But if that is so, and if we are engaged in a never-ending fight with no victory in sight, why continue?
但是如果这样的话,如果我们一直处在无休止的战争中,而胜利遥遥无期,那么为什么还要继续呢?
Because we must. Because we have the call. Because it is nobler to fight for rationality without winning than to give up in the face of continued defeats. Because whatever true progress humanity makes is through the rationality of the occasional individual and because any one individual we may win for the cause may do more for humanity than a hundred thousand who hug their superstitions to their breast.
因为我们必须要这么做。因为我们有义务这么做。为理性而战,即便没有胜利,也比面对不断的失败而放弃要高尚。因为无论人类获得什么样的真正进步都是由偶然的个人通过理性做出的。因为我们为这种事业而赢得的任何个人都比十万个怀揣着迷信的人为人类做得多。