for small children? Is this beach safe for bathing?safe from: not harmed by E.g. The house is not safe from theft.safe with sb.: kept secret by sb. E.g. The secret will be quite safe with her.,Lines 1-3, para. 5,To speak seriously: the standards of “ goodness” which are generally
50、 rocognized by public opinions are not those which are calculated to make the world a happier place. To speak seriously: the standards of so called “goodness” which are generally accepted by public opinion are not the standards which are designed to make the world a happier place. ( the sentence indicates that the standards of “genuine” goodness should be those that are planned to make the world a happier place, not necessarily the “ accepted” standards of goodness.),
