4 Characteristics of a Scholar # 3– Am I an originalist? 學者的四個特質之三：我是否能追本溯源？
從事學術寫作一段時間後，寫作者難免自問一個基本問題：我是學者嗎？如果性格不適合學術界，卻立志以學術研究為業，終究會徒勞無功。即使是剛踏進這個領域的學生，若能好好檢視自己是否適合走學術路，也不失為明智之舉。假使個性與學術研究並不契合，往後漫長的學術著述工作只會成為惱人的苦差事，讓人不斷感到挫敗沮喪。本文提供幾項檢視方式供您參考。
At some point, an academic writer should ask a fundamental question: Am I a scholar? Pursuit of an academic career will be in vain if a person is ill-suited for academia. Even students who are just passing through the realm are wise to examine if they are a good fit for academic scholarship. If not, the academic writing will forever be fitful and the writer frustrated. Hereafter are ways to examine thyself.
Characteristic # 3: Am I an originalist?
特質三：我是否能追本溯源？
This term was coined in respect to belief about the original intent of the framers of the U.S. constitution, but it can be applied to examination of the scholarly life. It is a way of saying, "The primacy of core source material is my research standard." The closer a researcher can come to the beginning expression of a theory or movement, the more valid is the conclusion reached in a paper. Therefore, being committed to finding original sources is a sure sign that a scholar is serious about his research and his career.
憲法理論中有所謂「原旨主義」，主張論證皆須回歸到美國憲法制訂者的原始旨意，這個概念也可用來檢視學術工作，奉行原旨主義的人會說：「我的研究標準就是，一切以核心原始資料為優先。」越接近理論或概念形成的初始根源，論證的結論便越令人信服。因此，學者是否致力尋找原始資料，可作為判斷他對於研究與學術生涯認真與否的重要檢視標準。
Ironically, the term “originalist” also suggests that, while a person wants indisputably original material, he nevertheless is an original thinker. There is no tension between honoring fact and seeking truth. A scholarly search is grounded in what is known and empowered by what is unknown. A plodding, unimaginative researcher might dig up the facts, but only an imaginative, original thinker knows what to do with them. Ideally, foundational fact-finding will spur new lines of inquiry and revelatory conclusions.
諷刺的是，強調追本溯源的學者，雖然致力找尋絕對原始的資料，他同時也是具有獨創性思維的學者，表彰事實和尋求真相兩者並不衝突，學術研究是由已知出發，由未知賦予力量。缺乏想像力、思想乏味的研究者可能只會挖掘事實，但是具有想像力與獨創性的研究者，則知道如何運用之。理想情況下，探索搜尋事實的過程會引導出新的研究方向，對於研究結論具有啟發作用。
Realizing you are an originalist is a heady discovery in itself. Many scholars never enjoy the satisfaction that comes from wedding diligent research with genuine insight. Some are satisfied to dig out the facts and present them without amplifying them. Others have valuable ideas but lack the aptitude to illuminate them through skilled research. A scholar who is both a fresh thinker and a painstaking researcher can produce material that is the envy of colleagues. Such people are rare, but you might well be among them.
發現自己是個原旨主義者，可能會令人很傷腦筋。雖然勤勉研究後所獲得的獨到見解，往往能給人帶來無比滿足，但許多學者並不這麼認為。有些人的研究僅止挖掘事實、呈現事實，毫無進一步的運用詮釋，有些人的想法十分可貴，但是欠缺研究技巧，難以闡明這些想法。只有想法獨創又努力不懈的學者，才能產出令同儕稱羨的研究果實，這種人才很少，但也許你就是其中之一。
At some point, an academic writer should ask a fundamental question: Am I a scholar? Pursuit of an academic career will be in vain if a person is ill-suited for academia. Even students who are just passing through the realm are wise to examine if they are a good fit for academic scholarship. If not, the academic writing will forever be fitful and the writer frustrated. Hereafter are ways to examine thyself.
Characteristic # 3: Am I an originalist?
特質三：我是否能追本溯源？
This term was coined in respect to belief about the original intent of the framers of the U.S. constitution, but it can be applied to examination of the scholarly life. It is a way of saying, "The primacy of core source material is my research standard." The closer a researcher can come to the beginning expression of a theory or movement, the more valid is the conclusion reached in a paper. Therefore, being committed to finding original sources is a sure sign that a scholar is serious about his research and his career.
憲法理論中有所謂「原旨主義」，主張論證皆須回歸到美國憲法制訂者的原始旨意，這個概念也可用來檢視學術工作，奉行原旨主義的人會說：「我的研究標準就是，一切以核心原始資料為優先。」越接近理論或概念形成的初始根源，論證的結論便越令人信服。因此，學者是否致力尋找原始資料，可作為判斷他對於研究與學術生涯認真與否的重要檢視標準。
Ironically, the term “originalist” also suggests that, while a person wants indisputably original material, he nevertheless is an original thinker. There is no tension between honoring fact and seeking truth. A scholarly search is grounded in what is known and empowered by what is unknown. A plodding, unimaginative researcher might dig up the facts, but only an imaginative, original thinker knows what to do with them. Ideally, foundational fact-finding will spur new lines of inquiry and revelatory conclusions.
諷刺的是，強調追本溯源的學者，雖然致力找尋絕對原始的資料，他同時也是具有獨創性思維的學者，表彰事實和尋求真相兩者並不衝突，學術研究是由已知出發，由未知賦予力量。缺乏想像力、思想乏味的研究者可能只會挖掘事實，但是具有想像力與獨創性的研究者，則知道如何運用之。理想情況下，探索搜尋事實的過程會引導出新的研究方向，對於研究結論具有啟發作用。
Realizing you are an originalist is a heady discovery in itself. Many scholars never enjoy the satisfaction that comes from wedding diligent research with genuine insight. Some are satisfied to dig out the facts and present them without amplifying them. Others have valuable ideas but lack the aptitude to illuminate them through skilled research. A scholar who is both a fresh thinker and a painstaking researcher can produce material that is the envy of colleagues. Such people are rare, but you might well be among them.
發現自己是個原旨主義者，可能會令人很傷腦筋。雖然勤勉研究後所獲得的獨到見解，往往能給人帶來無比滿足，但許多學者並不這麼認為。有些人的研究僅止挖掘事實、呈現事實，毫無進一步的運用詮釋，有些人的想法十分可貴，但是欠缺研究技巧，難以闡明這些想法。只有想法獨創又努力不懈的學者，才能產出令同儕稱羨的研究果實，這種人才很少，但也許你就是其中之一。
Posted at 2014-09-15 21:33:10
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