Posts by: 爱德布克

索飒:在堂吉诃德的甲胄之后

四百年前的一六〇五年,西班牙作家米格尔·德·塞万提斯·萨维德拉的小说《堂吉诃德》的第一部出版,十年后(一六一五年)第二部问世。四百年以降,这部小说成了世界上重复印刷最多的作品之一,吉诃德成了文学史上最奇特的角色。虽然关于塞万提斯的研究著作早已汗牛充栋,但仍未能令人满意地解释《堂吉诃德》经久不衰之魅力。随着政治限制的解除,人的文化视野扩大了。研究中的新鲜见解得以公布并逐渐积累,使人们意识到塞万提斯所居时代位置的重大含义。新的思想已如潜流的水花,全局也因一线牵动而被摇撼。
  
研究史之突破
  
在整个二十世纪里,西班牙国内陆续出现着一些重要的解读。意味深长的是,每当西班牙处于历史危难,每当西班牙人反躬自问“我们是谁”,堂吉诃德论就悄然掀起一个新高潮,仿佛在这个人物的身上,埋藏着西班牙的秘密。

一八九八年“美西战争”后,大败的西班牙痛感民族的落伍,由此诞生了对国民性进行反思的一代知识分子——“九八年代人”。在这一代人肇始的思考中,“吉诃德”因其丰富的内涵成了人们借以阐述己见的象征。西班牙最著名的两个近代思想家乌纳穆诺与奥尔特加-伊-加塞特代表着思想的两极,前者执著于崇尚精神的文化传统,在《生命的悲剧情感》中论及“当代欧洲悲剧中的堂吉诃德”,建构了作为“民族宗教”的“吉诃德主义崇拜”;后者是鼓吹现代化的精英,在《关于吉诃德的沉思》中给西班牙人开出了“生命哲学”的精神处方,告诫西班牙人放掉乌托邦的陈年旧血,换上科学、理性的生命源泉。

塞万提斯研究第二个高潮的触机也是西班牙近代以来第二次重大的民族危机——上世纪三十年代持续三年之久的西班牙内战。触目惊心的国民分裂使人们再次向历史寻求答案。这一次精神手术造成了塞万提斯研究突破性的进展。关键人物是西班牙历史学家阿梅里科·卡斯特罗。他早年的研究强调欧洲人文主义思想对塞万提斯的影响,几十年后,他深刻反省了自己的欧洲中心视角。因反对佛朗哥独裁政权而流亡美洲的阿梅里科·卡斯特罗潜心研究本国中世纪史,发现十六——十七世纪的西班牙具有与欧洲他国差异很大的历史特点,感到对这段历史的研究无法绕开伊斯兰文明在西班牙长达八个世纪的存在——而这是西班牙史学领域的禁忌。一九四八年,阿梅里科·卡斯特罗发表《历史进程中的西班牙:基督徒、摩尔人与犹太人》,修订版题为《西班牙的真相》(Realidad de España, Ed. Klincksieck, Paris, 1963),引起激烈争论。阿梅里科·卡斯特罗在书中写道:

刘擎:2005年西方知识界重要事件综述

作者按 在2005年即将结束之际,笔者应报刊邀请选出今年西方人文与社会科学界具有公共影响的事件进行回顾综述。所依据的资料主要来源于欧美知识界的报刊与互联网的报道与评论。由于笔者阅读与知识的局限,以下选择与述评远非全面与客观,仅供读者参考。

1. 萨特百年诞辰纪念

今年6月21日是让-保罗·萨特的百年诞辰,法国国立图书馆举办了大型纪念展览,欧美各地为此举行许多讨论会,出版了关于萨特的新书或是特辑,报刊媒体也纷纷发表文章,纪念这位20世纪影响卓著的哲学家、作家和公共知识分子。英国《独立报》称,萨特在去世25年之后迎来了影响力的“第二波”,因为他的著作与政治生涯对于当代仍然具有高度的相关性,他的思想也仍然会引发争论和新的理解。美国学术纪念讨论会的主席Scott Mclemee指出,如果萨特的思想遗产曾一度被视为因冷战而衰落,那么现在它显得与我们所生活的世界越来越相关。萨特的著作中对于系统性的暴力、寻求解放的斗争以及恐怖主义的论述现在重新回到了人们的视野之中。当然,萨特的思想总是具有争议。美国著名作家诺曼·梅勒(Norman Mailer)认为,萨特倡导的政治理想由于缺乏道德或宗教的指南而陷入了永无根基的虚无病症之中,最终将会走向危险的死胡同。《国际先驱者论坛报》的文章指出,法国在萨特去世之后出现了几位重要的思想家,似乎早已取代了萨特的地位,但今天人们仍然怀着极大的热忱纪念萨特,这是由于他的著作涉猎极为广泛的领域,今天的年轻人总是可以从中找到与自己相关的思想线索,而更为重要的是,萨特思想所处理的一个重要问题——我们的生活是自己选择的结果,还是被我们不可控制的环境所决定的?这仍然是当代人类精神中一个最令人困扰却又是最富有感召力的问题。

贺卫方 vs 我是谁:关于周叶中教授被控抄袭事件

贺卫方:《周叶中教授事件及其他》
我是谁:《为周叶中教授鸣不平——兼与贺卫方先生商榷》

贺卫方:周叶中教授事件及其他

一、小引

自从王天成先生揭露周叶中教授和戴激涛女士的著作《共和主义之宪政解读》涉嫌剽窃的文章发表以来,我个人一直关注网络以及平面媒体上的各种报道和评论。周教授担任中国法学会宪法学研究会副会长,又是武汉大学学位委员会副主任,研究生院常务副院长,还是最新一轮“十大中青年法学家”称号获得者,其著作出现这样的问题理应受到法学界的高度关注。我个人也曾与周教授有过几次会议上的交流,虽然谈不上熟悉,不过作为相识的同行,也不免有些特别的留意。为了了解一些情况,我甚至专门到书店买来了这本书,粗粗看过,觉得其中不只是王天成提出的引文应注不注的问题,其他涉及学术规范化的问题也不少。不过,尽管网络上热闹非凡,甚至有网友还鼓励我对此发言,但是我还是有些迟疑。主要的原因是我希望也相信周教授能够主动出面作出解释和道歉,这样就不仅解决了问题,而且也为学术界挽回了一点的损失。周教授在书的后记里表达了对于批评的欢迎态度,他说:

“由于水平所限,时间紧促,不当乃至错误之处在所难免,我们真诚地期待广大读者和专家们的批评和建议。因为我们坚信:没有大家的批评,我们就很难正确认识自己,也就不可能真正战胜自己,更不可能超越自己!”

