The accumulated wisdom of religions and philosophies from around the globe offers much guidance to people who are shaping lifestyles appropriate to the end of the twntieth century. From the Orient, from the Arab World, and from the West come ideas that have endured. Here are some of them.

Buddhism, Christianity, and many other beliefs recognize the value of the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. The Greek philosopher Socrates illustrated the Golden Rule at the end of his life. Scentenceed to death in the fifth B C. for his heretical social and religious views, he refused the chance to escape from prison. This was his e reasoning. When a person is born, Socrates pointed out, he enters into an implied contract with the state. Because of this, the individual has the right to expect protection from the state throughout his lifetime. In turn, the state has an equally strong claim on the citizen to obey its laws. If a person feels that a law is unjust, said Socrates, he has two courses of action. He can either work to influence the repeal of the law or renounce his citizenship, But he must not break the law. In this, he is no different from the state, which must not neglect its duty to the citizen. Socrates' experience speaks to the modern man who sometimes may be tempted to use extreme means to upset the delicate balance exist-ing between a citizen and his state.

A second insight stems from the categorical imperative, "first formulated by the German philosopher Immanuel Kant in his 1785 work Metaphysic of Morals. Stated simply, the categorical imperative
holds that a person should act as if the example of his action were to become a general law for all men to follow. Following this premise, one would find it difficult to justify theft or murder. Even to borrow money is wrong, according to Kant, because if everyone did this, there would be no money left to borrow.

Further guidelines are found in the teachings of Mohammed, collected in the Koran. His Islamic contributions express a profound humanism; Mohammed emphasized the dignity of man and viewed the whole of humanity as a single nation. He both encouraged the expansion of knowledge and placed great importance on the value of work, however humble it might be. Today's young crafts people, skillfully working to create woven goods or jewelry or candles, and the street musicians in many North American cities are all following the industrious tradition of Mohammed.

Still another precept, this one from the Buddhist religion, is illustrated by the custom of buying a bird in a small wooden cage in order to open the cage's door and release the bird. The underlying ideas of gentleness and freedom have a timeless relevance.

Finally, the two short sentences carved by the Greeks on the Temple of Delphi can give superb direction to human life regardless of time or place. "Know thyself," says one inscription, offering advice that is vital but not easy to follow. And "Nothing in excess" reads the second, echoing the Golden Mean, or middle way, stressed by many religions. This rule of acoiding excess in actions can apply equally well to almost every phase of life, including eating, drinking, sleeping, working, playing, thinking, and feeling.

 

這篇文章一共包含了六個段落，每個段落的一個主題。第一段是開場白，中間四個段落分別討論了四種不同的哲學觀：Golden Rules，康德的良心至高道德律 (categorical imperative)，可蘭經教義以及佛家教義。最後一段則是總結。

 

當我們開始要寫一篇長的文章的時候，腦中會開始浮現我們過去學過的各種寫作技巧等等

但你一定要記得，最重要的一點就是：注意一個段落的結尾到另一個段落的開始。

 

如同我們一開始所學的，每個段落應該是一個單一的單位，只探討一個單一的想法。就像上述範例文章，每一個段落只討論一種哲學觀。

 

像範例文章討論「哲學」這種抽象的東西，作者必須要很小心地讓讀者能夠跟上他的思緒。

因此作者在每一個段落的一開始都有很明確的 topic sentence。

這樣的 Topic sentence 會先給讀者一個框架，讓讀者知道接下來的段落會討論的範圍是什麼。

然後接下來的句子，逐漸加深這個概念。

當你已經沒有更多東西要說的時候，就是段落該結束的時候。

 

什麼時候該結束段落，開啟新段落。

這就好像騎打檔車一樣，有經驗的駕駛會聽引擎聲音，來決定換檔的時機。

同樣的一個熟練的作家，也會去感受文章的節奏，他們會知道什麼時候該開啟一段新的段落

而且會注意在舊段落結束的地方以及新段落開啟的地方，做好文章的連結。