TED演讲之说什么 语言如何改变人类(5)
Our species can make stuff,
人类这一物种可以创造事物
therefore we prospered in a way that no other species has.
所以我们比任何其他物种都要繁荣先进
In fact, we can even make the “stuff of life” —
事实上我们甚至可以创造“生命本身的东西”–
as I just said, all the stuff around us.
如我所说，我们周围的一切
But in fact, it turns out
实际上
that some time around 200,000 years ago,
大约二十万年前
when our species first arose
当我们的祖先开始直立行走
and acquired social learning,
并获得社会学习的能力
that this was really the beginning of our story,
这的确是故事的开始，
not the end of our story.
但不是结尾
Because our acquisition of social learning
因为社会学习能力的获得
would create a social and evolutionary dilemma,
会令社会和进化陷入一个进退两难的地步
the resolution of which, it’s fair to say,
其解决方法
would determine not only the future course of our psychology,
不但决定了未来人类心理的轨迹
but the future course of the entire world.
也决定了整个世界的未来走向
And most importantly for this, it’ll tell us why we have language.
最重要的是，它告诉我们为什么我们有语言
And the reason that dilemma arose is, it turns out, that social learning is visual theft.
两难局面的出现是因为社会学习实际是一种观察性窃取
If I can learn by watching you, I can steal your best ideas,
如果我可以通过观察你而学习，我就可以窃取你最好的想法
and I can benefit from your efforts,
从你的努力中坐收渔利
without having to put in the time and energy that you did into developing them.
而不用像你一样投入时间和精力去开发想法
If I can watch which lure you use to catch a fish,
如果我可以观察你用什么饵钓鱼
or I can watch how you flake your hand axe to make it better,
如何削薄手斧改进它
or if I follow you secretly to your mushroom patch,
或者偷偷跟踪你去你的蘑菇地
I can benefit from your knowledge and wisdom and skills,
我就可以从你的知识，智慧和技能中获益
and maybe even catch that fish before you do.
甚至在你之前就抓走鱼
Social learning really is visual theft.
社会学习确实是种观察性窃取
And in any species that acquired it,
任何具备该能力的物种
it would behoove you to hide your best ideas, lest somebody steal them from you.
必然都会隐藏自己最好的点子，以防别人偷走。
演讲简介：
生物学家马克·佩格尔与我们分享了一个关于人类如何发展复杂的语言系统的有趣理论。他认为，语言是一种社会技术，它帮助人类早期部落获得了一个强有力的新工具：合作。