我们以为自己懂得很多（讲解版）

WHY FACTS DON’T CHANGE OUR MINDS

Sloman and Fernbach see this effect, which they call the “illusion of explanatory depth,” just about everywhere. People believe that they know way more than they actually do. What allows us to persist in this belief is other people. In the case of my toilet, someone else designed it so that I can operate it easily. This is something humans are very good at. We’ve been relying on one another’s expertise ever since we figured out how to hunt together, which was probably a key development in our evolutionary history. So well do we collaborate, Sloman and Fernbach argue, that we can hardly tell where our own understanding ends and others’ begins.

讲义

Section1

Sloman and Fernbach see this effect, which they call the “illusion ofexplanatory depth,” just about everywhere.

Sloman和Fernbach将这一现象称为“解释性深度错觉“，他们认为它广泛存在在生活的方方面面。

词汇

illusion /ɪˈluːʒn/ n. a false idea or belief. 错觉、假象
She's under the illusion that she'll get the job.
= she believes wrongly that she’ll get the job.
I have no illusions about her feelings for me
= I know the truth is that she does not love me.
区别：delusion: a belief that has no evidence in fact; a complete illusion. 在假的程度上比illusion更深。
Delusion更多一分自欺欺人的意味在里面。
He has retreated into a world of delusion.
他完全缩回到了一个虚幻的世界里。
Love can be nothing but a delusion.
爱情不过是一场镜花水月。

① explanatory /ɪkˈsplænətɔːri/ adj. 解释的
There are explanatory notes at the back of the book
explanatory depth: 在解释方面能达到的深度。
② explain v.

Section 2

People believe that they know way more than they actually do. Whatallows us to persist in this belief is other people.

比起自己实际知道的，人们会觉得自己懂得多得多。让我们坚守这一观点的是其他人的存在。

词汇

way more than 多得多
The amount of makeup I purchased was way more than I needed. 我买的化妆品大大多于需要用的量。
Americans work way more than the average of industrialized countries around the world.
和其他工业化的国家相比，美国人工作时间远超平均水平。

persist /pərˈsɪst/ v.
a. to continue to do something despite difficulties or opposition, in a way that can seem unreasonable 不理智地坚持，微带贬义
persist in doing something： Why do you persist in blaming yourself for what happened?
你为什么非要为过去发生的事情责怪自己呢？
b. 坚持，褒义
“Endure and persist, this pain will turn good by and by.” —— Ovid, Roman 忍耐，坚持，此番苦痛都会渐渐化为美好。 -- 罗马诗人奥维德
persist in something：She persisted in her search for the truth.她坚持对真理的探寻。

Section 3

In the case of my toilet, someone else designed it so that I can operateit easily. This is something humans are very good at.

在我的抽水马桶这个例子里，某个其他人设计了它，所以我可以很容易地使用它。这正是我们人类很擅长做的事。

词汇

case /keɪs/ n.
a. in the case of: in a particular situation
In some cases people have had to wait several weeks for an appointment. 在有些时候，要几个星期才能约到医生。
b. in case 万一
We'd better learn English well in case we need it one day.
我们最好学好英语，万一哪天就用上了呢？

operate /ˈɑːpəreɪt/ v. to use, to control 操作
What skills are needed to operate this machinery?
操作这个机器需要哪些技能？

Section 4

We’ve been relying on one another’s expertise ever since we figured outhow to hunt together, which was probably a key development in our evolutionaryhistory.

早在我们才刚搞清楚应该怎样一起狩猎的时候，我们就开始依赖于彼此的专长，而这，很有可能是我们的进化史上最关键的一项发展。

词汇

have been doing + ever since 表示强调时间很长了

rely on /rɪˈlaɪ/ depend on，trust 依赖；相信
We shouldn’t rely too much on WeChat for information.
我们不能太过于相信微信上的信息。

reliable adj. 可信赖的

expertise /ˌekspɜːrˈtiːz/ [uncountable]
expert knowledge or skill in a particular subject, activity or job 专长；专业知识
We have expertise in helping teenagers.
We have expertise to help teenagers succeed.
我们在帮助青少年成功方面很专业

Section 5

So well do we collaborate, Sloman and Fernbach argue, that we can hardlytell where our own understanding ends and others’ begins.

正由于我们太善于协作，以至于我们很难分清楚我们自己的理解止于何处，而他人的观点又始于何处。

词汇

so… that 用法
So + adj. +倒装句 that + 正序句
So beautiful is she that I’m enchanted. 她太美了，我完全被迷住了。
So brutal was the rule of the king that he generated so much hatred.
由于国王的统治太残酷，以至于激起了很多仇恨。

collaborate /kəˈlæbəreɪt/ v. to work together 合作
We have collaborated on many projects over the years. 近年来，我们在很多项目上合作过。

tell /tel/ v.
a. 不能用在进行时态里。To know/judge
I think he's happy. It's hard to tell. 我觉得他是开心的，很难判断。
As far as I can tell.
b. 不能用在进行时态里。Distinguish
Can you tell Tom from his twin brother?

others’句子中出现同样的成分是，为了避免冗余，会把重复的结构省略掉。
Others’= others’ understanding