Remarks%20of%20a%20Scientist%20Carrying%20Owls%20to%20Athens

1
Remarks of a ScientistCarrying Owls to Athens
Seminar - Social Sciences for the Scientific
and Technological Advancement

• Gerd H. WOLF
• European Economic and Social Committee
• Mainly based on
• - OPINIONS of the European Economic and
  Social Committee
• - A presentation by the same author at
  the
• Science and Society Forum, Brussels,
  March 2005

2
Some statements from the EESCs Own Initiative
OPINION Investment in Knowledge and
Innovation INT/325 --- CESE 983/2007 ---
July 2007
Top performances in the scientific and technical
field, and their entrepreneurial conversion into
a competitive, economic force, are essential
preconditions to safeguarding our future (not
least with regard to energy and climate issues).
3
The basic prerequisite for achieving this goal is
a social climate that is open to progress and
innovation, in which society fully understands
this and all its implications, so that
politicians at all levels create the necessary
conditions and take decisions that are conducive
to such progress.
4
This also includes raising awareness of the
fundamental significance of basic research, as
this lays the necessary foundations for future
innovations.
5
Nota bene

• Most of the major discoveries and breakthroughs
  were the often unexpected ! outcome of
  fundamental research.
• A single new discovery or concept snowballed into
  an avalanche of innovations, advances and
  cross-fertilizations.

6
As a result, the living conditions of people in
the countries and regions involved have changed
and improved as never before in human history.
In the last 135 years, the average life
expectancy of the population has more than
doubled. In the last 50 years, agricultural
yield in terms of surface area has almost
trebled.
7
In the successful industrialised countries, the
talk is now of obesity rather than
malnutrition, of information overload rather
than a lack of information, and of an ageing
population rather than child mortality.
8
The development of energy-consuming
industrial processes, machines and transport
systems made a decisive contribution to this.
Energy freed people from the burden of the
heaviest physical labour, multiplied their
productivity, provided heating and lighting, and
made previously unimaginable mobility and
communication possible.
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Energy became the food and fuel of modern
economies.
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Looking backwards In the pre-industrial era
humans too were used as engines and freight
carriers.
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Naval battle of Lepanto (Nafpaktos) 1571
(Doges Palace, Venice) Venetian Spanish fleet
against the Turks thousands of galley rowers
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Just 100 years ago !
Tread wheel driven crane Bruges 1540
Hallstatt women carrying wooden containers of
salt on their backs
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DAWNING OF A NEW ERA
The Fighting Temeraire, tugged to her Last Berth
to be broken up - William Francis Turner 1838
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Message 1 Society needs to become better aware
of the huge progress achieved, and this by
comparison with the life conditions which existed
before.
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Message 2 Society needs to become familiar with
the purpose, the working methods, the working
conditions, the potential and the limitations of
science and technology.
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• The perception of science and development by
  society
• purpose of science and development
• working methods of science and
• development
• support and governance of science
• and development
• assessment and balance of risks and
• chances
• capability to forecast the future

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Purpose of science and development The purpose
of science and development is to create new and
more profound knowledge, to develop new skills
and capabilities, and to enrich our
culture. History has shown, that in the past the
results of science and development promoted the
well-being of mankind to a degree which was in
former times unimaginable.
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Working methods of science and development What
is Research 1
RESEARCH IS THE STEP INTO THE UNKNOWN !!!
Advances are based on ingenuity, intuition,
imagination, continuity, persistence, care,
chance and hard work, but also on novel
instruments and devices.
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Working methods of science and development
What is research 2 ?

• the interplay between
• hypothesis, experiment
• and criticism
• groping in the mist
• following hunches
• compiling and collating
• data
• finding new signals
• detecting inconsistencies
• tracing underlying patterns

• recognising correlations
• developing mathematical
• models,
• developing concepts and
• symbols
• developing new equipment
• searching for simple solutions
• and harmony
• confirming, extrapolating,
• generalising and reproducing

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Working methods of science and development
WHY DUPLICATION ?
The crucial feature is the step from the
scientific quest phase to the reproducibility of
findings and demonstration of their range of
validity. Duplication is an essential element
of scientific method. It is the only guarantee
against errors, assertions or even falsification.
It serves the consolidation, deepening and
dissemination of knowledge.
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What are the best working conditions for science
?Bottom-up" approach as often as possible and
"top-down" approach only where absolutely
necessary. Self organisation operating in -
cooperation on pooling resources, exchanging
information and complementing expertise, but-
competition for the best ideas, results,
methods, facilities, structures and talent.
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What are the best working conditions for science
3 ?Citation from OPINION INT/358 (CESE
1141/2007)Only a plurality of methods,
approaches and choice of issues can ensure the
best outcomes, procedures and innovations in each
case. Plurality is not wasteful, but is a
necessary means of optimising and making progress
in the search for new knowledge and techniques.
(Competitive evolution)
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What are the best working conditions for science
4 ?

• Reducing the excess in procedures for
• Applications
• Reporting
• Monitoring
• Refereeing
• Administration
• Scientists need time for research !

