So I have a question:

我有一個問題：

who here remembers when they first realised they were going to die?

在座的，有誰還記得自己第一次 意識到會死去是在什麼時候？

I do. I was a young boy and my Grandfather had just died.

我記得，在我很小的時候， 我的祖父去世了

and I remember, a few days later,

我記得，幾天之後

lying in bed at night trying to make sense of what had happened.

我在晚上躺在床上， 試圖搞清楚究竟發生了什麼

What did it mean that he was dead?

他死了，究竟是什麼意思？

Where had he gone?

他去哪裡了？

It was like a hole in reality had opened up and swallowed him.

就好像現實中的一個 黑洞打開，吞噬了他

But then the really shocking question occured to me,

接下來，我想到了一個 令我更加惶恐的問題

if he could die, could it happen to me to?

如果他會死去，我也會死嗎？

Could that hole in reality open up and swallow me?

那個黑洞也會打開，吞噬掉我嗎？

Would it open up beneath my bed and swallow me as I slept?

它會不會在我的床下打開， 在我睡覺的時候吞噬掉我？

Well, at some point all children become aware of death.

孩子們都會在某個時期認識到死亡

It can happen in different ways, of course and usually comes in stages.

瞭解到死亡的過程各異，當然， 通常是一點一滴地積累起相關的知識

Our idea of death develops as we grow older,

隨著年齡的增長， 我們對死亡的理解逐漸發展

And if you reach back into the dark corners of your memory,

如果你能重拾自己記憶中的黑暗角落

you might remember something like what I felt when my grandfather died

你或許會回憶起，某些與 我祖父去世時相似的感覺

and when I realized it could happen to me too.

也就是發現死亡也會發生在我的身上

That sense that behind all of this, the void is waiting.

這種感覺的背後，是一片虛無

And this development in childhood reflects the development of our species.

兒童時期的心路歷程， 反映出人類思想的發展過程

Just as there was a point in your development as a child,

正如你在孩童時代有那麼一個時期

when you sense of self and of time became sophisticated enough

你對自我和時間的理解達到一定的程度

for you to realize you were mortal.

讓你明白自己也不免一死

So at some point in the evolution of our species

在人類進化過程中的一個時期

some early humans' sense of self and of time became sophisticated enough

早期的人類對自我和時間 的理解達到一定的程度

for them to become the first humans to realize: "I'm going to die".

他們首次意識到「我將會死去。」

This is, if you like, our curse:

也可以把它想成是我們的詛咒：

it's the price we pay for being so damn clever.

這就是我們為變聰明所付出的代價

We have to live in the knowledge

我們必須忍受這個知識

that the worst thing that can possibly happen, one day surely will.

這件對人類來說或許是 最糟糕的事必將會發生

The end of all our projects, our hopes, our dreams, of our individual world.

我們的一切計畫、希望、夢想 和個人世界全部都要結束

We each live in the shadow of a personal apocalypse.

我們每個人都生活在個人的末日陰影之下

And that's frightening! It's terrifying, and so we look for a way out.

這太可怕了，所以我們嘗試尋找出路

And in my case, as I was about five years old,

拿我自己舉例，我當時只有5歲

this meant asking my Mum.

出路就是問媽媽

Now when I first started asking, "what happens when we die?",

當我第一次提出 「我們死去之後將會怎樣」的問題

the grown-ups around me at the time answered with a typical English mix

周圍的大人都用一種標準的回答

of awkwardness and half-hearted christianity.

混合著尷尬和敷衍了事的基督教信仰回答

And the phrase I heard most often was that Grandad was now

我最常聽到的答案是：

'up there looking down on us'.

祖父正在「上面看著我們」

And if I should die too, which wouldn't happen of course,

如果我也死去，當然這不會發生

then I too would go up there.

我也會到上面去

Which made death sound a lot like an existential elevator.

這讓死亡聽起來像是一個存在主義的電梯

Now this didn't sound very plausible.

這聽起來並不怎麼合理

I used to watch a children's news programme at the time

我當時經常收看兒童新聞節目

and this was the era of space exploration.

那是太空探索的時代

There were always rockets going up into the sky,

經常有火箭被發射到天空

up into space, going 'up there'.

到太空，到「上面」

But none of the astronauts when they came back

但是太空人回來的時候

ever mentioned having met my grandad.

從未提到過遇到我的祖父

Or any other dead people. But I was scared.

或者其他死去的人，但當時我很害怕

And the idea of taking the existential elevator

搭乘存在主義電梯去見祖父的想法

to see my Grandad sounded a lot better

聽起來比睡覺時被黑洞吞噬要好得多

than being swallowed by the void while I slept.

