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‘Innovation 25’

In September 2006, the then Japanese Prime Minister launched a discussion on innovation as a long-tem strategy looking ahead to 2025. It was named “Innovation 25.” National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP) prepared a report “Social Vision towards 2025” (1) based on its 8th ‘Science and Technology Foresight Surveys’ (2-4, ‘the Surveys’ hereafter). One of six main fields of discussion was set as “support for people’s activities through advances in brain science.”

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Contact

ISHII KayokoNISTEP MEXTTel. +x81-3-3581- 0605 • Fax +81-3-3503-3996E-mail: kishii@nistep.go.jp

2008 INTERNATIONALCONFERENCE

Support for people's activities through advances in brain science

Vision of the future proposed in the 1960s

1) The arrival of the era of information industry1) Information of intelligence2) Information of sensation3) Information of experiments

Coming era of spiritual industry

2) The participation of each citizen in creative processes of information is indispensable to sustain future society. Science of kokoro (≈ mind + spirit) should play crucial roles for that.

Setting of Japanese “social vision toward 2025”

Collaboration of human and machines

Disaster and crime prevention

Relief of human from dangerous or extremely hard labours and from exposure to dangers

Prevention and treatment of brain disorders

Regeneration or prostheses for deteriorated or inured organs

Maintenance of the independence for the elderly and people with disabilities decreased burdens on caregivers

Examples

Increased autonomy in life of the elderly and people with difficulties, participation in convivial communities

Less burdens on caregivers

Better handling of stress, less suicides

Symbiosis of human, household-robots & devices, and robotic houses

Examples

International disaster relief teams operational all over the world.

Intelligent robots, which can help, compensate or replace human activities

Examples

Sound development of children with essential social skills and affective understanding

Profusion of originality of individuals and diversity of the brain in society

minimization of accidents due to social infrastructures and human errors

Preparation and supply of suitable services for individual preferences and demands

Understanding human beingsbrain-body-environment system,perception, cognition, behaviours

kokoro (mind + spirit +…)

Improved fostering and learning systems

Better life systems

More efficient and comfortable socio-economic systems

Health, medicine, care Education, learning, daily life Labor and safety

Formation of social consensus onwhether/when/where/how apply technologies in society

Creating robotCreating the brain

20001960 1980 202020101970 19901950 2030

an aging society

welfare robot system

rapideconomicgrowth

pollutionundesirable influences of urbanizationthe hollowing out of local societiesgeneration gaps

economic conflictinternationalization

Welfare State

Knowledge-Intensive Industry Plan

stressful society

post-collapseof the bubble

diversificationglobalization

chance to learn throughout life

society that affords autonomyto every citizen

security & safety

well-being of Kokoro

Social Distortion

Delphi Survey

depression suicide

Innovation25

Study on Social and Economic Needs

problems of kokoro (≒mind+spirit) in children & youth

Constructivist Approaches

support for people with difficulties⇒ for any citizens who need support

developmental difficulties

STS

governmental initiatives

academic・industrial endeavors

social problems

lack of motive in the youth

lifelong learning

cognitive developmental robotics

evidence-based education

key basic scienceresearch on the brain

“Creating the Brain”

what people expect for 2025

brain science & education

rehabilitation

Creation of Comprehensive STs in order to solve the Social Distortionlife science・soft science・

environmental scienceelucidation of human mind

20001960 1980 202020101970 19901950 2030

an aging society

welfare robot system

rapideconomicgrowth

pollutionundesirable influences of urbanizationthe hollowing out of local societiesgeneration gaps

economic conflictinternationalization

Welfare State

Knowledge-Intensive Industry Plan

stressful society

post-collapseof the bubble

diversificationglobalization

chance to learn throughout life

society that affords autonomyto every citizen

security & safety

well-being of Kokoro

chance to learn throughout life

society that affords autonomyto every citizen

security & safety

well-being of Kokoro

Social Distortion

Delphi Survey

depression suicide

Innovation25

Study on Social and Economic Needs

problems of kokoro (≒mind+spirit) in children & youth

Constructivist Approaches

support for people with difficulties⇒ for any citizens who need support

developmental difficulties

STS

governmental initiatives

academic・industrial endeavors

social problems

lack of motive in the youth

lifelong learning

cognitive developmental robotics

evidence-based education

key basic scienceresearch on the brain

“Creating the Brain”

what people expect for 2025

brain science & education

rehabilitation

Creation of Comprehensive STs in order to solve the Social Distortionlife science・soft science・

environmental scienceelucidation of human mind

Inseparable changes in ST, policy and societya case of brain science

Both the Surveys and Japanese promotion of brain science had their roots in the awareness of social implication of science and technology in the 1970s after the social turbulence in the previous decade. Inseparable relationship between future-oriented studies and contemporary history of STS was taken into consideration.

Development of methodologies for STS proposed in the 1970s is now a part of subjects of ‘Brain Science lato sensu’: such as methodologies for proactive measures, systematic analysis of mutually interacting complex phenomena, support for decision making and creative thinking. A constructivist approach (or synthetic approach) was incorporated into Japanese STS as early as in the 1990s when the theme “Creating the Brain” was set as a national basic plan of brain science. Brain science can be a effective platform to elaborate synthetic approach. Brain science for STS should be promoted intensively as well as STS of brain science.

References

1. NISTEP, Social vision toward 2025 –Scenario Discussion based on S&T Foresight – [Summary], NISTEP Report No.101, March 2007.2. NISTEP, The 8th Science ad Technology Foresight Survey: Delphi Analysis, NISTEP Report No.97, May 2005.3. NISTEP, The 8th Science ad Technology Foresight Survey: Scenario Analysis, NISTEP Report No.96, May 2005.4. NISTEP, The 8th Science ad Technology Foresight Survey: Study on Social and Economic Needs, NISTEP Report No.94, May 2005.5. ISHII, K., ‘Cognitive Science as Science of the Mind’, Science & Technology Trends, Quarterly Review, No.14, p13-25, January 2005.6. ISHII, K., ‘Strategies for Reading and Writing Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia)’, Science & Technology Trends, Quarterly Review, No.15, p13-31, April 2005.7. ISHII, K., ‘Cognitive Robotics to Understand Human Beings’, Science & Technology Trends, Quarterly Review, No.20, p11-32, July 2006.8. ISHII, K., ‘ Brain Science lato sensu’, Science & Technology Trends, Quarterly Review, No.29, in press, October 2008.