• Freedom
• Self-organization
• Continuity and reliability of support
• Long-range perspective, yet possibility to change
  course
• A stimulating, multidisciplinary environment, yet
  possibility to withdraw

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Two remarks about risks
1. The risk potential of new ideas, technologies
or research programmes cannot in principle be
fully assessed on an objective basis. (What will
be the impact of successful geriatric
research?) 2. With the knowledge of that time
(Jenner), would present society still permit the
test of smallpox vaccination? Or rather,
would smallpox still be with us?
Risk and chance are two sides of the same coin.
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Can science forecast the future ?

• Only in well-defined, limited cases, and only for
  a well-defined time-scale
• Obstacles are
• Limited data
• Complexity
• Chaos (deterministic chaos)
• Quantum effects
• By and large, this also holds true for politics.
  Politics means acting on behalf of society and
  inevitably also includes experimenting with
  society.

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END
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How to find these OPINIONS in the Internet

• http//www.toad.eesc.europa.eu/
• under documents gt OPINIONS
• choose language
• insert lt Wolf gt for rapporteur
• select document

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APPENDIX
29
Science and Innovation

• A Scientist's View
• Gerd Wolf, Science and Society Forum 2005,
  March 10th

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Where do we stand now?

• Citizens of the EU have achieved a level of
  prosperity, knowledge and legal certainty which
  is unprecedented in the history of their nations.
• Over the last century, average life expectancy
  has increased by about 30 years.
• Over the last 50 years, agricultural yields have
  almost tripled . We now discuss obesity rather
  than malnutrition.

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What are our capabilities ? (1)

• We keep ourselves informed and in touch with the
  whole world (INTERNET).
• We land a research robot on one of Saturn's
  moons.
• We observe galaxies billions of light years away.
  
• We measure femtoseconds and minute quantities of
  trace elements.
• We navigate our cars by satellite.

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What are our capabilities ? (2)

• We develop and use super-computers.
• We build aircraft capable of carrying more than
  500 passengers.
• We use X-rays and magnetic resonance imaging to
  scan the human body.
• We transplant organs, analyse DNA, genetically
  modify crops and livestock, and conduct research
  on stem cells.
• Painless open-heart surgery has become
  commonplace.

33

Then What are the questions? Where are the
problems ?
34
One Answer

• Many fundamental questions are waiting to be
  answered (e.g. dark matter, nature of quantum
  physics, brain and individual,).
• Many problems are waiting to be solved (e.g.
  climate, energy supply, health,).

35
One Problem Area Science and Society

• Societys perception of science (achievements,
  potential, dangers) and of the necessary working
  conditions.
• Interaction between science and society.
• Note, however, that scientists are part of
  society.
• Scientists need to learn about the demands and
  concerns of society, but society also needs to
  learn about the required operating conditions for
  science.
• I will not mainly address this problem which
  is done by other speakers but rather focus on
  another problem area invention / innovation .

36
Competition and Innovation (1)

• A crucial determinant of Europe's future
  development and position is global competition.
• This competition is characterized by changing
  industrial and economic structures, labour market
  situation and raw material parameters.
• On scientific and technological performance hinge
  not only economic competitiveness and the
  resulting attraction for investors, scientists
  and engineers, but also cultural and political
  status and influence.

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Competition and Innovation (2)

• Growth, success and economic strength and the
  resultant capacity for social services and
  cultural development depend essentially on
  innovation.
• Innovation needs not only investment in research
  and technological development but also optimized
  working conditions for science and research.
• The European Research Area was conceived to meet
  that challenge, to join forces and to create a
  European added value.

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Addressing some questions related to science and
innovation

• What are the sources of innovation ?
• What is basic research ?
• Do we need duplication ?
• Can science forecast the future ?
• What are the best working conditions ?
• How do we couple science and technology, academia
  and industry ?

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What are the sources of innovation ?(1)

• Most of the major discoveries and breakthroughs
  were the often unexpected outcome of
  fundamental research.
• A single new discovery or concept can snowball
  into an avalanche of innovations, advances and
  cross-fertilizations.

40
What are the sources of innovation ?(2)

• Examples are
• electricity, fertilizers, radio-waves, vacuum
  tubes, thermodynamics, x-rays, nuclear energy,
  penicillin, magnetic nuclear resonance,
  polyethylene , semi-conductors, DNA, lasers,
  computer chips, genes, GPS, nanotechnology, .....

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What are the sources of innovation ?(3)

• To permit a targeted approach, objectives must be
  defined and the way ahead needs to be
  sufficiently clear.
• Science and technology benefit from each other
  through continuous symbiosis.
• In the meantime, these relations have also been
  re-acknowledged by politics

42
Example Opening speech of the German
Chancellor celebrating the Einstein Year

• The example of Einstein makes it clear that only
  freedom of thought and research, freedom from
  governmental regimentation and economic
  dependence, enabled his momentous achievements.
• This is why we can say that only basic research
  ..is in a position to provide the most
  important raw material for future prosperity
  new knowledge.

