翻译练习：The Idea Of The 'Dark Ages' Is A Myth(结束)

The Idea Of The 'Dark Ages' Is A Myth. Here's Why Medieval Scientific Progress Still Matters(结束)

“黑暗年代”的说法是谬论。我们来说说中世纪科学进步为何举足轻重（结束）

科学与迷信

Why does this matter? Because so often mocking medieval science is a way of excusing our own self-satisfaction. If they were ignorant and we are smart, we can continue to complacently believe that scientific progress is steady and inevitable. But a true picture of the Middle Ages shows us that highly intelligent people can believe the wrong things for the right reasons; that science and superstition can be intertwined; that progress can stop and even go into reverse.

为何这举足轻重？因为我们经常在嘲讽中世纪科学中自嗨。如果中世纪的人很无知而我们很聪明，我们就可以沾沾自喜地认为科学进步会持续稳定自动发展。而中世纪的真相向我们证明，即使是天才的人也同样会因为正当的理由而相信谬误，科学与迷信能够相互交织；发展会停滞甚至倒退。

In many ways the medieval world is unintelligible. In many ways we're just the same as we've always been.

中世纪的很多方面我们捉摸不透。我们在很多方面也是一直是老样子，从未改变。

Seb Falk is the author of The Light Ages: The Surprising Story of Medieval Science, available now from W.W. Norton.

塞布福尔克是《闪光时代：中世纪科学令人惊讶的故事》一书的作者，W.W.Noton网站有售。