这话说得多么响亮,甚至有些过分掷地有声了。然而,令人遗憾的是,周教授仿佛是好龙叶公,当真的批评到来的时候,他却不愿意出面解释,也不道歉。不仅不解释不道歉,反而推卸责任。更有一些无从查考其身份的网友在网上对于揭露和批评者进行肆无忌惮的攻击和谩骂。周教授呢,在天涯社区的“关天茶舍”里用自己的真名登录,发了八个字的回应:“不予置评,清者自清。”这样的态度实在是强硬得很。我曾经在那个社区的“法律论坛”里回应网友时说:这起事件的事实已经相当清楚,还是表达了期盼周教授道歉的心情。不过,或许因为我以几乎属实名的“守门老鹤”(几个网站论坛上的网友都知道这是我)的表态引起了一位网名叫做 university 的人极度不满,在世纪沙龙的“世纪学堂”版上,他发出了一个呼吁我辞去《中外法学》主编职务的帖子,一方面对我攻击,另一方面也有转移网友视线的效果。更好笑的是,他居然指责我和杨支柱先生在策划这起事件。1这样毫无根据的说法以及若干id的胡搅蛮缠反而让我对于此事发表意见的想法变得更加坚定,就写了这篇评论,希望能以此就正于学界,当然也包括周叶中教授本人。

ASME 评出40年来40佳杂志封面

美国杂志编辑协会(ASME)的52位资深编辑在136种杂志过去40年中的444个候选封面中评出40个最佳封面,依名次排列如下(点击小图看大图):

