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The 20th century was seduced by the idea that humans will advance as part of a collective and that the enlightened few have the right—the duty even—to impose progress on the benighted masses whether they choose it or not.
20世纪，人们很受这么一种思想的诱骗：人类会作为一个集体向前发展，少数的开明人士有权利——甚至有责任——将进步强加到愚昧的大众身上，而不管他们愿意与否。
The blood of millions and the fall of the Berlin Wall, 20 years ago this year, showed how much the people beg to differ.
上百万人的鲜血和20年前柏林墙的倒塌表明人民对此是多么难以苟同。
Coercion will always have its attractions for those able to do the coercing,
强迫手段对于那些能够强迫别人的人总是有吸引力的。
but, as a source of enlightened progress, the subjugation of the individual in the interests of the community has lost much of its appeal.
但是，作为明智的进步的动因，个人利益必须服从集体利益的思想已经大大失去了它的吸引力。
Instead the modern age has belonged to material progress and its predominant source has been science.
当今时代已经属于物质进步的时代，而它的主要动因是科学。
Yet, nestling amid the quarks and transistors and the nucleic acids and nanotubes, there is a question.
然而，就在夸克、半导体、核酸和纳米管等 涌现的同时，出现了一个问题。
Science confers huge power to change the world.
科学给了我们改变世界的巨大力量，
Can people be trusted to harness it for good?
但我们能相信人类会将其用在好的方面吗？