43
continued

• It must, of course, be our goal to convert
  scientific findings into innovations more rapidly
  than in the past.
• At the same time, however, basic research needs
  the certainty of being able to work without the
  pressure of immediate exploitability and without
  the constraint of continually demonstrating
  utility.
• When Einstein formulated the basic equation for
  the laser in 1916, he did not have the faintest
  idea of the innovation that would follow five
  decades later.
• Please note that the laser equation was only
  one of his many discoveries, and that Einstein
  was an excellent communicator !

44
Advances in science are based on ingenuity,
intuition, imagination, continuity, persistence,
care, chance and hard work, but also on novel
instruments and devices.What is basic research?

• a step into the unknown
• the interplay between hypothesis, experiment and
  criticism
• groping in the mist
• following hunches
• compiling and collating data
• finding new signals
• detecting inconsistencies
• tracing underlying patterns

• recognising correlations
• developing mathematical models,
• developing concepts and symbols
• developing new equipment
• searching for simple solutions and harmony
• confirming, extrapolating, generalising and
  reproducing

45
Why duplication ?

• The crucial feature of scientific knowledge is
  the step from the scientific quest phase to the
  reproducibility of findings and demonstration of
  their range of validity.
• Duplication is an essential element of scientific
  method and progress. It is the (only) guarantee
  against errors, assertions or even falsification.
  
• It serves the consolidation, deepening and
  dissemination of knowledge.
• Nature decides and confirms.

46
Can science forecast the future ?

• Only in well-defined, limited cases, and only for
  a well-defined time-scale
• Obstacles are
• Limited data
• Complexity
• Chaos (deterministic chaos)
• Quantum effects
• By and large, this also holds true for politics.
  Politics means acting on behalf of society and
  inevitably also includes experimenting with
  society.

47
What are the best working conditions for science
? Bottom-up" approach as often as possible and
"top-down" approach only where necessary

• Freedom
• Self-organization
• Continuity and reliability of support
• Long-range perspective, yet possibility to change
  course
• A stimulating, multidisciplinary environment, yet
  possibility to withdraw

• Reducing the excess in procedures for
• Applications
• Reporting
• Monitoring
• Refereeing
• Administration
• Scientists need time for research !

48
How to better couple science and technology,
academia and industry ? (1)

• The best carriers of knowledge are the heads of
  the experts.
• Therefore, we need laboratories for basic and for
  applied research working side-by-side to
  stimulate frequent contacts.
• Therefore, we need instruments and social
  boundary conditions which stimulate the exchange
  of personnel between academia (e.g. technical
  universities) and industry.

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How to better couple science and technology,
academia and industry ? (2)

• We need more RD performed in industry and
  experts working there.
• Industry needs to be receptive.
• Industry needs incentives (e.g. tax regulations)
  to better fulfil its part of the task. This holds
  in particular for SMEs.
• Industry needs protection against overregulation
  concerning novel products.

50
Community Patent, Language

• We urgently need a Community Patent.
• We need a grace period for patent-applications.
• We need to use a common second language
  throughout Europe, as is already the case within
  the technical-scientific community (English).

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Some further proposals

• Science as a profession including contracts of
  service must be made more attractive.
• The rules of the Single Market have to stimulate,
  rather than to discourage mobility. The remaining
  barriers within the Single Market have to be
  removed.
• Competition between research systems and
  institutions for the best structure, methods,
  facilities and personnel policy must be allowed,
  stimulated and supported.

52
Research policy and the interest of society, a
thorny issue.

• Interaction between science and society where
  appropriate by legislation and through
  governmental authorities mostly concerns
• type and extent of research funding,
• research objectives and subjects,
• evaluation of research findings,
• people involved in research, and
• how far research is or should be steered in a
  particular direction.
• Science delivers the knowledge, industry
  delivers the products, but citizen and society
  decide on the use.
• I will not dig deeper into this broad subject.

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But one should bear in mind (1)

• that the scientific community is generally
  earlier aware of upcoming chances, opportunities
  or risks of new discoveries and of new
  technologies.
• that the risk potential (of new ideas,
  technologies or research programmes) cannot in
  principle be fully assessed on an objective
  basis. (What will be the impact of successful
  geriatric research?)
• that the scientific community knows relatively
  best how to carry out research, and which
  issues to address.

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But one should bear in mind (2)

• that self organisation in science operates in the
  area of conflict between cooperation and
  competition , i.e.
• - cooperation on pooling resources, exchanging
  information and complementing expertise, but
• - competition for the best ideas, results,
  methods and structures.
• that the main task of politics should be to
• - decide on the allocated support , and
• - ensure that self organisation and self
  control of science are effective, and that
  competition rules the game.

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Summary

• Complete the Single Market.
• Complete the European Research Area.
• Double the EU RD budget and raise the
  corresponding national RD budgets.
• Provide incentives for more RD in industry (and
  SMEs).
• gtgt Reach the 3 (of GDP) goal.
• Stimulate the interplay between basic research,
  applied research and product development.
• Stimulate mobility between academia and industry.
• Protect against overregulation and excess
  bureaucracy.
• Provide optimal working conditions for RD.
• Provide more attractive contracts of employment.
• Acknowledge the basics of science and research
  freedom, autonomy, excellence, competition,
  cooperation.
• Accept NO CHANCE WITHOUT RISK