新gre作文2012:GRE作文范文大全(14)
We do not require a rear-view mirror to recognize artistic greatness--whether in music, visual
arts, or literature. The reason for this is simple: art can be judged at face value.There's nothing
to be later proved or disproved, affirmed or discredited, or even improved upon or refined by
further knowledge or newer technology. History is replete with examples of artistic greatness
immediately recognized, then later confm-ned. Through his patronage, the Pope recognized
Michelangelo's artistic greatness, while the monarchs of Europe immediately recognized
Mozart's greatness by granting him their most generous commissions. Mark Twain became a
best-selling author and household name even during his lifetime. And the leaders of the
modernist school of architecture marveled even as Frank Lloyd Wright was elevating their
notions about architecture to new aesthetic heights.
By contrast, in the sciences it is difficult to identify greatness without the benefit of historical
perspective. Any scientific theory might be disproved tomorrow, thereby demoting the
theorist's contribution to the status of historical footnote. Or the theory might withstand
centuries of rigorous scientific scrutiny. In any event, a theory may or may not serve as a
springboard for later advances in theoretical science. A current example involves the ultimate
significance of two opposing theories of physics: wave theory and quantum theory. Some
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theorists now claim that a new so-called "string" theory reconciles the two opposing
theories--at least mathematically. Yet "strings" have yet to be confirmed empirically. Only time
will tell whether string theory indeed provides the unifying laws that all matter in the universe
obeys. In short, the significance of contributions made by theoretical scientists cannot be
judged by their contemporaries--only by scientists who follow them.
In the realm of business, in some cases great achievement is recognizable immediately,
while in other cases it is not. Consider on the one hand Henry Ford's assembly-line approach
to manufacturing affordable cars for the masses. Even Ford could not have predicted the
impact his innovations would have on the American economy and on the modern world. On the 感谢您阅读《GRE作文范文大全(14) 》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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