Vol.4 No.1 2011

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Round-table talk : “Monozukuri” (manufacturing) of Japan and synthesiology−61−Synthesiology - English edition Vol.4 No.1 (2011) NariaiI consider establishing a sustainable society as making such a society utilize advanced science and technology sustainably. I have been involved in researches and regulations pertaining to the safety of nuclear power. The nuclear power plants were developed abroad, mainly in the United States. Japan imported the technology, and then manufactured, constructed, and operated the plants. The researchers studied hard and investigated carefully about how to protect the safety of the residents and the workers, even in case of any accidents. In the nuclear power plant, the heated fuel melts when the cooling water is depleted, which leads to the release of the radioactive materials. Therefore, the researchers conduct analyses and experiments for the extremely complex phenomena to prevent the fuel meltdown by injecting emergency cooling water when the water pipes are broken and the cooling water is depleted. The late Dr. Hideo Uchida has called such research as “the development of nuclear safety”. Through the goal-oriented R&D, the research is conducted by mobilizing various knowledge to achieve an objective. The basic point is synthesis.Regulatory science is proposed in the fields of food and drugs. It is the research involving risk evaluation, risk management, and risk communication which needs all related disciplines including humanities and social sciences. At this point, regulatory science belongs to the goal-oriented domain, rather than the domain of the conventional basic applied sciences. In nuclear power, the issues of risk evaluation, risk communication, and risk management including the role of the regulatory agencies are indicated. In order to gain social acceptance in society of advanced technology, the methodology or science to guarantee safety and security is necessary. I think the synthetic way of thinking is important.TsugeDr. Nariai’s discussion that views including the humanities and social sciences are necessary for goal-oriented research is pointing to design science or the science for the pursuit of things that should exist, isn’t it? I think it is necessary to understand design science when creating a sustainable society. Moreover, design science cannot exist without recognition science. Therefore, we must set up an education program for people with birds-eye-view that enables such collaboration, and the government should support it. Similar proposal was made in “Japan Perspective: Proposals from the Science Community” published by the Science Council of Japan in April 2010.YabeHow to get the importance of design science and synthesis accepted by society; I think this is a topic on which it is rather difficult to write a scientific paper.TsugeTo practice science and technology for society, it is necessary to nurture human resources for design science. That is to educate people with ability for bird’s-eye-view, synthesis, and co-creation. That is why the evaluation standards are different in design science and recognition science. It is necessary to clarify each evaluation standard, and we must engage in activities that deepen the understanding of the Japanese people for “science and technology for society”.What can synthesis do for technological innovation?YabeBecause we want people to recognize the importance of design science, we use the word “social technology” or the technology at the contact point with society. Dr. Tsuge discussed earlier about the creation of technological innovations, such as green innovation and life innovation. What can synthesis accomplish, and what is expected of synthesiology?TsugeSynthesiology is a foundational discipline that supports the creative power of the large scale-complex socioeconomic system, Japan’s advantage in monozukuri, and the creativity of front-runner type innovation. At the same time, it is a practical science. I would like synthesiology to establish an academic evaluation standard, as well as play the part as a practical science on site.I believe design science or synthesiology can provide academic meaning. That will be the academic evaluation standard, and for example, the standard for funding a project can be discussed in terms of whether it is valuable as design science. I think it is a challenge for the academia.YabeApplying this to Synthesiology, what AIST has been stating as synthesiology must be organized from the viewpoint of design science and then transmitted further.Dr. Akira Yabe

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