Integration of Knowledge

1
"What can Asian scientists do for the sustainable
society? " CAS-RIKEN Frontier Science
Workshop March 23, 2007
Integration of Knowledge for the Sustainable
Existence of Humankind
NOYORI Ryoji President of RIKEN
2
Technology and Beauty as Seen in the Great Wall
of China
Total length 6,352km
Period of construction about
2000 years
? When the walls of all the periods during the
construction are added, the length of the Wall is
said to exceed 50,000 km. The largest man-made
structure on earth, which is longer than the
circumference of the Earth.
3
Traditional (Classical) Technology Expertise
which maximally utilizes the five senses and
ability of humans. Deeply related to culture.
Stoneware, Ironware, Bronze tools, Wheels,
Hydro, Wind, and Thermal power
Modern Technology Based on the knowledge of
natural sciences. Expertise beyond the inherent
human ability. Foundation of civilization.
Natural sciences and engineering
4
A Century of Innovation
1. ELECTIFICATION 2. AUTOMONBILE 3.
AIRPLANE 4. WATER SUPPLY AND
DISTRIBUTION 5. ELECTRONICS 6.
RADIO AND TELEVISION 7. AGRICULTURAL
MECHNIZATION 8. COMPUTERS 9. TELEPHONY
10. AIR CONDITIONING AND REFRIGERATION
11. HIGHWAYS 12. SPACECRAFT 13. INTERNET
14. IMAGING 15. HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES 16.
HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES 17. PETROLEUM AND
PETROCHEMICAL TECHNOLOGIES 18. LASERS AND FIBER
OPTICS 19. NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGIES 20. HIGH
PERFORMANCE MATERIALS
G. Constable, B. Somerville, 2003
5
An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore
6
Modern society contains contradictions.
Responsible persons evade responsibility.

• Population explosion
• Prevalence of market economy (Globalization)
• Development of industrial technology
• Changes in life-style

Excessive human activities are causing grave
weather fluctuations, environmental changes and
depletion of resources and energy. Severe
North-South gap in addition.
NASA
7
Prediction by Dr. Jonas Salk (1985)
Continued increase
Steady state (zero increase)
100
Present
Population (100 million)
50
Point of Inflection
Catastrophe
0
0
2000
-1000
1000
Source Expanded Dimensions by Iwao Sakane, NTT
Publishing, 2003
8
Demand for Primary Energy Post,
Present, and Predicted Rates for the Future
(million barrels / day)
China Japan Korea
6000
China
USA Canada
4000
2000
Japan Korea




0
1971
2002
2010
2030
Source World Energy Outlook 2004,
International Energy Agency, 2005
9

• What are Demanded of Scientists for the
  Sustainable Existence of Humankind?

-- Pursuit of truth -- Evidence-based principle
to prediction of future -- Technological
development in harmony with the framework of the
Earth -- Unification of natural sciences with
liberal arts and social sciences -- Actions based
on idealism in society
Reductionism vs Holistic principle
10
Technologies that Lead to Sustainable Society
---
RIKEN Achievements
Production of salt-resistant variants of rice by
use of heavy ion beams
Development of recyclable organic conductors ---
Reclamation of 90 of molecules of materials
possible
Reaction reagent
Normal rice (withered)
Conduction band
Salt-resistant system
M2salt-resistant candidates produced by heavy
ions
Heating
Gigantic nano-film having nano-thickness and
macroscopic area --- Desalination of sea water,
fuel cells
Gigantic nano-film remains unbroken when sucked
into a pipette (bottom) and an electron-microscope
picture of its surface (upper right)
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Towards Civilization that Respects Culture

• Culture
• Spiritual characteristics nurtured in a
  unified way based on customs, faiths, morality,
  arts and sciences, etc. They are diverse
  reflecting the individualities of regions and
  people. They are inherited as tradition.
• Civilization
• The state of society in which culture is
  combined with technical and material products
  brought about by human knowledge. In modern
  civilization the latter elements are more
  dominant. Civilization the latter elements are
  more dominant. Civilization is universal and
  keeps evolving by expanding and propagating.

12
Gross National Happiness (GNH)
Bhutan a small country sandwiched between China
and India
Purposely rejected a policy to increase GNP, and
introduced GNH as most appropriate for the
peoples sense of well-being, culture, and
environment (1972) Annual economic growth rate
of 834 per person
Economic growth and development Preservation
of cultural heritages, keeping and promoting
traditional civilization Preservation of rich
natural environment and its sustainable
utilization Good governance
National survey (2005) Are you happy now?
97 of the population
responded yes.
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Need for Integration of Knowledge
Information
Wisdom
Nurturing of legitimate life and social views
Research and Education
Knowledge
Cultural Governance of Future Technologies