Rolling Stone#1 Rolling Stone (January 22, 1981)
Rolling Stone’s cover of John Lennon and Yoko Ono was named the top magazine cover to appear since 1965. The image was photographed by renowned celebrity portraitist Annie Leibovitz mere hours before Lennon was shot on December 8, 1980. The photo was eventually used on the cover of Rolling Stone’s tribute issue to Lennon on January 22, 1981.
Vanity Fair#2 Vanity Fair (August 1991)
Vanity Fair’s provocative cover shot of the naked and hugely pregnant Demi Moore (also shot by Annie Leibovitz) projected the actress to even greater heights after the huge success of the movie Ghost the previous year. The cover helped firmly establish Moore as a member of Hollywood’s A-List at the time.
Esquire#3 Esquire (April 1968)
The controversial April 1968 cover depicting Muhammad Ali impaled by six arrows appeared on the heels of his refusal to be inducted into the U.S. Army because of his religious beliefs. (Ali, convicted violating the Selective Service Act, was barred from the ring and stripped of his title.) The cover, the second of three Esquire covers defending Ali, shows the boxer martyred as St. Sebastian, a patron saint of athletes and one who was shot with arrows for his steadfast religious beliefs. This was one of the covers designed by George Lois, Esquire’s Art Director during the 1960s.
The New Yorker#4 The New Yorker (March 29, 1976)
Saul Steinberg’s March 29, 1976 The New Yorker cover, “View of the World from 9th Avenue,” has come to represent Manhattan’s telescoped perception of the country beyond the Hudson River. The cartoon showed the supposed limited mental geography of Manhattanites.
Esquire#5 Esquire (May 1969)
One of the most iconic of Art Director George Lois’s creations, the May 1969 cover of Esquire juxtaposed the celebration of pop culture while deconstructing celebrity. The image of a drowning Andy Warhol was a friendly spoof of the artist’s famous Campbell Soup artwork, a pervading symbol of the Pop Art movement.
The New Yorker#6 The New Yorker (September 24, 2001)
New Yorker Covers Editor Fran?oise Mouly repositioned Art Spiegelman’s silhouettes, inspired by Ad Reinhardt’s black-on-black paintings, so that the north tower’s antenna breaks the “W” of the magazine’s logo. Spiegelman wanted to see the emptiness, and find the awful/awe-filled image of all that disappeared the on 9/11. The silhouetted Twin Towers were printed in a fifth, black ink, on a field of black made up of the standard four color printing inks. An overprinted clear varnish helps create the ghost images that linger, insisting on their presence through the blackness.
National Lampoon#7 National Lampoon (January 1973)
National Lampoon quickly grew in both popularity in 1970s, when it regularly skewered pop culture, counterculture and politics with recklessness and gleeful bad taste. The notorious January 1973 shot of a human hand holding a revolver to the head of a docile-looking dog, who suspiciously eyes the firearm with a sideways glance, was photographed by Ronald G. Harris and is the magazine’s most memorable cover.
Esquire#8 Esquire (October 1966)
This cover story by legendary writer John Sack helped change public perception of the Vietnam War and was a landmark in the history of New Journalism. Early in 1966, when America had little more than 100,000 troops in Vietnam, Sacks became Esquire‘s war correspondent in Vietnam. At 33,000 words, the resulting article was and still is the longest ever published in Esquire. The all-black cover with the white inscription, “Oh My God—We hit a little girl,” became the cover to reflect the story.
Harper’s Bazaar#9 Harper’s Bazaar (September 1992)
Harper’s Bazaar, which debuted in 1867 as America’s first fashion magazine, celebrated its 125th anniversary in 1992, and the September 1992 issue under legendary Editor-in-Chief Liz Tilberis’s direction heralded one of the most dramatic magazine reinventions in history. Tilberis helped transform the magazine from an “also-ran” fashion magazine into the one of the most cutting-edge and experimental of the big fashion glossies—illustrated by the creative typeface and avant-garde image of Linda Evangelista on the September cover.
National Geographic#10 National Geographic (June 1985)
Photographer Steve McCurry immortalized the haunted eyes of a 12-year-old refugee in a camp on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Soviet helicopters destroyed her village and family, forcing her to make a two-week trek out of the perilous mountains of Afghanistan. The photo became a National Geographic icon after it was published on the cover in June 1985. Since then, this raw, untouched image has been used on rugs and tattoos, making it one of the most widely reproduced photos in the world.
LIFE#11 LIFE (April 30, 1965)
The fetus became widely recognized after LIFE published Linnart Nilsson’s photograph of an 18-week-old fetus inside the womb on its April 30, 1965 cover. Swedish photographer Nilsson used an endoscope with an electronic flash to capture both the cover picture and pictures appearing inside the magazine to chronicle the beginning of human life. These pictures are part of Nilsson’s book, A Child is Born, which sold eight million copies in the first four days after publication.
TIME#12 TIME (April 8, 1966)
The question “Is God Dead?” appeared on the cover of TIME in red letters against a black backdrop, and this was the first time the magazine used a type only cover. The article, written by the editors and entitled “Toward a Hidden God,” included the opinions of Christian theologians Gabriel Vahanian, Paul van Buren, William Hamilton, Thomas J. Altizer, and the Rabbi Richard Rubenstein. They believed the “death of God” had come since God was no longer visible in public life and religion was dead. This article received much backlash from readers, but the radical movement died out by the end of the decade. This is one of two “type only” covers in the Top 40.
LIFE#13 LIFE Special Edition (1969)
This LIFE special edition “To the Moon and Back” chronicles the first moon landing, brought about by the courage of the Apollo 11 astronauts and the thousands of people who supported their mission. On the cover is a picture of Buzz Aldrin, taken by fellow astronaut Neil Armstrong. Along with color photographs of this historic walk on the moon, there are biographical sketches of Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin and Michael Collins. There is also a history of manned space exploration from the first single orbit around the earth orbit to the launch of Apollo 11.
The New Yorker#14 The New Yorker (December 10, 2001)
This New Yorker cover by Maira Kalman and Rich Meyerowitz features a map of “New Yorkistan” where the city is divided into Middle Eastern names. The pastel map pastel map showed a flat, bird’s-eye view of New York City drawn in pen and wash. It echoed Saul Steinberg’s map “View of the World from 9th Avenue,” published on the cover of The New Yorker on March 29, 1976 (ranking no. 4 on this Top 40 list).
Harper’s Bazaar#15 Harper’s Bazaar (April 1965)
This cover of Harper’s Bazaar is a photograph of model Jean Shrimpton by photographer Richard Avedon. The cover of Shrimpton peering from behind a bright pink Day-Glo space helmet was designed by Art Directors Ruth Ansel and Bea Feitler. This photograph, with the Harper’s Bazaar logo vibrating against it in acid green has been often reproduced as an emblem of the sixties.
The Economist#16 The Economist (September 10-16, 1994)
This controversial cover of The Economist portrays “The Trouble with Mergers” by showing an illustration of two camels mating. The London-based magazine published the cover in the North American edition, but not in the European edition. Reaction to this cover was mixed, with some readers disgusted and others highly amused.
TIME# 17 TIME (June 21, 1968)
Roy Lichtenstein’s drawing of “The Gun in America” was the cover of the June 21, 1968 issue of TIME. Soon after the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy, pop artist Lichtenstein aimed a smoking gun at readers to emphasize the urgency for gun legislation. Before the end of the year, Congress passed the Gun Control Act of 1968 that banned most interstate sales, licensed most gun dealers and barred felons, minors and the mentally ill from owning guns.
ESPN the Magazine#18 ESPN the Magazine (June 29, 1998)
This ESPN the Magazine cover portrays Michael Jordan jumping against an all-white background in his Chicago Bulls uniform. Two weeks after winning his sixth title with the Bulls, the corresponding article speculates whether or not Jordan will retire from basketball. Jordan retired on January 13, 1999, but two years later signed a deal to play for the Washington Wizards. On April 16, 2003, Jordan played his last game and announced his final retirement.
Esquire#19 Esquire (December 2000)
Bill Clinton’s appearance on Esquire’s cover at the tail end of his administration provoked ire from both sides of the political spectrum. Accompanying an extensive profile of the President in his waning weeks in office, Platon’s cover shot (the result of an 8-minute session in a cramped hotel bedroom in Princeton, NJ) was intended to evoke the Lincoln Memorial. Instead it came to be seen as fraught with sexual significance following the scandal with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
Blue#20 Blue (October 1997)
A man diving appears on the premiere October 1997 issue of Blue. Art Director David Carson, known for his innovative typography and photography designed the cover. Editor Amy Schrier launched the first adventure lifestyle magazine, covering outdoor recreation, action sport and adventure travel for men and women. The magazine also explored the diverse cultures of the world and took a look at their political, economic and social concerns.
LIFE#21 LIFE (November 26, 1965)
