Discovery
Diane Ackerman/迪安.阿克曼
The word “discovery” literally means, uncovering something that’s hidden from view. But
what really happens is a change in the viewer. The familiar offers comfort few can resist, and
fewer still want to disturb. But as relatively recent inventions such as the telescope and
microscope have taught us, the unknown has many layers. Every truth has geological strata, and
you can’t have an orthodoxy without a heresy.
The moment a newborn opens its eyes, discovery begins. I learned this with a laugh one
morning after delivering a calf. When it lifted up its fluffy head and looked at me, its eyes held the
absolute bewilderment of the newly born. A moment before it had the even black nowhere of the
womb, and suddenly its world was full of colour, movement and noise. I’ve never seen anything
so shocked to be alive.
“发现”一词，字面上是指揭开某种视线以外的隐藏的事物。不过其实是观察者自身发
生了变化。很少人能抗拒熟悉事物带来的舒适，愿意扰乱这种舒适的人更少。然而，正如望
远镜、显微镜这些较为近期的发明所揭示给我们的，求知事物具有多种层次。每个事实都有
地质层次，没有异端也就无所谓正统。
新生儿睁开双眼的那一刻起，发现也就开始了。我是在一天清晨给一头小牛犊接生的时
候突然意识到这一点的，不禁大笑。小牛仰起毛茸茸的脑袋看着我，目光中透出这个新生命
对世界的一无所知。片刻这前，它还呆在母体里某个黑暗而平静的地方，突然，它的世界变
得五光十色，变得活泼而喧闹。我从未见过任何东西在获得生命时是如些的惊异。