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Round-table talks : Research and development of systems science and technology−186−Synthesiology - English edition Vol.4 No.3 (2012) necessary for confirmation at a certain phase, but aren’t there things that must be done beforehand? If a demonstration is done, that only means that things turn out a certain way for a certain scenario. If the environment changes, a different story may unfold. We must carefully build the systems construction strategy, and all sorts of different scenarios must be considered. That is how it is done overseas in most cases.AkamatsuI think it involves the question of funding. We can get money for making something, while it is hard to get money for designing the system or doing simulation. It tends to be easier to get funding for elemental technologies. The scenarios for why this research is necessary or what it would lead to are treated as unimportant, but rather, we cannot get approval unless we present some performance index, such as “if we build this device the speed will become several times faster”. KimuraI think that is a major negative tradition of the administrative organization. Science and technology that meet social expectationsKobayashiThe academic journals evaluate highly the addition of some new fact based on the world’s academic criteria. In Synthesiology, of course, new knowledge is necessary, but we emphasize the selection of the elemental technologies and why they were selected, how they were synthesized, and the final goal is the practical use of the research result in society. As the essential items of the paper, we require the research objective and relevance to society, the scenario, how the elements were selected and integrated, and what were attempted for realization. I think it has similarities to the discussion of the R&D for systems science and technology. AkamatsuWhen one writes the scenario for Synthesiology, one must see the subject or the research topic as a system. We focus on what kind of structure the elements have. KimuraThe systems science and technology claims that a single whole function is achieved by integrating the individual elements with various functions, but this can be achieved only by someone with a highly systemic mind.The Science Council of Japan has expressed grave concern about the fact that the Fourth Science and Technology Basic Plan is a problem-solving type. There is a question about where the scientist’s autonomy will go if the problems are given. In the problem-solving science and technology, how should autonomy of scientists and engineers be protected? Dr. Yoshikawa called the connection of the research objective and society as the “science and technology that meet the social expectation”. This is one major issue.KobayashiI think one must first consider the strategy. The topics for problem solving can be set by the researchers themselves, and how they should be approached can also be set freely. This way of thinking is important. For example, when research is considered as layered in relation to society, whether it be basic or applied, if we can create a research strategy that we all agree upon in any layer, the research result can be evaluated according to the relationship with the research strategy. That is my way of thinking. Therefore, the important point is to incorporate the “connection between the research object and society” within the research strategy. KimuraScience and technology cannot be separated simply into curiosity-driven and project-oriented. Strategies always exist within the scientific research, and in a certain sense, even pure science and technology attempt to solve problems. AkamatsuThere is curiosity before a research topic is born, and it becomes a research challenge because it is interesting. To solve that challege is to systemically think and break down the structure of the topic that the researcher thought would be interesting. Many people may not be aware of that, though.KimuraI don’t think there’s any research without curiosity.Education and law needed for systems construction strategyKobayashiBefore, there were solid systems in Japan as exemplified by the shinkansen and DIPS, but you indicated that the systemic thinking or the potential for thinking about the systems has decreased. What is necessary for us now? KimuraThe Basic Act on the Promotion of Core Manufacturing (Monozukuri) Technology was established in 1999, the Institute of Technologists was established, and this law formalized the yearly production of the Manufacturing Basic White Paper. When the technology of the world was shifting to systems and software, or shifting “from things to action”, Japan was going against that flow. Therefore, in this age, I think we should make something like a basic act on the promotion of core systems technology. AkamatsuMaybe it is education. If a graduate student in a doctorate course

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