因此我相信了，儘管這不合乎情理

And so I believed it anyway, even though it didn't make much sense.

我在兒童時期經歷的這種思維過程

And this thought process that I went through as a child,

包括成年後多次經歷的思維過程

and have been through many times since including as a grown-up,

是心理學家的所謂「偏見」造成的

is a product of what psychologists call a 'bias'.

偏見，就是我們有系統 地錯誤理解事情的過程

Now a bias is a way in which we systematically get things wrong,

我們誤判、扭曲事實的過程

ways in which we miscalculate, misjudge, distort reality

或者看那些我們想看到的東西

or see what we want to see.

我所說的偏見是這樣的：

And the bias I am talking about works like this:

告訴隨便一個人他會死去

confront someone with the fact that they are going to die

他們會願意相信任何 能否定這個現實的理論

and they will believe just about any story that tells them it isn't true

這樣才可以長生不死

and then can instead live for ever.

即使是存在主義電梯這樣的理論

Even if it means taking the existential elevator.

我們能將之視為迄今為止最大的偏見

Now, we can see this as the biggest bias of all.

400多項實例研究證實了這一點

It has been demonstrated in over 400 empirical studies.

這些研究設計巧妙且很簡單， 研究的過程是這樣的

Now these studies are ingenious but they're simple, they work like this:

首先選擇各方面條件相似的兩組人

you take two groups of people who are similar in all relevant respects

告訴一組人，他們將會死去， 對另一組人不做這樣的表態

and you remind one group that they're going to die but not the other;

然後比較他們的行為

and then you compare their behaviour.

你可以觀察到這個資訊 在多大程度上影響了

So you're observing how it biases behaviour

當人們意識到自己難逃一死時的行為

when people become aware of their mortality.

每一次你都會得到相同的結果：

And every time, you get the same result:

意識到死亡即將降臨的人

people who are made aware of their mortality

更願意相信那些 告訴他們可以逃避死亡

are more willing to believe stories that tell then that they came escape death

獲得永生的故事

and live forever.

這裡有個實例：最近一項研究 挑選了兩組不可知論者 (agnostics)

So here's an example: one recent study took two groups of agnostics,

也就是沒有固定宗教信仰的人

that is people who are undecided in their religious beliefs.

一組人被要求思考死亡

Now one group was asked to think about being dead,

另一組人被要求思考孤獨

the other group was asked to think about being lonely.

然後他們再次被要求 表明自己的宗教信仰

They were then again asked about their religious beliefs:

那些被要求思考死亡的人

those who had been asked to think about being dead

信奉上帝和耶穌的人數 是實驗前的兩倍

were afterwards twice as likely to express faith in God and Jesus.

差不多是兩倍

Twice as likely.

當然每個人的不可知論程度不完全一致

Even though before they were equally agnostic.

當給他們施加了死亡的恐怖之後， 便紛紛轉投耶穌的懷抱

But put the fear of death in them and they run to Jesus.

這個實驗說明，讓人們意識到死亡 使他們傾向於信奉宗教

Now, this shows that reminding people of death biases them to believe,

不論事實證據如何

regardless of the evidence.

不僅僅是宗教，

And it works not just for religion but for any kind of belief system

只要任何主張某種形式 永生的信仰皆如此

that promises immortality in some form,

無論這些形式是出人頭地、 繁衍子嗣，甚至愛國主義

whether it's becoming famous, or having children, or even nationalism

只要是那些承諾給你可以在一個 更宏觀的環境中繼續生存的理論

which promises you can live on as part of a greater whole.

這種偏見影響了人類歷史的軌跡

This is a bias that has shaped the course of human history.

400項研究中有關偏見的理論是

Now the theory behind this bias in nearly 400 studies is called

恐懼管理理論，其內容很簡單：

terror management theory. And the idea is simple, it's just this:

我們營造自己的世界觀， 這是我們講給自己聽的一個故事

we develop our world views, that is the stories we tell ourselves

有關整個世界，和我們對它的觀點

about the world and our place in it,

目的是説明我們應對死亡的恐懼

in order to help us manage the terror of death.

這種推崇不朽的故事有各種各樣的表達形式

And these immortality stories have thousands of different manifestations.

但是我認為在這種多樣化的形式背後

But I believe that behind the apparent diversity, there are actually

實際上只有四種基礎的模式 被這些永生的故事所採納

just four basic forms that these immortality stories can take.

縱觀歷史，這幾種形式在不斷地重複

And we can see them repeating themselves throughout history.

只是一些微小的改變 或者使用更現代化的詞彙

Just with slight variations to reflect the vocabulary of the day.

