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1、 密 级分类号编 号成 绩本科生毕业设计 (论文)外 文 翻 译原 文 标 题Retrospect and Prospect 译 文 标 题回顾与展望作者所在系别作者所在专业作者所在班级作 者 姓 名作 者 学 号指导教师姓名指导教师职称完 成 时 间2012年3月北华航天工业学院教务处制 41 译文标题回顾与展望原文标题Retrospect and Prospect作 者Lewis Mumford译 名刘易斯芒福德国 籍美国原文出处The City in History回顾与展望这篇章节选自芒福得历史上的城市一书最后一章。芒福得将古今城市的演变视为一种社会和功能现象。他说明古老仪式的过程，环
2、境的必然性以及社会秩序都在我门对当代城市生活的认识中留下了烙印。芒福得将城市的任务规定为“增进人们对宇宙和历史进程有意识参与”。芒福得分析的精彩之处在于他把城市的精湛历史同哲学和文化的整体性组合了起来。就形式上而言，古代城市将日常生活中分散的部分统一起来，并且用城墙增强这些部分之间的互动与融合。城市的基本功能是很重要的。然而通过交流以及合作这种增强方式而显现的城市的目标就更是意义重大。星象祭司，王权的统一事业揭示出：城市调和了宇宙之间的秩序。它起先是以庙宇及其神圣的组成元素而显现的，后来又借助了城堡和界限分明的城墙的形式。通过使迄今仍未开发的人类的报负呈现两级分化而又把它们以政治以及宗教为核心
3、凝聚起来，在新石器时代，城市已经能够协调这一时期巨大的生产力。通过良好秩序的建立，大批人第一次走向了有效的合作。在纪律严明的工作组织的管理之下，通过中央命令的部署，美索不达米亚，埃及以及印度峡谷的原始城市居民已经开始控制洪水，维修暴雨造成的毁坏，储蓄水，重新塑造地表景观，建立起了用于交通与交往的水域网络，并且将城市储备库中储入人类的能量以备其他集体事业所需。城市的统治者们很及时的通过有意识的努力，创建了一套针对形形色色的城市居民的司法与规章的内在的社会结构系统，并制定了一些维系乡村稳定和社会互助的措施。在城市这个大剧院中，生命的新话剧已经在上演。与这些成就相反,我们必须对城市文明的消极面多加考
4、虑：战争，奴役，职业上过分的专业化，以及在许多情况下面对死亡的持久的兴趣。这些业已确立的社会系统和人类活动在绝大部分历史中一直萦绕城市左右，他们形成了一种消极的相互依存的状态，并且时至今日，在没有宗教裁判的情况下，作为对人类深远发展的巨大威胁，仍以一种明显严酷的形式继续存在着。在某种程度上，古代城市的积极方面和消极方面都被每一个后来的城市所继承了。由于集中精力于物质的和文化的力量，城市提升了人类交往的节奏，并把其产品转换成能储存和再生产的形式。借助于纪念碑，书面记录以及秩序井然的行会惯例，城市扩大了所有人的活动范围，并且将它们在时间的纬度上向前以及向后都大大的延展了。通过其储存设施（建筑物，墓
5、穴，档案馆，纪念碑，牌匾，书籍），城市便能够将复杂的文化代代相传，这是因为城市不仅仅整合了物质财富，也整合了需要传承以及需要扩大这种遗产的人类的力量。这也仍然是城市最伟大的作用。与城市之中复杂的人类的秩序相比，我们现在用于储存和传递信息的精巧的电子装置又是多么的粗糙和不足啊。从最初的城市中，庙宇，城堡，乡村，工场和市场的有机结合中，所有后来的城市形态都在某种程度上，采取了原先的物质结构和组织形式。这种结构绝大部分对人类的有效合作仍然是很必要的，尤其是那些最初由庙宇以及乡村所触发的结构。倘若在家庭和邻里关系上没有早期组织的积极参与，那么，如果说基本的道德忠诚对邻里的尊重，对生命的崇敬，能够被延续
6、下来从老一代到年轻一代，没有剧烈的中断，就很值得怀疑了。在另一个极端的层面上来说，那些不会为抽象概念和符号形式增添什么的，五花八门的合作形式是否能够在失去城市的情况之下继续繁荣兴盛，这也是很值得怀疑的，因为毕竟生活之中仅有很小的一部分内容能够被记录下来。如果许多不同的人类活动没有良好的境况，那么，在一定的城市区域总是备以待用的区域，不同层次的人类经历，太多的人类生活都将难以被保存记录下来。人类交流的范围越广以及参与的人数越多，那么也就越有必要在各个层面上为人类提供无数触手可及的，面对面交流和频繁集会的中心。人类的基本活动以及起初存在于古代城市中的价值观的恢复（总之所有那些希腊式的东西），都相应
7、的成为我们这个时代的城市长远发展的原始基础。我们这个时代复杂的机械化的程式也是不能取代人类之间的对话，戏剧性的事情，同事们和朋友们的生活圈的。而所有这些都让人类的文化得以延续和发展。但是，如果失去了他们，那么整个复杂的社会结构都会变得毫无意义确实地会对我们生活的目的构成严重威胁。今天，城市的体积以及城市中人的领域都改变了，而城市中大部分的内部功能和结构都必须重新塑造，以有效的服务于更大的目标，并加强人们内部生命和外部生命的统一，增进不断进步的人类自身的联结。在未来，城市所扮演的积极的角色是最大程度的提升地区的，文化的以及品性的多元化和个性化。他们所抉择的是在当前挤压人类的个性和大地景观，这些都
8、是补充的目标。如果没有城市的话，现代人将无法有效地抵制那些机械化的集体企业，而它们现在却甚至要使所有真正的人类生活显得是一种累赘，除了去扮演一些机器还没有掌握的屈从式的功能外，都不能勉为其难。我们正处于这样一个时代：疯狂增长的自动化的生产过程和城市的迅速扩张已经取代了人类应有的目标。对于我们这些同一时代有着粗放式思维方式的人来说，数量式的生产已经成为唯一必要的目的：我们看重数量远胜过质量。在物质能量，工业生产力，发明，知识以及人口上，同样茫然的扩张和增长都被扩大化了。当这些活动在体量和节奏上增长的同时，它们也就越发的远离值得人们追求的目标。结果就是人类目前要面临泛滥成灾的难以应付的威胁，这也远
9、比古人试图以对付的威胁多的多。为了拯救自己，我们必须把注意力转向这些控制，指导和组织的方式上，并且注意把自己放在相对于自身生物功能和文化目标相次的位置上，注意那些极大数量的，无法感知的，将会对生命构成危害的力量。当在原子武器和细菌武器切实威胁到我们的生存的时候，我们就必须控制或甚至完全的毁灭它们。现在不是一条河川，而是整个星球都必须在人类的掌握之中：不是无法控制的洪水，而是更加令人恐惧的和有害的突然增加的能量，这也许会破坏整个人类赖以生存的生态系统。我们这个时代的首要目的就是为过量的能量和冲动的生命力设计通道，（这些能量和生命力已经离开了有机体的定额与限制在每一个领域，对文化洪水的控制都需要建
10、立堤岸，大坝，水库，而流向甚至扩张至最后的容器城市，地方，群体，家庭以及那些能够充分利用这种能量为自身的发展服务的个人。）如果我们准备让地球恢复可居住性，并在人类的灵魂深处培养空余空间，我们就不应该如此的专注于那些用于开发星球内部空间的，断子绝孙式的，逃避现实的工程，或是更加彻底非人性的一大批集体式灭绝策略为基础的政策。现在是时候回归地球了，是以其所有有机体的旺盛繁殖力，多元化和创造力的形式面对生命的时候了。而不是在人类后历史时代的空间世界中寻求庇护。不幸的是现代人仍然不得不去征服那些危险而又不同寻常的东西在青铜器时代的城市里，它们就以制度式的形式而显现了，并且还使达到一种毁灭性的目标成为我们
11、最高的成就。就像青铜时代的统治者们一样，我们依然将权力视为一种神圣的显现，抑或是人类发展的主要驱动力。但是，“绝对的权力”就好似“绝对的武器”一样，作为人类的献祭仪式，都属于同样神奇的宗教体系。此种权力毁灭了人类与自然界其他物种以及人与人之间的互相依赖式的合作关系。生命有机体仅能利用恨有限的一部分能量。“过多”或“过少”都对有机体同等的起毁灭性的作用。有机体，社会，人类的身体尤其是城市，都是规范能量，使其为人类生活服务的精密仪器。城市的主要功能就是将权力转换成形式，将能量转换为文化，将死气沉沉的东西变成艺术的鲜活形式，将生物式的复制变成社会性的创造。城市积极功能的显现离不开新制度组合的创立。此
12、种组合能够应付现代人正在控制的巨大能量：这种组合就像原先将过度发展的乡村及其城寨变为高度秩序化的城市组合一样强烈，醒目。如果前四个世纪以来，伴随着城市的兴起而出现的消极的风俗已然消退是事实，并且看起来直到最近，城市才陷入困境的话，那么这些必要的转变就很难被预见了。王权及神权，甚至作为一种老化的思想，都已经消失了。宫殿及庙宇曾以官僚政府及军队的威慑力量的协助而实践其政治功能，而在十九世纪，这种政治功能就被大量的组织，公司，团体，协会，委员会所控制。所以由阿瑞斯托里（Aristotle）所颁布的废奴条约，也通过对无机物能源的利用，自动化机械及公共服务业的发明而被实现了。所以，奴隶，被强迫的劳工，合
