A Brief History of Time
时间简史
A Brief History of Time is a great book by Professor Stephen Hawking. He is one of Britain's most brilliant academics. He became famous for his theories on black holes in space and on the structure of the universe. In the great book the writer shows us the picture of the universe in an easy way, so that most of us can understand the abstract theories about the universe. I'm sure you'll be interested in the universe after reading.
注释:
1)a brief history 简史
2)brilliant academics 杰出的学者
3)famous for 以……而闻名
4)theories on black hole 有关黑洞的理论
5)the abstract theories 抽象的理论
Time, the ever-flowing river that shapes the course of existence, has fascinated humanity since the dawn of consciousness. From ancient civilizations to modern societies, the concept of time has been a central theme in philosophy, religion, and science. Let us embark on a brief journey through the annals of time and explore its profound significance in human history.
时间,这条不断流淌的河流,塑造着存在的轨迹,自人类意识的曙光以来一直吸引着人类。从古代文明到现代社会,时间的概念一直是哲学、宗教和科学的核心主题。让我们开始一次简要的时间之旅,探索其在人类历史中的深远意义。
In the ancient world, time was often perceived as cyclical, repeating in patterns such as the seasons or the cycles of birth and death. Civilizations like the ancient Egyptians and the Mayans developed intricate calendars to track time's passage and predict celestial events. These early attempts to understand time reflected humanity's desire to impose order upon the chaotic flux of existence.
在古代世界中,时间常常被视为循环的,以季节或生死循环等模式重复。像古埃及人和玛雅人这样的文明制定了复杂的日历来追踪时间的流逝并预测天文事件。这些早期对时间的理解尝试反映了人类希望在存在的混沌中强加秩序的愿望。
The advent of monotheistic religions introduced new dimensions to the perception of time. In Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, time became imbued with theological significance, marking the narrative of creation, redemption, and eschatological fulfillment. The linear progression of time, from the beginning to the end, mirrored the divine plan unfolding through human history.
一神论宗教的出现为对时间的认知带来了新的维度。在犹太教、基督教和伊斯兰教中,时间被赋予了神学意义,标志着创世纪、救赎和末世完成的叙事。时间的线性进展,从开始到结束,反映了神圣计划在人类历史中的展开。
The Enlightenment era witnessed a profound shift in humanity's understanding of time, marked by the rise of empirical science and rational inquiry. Thinkers like Isaac Newton revolutionized our perception of time with his laws of motion and universal gravitation, providing a mathematical framework to describe the dynamics of the cosmos. Time, once viewed as a metaphysical concept, became intertwined with the fabric of space and matter.
启蒙时代见证了人类对时间理解的深刻转变,标志着经验科学和理性探究的兴起。像艾萨克·牛顿这样的思想家用他的运动定律和普遍引力法则彻底改变了我们对时间的认识,为描述宇宙动态提供了一个数学框架。时间,曾经被视为形而上学概念,现在与空间和物质的结构紧密相连。
The 20th century witnessed further revolutions in our understanding of time, particularly with the advent of Albert Einstein's theory of relativity. Einstein's groundbreaking insights challenged Newtonian notions of absolute time and space, proposing a dynamic, relativistic conception of spacetime. Time, according to relativity, is not an immutable river but a flexible dimension influenced by the motion and mass of objects.
20世纪见证了我们对时间理解的进一步革命,特别是随着阿尔伯特·爱因斯坦相对论的出现。爱因斯坦的突破性洞见挑战了牛顿关于绝对时间和空间的概念,提出了一个动态的、相对论的时空观念。根据相对论,时间不是一条不可改变的河流,而是受到物体运动和质量影响的灵活维度。
As we stand on the threshold of the 21st century, our understanding of time continues to evolve. Quantum mechanics and string theory offer new insights into the nature of time, probing its deepest mysteries at the subatomic and cosmological scales. Time remains an enigma, a frontier of human inquiry that transcends the boundaries of disciplines and cultures.
当我们站在21世纪的门槛上时,我们对时间的理解仍在不断发展。量子力学和弦理论为时间的本质提供了新的洞见,探索了其在亚原子和宇宙尺度上的最深奥秘。时间仍然是一个谜团,是人类探索的前沿,超越了学科和文化的界限。
In conclusion, the history of time is a journey of intellectual exploration and discovery, spanning millennia of human civilization. From the cyclical rhythms of ancient cultures to the relativistic spacetime of modern physics, our understanding of time reflects the evolution of human thought and the quest for deeper meaning in the universe.
总之,时间的历史是一次智力探索和发现的旅程,跨越了人类文明的数千年。从古代文化的循环节奏到现代物理学的相对论时空,我们对时间的理解反映了人类思想的演变和对宇宙更深层意义的追求。