“The Blunt Reality of War in Vietnam” appears on the November 26, 1965 cover of LIFE. Paul Schutzer’s photograph of a Vietcong prisoner with his eyes and mouth taped shut captured the tumultuous war. Schutzer was one of LIFE’s best photographers, but was killed on assignment while covering the Six-Day War in 1967.
George#22 George (Oct/Nov 1995)
The premiere issue of George featured supermodel Cindy Crawford on the cover dressed as George Washington. George was founded by John F. Kennedy Jr. and covered politics, current events, pop culture and celebrity news. In 1999, Kennedy was killed in a plane crash and consequently, George folded in March 2001.
The Nation#23 The Nation (November 13, 2000)
This cover of The Nation features artwork by Brian Stauffer that depicts George Bush as Alfred E. Newman. The Nation compared Bush to Alfred E. Newman, the fictional mascot of the magazine Mad, complete with a button that reads, “What, me worry?” The U.S. presidential election was held on November 7, 2000, and when this issue of the magazine was released, the winner of the election was still unclear. The issue discusses what would happen to the country and the world if Bush became president, and in fact Bush was declared the winner of the election the next month.
Interview#24 Interview (December 1972)
This cover of Interview was designed by Richard Bernstein and features Andy Warhol photographing model Grace Jones for the December 1972 issue. Warhol founded the magazine in 1969 and featured unedited interviews with celebrities along with photographs and striking ads.
TIME#25 TIME (September 14, 2001)
The cover of the September 14, 2001 special edition of TIME features a photograph of the Twin Towers terrorist bombings on September 11, 2001, taken by photographer Lyle Owerkoof. The issue included testimonies from survivors, more photographs of the Twin Towers after the bombings, and a salute to all those who perished in the tragedy.
People#26 People (March 4, 1974)
This premiere issue of People featured Mia Farrow on the cover biting a strand of pearls. Farrow was starring in the movie “The Great Gatsby” as Daisy Buchanan and the cover dubbed Gatsby the year’s next big movie. Since this issue, People has become a popular magazine of celebrity and pop culture news and is best known for yearly special issues naming “The 50 Most Beautiful People,” “The Best and Worst Dressed” and “The Sexiest Man Alive.”
Entertainment Weekly#27 Entertainment Weekly (May 2, 2003)
The Dixie Chicks appear naked on this cover of Entertainment Weekly with slogans such as “Boycott,” “Traitors,” “Hero” and “Proud Americans” printed on their bodies. Two months before, member Natalie Maines criticized the impending invasion of Iraq by President George Bush at a concert in London. This remark sparked intense criticism from many Americans who subsequently boycotted The Dixie Chicks music and concerts. In their interview with Entertainment Weekly, the group discussed their reaction to the criticism and what lies ahead for them in the country music industry.
LIFE#28 LIFE (April 16, 1965)
This black and white photograph on the cover of LIFE by Larry Burrows shows the Vietcong zeroing in on vulnerable United States helicopters. The LIFE photographer had covered the war in Vietnam since 1962 and reported this article from Da Nang. On this day, Burrows accompanied a helicopter squadron on a mission where the pilot was killed and other members of the squadron were wounded. Burrows himself was killed in 1971 while on assignment in Laos when his helicopter was shot down by enemy fire.
Playboy#29 (tie) Playboy (October 1971)
Photographer Richard Fegley took this photo of model Darine Stern sitting on a Playboy bunny chair for the October 1971 cover of the magazine. The idea came about when art designer Len Willis decided to create a chair using the famous rabbit head. Stern became the first African-American model to grace the cover of Playboy and the cover has become a classic for the magazine.
Fortune#29 (tie) Fortune (October 1, 2001)
This special edition of Fortune, entitled “Up from the Ashes,” shows a man covered in ashes after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Published less than a month after the attacks, the issue discussed the economic ramifications of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on New York City and the world.
Newsweek#31 Newsweek (November 20, 2000)
This cover of the November 20, 2000 issue of Newsweek is entitled “The Winner Is…” with a photo of half George W. Bush and half Al Gore. The presidential election had taken place earlier that month, but there was still no clear winner declared because of the close ballot count in the state of Florida. In this issue, Newsweek chronicled the lawsuits, court challenges and endless counting of ballots. The following month, George W. Bush was declared the winner of the closest presidential election in United States history.
Vogue#32 Vogue (May 2004)
Photographer Irving Penn captures Nicole Kidman’s back profile dressed in a Christian Lacroix oyster satin backless dress for this cover of the May 2004 issue of Vogue. This was the first cover shoot for Vogue by Penn since 1989. The issue contains more photographs of Kidman dressed as a Grecian goddess, an Italian diva and as legendary actress Sarah Bernhardt.
Newsweek#33 Newsweek (July 30, 1973)
This July 30, 1973 cover of Newsweek, entitled the “The Nixon Tapes,” gives an aerial view of the White House turned into a tape recorder. The article discusses how President Nixon had been secretly taping everything said in his offices and on his telephones for at least two years. The following year, the tapes were released and they proved Nixon was involved with the Watergate Scandal cover-up. In August 1974, Nixon announced his resignation and Gerald Ford became President. Ford later pardoned Nixon, immunizing him from prosecution for any crimes he may have committed as President.
Wired#33 (tie) Wired (June 1997)
This June 1997 cover of Wired is entitled “Pray,” with a picture of the Apple symbol covered in barbed wire. The article “101 Ways to Save Apple” gave an assessment of what could be done to fix the once-great company. Steven Jobs and Steven Wozniak founded Apple Computer in 1976 when they introduced the Apple I. However, by 1997, Apple saw major competition from other computer companies and experienced economic troubles. Since that time, Apple has made a comeback, due in part to the tremendous success of the iPod.
New York#35 New York (June 8, 1970)
This cover of New York is entitled “Free Leonard Bernstein,” with a photograph of New York society women posing with fists upraised. Bernstein was an acclaimed American composer and orchestra conductor who was a presence on Broadway, in Hollywood, at Carnegie Hall and at the New York Philharmonic. He supported the Black Panthers and in 1970, held a fund-raising meeting for the organization at his apartment. The magazine cover was a jab at his association with the Black Panthers and their radical ideology.
People#36 People (September 15, 1997)
This cover of People features a black and white photograph of Princess Diana, and the issue is a tribute to her life after she was killed in August 1997 in a car crash. Diana appeared on the cover of the magazine a record 52 times and was one of the most popular People cover subjects. In 1981, she married Prince Charles and arguably became one of the most famous women in the world. She was lauded for her high-profile involvement in AIDS issues and for an international campaign against landmines. Diana’s death was greeted with extraordinary public grief, and her funeral at Westminster Abbey drew an estimated three million mourners in London, as well as worldwide television coverage.
Details#37(tie) Details (February 1989)
This cover of Details features a photograph of Cyndi Lauper sporting a classic Hollywood look. In the issue, Lauper discusses her songwriting and recounts her trip to the U.S.S.R. with a group of American songwriters the previous year to collaborate with Soviet counterparts. They produced the song “Cold Sky,” which appears on the album Action Speaks Louder Than Words.
Fast Company#37 (tie) Fast Company (Aug/Sept 1997)
This cover of Fast Company is entitled “The Brand Called You,” against the Tide background. In the cover article, author Tom Peters discussed how people can market themselves as brands to stand out and move up in their professional life.
Glamour#37 (tie) Glamour (August 1968)
This issue of Glamour model Katiti Kirondi II on the cover features the “Best Dressed College Girls.” This marked the first time an African-American woman appeared on the cover of a national women’s monthly magazine. This issue featured the 10 best-dressed college girls and 100 great fall looks, which included mini-skirts and psychedelic colors.
National Geographic#37 (tie) National Geographic (October 1978)
This cover of National Geographic magazine is entitled “Conversations with a Gorilla,” with Koko the gorilla snapping a photograph of her reflection in the mirror. The photo was of such high quality and significance that it was chosen to be the cover photo for the October 1978 National Geographic article featuring Koko. Developmental psychologist Francine Patterson spent six years with Koko teaching her sign language and this led Patterson and other researchers to believe Koko displayed evidence of linguistic capabilities.
TIME#37 (tie) TIME (April 14, 1997)
This cover of TIME magazine is entitled “Yep, I’m Gay,” with a photograph of Ellen DeGeneres by celebrity photographer Firooz Zahedi. In the April 14, 1997 issue of TIME magazine, DeGeneres spoke to writer Bruce Handy and admitted to him that she was gay and this made her television’s first openly gay star. The television character played by DeGeneres on the sitcom Ellen also came out later that month and this was one of the most watched episodes of the series.