13、法化的征用，对知识的特权垄断，都被自由劳工，社会保障，广泛的普及读写能力，自由接受教育，对知识的解禁以及人们全面地拥有闲余时间（对广泛参与政治是很有必要的）所取代了。如果大量的亚洲，非洲，拉丁美洲的人们仍然生活在原始及极度贫穷之中，那么即使是十九世纪极度的殖民主义也对这些人们带来了一些观念上的自我解放。Retrospect and Prospect Lewis MumfordThis selection is the concluding chapter of Mumfords The City in History. Mumford reviews the evolution of the
14、city as a social and functional phenomenon from antiquity to the modern era. He shows the ways that ancient processes of ritual, environmental of necessity, and social order inform our contemporary visions of urban life. Mumford views the mission of the city “to further mans conscious participation
15、in the cosmic and historic process. The brilliance of Mumfords analysis is that he combines the precision of urban history with the integrative qualities of philosophy and literature.In taking form, the ancient city brought together many scattered organs of the common life, and within its walls prom
16、oted their interaction and fusion. The common functions that the city served were important; but the common purposes that emerged through quickened methods of communication and co-operation were even more significant. The city mediated between the cosmic order, revealed by the astronomer priests, an
17、d the unifying enterprises of kingship. The first took form within the temple and its sacred compound, the second within the citadel and the bounding city wall. By polarizing hitherto untapped human aspirations and drawing them together in a central political and religious nucleus, the city was able
18、 to cope with the immense generative abundance of Neolithic culture.By means of the order so established, large bodies of men were for the first time brought into effective co-operation. Organized in disciplined work groups, deployed by central command, the original urban populations in Mesopotamia,
19、 Egypt, and the Indus Valley controlled flood, repaired storm damage, stored water, remodeled the landscape, built up a great water network for communication and transportation, and filled the urban reservoirs with human energy available for other collective enterprises. In time, the rulers of the c
20、ity created an internal fabric of order and justice that gave to the mixed populations of cities, by conscious effort, some of the moral stability and mutual aid of the village. Within the theater of the city new dramas of life were enacted.3. But against these improvements we must set the darker co
21、ntributions of urban civilization: war, slavery, vocational over-specialization, and in many places, a persistent orientation toward death. These institutions and activities, forming a negative symbiosis, have accompanied the city through most of its history, and remain today in markedly brutal form
22、, without their original religious sanctions, as the greatest threat to further human development. Both the positive and the negative aspects of the ancient city have been handed on, in some degree, to every later urban structure.4. Through its concentration of physical and cultural power, the city
23、heightened the tempo of human intercourse and translated its products into forms that could be stored and reproduced. Through its monuments, written records, and orderly habits of association, the city enlarged the scope of all human activities, extending them backwards and forwards in time. By mean
24、s of its storage facilities (buildings, vaults, archives, monuments, tablets, books), the city became capable of transmitting a complex culture from generation to generation, for it marshaled together not only the physical means but the human agents needed to pass on and enlarge this heritage. That
