从一篇神一般的personalstatement说起

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这是一个被古今哲人谈腻了的问题，但我们今日不会在这里坐而论道，而是做一做case study，再我看来中庸就是在矛盾中找到和谐，认识到偏向任何一方，都有自身的问题。我们先看一位大神的personal statement，这位被同时被Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Columbia, NYU等录取。

I am a thinker, but not one to think out loud. I love myself, but am not in love with the sound of my own voice. I want to be loved, but not at the cost of not loving myself. I want to know everything, but realize that nothing can ever be known for sure. I believe that nothing is absolute, but I can absolutely defend my beliefs. I understand that chance is prevalent in all aspects of life, but never leave anything important to chance. I am skeptical about everything, but realistic in the face of my skepticism. I base everything on probability, but so does nature…probably.

I believe that all our actions are determined, but feel completely free to do as I choose. I do not believe in anything resembling a God, but would never profess omniscience with regard to such issues. I have faith in nothing, but trust that my family and friends will always be faithful. I feel that religion is among the greatest problems in the world, but also understand that it is perhaps the ultimate solution. I recognize that many people derive their morals from religion, but I insist that religion is not the only fountainhead of morality. I respect the intimate connection between morality and law, but do not believe that either should unquestioningly respect the other.

I want to study the law and become a lawyer, but I do not want to study the law just because I want to become a lawyer. I am aware that the law and economics cannot always be studied in conjunction, but I do not feel that either one can be properly studied without an awareness of the other. I recognize there is more to the law than efficiency, but believe the law should recognize the importance of efficiency more than it does. I love reading about law and philosophy, but not nearly as much as I love having a good conversation about the two. I know that logic makes an argument sound, but also know that passion makes an argument sound logical. I have philosophical beliefs informed by economics and economic beliefs informed by philosophy, but I have lost track of which beliefs came first. I know it was the egg though.

I always think very practically, but do not always like to think about the practical. I have wanted to be a scientist for a while now, but it took me two undergraduate years to figure out that being a scientist does not necessarily entail working in a laboratory. I play the saxophone almost every day, but feel most like an artist when deduction is my instrument. I spent one year at a college where I did not belong and two years taking classes irrelevant for my major, but I have no regrets about my undergraduate experience. I am incredibly passionate about my interests, but cannot imagine being interested in only one passion for an entire lifetime.

I love the Yankees, but do not hate the Red Sox. I love sports, but hate the accompanying anti-intellectual culture. I may read the newspaper starting from the back, but I always make my way to the front eventually. I am liberal on some issues and conservative on others, but reasonable about all of them. I will always be politically active, but will never be a political activist. I think everything through completely, but I am never through thinking about anything.

I can get along with almost anyone, but there are very few people without whom I could not get along. I am giving of my time, but not to the point of forgetting its value. I live for each moment, but not as much as I worry about the next. I consider ambition to be of the utmost importance, but realize that it is useless without the support of hard work. I am a very competitive person, but only when competing with myself. I have a million dreams, but I am more than just a dreamer. I am usually content, but never satisfied.

I am a study in contradiction, but there is not an inconsistency to be found.

我读了这段文字，记忆颇深。于是在两年前帮我一位好友写personal statement时写下了这段文字。

I, as a individual who always lives an examined life, knows my personality and character well. I am cheerful and optimistic yet not conceited nor boastful, imaginative and creative yet not illusionary nor unrealistic,communicative and oratorical yet not sophistic nor ambiguous, prudent and cautious yet not scrupulous nor fussy,diligent and energetic yet not overworking, cooperative and accommodative yet not dependent, conscientious and responsive to everyday job yet sensitive and open to big picture.

接下来，我想引用一代法学名家 吴经熊的文字

多氏（Thomasius）的自然法哲学是植基于形而上学的，而着眼于目的论的。他了解理性的需要，可是他并不是唯理论主义者；他重视实用，可他并不是功用主义者；注重验证，可他不是经验主义者；注重直觉，可他不是反理智主义者；强调兼收并蓄，可他不是一个杂家。在他的体系中，一与多互相融合，变与不变各得其所。-（法律哲学研究-30页）

中庸之道，在我看来，不是一种谦恭守成的退缩的教导，而是要鼓励里去活出生命的多姿多彩，去积极主动的接受并调和相互矛盾的观点。就努力做到之上三篇文字里的那种处于矛盾之中又不为矛盾所苦，活出两种态度各自的精彩。这样的境界虽然很难达到，需要一生的努力，但我们心不能至，心向往之，也算是迈出了第一步。惠特曼在Song of Myself，“Do I contradict myself? Very well then I contradict myself,(I am large, I contain multitudes.) ” 人工智能之父Marvin minsky 认为人类大脑的“超能力”不是因为一个特别的原因，而是因为人类大脑拥有个个层次的处理机制，这些机制时而竞争时而合作，才成就了大脑处理复杂信息的能力。

**在当今这个日益变化的时代，我们更要锻炼出自己的十八般武艺，才能做到中庸。若只是一味一位中庸是谦恭退让，一味的压抑自己的个性。那么你就只是奴隶的中庸之道，不是超人的中庸之道。**自我修养，不是要把自己变成观赏的盆景，而是要把自己的认知范围扩展。所以之上三段中所说的，才是我认为的中庸之道应有的境界，而不是儒生口讲的中正、平和不偏不倚的至仁、至善、至诚、至道、至德、至圣。这些最高级即不具体，也不能在具体的生活实践中去指导人们，是中国文化在思维方式上前现代化的部分，理应被科学的理念取代。

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