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托马斯·马尔萨斯:人口论·摘录 187

托马斯·马尔萨斯《人口论》· An Essay on the Principle of Population · 投资

Evil exists in the world not to create despair but activity. We are not patiently to submit to it, but to exert ourselves to avoid it. It is not only the interest but the duty of every individual to use his utmost efforts to remove evil from himself and from as large a circle as he can influence, and the more he exercises himself in this duty, the more wisely he directs his efforts, and the more successful these efforts are; the more he will probably improve and exalt his own mind, and the more completely does he appear to fulfil the will of his Creator.

出处: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4239
定位:Excerpt 187 · 核对日期:2026-10-19 · 核验:短摘录

白话

马尔萨斯说,恶存在于世不是为了让人绝望,而是为了让人行动。我们不该被动忍受恶,而应努力避开它。每个人都有责任尽最大努力消除自己和影响所及范围内的恶,这既符合自身利益也是义务。越是在这件事上锻炼自己,方向就越明智,成效也越大;自己的心灵会因此得到提升,也越完全地实现造物主的意志。

上下文

同上,《人口论》第18章结尾部分,马尔萨斯把人口压力带来的恶解释为激励人勤勉的动力。

今日一问

今天你能为自己或身边人消除哪一件具体的“恶”?

公版作品;原文逐字取自 Project Gutenberg,仅摘录段落并附全书链接。

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