25、remains the greatest of the citys gifts. As compared with the complex human order of the city, our present ingenious electronic mechanisms for storing and transmitting information are crude and limite5. From the original urban integration of shrine, citadel, village, workshop and market all later fo
26、rms of the city have, in some measure, taken their physical structure and their institutional patterns. Many parts of this fabric are still essential to effective human association, not least those that sprang originally from the shrine and the village. Without the active participation of the primar
27、y group, in family and neighborhood, it is doubtful if the elementary moral loyaltiesrespect for the neighbor and reverence for lifecan be handed on, without savage lapses, from the old to the young6. At the other extreme, it is doubtful, too, whether those multifarious co-operations that do not len
28、d themselves to abstraction and symbolization can continue to flourish without the city, for only a small part of the contents of life can be put on the record. Without the superposition of many different human activities, many levels of experience, within a limited urban area, where they are consta
29、ntly on tap, too large a portion of life would be restricted to record-keeping. The wider the area of communication and the greater the number of participants, the more need there is for providing numerous accessible permanent centers for face-to-face intercourse and frequent meetings at every human
30、 level.7. The recovery of the essential activities and values that first were incorporated in the ancient cities, above all those of Greece, is accordingly a primary condition for the further development of the city in our time. Our elaborate rituals of mechanization cannot take the place of the hum
31、an dialogue, the drama, the living circle of mates and associates, the society of friends. These sustain the growth and reproduction of human culture, and without them the whole elaborate structure becomes meaninglessindeed actively hostile to the purposes of life.8. Today the physical dimensions an
32、d the human scope of the city have changed; and most of the citys internal functions and structures must be recast to promote effectively the larger purposes that shall be served: the unification of mans inner and outer life, and the progressive unification of mankind itself. The citys active role i
33、n future is to bring to the highest pitch of development the variety and individuality of regions, cultures, personalities. These are complementary purposes: their alternative is the current mechanical grinding down of both the landscape and the human personality. Without the city modern man would h
34、ave no effective defenses against those mechanical collectives that, even now, are ready to make all veritably human life superfluous, except to perform a few subservient functions that the machine has not yet mastered.9. Ours is an age in which the increasingly automatic processes of production and
35、 urban expansion have displaced the human goals they are supposed to serve. Quantitative production has become, for our mass-minded contemporaries, the only imperative goal: they value quantification without qualification. In physical energy, in industrial productivity, in invention, in knowledge, i
36、n population the same vacuous expansions and explosions prevail. As these activities increase in volume and in tempo, they move further and further away from any humanly desirable objectives. As a result, mankind is threatened with far more formidable inundations than ancient man learned to cope wit
37、h. To save himself he must turn his attention to the means of controlling, directing, organizing, and subordinating to his own biological functions and cultural purposes the insensate forces that would, by their very superabundance, undermine his life. He must curb them and even eliminate them compl