《时代》杂志评出100部最佳英语小说

评选人是《时代》评论家 Lev Grossman 和 Richard Lacayo,评选时限为1923年(《时代杂志》创刊的年份)至今,范围是全世界,语种是英语。100部小说名单如下(依篇名字母排序):

海伦民:法治与宪政四题——一位保守主义者的反驳

W君:

你的来信已经收到,读后激起了我许多感想。我一向闲散自居,以看书为趣,教书为业,过着类似僧侣的生活,虽然没有出世,但毕竟养成了懒惰的习惯,对于任何来信,总是采取“拖派”(不同于影视中的“脱派”)的战术,如时下某些债务人那样,能拖就拖,不能拖想办法也要拖。对于你先前的信,虽然读信当时颇有回信的冲动,但这种冲动如天上的流星一样,转瞬即逝,结果仍是一拖再拖。我数了数,前后总共收到了你四封信,你的每封信都是洋洋洒洒的“万言书”。我行使了沉默权,并使你充分享受了劳动权(写作似乎既劳力又劳心),但按照我们的传统,“有来无往”,毕竟“非礼也”。于是,我便有了写这封信的想法,至于我这“以一当四”的回应,虽然显得不够对等,但旧债已无法还清,只好请求你减免了。

我必须坦告,读了你的信,最打动我的与其说是你的才华,不如说是你的勇气。你对中国法治和宪政问题的强烈关注,使我感到在茫茫人海中遇到了一位知音。从你的思考和疑问中,我看到了你对社会所怀有的那份强烈的责任感,这把我带回到自己的青年时代。我虽然年届天命,灵魂日益麻木,但仍然为你信中的激情所打动,被你的敏锐所感染,并萌生了一种久违的感动,重现出早已失落了的激情。在这个由Mr. Power(权力先生)和Ms. Money(金钱小姐)统治的时代,物欲泛滥、人欲横流,人们追逐的是实利和实惠,能够像你这样存一份忧国忧民之心(与那些只有倾国倾城之貌的中国小姐们形成了鲜明对照),不是难能可贵吗?

我想,没有一种强烈的社会责任感,你的思考不会如此之深,疑问不会如此之多。实际上,你提出的问题远比这些问题的结论更重要,也许一些问题永远没有答案。但你不要由此产生错觉,以为我对你的观点完全赞同,如果这样,我就可以像领导批文那样简单圈上“同意”就可以了,自然也就省却了下文的笔墨。在许多问题,我与你的看法不同甚至截然相反,并想借此机会与你讨论和商榷。我的回函中有时措辞可能过于激烈,但这并非是我老人家倚老卖老,居高临下地教训你们这些“早晨八、九点钟的太阳”,也并非意在挑起争吵,而是对你信中挑战的回应。你的观点虽然偏激,但我并不认为这种观点代表了你们的“一小撮”;我的看法偏向保守,但我也不自诩它们代表了我辈的“一大片”,我们的讨论完全是两个人之间的争论。为了便于讨论,我分四部分分别回应你四封信提出的问题,并请求允许我引述你信中的一些观点(恕不具体注明出处,尽管这不符合时下的学术规范),单元这种引述没有断章取义和削足适履。

理查德·道金斯:后现代皇帝的新装

按:这是理查德·道金斯的一篇相当有趣的书评文章,原文:Richard Dawkins, “Postmodernism Disrobed”, Nature 394, 141-143 (09 Jul 1998). Review of Intellectual Impostures by Alan Sokal and Jean Bricmont. Profile Books 1998, £9.99. To be published in U.S.A. by Picador as Fashionable Nonsense. 本文由柯南翻译。
  
  假设你是一个胸无点墨的知识欺诈者,但是又有强烈的野心,想在学术生涯上取得成功,得到一小群虔诚的信徒,让全世界的学生把你的作品用荧光记号笔标出来。那么你会选择致力于哪种文风?当然,不能是清晰的那种,因为清晰的文风会暴露出你的无知。或许你会创作出类似于下面这段话的东西:

  我们很明显地看到,视作者的不同,在线性的表意联系或者原书写(archi-writing),以及这种多参考的、多维的机械催化剂之间不存在一一对应的关系。尺度的对称、横向性和它们的扩展的消极非论说的特征:所有这些维度让我们离开了排中律的逻辑,并且加强了我们对此前批评过的本体论二元论的拒绝。

  这是从心理分析学家费里克斯·瓜塔里(Félix Guattari)的作品中引用的一段,瓜塔里是被艾伦·索卡尔(Alan Sokal)和吉恩·布里克蒙(Jean Bricmont)在他们的杰作《知识欺诈》一书中揭露的许多时髦的法国“知识分子”中的一位。这本书此前在法国出版,现在出版了用英语完全重写和修订的版本。瓜塔里仍然继续着这种含含糊糊的风格,并且在索卡尔和布里克蒙看来,他创作出了“我们迄今为止遇到的包含了科学的、伪科学的和哲学术语的最天才的大杂烩。”瓜塔里亲密的合作者、已故的吉尔·德勒兹(Gilles Deleuze)在写作上也有类似的天才:

倪湛舸:玫瑰是玫瑰是玫瑰是玫瑰

A rose is a rose is a rose is a rose.
You can love a name and if you love a name then saying that name any number of times only makes you love it more, more violently more persistently more tormentedly.

