R&D Focus Area:Science Technology and Humanity
PUBLIC NEEDS for this R&D area:
Area Director:
Yoichiro MURAKAMI
Specially Appointed Professor,
Graduate School for Science and Technology Interpreter,
University of Tokyo
Social problems to be solved:
- The fact that science and technology(S&T) are directly linked to and become entangled with political, ethical, legal, economic and other societal issues as a result of their deep permeation in society(*1).
- General tendency that S&T policy is decided by technological experts, politicians and bureaucrats and does not necessarily reflect or accommodate the will of ordinary people.
Future-oriented research on people, lifestyles and social systems that correspond to and are integrated with the increasing social role of S&T is needed.
- (*1) Note: Science did not have any societal power when it was institutionalized in the 19th century, and scientific research was chiefly driven by the personal curiosity of each scientist. Today, however, the relation between S&T (particularly science) and society is no longer simple. For example, the applications of human genome analysis contribute to the improvement of human health and serves medical purposes, but it has ethical implications, such as the privacy of genetic information and the genetic testing of fetuses.
GOALS:
- To create an open network of people involved in dealing with problems that arise between S&T and society, not only drawing from universities and research institutions but also from political, industrial, legal, administrative and other societal sectors.
- To assess how and what has changed and what issues have arisen as the result of the interactions of S&T with society, and to produce solid outcomes (i.e., policy proposals, development of methods, system innovations and experimental exercises) which can be implemented in society.
R&D Program: Interactions between Science, Technology, and Society (FY2007-2012)
- To fund and support R&D projects (of 1-5yrs. in duration) to pursue Goals [1] and [2]
- R&D Project
R&D Program: Science and Technology, Literacy in the 21st Century (FY2005-2009)
- To fund and support R&D programs that deal particularly with S&T literacy issues, including the improvement of S&T literary among non-experts and social literacy of S&T experts
- R&D Project
