My Starbucks Ideaは顧客が意見を交換しディスカッションできるフォーラムになっていて、スターバックスらしいクリーンでフレンドリーなイメージをかもしだしています。スターバックスでしばしば物書きをする私としては、Free Wi-Fiが是非欲しいと思っていました。(ハーバード大医学部ボストン小児病院前にあるスターバックスは大学のフリーワイヤレスインターネットにアクセスできるのですが...)
世界を代表するチェリスト(チェロの演奏家)の一人であるヨーヨー・マ (Yo-Yo Ma)がNational Public Radioのラジオプログラム”This I Believe”で披露した5分間のエッセイ”A Musician of Many Cultures”より:
I grew up in three cultures: I was born in Paris, my parents were from China and I was brought up mostly in America. When I was young, this was very confusing: everyone said that their culture was best, but I knew they couldn't all be right. I felt that there was an expectation that I would choose to be Chinese or French or American. For many years I bounced among the three, trying on each but never being wholly comfortable. I hoped I wouldn't have to choose, but I didn't know what that meant and how exactly to "not choose."
... I realized that I didn't need to choose one culture to the exclusion of another, but instead I could choose from all three. The values I selected would become part of who I was, but no one culture needed to win. I could honor the cultural depth and longevity of my Chinese heritage, while feeling just as passionate about the deep artistic traditions of the French and the American commitment to opportunity and the future.
ヨーヨー・マは自分の経験をふまえ、自分探し(the process of incorporating what we learn with who we are and who we seek to become)はすべてのひとが経験しなければならない”禊ぎ”だと言います。自分探しというプロセスの結果は予想不可能(unpredictable)ですが、重要なことは逆説的ですが、自分自身で探し出せるようなものではなく、家族、友人、知人、や文化/国家といった周りの環境すべてによって形づくられるものなのです(Shaped by our families, neighborhoods, cultures and countries)。
This I believeは英語の勉強にもなります。ヨーヨー・マが自分で読みあけるエッセイはこちら
This I believeと直接関係はありませんが、ヨーヨー・マの演奏するBach´s Cello Suite No. 1を貼付けておきます。
ーWork experienceー The European office of Nature in Munich offers regular 6-12 week work-experience periods (on a voluntary basis) to those wishing to learn about, and participate in, the day to day operation of a science news office. Also suitable for students studying science journalism or science communication. German language an advantage but not a necessity. Contact Quirin Schiermeier.
ニューヨークタイムズの記事「Brain Enhancement Is Wrong, Right?」によれば、ケンブリッジ大学の調査結果によると複数の研究者がナルコレプシーなどの治療に使われているサイコスティミュラントAdderallや覚醒促進剤Provigilを生産性を高めるために使用したことがあるそうです。(Provigil(Modafinil)のアスリートへの使用は現ドーピングとみなされています。)
もちろんアカデミックドーピングにより、研究者の健康が蝕ばまれることが最大の問題ですが、ニューヨークタイムズの同記事でFrancis Fukuyamaの著書「Our Posthuman Future: Consequences of the Biotechnology Revolution」での意見にあるように、
薬剤によるBrain Enhancementが広がれば、普通の能力(脳力)という基準が(不正に/不自然に)上げられてしまう危険があるのです。 ......increased use of such drugs could raise the standard of what is considered “normal” performance....
General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate.
Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate.
Mr. Gorbachev -- Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!
は、いつまでも心に残っています。
また、スピーチの最後に近い部分での、壁にスプレーでペイントされた青年のメッセージを引用する部分:
As I looked out a moment ago from the Reichstag, that embodiment of German unity, I noticed words crudely spray-painted upon the wall, perhaps by a young Berliner (quote):
"This wall will fall. Beliefs become reality."
Yes, across Europe, this wall will fall, for it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom.
1)Each of the four journal clubs was led by two faculty members. 2)Recent primary publications relevant to lectures in the previous section were selected by the faculty and posted on the Web. 3)Students were required to answer several questions related to the papers before the discussion forum. 4)During the classroom session, the teachers called on the students to explain the figures and tables in the papers. 5)This was followed by an open discussion of the papers and the posted questions. 6)The teachers then provided individual written critiques of students' written answers, and students revised their answers to respond to the critiques. 7)The revised answers were posted on the Web with anonymity maintained. The students then posted brief comments on two of their peers' answers using their student number as an identifier. 8)For each of the four discussion forums each student received grades for the original answer, the revised answer, and the peer critiques.