—Gertrude Stein

白马非马,玫瑰是玫瑰
难道只是诡辩?我们注定与身外的世界对立
为建筑藏匿之巢而滥伐词语的丛林
风雨于四十九年后停息,幸存者无力直腰
却有箭矢从亡祖处射来,遍地挺立起玫瑰
如同火柴和磷擦肩而过,又一个名字灼痛手指:
“玫瑰”。它与现实平行,却无需空气、阳光、或水
有这样的情人存在:早夭被打制成秘密容器
她最后的呼吸永远近在咫尺,我们却从不曾到达

玫瑰是玫瑰——是玫瑰
盗火是罪,命名权却随意分发
爱上你的时候,十指滴血落地生花
疼痛的水面上浮现这样的波纹:玫瑰是玫瑰
紧握穿透掌心的钉,水上行走的人终要离去,
而我披盔戴甲守卫空坟,青苔爬满肺腑
石像怎会有温度,最生动的姿势也不能记录挣扎
曾经的战役有精兵突进,旌旗共血肉一色
——对,就是玫瑰绽放的瞬间
我们为一个名字战死,仿佛遍地出壳的蜗牛

玫瑰是玫瑰——是——玫瑰是玫瑰
总是热衷同语反复,镜中的舌尖天旋地转
舔平那无底陷阱上的草皮和血迹
夏天失血过度,沉重的尘衣把空腹花瓶
当作死于难产的女人而宠爱。窗帘静止
画架上油彩龟裂,未完成的面容沉入混沌
却在夜深时被呼嚎声惊起,不知往何处去
世界尽头原来只是长宽搭建的木框
烛光从另一维度入侵,成为危险的异端

玫瑰!是玫瑰!是玫瑰!是玫瑰!
炉火正旺,孤单的铁匠听见窗外的声响
那些天流星接二连三地砸穿屋顶
积水的鞋子里一下倒出不长眼睛的鱼
我砸我打我敲我造,火里涌动着老虎绵羊和蠕虫
窗外唱歌的孩子等着带它们回家
玫瑰是玫瑰是玫瑰是玫瑰,不是锤子,更不是我
我双手托起火里绽放的世界,独自打着寒战
无数人死于那场地震,头骨被臆想中的玫瑰刺穿

王蒙:莎乐美、潘金莲和巴别尔的骑兵军

二〇〇〇年我在爱尔兰首都都柏林观看了王尔德的话剧(诗剧)《莎乐美》的演出。我想写点感想之类的东西,一想就想了四年多。

独幕剧,不长,把美女、宫廷、爱、屠杀、死亡、人头、宗教或邪、舞蹈……混在一起,刺激得令人目不暇给,却又难于理解把握。舞台呈斜面形,适合观众观看,却给演员走动增加了难度。主角是一位年轻美女,嗓子是英伦三岛尤其时兴的甜、糯、沙瓤极品。服装倒是没有问题,并不暴露。中场休息的时候女演员与我们见面,她很社交,得知第二天有爱尔兰文化部长为我们举行的招待会以后,立即表示她也要来,其实没有来,如我所料。

我一面看一面想的是我们的国粹潘金莲。此后更是想起来没有完。

莎乐美莎乐美与潘金莲,同样地美丽而又似乎邪恶。二人同样地把爱情与杀人和血腥连结在一起。二人同样以杀人始,以被杀终。两人同样爱上了不爱自己、对爱无回应的人:先知约翰与武松。两个人都有另外一个男人的性介入:一个是莎乐美的继父希律王,一个是西门庆大官人。(希律王还兼着潘金莲故事中的张大户,即原来潘的主人、在潘金莲身体上未能得手,遂将潘金莲下嫁武大郎的那个极端坏蛋的角色。)根据学者特别是女性主义学者的分析,希律王对于莎乐美存在着性侵犯与性压迫。两个故事里都有一对嫂子与小叔子的恋情:《莎乐美》中是莎乐美的母亲与小叔子希律王成了婚,潘金莲的故事中是潘金莲苦恋武松。

在西洋,叔嫂之恋是否有特殊含义,非我所知。在中国,“养小叔子”是难听的话,《红楼梦》中的焦大曾经揭露过贾府的这种腐败。中国农村有一种说法,小叔子与大嫂戏耍是无伤的,俗话说“长嫂如母”。小叔子可以提出要吃大嫂的咂儿(奶头)。而大伯子对于弟媳是必须严肃和中规中矩的,大伯子如果与弟媳有事,由男方负责。那么,小叔子与嫂子中间有了事,就纯然是女方恶劣。

谌洪果:法律,另一种父亲形象——致《因父之名》[In the Name of the Father]

杰瑞·康龙是爱尔兰首都贝尔法斯特的一名偷破铜烂铁的小毛贼,一次行窃使他被英军误认为狙击手,引发爱尔兰平民和英军对抗的一场骚乱,并由于他无意闯入爱尔兰共和军的弹药库,惹怒了共和军领导人。为了儿子的生命安全,父亲约瑟·康龙将他送到伦敦避难谋生。但他到伦敦后并没有和安妮姑妈住在一起,而是加入了追求自由、性爱与毒品的嬉皮团体。这时爱尔兰共和军发动了袭击英国目标的暴力行动,炸毁了吉尔福酒吧,造成5人死亡,多人受伤。他被警方怀疑是恐怖分子成员,刑讯逼供而蒙冤入狱。朋友和父亲、姑妈等亲人也受到牵连,成为警方和检察部门推卸责任的牺牲品。父亲在狱中一直鼓励儿子不要放弃上诉的机会,在最艰难的情况下也不要绝望,并且联系上一位坚韧的女律师申诉。父亲的没等到出狱就病逝,儿子终于变得坚强起来,最后通过努力终于证明了自己的清白。

《因父之名》(In the Name of the Father)那是一个战火纷飞的混乱时代。对于杰瑞·康龙和他的家人来说,灾难的降临似乎是那样的偶然,偶然地,就飘落在命运的波心;最后的翻案也似乎是偶然的,要不是坚韧的女律师无意中发现了审讯流浪汉的秘密档案,也许他就要在狱中度过余生。但电影似乎就是要告诉我们,偶然的背后蕴藏的永远是对秩序、对爱、对正义这些似乎标示必然与不朽的事物的不懈追求——谁说秩序不在,谁说爱飘忽不定,谁说正义消失?更重要的是,电影要表现个人在追求这些目标过程中所迸发出来的那种生命张力,即如何在颠沛不定的命运和灾难中还能把握自己的方向,还能放射出巨大的生命潜能,使自己成长、成熟,成为一个真正的汉子,成就生命无可置疑的尊严。