38、etely when, as in the case of nuclear and bacterial weapons, they threaten his very existence.10.Now it is not a river valley, but the whole planet, that must be brought under human control: not an unmanageable flood of water, but even more alarming and malign explosions of energy that might disrupt
39、 the entire ecological system on which mans own life and welfare depend. The prime need of our age is to contrive channels for excessive energies and impetuous vitalities that have departed from organic norms and limits: cultural flood control in every field calls for the erection of embankments, da
40、ms, reservoirs, to even out the flow and spread it into the final receptacles, the cities and regions, the groups, families, and personalities, who will be able to utilize this energy for their own growth and development. If we were prepared to restore the habitability of the earth and cultivate the
41、 empty space in the human soul, we should not be so preoccupied with sterile escapist projects for exploring inner-planetary space or with even more rigorously dehumanized policies based on the strategy of wholesale collective extermination. It is time to come back to and confront life in all its or
42、ganic fecundity, diversity and creativity, instead of taking refuge in the under-dimensioned world of Post-historic Man.11. Modern man, unfortunately, has still to conquer the dangerous aberrations that took the institutional form in the cities of the Bronze Age and gave a destructive destination to
43、 our highest achievements. Like the rulers of the Bronze Age, we still regard power as the chief manifestation divinity, or if not that, the main agent of human development. But “absolute power”, like “absolute weapons”, belongs to the same magico-religious scheme as ritual human sacrifice. Such pow
44、er destroys the symbiotic co-operation of man with all other aspects of nature, and of men with other men. Living organisms can use only limited amounts of energy. “Too much” or “too little” is equally fatal to organic existence. Organisms, societies, human persons, not least, cities are delicate de
45、vices for regulating energy and putting it to the service of life.12. The chief function of the city is to convert power into form, energy into culture, dead matter into living symbols of art, biological reproduction into social creativity. The positive function s of the city cannot be performed wit
46、hout creating new institutional arrangements, capable of coping with the vast energies modern now commends: arrangements just bold as those that originally transformed the overgrown village and its stronghold into the nucleated, highly organized city.13. These necessary changes could hardly be envis
47、aged, were it not for the fact the negative institutions that accompanied the rise of the city have for the last four centuries been falling into decay, and seemed until recently to be ready to drop into limbo. Kingship by divine right have all but disappeared, even as a moribund idea: and the polit
48、ical functions that were once exercised solely by the palace and the temple, with the coercive aid of the bureaucracy and the army, were during the nineteenth century assumed by a multitude of organizations, corporations, parties, associations, and committees. So, too, the conditions laid down by Ar
49、istotle for the abolition of the slave labor have now been largely met, through the harnessing of inorganic sources energy and the invention of automatic machines and utilities. Thus slavery, forced labor, legalized expropriation, class monopoly of knowledge, have been giving way to free labor, social security, universal lite