人文社科类竞赛|2022约翰·洛克写作竞赛解读

Philosophy （哲学）

How likely is the multiverse? Would it change anything if (somehow) we came to know the theory was true?

多元宇宙存在的可能性有多大？假设我们能确认这个理论是正确的，这种认知会改变什么吗？

If our actions are a consequence of our capacities and preferences, and if those things are, in turn, a result of our genetic inheritance and the external world in which we happen to find ourselves, are we ultimately responsible for our choices?

如果我们的行为同时是我们自身能力和偏好与我们生物遗传特性和所处环境的结果

那么归根结底，我们需要为自己做出的选择负责吗？

Is it moral to take money from people through the force of law in order to pay philosophers to philosophize?

通过法律的强制力从普通人手中拿钱付给哲学家进行哲学思考的行为是否道德？

When, if ever, can acts involving only consenting adults be morally wrong?

只涉及充分知情同意的成年人的行为可能是道德上错误的吗？如果可能的话，在什么情况下？

Politics （政治）

Should we allow political donations?

政治捐款应该被允许吗？

What, if anything, do rich nations owe poor nations?

富裕的国家对贫穷的国家有亏欠吗？如果有的话，具体是什么？

Is there such a thing as a common good?

公共利益存在吗？

Is the good citizen always a good person? Is the good person always a good citizen?

好公民总是好人吗？好人总是好公民吗？

Economics （经济）

Is Bitcoin a blessing or a curse?

比特币是福还是祸？

What’s wrong with the housing market? How can we fix it?

房地产业的问题在哪儿？如何解决这些问题？

Should Amazon pay people more? What would happen if they immediately increased every worker’s salary by twenty percent?

亚马逊应该给雇员涨薪吗？ 如果亚马逊立即将每名下属员工的工资提高 20%，会发生什么？

Is Henry George’s land value tax fair, efficient, both, or neither?

亨利·乔治的土地增值税是公平，有效的，两者兼有还是两者皆非？

History （历史）

Was there anything good about the British empire?

英帝国有任何好处吗？

Is China an imperial power?

中国是一个殖民力量吗？

Is Western civilization in decline?

西方文明在衰落吗？

Do leaders make events or do events make leaders?

是英雄造时势还是时势造英雄？

Psychology（心理）

Are we getting nastier?

人正变得越来越坏吗？

Are men and women psychologically different? Does it matter?

从心理学的层面讲，男人与女人是不同的吗？这件事情重要吗？

Is there any mental illness that isn’t ultimately physical?

有任何最终不表现为生理疾病的心理疾病吗？

Does it make sense to hate someone for his or her opinions?

因为某人的观点而憎恨他/她的行为有意义吗？

Theology（神学）

Why would God be so coy?

上帝为何如此腼腆/扭捏？

“The God of the Bible and the Koran is a primitive human’s idea of a great being… But that is not what an actual supreme being would be like.” Is there a holy book that manifests divine authorship?

“《圣经》和《古兰经》中的神是原始人类对伟大存在的看法……但这并不是真正的神的样子。” 有没有一本能显示作者神圣身份的圣书？

“And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” Can one be a Christian without believing in the miraculous resurrection of Jesus?

“如果基督没有复活，我们的传道就是无用的，你的信仰也是如此。” 一个人可以在不相信基督复活的情况下做一名基督教徒吗？

Is faith anything other than uncertain belief on incomplete evidence?

“信仰”难道不只是基于不充分证据的盲目相信吗？

Law（法律）

Does prison work?

监狱有用吗？

“People who serve on juries are ill-informed, prejudiced, and not clever enough to avoid jury service.” Should we abolish Trial by Jury?

“担任陪审员的人获得的信息不全，怀有偏见，而且不够聪明，无法避免担任陪审员。” 我们应该废除陪审团制度吗？

Should “hate crime” be punished more severely than the same crime with different motives?

“仇恨犯罪”是否应该比动机不同的同一犯罪行为受到更严厉的惩罚？

What is the relationship between justice and law?

法律与正义的关系是什么？