新gre红宝书2012:GRE作文范文大全(40)
During the
1920s the Soviet government quashed certain areas of scientific inquiry, destroyed entire
research facilities and libraries, and caused the sudden disappearance of many scientists who
were viewed as threats to the state's authority. Not surprisingly, during this time period no
significant scientific advances occurred under the auspices of the Soviet government.
Those who would oppose the speaker's assertion might argue that intellectual inquiry in
certain areas, particularly the arts and humanities, amounts to little more than a personal quest
for happiness or pleasure, and therefore is of little benefit to anyone but the inquirer. This
specious argument overlooks the palpable benefits of cultivating the arts. It also ignores the
fact that earnest study in the humanities affords us wisdom to know what is best for society,
and helps us understand and approach societal problems more critically, creatively, and
92
effectively. Thus, despite the lack of a tangible nexus between certain areas of intellectual
inquiry and societal benefit, the nexus is there nonetheless.
In sum, I agree that society is best served when people are allowed unfettered freedom of
intellectual inquiry and research, and use that freedom to pursue their own personal interests.
Engaging one's individual talents in one's particular area of fascination is most likely to yield
advances, discoveries, and a heightened aesthetic appreciation that serve to make the world a
better and more interesting place in which to live.
Issue 84
"Laws should not be stationary and fixed. Instead, they should be flexible enough to take
account of various circumstances, times, and places."
Does "originality" mean putting together old ideas in new ways, as the speaker contends,
rather than conjuring up truly new ideas? Although I agree that in various realms of human
endeavor, such as linguistics, law, and even the arts, so-called "new" or "original" ideas rarely
are. However, when it comes to the physical sciences originality more often entails chartering
completely new intellectual territory.
The notion that so-called "originality" is actually variation or synthesis of existing ideas finds
its greatest support in linguistics and in law. Regarding the former, in spite of the many words
in the modern English language that are unique to Western culture, modern English is derived
from, and builds upon, a variety of linguistic traditions--and ultimately from the ancient Greek
and Latin languages. Were we to insist on rejecting tradition in favor of purely modern
language we would have essentially nothing to say. The same holds true for all other modern
languages. As for law, consider the legal system in the United States, which is deeply rooted in
traditional English common-law principles of equity and justice. The system in the U.S. 感谢您阅读《GRE作文范文大全(40) 》一文,出国留学网(liuxue86.com)编辑部希望本文能帮助到您。
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