科技伦理 Tech Ethics — HSK 6 Reading

科学技术kēxué jìshù的de迅猛xùnměng发展fāzhǎn，正zhèng以yǐ前所未有qián suǒ wèi yǒu的de速度sùdù改变gǎibiàn着zhe人类rénlèi的de生活shēnghuó。

The rapid development of science and technology is changing human life at an unprecedented speed.

人工智能réngōng zhìnéng可以kěyǐ诊断zhěnduàn疾病jíbìng，基因jīyīn编辑biānjí有望yǒuwàng根治gēnzhì遗传yíchuán顽疾wánjí，前景qiánjǐng令人lìng rén振奋zhènfèn。

Artificial intelligence can diagnose diseases, and gene editing promises to cure stubborn hereditary illnesses — the prospects are inspiring.

然而rán'ér，技术jìshù是shì一把yì bǎ双刃剑shuāngrènjiàn，滥用lànyòng它tā的de后果hòuguǒ同样tóngyàng不堪设想bùkān shèxiǎng。

However, technology is a double-edged sword, and the consequences of abusing it are equally unthinkable.

算法suànfǎ可能kěnéng加剧jiājù偏见piānjiàn，人脸识别rénliǎn shíbié可能kěnéng侵犯qīnfàn隐私yǐnsī，数据shùjù一旦yídàn泄露xièlòu便biàn覆水难收fù shuǐ nán shōu。

Algorithms may intensify bias, facial recognition may infringe on privacy, and once data is leaked it can never be recalled, like spilt water.

更gèng令人lìng rén担忧dānyōu的de是shì，技术jìshù的de迭代diédài速度sùdù远远yuǎnyuǎn超过chāoguò了le法律fǎlǜ与yǔ道德dàodé的de更新gēngxīn速度sùdù。

What is even more worrying is that the pace of technological iteration far exceeds the pace at which law and morality are updated.

有人yǒu rén主张zhǔzhāng技术jìshù中立zhōnglì，认为rènwéi问题wèntí不在bú zài工具gōngjù，而ér在zài使用shǐyòng工具gōngjù的de人rén。

Some advocate that technology is neutral, believing the problem lies not in the tool but in the person who uses it.

但dàn在我看来zài wǒ kànlái，设计者shèjìzhě从cóng一开始yì kāishǐ就jiù应当yīngdāng把bǎ伦理lúnlǐ考量kǎoliáng纳入nàrù技术jìshù之中zhī zhōng。

But in my view, designers ought to build ethical considerations into technology from the very beginning.

科技kējì的de终极zhōngjí目的mùdì是shì造福zàofú人类rénlèi，而ér不是bú shì把bǎ人rén变成biànchéng工具gōngjù的de奴隶núlì。

The ultimate purpose of technology is to benefit humanity, not to turn people into slaves of their tools.

当dāng技术jìshù能够nénggòu做到zuòdào一切yíqiè时shí，我们wǒmen更gèng需要xūyào追问zhuīwèn：什么shénme是shì不该bù gāi做zuò的de？

When technology can do everything, we need all the more to keep asking: what should not be done?

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

伦理lúnlǐethics

双刃剑shuāngrènjiàndouble-edged sword

滥用lànyòngto abuse; misuse

隐私yǐnsīprivacy

迭代diédàiiteration

不堪设想bùkān shèxiǎngtoo dreadful to imagine

Grammar note 语法点

一旦……便……

'once... then...' — a formal conditional often signaling serious or irreversible consequences.

数据一旦泄露便覆水难收。

不在……,而在……

'lies not in..., but in...' — rejects a false cause and points to the true one.

问题不在工具,而在使用工具的人。

令人 + verb/adj

'makes one (feel)...' — a written pattern forming expressions like 令人振奋 (inspiring) and 令人担忧 (worrying).

前景令人振奋。

Check yourself 小测验

1. 作者用什么来比喻技术?

2. 什么的迭代速度远远超过了法律与道德的更新速度?

3. 作者认为科技的终极目的是什么?

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科技伦理Kējì lúnlǐTech Ethics

Key words 生词

Grammar note 语法点

Check yourself 小测验

Reading is the easy part. Speaking is where you get stuck.

More HSK 6 reading practice