challenge and cooperation lu-yongxiang dr.-ing, member of cas 24/03/05 challenge and cooperation...

Challenge and CooperationChallenge and Cooperation

Lu-yongxiang Dr.-Ing, Member of CAS 24/03/05


Lu-yongxiang Prof. Dr.-Ing. President of CAS



Development of S&T bring new opportunities and challengesDevelopment of S&T bring new opportunities and challenges

While the human society enters an era of globalized and k

nowledge economy, S&T plays an increasingly leading role. Significant original innovations and breakthroughs will lea

d to fundamental changes in productivity, production mod

e and human living. Bring new opportunities and challenges to economic devel

opment of various nations and advancement of human civi

lization.



Each historical period has its new S&T ethical concernsEach historical period has its new S&T ethical concerns

While the IT, BT, NT, CS & SS introducing great changes to human beings in production and way of living, bring new challenges to the security of human beings and lay some challenges on existing ethics such as:

human right

ethical relationship among people

ethical relationship between human beings and eco-environment

ethical relationship between human beings and other lives.



Ethical challenges by the development of ITEthical challenges by the development of IT

Now information becomes one of the most valuable resoNow information becomes one of the most valuable resources in the world. Disequilibrium in development and urces in the world. Disequilibrium in development and application between different countries, regions and indapplication between different countries, regions and individuals leads to a new gap between the rich and the poividuals leads to a new gap between the rich and the poor, or digital gap.or, or digital gap.

Internet-based fraud, hacker attacks, privacy leaks, datInternet-based fraud, hacker attacks, privacy leaks, data forgery, as well as trans-boundary gambling and porna forgery, as well as trans-boundary gambling and pornography illegal spreading-out.ography illegal spreading-out.

Ethical questions : violation of private rights and intereEthical questions : violation of private rights and interests, illegal monitoring of individual behaviorssts, illegal monitoring of individual behaviors



Ethical challenges by the development of Life Science and BTEthical challenges by the development of Life Science and BT

new way in solving long-existing problems on food supply and new way in solving long-existing problems on food supply and health carehealth care

unprecedented improve quality of natural speciesunprecedented improve quality of natural species for the first time, change natural endowment of human beings for the first time, change natural endowment of human beings

by themselves by themselves

The scientific breakthroughs also brought about ethical problems:The scientific breakthroughs also brought about ethical problems: leaks of individual bio-information leaks of individual bio-information difficulties in individual social identity confirmation,difficulties in individual social identity confirmation, endanger natural ecology system and result in new threats to hendanger natural ecology system and result in new threats to h

uman health genetics.uman health genetics.



Ethical challenges by the development of NT(Nano-technologyEthical challenges by the development of NT(Nano-technology ))

Nano-technology enables human beings to study and control structural features of materials in the nanometer scale, and to create new materials and devices with magic features.

NT might result in problems in human health, social ethics, and NT might result in problems in human health, social ethics, and eco-environmenteco-environment

nanomaterials obtain special toxin,

nano-particles and carbon nano-tubes might evocate tumor and penetra

te blood-brain barriers of creatures.

Disposal of nanowaste

Furthermore, once nanotechnology is used for developing lethal weapon

s, scientists have yet found effective protection.



Ethical challenges by the development of CS(Cognitive ScienceEthical challenges by the development of CS(Cognitive Science ))

Development of cognitive science and technology makes it Development of cognitive science and technology makes it possible for scientists to discover the mystery of human possible for scientists to discover the mystery of human intelligence and trace the nature, ruling law and mode of intelligence and trace the nature, ruling law and mode of human cognition.human cognition.

Inappropriate abuse of CS and technology might result in: Inappropriate abuse of CS and technology might result in:

psychological inducement and traumatic effectspsychological inducement and traumatic effects

misled cognition, which contribute to control human thinking, misled cognition, which contribute to control human thinking, feeling and behaviorfeeling and behavior

bring in new serious ethical problems such a privacy violation and bring in new serious ethical problems such a privacy violation and loss of behavioral autonomy.loss of behavioral autonomy.



Ethical challenges by the development of SS(Space Science)Ethical challenges by the development of SS(Space Science)

The latest development in SS(and GPS, GIS & RS) provides powerful scientific and technological support for agricultural production, ecological environment monitoring as well as weather and disaster forecast.

the new space-based monitoring technology endangers individual the new space-based monitoring technology endangers individual privacy and business secrets. privacy and business secrets.

