投资 · 西方古典
托马斯·马尔萨斯:人口论·摘录 175
托马斯·马尔萨斯《人口论》· An Essay on the Principle of Population · 投资
The necessity of food for the support of life gives rise, probably, to a greater quantity of exertion than any other want, bodily or mental. The Supreme Being has ordained that the earth shall not produce good in great quantities till much preparatory labour and ingenuity has been exercised upon its surface. There is no conceivable connection to our comprehensions, between the seed and the plant or tree that rises from it. The Supreme Creator might, undoubtedly, raise up plants of all kinds, for the use of his creatures, without the assistance of those little bits of matter, which we call seed, or even without the assisting labour and attention of man. The processes of ploughing and clearing the ground, of collecting and sowing seeds, are not surely for the assistance of God in his creation, but are made previously necessary to the enjoyment of the blessings of life, in order to rouse man into action, and form his mind to reason.
出处:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4239
定位:Excerpt 175 · 核对日期:2026-10-19 · 核验:短摘录
白话
维持生命需要食物,这大概比任何身心需求都更能逼人努力。造物主规定:土地必须经过大量准备劳动和巧思,才会大量出产。种子和长成的植物之间,我们看不出有什么可理解的关联。造物主本可以不靠种子、不靠人劳作,就变出各种植物供人使用。耕地、播种这些过程,显然不是为了帮上帝创造,而是为了让人能享受生活,事先设下的必要条件——目的是刺激人行动,训练人的理性。
上下文
马尔萨斯在《人口论》中论证食物获取的艰难如何成为人类努力和智力发展的驱动力。
今日一问
如果食物来得太容易,人还会发展出今天这样的能力和协作吗?
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