劳伦斯·弗里德曼:《选择的共和国:法律、权威与文化》

选择的共和国:法律、权威与文化[美] 劳伦斯·M.弗里德曼:《选择的共和国:法律、权威与文化

(Lawrence M. Friedman, The Republic of Choice: Law Authority, and Culture, Harvard University Press, 1990)

高鸿钧等译,清华大学出版社2005年6月出版. ISBN: 9787302107040

目 录

作者鸣谢

中文版序言 (弗里德曼)
译者前言 (高鸿钧)

第1章 导 论
第2章 法条主义与个人主义
第3章 现代性与个人的兴起
第4章 技术与变革
第5章 论现代法律文化
第6章 选择的共和国
第7章 神灵、国王与电影明星
第8章 犯罪、性和社会分裂
第9章 选择生活方式的社会
第10章 尾论:一个评价的尝试

附录 关键词的社会含义
索引
译者后记

谌洪果:向死而生——评电影《死囚168小时》

这部电影的英文原名叫“Dead Man Walking”,意即“死囚上路”,它是美国监狱中死囚前往行刑室时狱警通常会喊出的话。中文世界一般将这部电影译为“死囚168小时”,我认为是比较少有的传神佳译:168小时即一周。然而,该片名以具体的168小时这个数字来定格一个生命即将消失的每一个时刻,它们一下一下地敲打在人们的灵魂深处,让观众对生命有刻骨铭心的审视:不远的死亡的确是被决定的,从而也是被等待的,但对于一个即将离开这个世界的死囚来说,他是耗尽生命、还是重新获得对生命之价值的认可和理解?

《死囚168小时》电影的主要讲述的是,一个名为海伦的修女,成了为死囚马修·庞斯莱提供帮助的义工。她尽各种努力帮他寻找律师、申请聆讯、上诉和测谎,并充当他的精神顾问,最终以言行感化了他,使他承认自己罪行,向被害者家属道歉,从而平静而有尊严地离开了这个世界。电影的故事其实很简单,作为法律题材的影片,它没有关于案件的复杂叙事,也没有法庭上控辩双方激烈繁杂的辩论。它将视角直接切入一个即将被执行死刑的死囚在这死前168小时之内发生的心灵纪事,一种内心如何顽抗、斗争与挣扎,最后如何获得安宁的历程,而引导这一切的就是那个名叫海伦的修女。但说“引导”似乎有些居高临下的味道,实际上,在这个过程中,同样的精神撞击和洗礼也发生在海伦修女身上,发生在故事的每一个参与者、以及观众身上。

我从这部影片中提炼出四个问题,它们关涉人的肉身与精神、生命与死亡的基本意义。也许我们没有答案,但一旦我们开始正视这些问题,我们也就在某种程度上开始接近意义本身。

 

一、他为什么不认罪?

马修一直拒不认罪。为什么?

他之所以不认罪,最直接的理由是他认为自己没有受到公正对待。案发当时,他和另一主犯维特洛共同实施了强奸杀人行为,虽然事实上他参与强奸了那个女孩,并将女孩的男朋友杀了,但这一切都是在维特洛的指使甚至威逼之下完成的,最后残忍杀害女孩的也是维特洛。可是在审判中,同伙因为有钱聘请了好的律师,最终使陪审团相信指控其的证据有“合理怀疑”,被判终身监禁,而他自己却要被处死。他认为在这个国家的司法制度中,死囚都是穷人。

但是,在这个直接理由背后,有一个更根本的拒不认罪的理由。那就是他不能以平等、而只能以偏见的眼光看待周围的一切。他是一个极端的种族主义者。当海伦和他一见面时,他就挑衅地问她:“你从没有如此接近一个杀人犯?但你所住的地方住了不少黑人,他们老是在互相厮杀。”他为自己将要躺在那些黑人躺过的行刑台上而大声抱怨。是什么原因让他怀有如此深的种族偏见,将黑人排除在社会之外呢?在海伦修女的追问下,他说自己看不惯大多数黑人的懒散,浪费纳税人的钱。可是他又不得不承认自己佩服黑人斗士马丁·路德·金,并且同样厌恶懒散的白人。他的歧视理由看来并不充分。

庞斯莱的偏见如此根深蒂固,看来还有另外一个原因,即他本人一直也都是一个被歧视者。他从小不幸,十四岁丧父,在穷人区工作;他和妻子离异,而正是前妻告发的他;他被人们视为杀人狂,禽兽、天生恶魔,得而诛之。一个不断被这个社会所排斥的人,怎么可能以平等心来看待社会呢?所以他在绝望里充满仇视地说“我对这个政府毫无感情”,接受记者采访时大放厥词,说希特勒屠杀犹太人是对的,声称会参加恐怖组织,会炸毁政府大楼,让修女都震惊:“我怎么会帮这样一个人?我一定是疯了。”

这些理由似乎都可以很好解释马修对自身罪行否认。但问题是,这样的理由能成为理由吗?一个人的不幸是否就可以让他有权对别人施加不幸?当你碰到一个所谓的“懒人”、“恶人”时,你是否就能够将之归属于一类懒人或恶人?被社会排斥就一定意味着要排斥社会吗?更何况,当马修有了不幸、恶、冷漠等一类的观念时,其实他也无形中有了关于幸福、善及爱的标准。这些东西并没有从他的经历中消失,比如修女对他的帮助、比如他的母亲和兄弟们对他的关爱,只不过这一切都因为他执着于自己的不幸而被遗忘了。

他越拒不认罪,越证明他并不甘愿自己就此被社会排斥,越证明他对人性尊严中某些东西的渴望,这恰好是让他认罪、获得做人尊严的契机。

赵晓力:网络色情与“社区标准”