我來簡要介紹一下這四種永生故事的模版

Now I am going to briefly introduce these four basic forms of immortality story

我會試圖讓你們瞭解

and I want to try to give you some sense of the way in which they're retold

這些故事在各種文化和年代中

by each culture or generation,

用符合時宜的語言重複傳誦著

using the vocabulary of their day.

第一個故事最簡單：我們希望迴避死亡

Now, the first story is the simplest: we want to avoid death.

以及希望賦予這副皮囊、 這個世界永遠迴避死亡的能力

And the dream of doing that in this body, in this world, forever,

這是最簡單的永生故事主題

is the first and simplest kind of immortality story.

這個主題聽起來並不可信

And it might at first sound implausible,

但實際上，人類歷史上幾乎所有的文化

but actually almost every culture in human history

都有一些長生不老的神化和傳說

has had some myth or legend of a elixir of life,

包括不老泉和其它那些

or a fountain of youth or something that promises

能讓我們長生不老的東西

to keep us going forever.

古埃及有這樣的神話， 古代巴比倫、古代印度

Ancient Egypt had such myths, ancient Babylon, ancient India,

以及整個歐洲的歷史中，我們都在 煉金術士的文獻中找到了這些故事

throughout European history, we find them in the work of the alchemists

當然，我們現在依然相信

and of course we still believe this today.

只不過給它披上了科學的外衣

Only we tell this story using the vocabulary of science.

一百年前，人們發現了荷爾蒙

So a hundred years ago, hormones had just been discovered,

人們希望，針對荷爾蒙的治 療方案可以應對衰老和疾病

and people hoped that hormone treatments were going to cure aging and disease.

現在，我們把希望寄託在 幹細胞、遺傳工程

And now instead we set our hopes on stem cells, genetic engineering

和奈米科技上

and nanotechnology.

但是科學可以扭轉死亡的理論

But the idea that science can cure death

只不過是魔法煉金術 文獻中的一個章節

is just one more chapter in the story of the magical elixir,

像人類文明的起源一樣古老

a story that is as old as civilization.

但是把希望全部寄託在 找到長生不老的藥方上

But betting everything on the idea of finding the elixir

並獲得永生，是一個冒險的策略

and staying alive forever is a risky strategy.

當我們回顧歷史

When we look back through history

看看那些曾經追尋長生不老術的人們

at all those who have sought an elixir in the past,

他們的共同之處就是，都已經死了

the one thing that they now have in common is that they're all dead.

（笑聲）

(Laughter)

因此我們需要一個替代方案，這種替代方案

So we need a back up plan, and exactly this type of plan B

就是第二種永生故事的主題

is what the second kind of immortality story offers,

也就是復活

and that's resurrection.

這種理論的內容是：這個身體就是我

And it's staged with the idea that I am this body,

我是這個實體組織

I am this physical organism,

這個理論認可人會死去這個事實

it accepts that I am going to have to die,

但是說，你還可以再站起來，繼續活下去

but says despite that, I can rise up and I can live again.

換句話說，耶穌能做到的，我也能做到

In other words, I can do what Jesus did.

耶穌死後，在墳墓中 被埋了三天，然後又復活了

Jesus died, he was three days in the tomb and he rose up and lived again.

我們所有人都可以復活的理 論是一個被普遍接受的信仰

And the idea that we can all be resurrected to live again is orthodox belief,

不僅僅是基督教，也包括猶太教和穆斯林

not just for Christians but also Jews and Muslims.

我們對這個理論深信不疑

But our desire to believe this story is so deeply embedded

以至於在科學的年代，我們把它稍作改造

that we are reinventing it again for the scientific age.

比如人體冷凍法

For example with the idea of cryonics.

你死去之後，可以把自己凍起來

That's the idea that when you die, you can have yourself frozen,

然後等待科技的進步

and then at some point when technology is advanced enough,

你可以被解凍、治療、修復，然後復活

you can be thawed out and repaired and revived and so ressurrected.

有些人相信一個全能的上帝會讓他們復活

So some people believe an omnipotent God will ressurect them to live again

另一些人更相信某個全能的科學家

and other people believe an omnipotent scientist will do it.

但還有一些人，他們覺得從墳墓裡爬出來

But for others, the whole idea of ressurection,

復活的想法，有點像一個蹩腳的僵屍電影

of climbing out of the grave, is just too much like a bad zombie movie.

他們覺得身體已經腐爛得不成樣子， 用它來長生不老似乎不大可靠

They find the body too messy, too unreliable to guarantee eternal life.

於是他們把希望寄託在第三個 較精神層面的永生理論上

And so they set their hopes on the third more spiritual immortality story,

也就是我們可以離開身體， 以靈魂的方式生存

the idea we can leave our body behind and live on as a soul.