Those who master such advanced space-based monitoring technology, naturally have the information advantages, which will then result in information asymmetry, disequilibrium in fair competition and new threats to national security



All the above-mentioned issues are resulted from inapproAll the above-mentioned issues are resulted from inappropriate use of science and technology rather than the develpriate use of science and technology rather than the development of science and technology itself. opment of science and technology itself.

The problems could not be taken as an excuse to give up oThe problems could not be taken as an excuse to give up or slow down development in science and technology. r slow down development in science and technology.

• Exploring the unknown is a permanent driving force for sExploring the unknown is a permanent driving force for science and technology development.cience and technology development.

• Appropriate application of science and technology to beneAppropriate application of science and technology to benefit the human being is a social responsibility of S&T.fit the human being is a social responsibility of S&T.



Development of modern science and Development of modern science and technology might bring the human technology might bring the human society more extensive and further-society more extensive and further-reaching ethical issues, which need to be reaching ethical issues, which need to be addressed and solved by the whole addressed and solved by the whole human society through joint efforts, human society through joint efforts, exploration cooperation and innovation.exploration cooperation and innovation.



Only by strengthening the international cooperation, could we improve S&T innovation capacity building;

Only by international cooperation, could we explore the ways of neutralizing negative effects in science and technology advancement;

Only by promoting public understanding of S&T and knowledge dissemination, could we narrow the digital gap and share application of scientific and technological achievements;

Only by increasing the cooperation among the research on natural sciences, engineering technology and social sciences as well as humanities, could we alleviate development imbalance and disharmony in various disciplines;

Only by fostering joint research and exchange on S&T ethics, could we find the solution for the problems.



The scientific community and the The scientific community and the academic circles should strengthen academic circles should strengthen exchange and cooperation in S&T ethics exchange and cooperation in S&T ethics to create common understanding, and to create common understanding, and formulate world accepted S&T ethics formulate world accepted S&T ethics norms and to the end the international norms and to the end the international S&T ethics convention.S&T ethics convention.



The scientific community is supposed to work jointly to The scientific community is supposed to work jointly to shape ethical rules on scientific research. shape ethical rules on scientific research.

The scientific community needs to make it known to the The scientific community needs to make it known to the public that inappropriate use of the results of scientific public that inappropriate use of the results of scientific research and technological development might threaten research and technological development might threaten human basic rights of existence, freedom, privacy, justice, human basic rights of existence, freedom, privacy, justice, ecological environment and human heath and genetic ecological environment and human heath and genetic continuation and reproduction of human beings. continuation and reproduction of human beings.

Such inappropriate use of science and technology would Such inappropriate use of science and technology would also enlarge the gap between individuals, endanger social also enlarge the gap between individuals, endanger social equality, harmony and stability. equality, harmony and stability.

Together with concerned groups, we should jointly seek for Together with concerned groups, we should jointly seek for preemptive measures and solutions in advance.preemptive measures and solutions in advance.



The following principles shall be abided by in international S&T The following principles shall be abided by in international S&T ethics cooperation ethics cooperation

Scientists, engineers, lawyers and social scientists shall join in the discussion in ethical issues related to science and technology.

Principles of equality, equity, reciprocity and transparency should be insisted and emphasized in face of ethical issues. The society has rights to know and to be told potential threats on the basis of equality and information symmetry.



Various communities of the society should take joint efforts to realize equilibrium between scientific and technological development and improvement of ethics to ensure that S&T development should never do harm to social justice, harmonious and sustained social development, ecological environment, harmonious relationship between the human and the nature, or development of science and technology itself.

While focusing on science education and knowledge dissemination, S&T ethics education should be promoted, particularly among young students.



In the era of globalization, only by increasing the international exchange and cooperation, could the R&D, training for advanced professionals, knowledge and technology dissemination, technology standards establishment, and commercialization of scientific and technological achievements be promoted. Only by strengthening international collaboration, could we find the solution to the common issues that human beings are facing. Meanwhile, only by international cooperation, could we build a system of S&T ethics fitting in with knowledge-based society.



Thank you

challenge and cooperation lu-yongxiang dr.-ing, member of cas 24/03/05 challenge and cooperation...

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