一、我国法律政策中认定“淫秽色情”的标准

今年的网络扫黄行动中,中国互联网协会互联网新闻信息服务工作委员会设立了一个网站——违法和不良信息举报中心(http://net.china.cn),接受举报。《电信条例》和《互联网信息服务管理办法》列举了九类“互联网信息服务提供者不得制作、复制、发布、传播”的信息。从目前被曝光的网站看,绝大部分举报指向“淫秽、色情”,即九类信息中的第七类信息。

“违法和不良信息举报中心”按照一份《互联网站禁止传播淫秽、色情等不良信息自律规范》确定什么是淫秽、色情信息。该规范对淫秽和色情做了区分。所谓淫秽是指“在整体上宣扬淫秽行为,具有下列内容之一,挑动人们性欲,导致普通人腐化、堕落,而又没有艺术或科学价值的文字、图片、音频、视频等信息内容。”具体包括以下七类内容: 1、淫亵性地具体描写性行为、性交及其心理感受;2、宣扬色情淫荡形象;3、淫亵性地描述或者传授性技巧;4、具体描写乱伦、强奸及其他性犯罪的手段、过程或者细节,可能诱发犯罪的;5、具体描写少年儿童的性行为;6、淫亵性地具体描写同性恋的性行为或者其他性变态行为,以及具体描写与性变态有关的暴力、虐待、侮辱行为;7、其他令普通人不能容忍的对性行为淫亵性描写。(第三条)

而色情信息“指在整体上不是淫秽的,但其中一部分有第三条中1至7的内容,对普通人特别是未成年人的身心健康有毒害,缺乏艺术价值或者科学价值的文字、图片、音频、视频等信息内容。”[1]

追根溯源,这份《自律规范》关于“淫秽”和“色情”的认定标准其实来自新闻出版署1988年《关于认定淫秽及色情出版物的暂行规定》(新出办 [1988] 1512号),其中7类淫秽内容的列举,更是一字不差。

改革开放以后我国法律和政策中关于淫秽色情的认定标准,也经历了一个由简单到比较详尽的过程。

韩少功:公因数、临时建筑以及兔子

独断论一再遭到严打的副产品,是任何人开口说话都将成为一件难事,因为没有哪一句话可以逃得了“能指”、“神话”、“遮蔽性”一类罪名的指控(翻译成中国的成语,是没有任何判断可以最终解脱自己瞎子摸象、井蛙观天、以筌为鱼、说出来便不是禅一类可疑的身份):甚至连描述一个茶杯都是冒险。我们不能说茶杯就是茶杯,不能满足这种正确而无效的同义反复。那么我们还能怎么办?如果我们有足够的勇气向现代人的语言泥潭里涉足,说茶杯是一个容器,那么就“遮蔽”了它的色彩;我们加上它的色彩描述,还“遮蔽”了它的形状:我们加上它的形状描述,还“遮蔽”了它的材料;我们加上它的材料描述,还“遮蔽”了它的质量、强度、分子结构以及原子结构乃至亚原子结构……而所有这些容器、色彩、形状、材料等等概念本身又需要人们从头开始阐释,只能在语义“延异”(德里达语)的无限长链中和无限网络里,才能加以有效——然而最终几乎是徒劳的说明和再说明和再再说明。

假定我们可以走到这个无限言说的终点,假定世界上有足够的知识分子和研究中心以及足够的笔墨纸张来把这一个小小茶杯说全和说透,以求得避免任何遮蔽性的确论,果真到了那个时候,我们面对车载斗量如山似海的茶杯全论和茶杯通论,还可能知道“茶杯”是什么东西吗?还能保证自己不晕头、不眼花也不患冠心病地面对这个茶杯吗?如果这种精确而深刻的语义清理,最终带来一种使人寸步难行的精确肥肿和深刻超重,可能带给我们无所不有的一无所有,那么我们是否还有信心在喝完一杯茶以后再来斗胆谈谈其它一些更大的题目?比如改革?比如历史?比如现代性?

这样说,并不是说八十年代以来的虚无主义没干什么好事。

谌洪果:陪审团醒了——评电影《十二怒汉》

十二个普普通通的人,他们以前素不相识,以后可能也没有什么打交道的机会。为了一桩杀人案件,他们坐在了一起。
就是这十二个人,被这个司法制度挑选了出来,组成了一个名叫“陪审团”的神圣组织,要开始决定另外一个人的命运,决定他是有罪还是无罪,是活着还是死亡。他们本来不懂法律,似乎也没必要懂得法律,因为他们不过是在法律强加的义务之下而被迫来到法庭的。他们来自不同的家庭和生活背景,从事不同的职业,有自身更关心的利益,有不同的人生经验,有自己的偏好和性格。

在经过六天冗长枯燥的听审之后,法官终于对陪审团发布裁决指示了。被告是一名年仅18岁的男子,被控在午夜杀害了自己的父亲。法庭上提供的证据也极具说服力:居住在对面的妇女透过卧室及飞驶的火车窗户,看到被告举刀杀人;楼下的老人听到被告高喊“我要杀了你”及身体倒地声音,并发现被告跑下楼梯;刺进父亲胸膛的刀子和被告曾经购买的弹簧刀一模一样。而被告声称从午夜11点到凌晨3点之间在看电影的证词极不可信,因为他连刚看过的电影名字也说不出来。

对于这个铁证如山的案件,裁决有罪应该是板上钉钉。根据法律,他们只要一致表决通过有罪,就可以完成使命。驱使他们尽快作出裁决的更重要的理由是:这些陪审员实在已受够这拖沓的审判了;他们被锁在这间闷热的小屋里,汗流浃背,焦躁不安;有人还惦记着自己的生意或下午的球赛。总之,这些更重要的理由归结到一点就是,这时的他们还没有真正进入“陪审员”的角色,所谓以公正法律的名义、所谓根据证据,不过是他们只想例行公事,然后赶快回家的托辞。

他们的确不知如何进入自己的角色:电影开初给我们展现的是一幅散乱嘈杂的会议室场景,上洗手间的、抽烟的、闲聊的、坐在桌上的、看财经版报纸的、感冒擤鼻涕的、看着窗外风景的、羡慕对面富人大厦的;对此无比厌倦的、因第一次参加陪审而感到莫名其妙激动的。这给人的印象就是法律裁判并不是一件严肃的事情。

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