世界上大部分人都相信有靈魂存在

Now the majority of people on Earth believe they have a soul

這也是很多宗教的核心教義

and the idea is central to many religions.

無論是現代方式還是傳統方式

But even though in its current form and its traditional form,

靈魂理論極受歡迎

the idea of the soul is still hugely popular,

我們甚至在數位化的年代， 還在延續這個信仰

nonetheless we are again reinventing it for the digital age.

例如，有理論說你可以離開自己的身體

For example, with the idea that you can leave your body behind

把你的思想、頭腦中的精華、 真正的你上傳到電腦中

by uploading your mind, your essence, the real you, onto a computer.

像阿凡達一樣在虛擬空間中生存

and so live on as an avatar in the ether.

但是當然，有懷疑者說， 如果我們收集有關的科學證據

But of course there are skeptics who say if we look at the evidence of science,

尤其是神經學，其理論是你的思想、 你頭腦中的精華、真正的你

particularly neuroscience, it suggests that your mind, your essence, the real you,

在很大程度上依賴於你身體的某個部分

is very much dependant on a particular part of your body

就是你的大腦

that is your brain.

這些懷疑論者在第四類 長生不老的故事中找到了歸宿

And such skeptics can find comfort in the fourth kind of immortality story,

那就是名留千古

and that is legacy.

這個理論說，你可以透過 留在這世界上的事物永遠活下去

The idea that you can live on through the echo you leave in the world.

比如偉大的希臘勇士阿基里斯， 他在特洛伊戰爭中犧牲

Like the great Greek warrior Achilies, who sacrificed his life fighting at Troy

但獲得了不朽的名望

so that he might win immortal fame.

對名望的追求，當今年代要比以前

And the pursuit of fame is as widespread and popular now

更加被人追捧

as it ever was.

在數位化的年代，獲得名望也更加容易

And in our digital age, it's even easier to achieve.

你不需要是個像阿基里斯一樣的 偉大戰士，也不需要是個國王或個英雄

You don't need to be a great warrior like Achilies or a great king or hero,

你需要的僅僅是連上網路， 再有一隻搞笑的貓就夠了

all you need is an internet connection and a funny cat.

（笑聲）

(Laughter)

但有的人更希望留下一些具有 實體形態的，生物學上的傳承

But some people prefer to leave a more tangible, biological legacy,

比如，孩子

children for example.

或者他們希望能成為 更大群體的一份子

Or they like, they hope, to live on as part of some greater whole

例如國家、家庭、部落， 又或是他們的基因庫

a nation, or family, or tribe, their gene pool.

但依然還有一些懷疑論者， 質疑這些傳承是否真的可以永生

But again there are skeptics, who doubt whether legacy really is immortality.

例如，伍迪艾倫曾經說：

Woody Allen for example, who said,

「我不想活在同胞們的心中

"I dont want to live on in the hearts of my countrymen,

我想活在我的房子裡。」

I want to live on in my apartment".

（笑聲）

(Laughter)

如果你想在自己的房子裡永生

And if you want to live on in your apartment

你無論如何就需要長生不老藥了

you need a elixir of course.

這是我們第一類的永生故事

Which was our first kind of immortality story.

所以，這就是四種類型的永生故事

So those are the four basic kinds of immortality stories

我只是想稍作介紹，讓你們了解 這些故事是如何傳承下來的

and I've tried to give just some sense of how they're retold by each generation,

微小的變化僅僅是為了迎合某個時代的潮流

with just slight variations to fit the fashions of the day.

它們以相似的形式反覆出現

And the fact that they reccur in this way, in such a similar form

在各類信仰中，我覺得這說明

but in such different belief systems, suggests I think

我們應該對這類故事

that we should be skeptical

尤其是某些特定版本的 真實性，持懷疑的態度

of the truth of any particular version of these stories.

有些人相信

The fact that some people believe

一個全能的上帝可以讓他們復活

an omnipotent God will ressurrect them to live again,

另外一些人相信全能的 科學家可以讓他們復活

and others believe an omnipotent scientist will do it,

這說明他們的信仰 都不是根據有力的實證

suggests that neither are really believing this on the strength of the evidence.

我們之所以相信這些故事， 是因為我們的偏見讓我們去相信

Rather we believe these stories because we are biased to believe them,

我們被偏見所影響去相信， 是因為我們害怕死亡

and we are bias to believe them because we are so afraid of death.

所以，問題就是， 我們難道註定要度過一個

So the question is, are we doomed to lead the one life we have

被恐懼和迴避所支配的生命嗎？

in a way that is shaped by fear and denial?

或者我們來克服這種偏見？

Or can we overcome this bias?

希臘哲學家伊比鳩魯認為我們可以做到