The progressive development of man is vitally dependent on
invention. It is the most important product of his creative brain. Its
ultimate purpose is the complete mastery of mind over the material
world, the harnessing of the forces of nature to human needs. This
is the difficult task of the inventor who is often misunderstood and
unrewarded. But he finds ample compensation in the pleasing exercises
of his powers and in the knowledge of being one of that exceptionally
privileged class without whom the race would have long ago perished in
the bitter struggle against pitiless elements.
Speaking for myself, I have already had more than my full measure
of this exquisite enjoyment, so much that for many years my life was
little short of continuous rapture. I am credited with being one of the
hardest workers and perhaps I am, if thought is the equivalent of labor,
for I have devoted to it almost all of my waking hours. But if work is
interpreted to be a definite performance in a specified time according
to a rigid rule, then I may be the worst of idlers. Every effort under
compulsion demands a sacrifice of life-energy. I never paid such a
price. On the contrary, I have thrived on my thoughts.
In attempting to give a connected and faithful account of my
activities in this series of articles which will be presented with the
assistance of the Editors of the ELECTRICAL EXPERIMENTER and
人类的不断进步主要依赖于发明。作为人类大脑创造力最
重要的产物,发明的最终目的是以思想之力掌控物质世界,驭
自然之力满足人类需求。这项艰巨任务落到了发明家肩上,而
他们却常常被误解,甚至被埋没。但是,发明家们仍醉心发明,
乐此不疲。作为一个特殊的群体,要不是他们,人类也许早就
在与冷酷自然的激烈对抗中消亡了。
就我本人而言,我已充分体会到了这份极致的愉悦。多年
来,我的生活从来不缺狂喜。有人说我是工作狂,如果思考也
是一种工作的话,或许我的确是,因为我几乎把我所有清醒的
时间都花在了思考上。但是,如果工作被解释为在特定时间内
按照严格的规则完成一定的业绩,那么我可能是最糟糕的懒汉。
任何被迫而为的事都是在消耗生命的能量,所幸我从不曾这样。
恰恰相反,我因思考而茁壮成长。
尽管很不情愿,但在《电气实验者》编辑们的协助下,我
还是撰写了一系列面向青少年读者的文章,其中包括我的一些
真实经历,详细地记述了我青少年时代的记忆以及那些决定
我发明生涯的往事。