Nov 11, 2005 Chinese Academy of Sciences Prof. Dr.- Ing. Lu Yongxiang.

Nov 11, 2005Nov 11, 2005

Chinese Academy of Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences

Prof. Dr.- Ing. Lu YongxiangProf. Dr.- Ing. Lu Yongxiang

Lu Yongxiang ， CAS 2

Value of ScienceValue of Science Science is the quintessence of knowledge of human cognition of Science is the quintessence of knowledge of human cognition of

the objective world. the objective world.

Technology is being and developing mode created by mankind. Technology is being and developing mode created by mankind.

Science and technology is the driving force and foundation of Science and technology is the driving force and foundation of modern civilization. modern civilization.

Contemporary scientific revolution has triggered off Contemporary scientific revolution has triggered off technological revolution and industrial revolution. technological revolution and industrial revolution.

—— ——the theory of relativity, quantum and cybernetics fueled the theory of relativity, quantum and cybernetics fueled the development of nuclear , semi-conductor, laser physics and the development of nuclear , semi-conductor, laser physics and so on, which gave birth to, the development of nuclear energy, so on, which gave birth to, the development of nuclear energy, industrial automation, IC and IT technology and the relevant industrial automation, IC and IT technology and the relevant industrial revolution. industrial revolution.


Value of ScienceValue of Science Modern science and technology has brought aModern science and technology has brought a

bout improvt agriculture, health care and qbout improvt agriculture, health care and q

uality of life. uality of life.

IT, life sciences and biotechnology, etc have bIT, life sciences and biotechnology, etc have b

rought human into an era of global and knowlrought human into an era of global and knowl

edge-based economy.edge-based economy.

ModernModern science and technology has opened a science and technology has opened a

new era of harmonious and sustainable develonew era of harmonious and sustainable develo

pment of human with nature. pment of human with nature.


Modern science and technology is still Modern science and technology is still

brewing new breakthroughs, which brewing new breakthroughs, which

will bring about revolutionary will bring about revolutionary

changes to the future production changes to the future production

mode, life style, social structure, etc. mode, life style, social structure, etc.

meanwhile inevitably giving rise to meanwhile inevitably giving rise to

more ethical and moral issues.more ethical and moral issues.


IT will continue its developing towards IT will continue its developing towards

broadband, wireless, intelligence and grid broadband, wireless, intelligence and grid

working, and bring about profound impact on working, and bring about profound impact on

the daily life, production mode, commercial and the daily life, production mode, commercial and

social management, and further boost social management, and further boost

globalization of information, capital, human globalization of information, capital, human

resources, production and operation. resources, production and operation.

—— —— However, problems such as networking fraud, However, problems such as networking fraud,

hacker attack, information leakage, data hacker attack, information leakage, data

falsification, gambling and illegal dissemination of falsification, gambling and illegal dissemination of

pornography , etc also come along. Moreover, due to pornography , etc also come along. Moreover, due to

imbalance of information acquisition and imbalance of information acquisition and

application among different countries, regions and application among different countries, regions and

individuals, new disparity between rich and poor — individuals, new disparity between rich and poor —

digital gap, will occurdigital gap, will occur. .


Further development of life sciences and Further development of life sciences and biotechnology will bring about new biotechnology will bring about new revolutionary changes to agriculture and revolutionary changes to agriculture and healthcare. Meanwhile, the healthcare. Meanwhile, the advancement advancement and extensive applicationand extensive application of industrial and of industrial and eco-environmental biotechnology will lead to eco-environmental biotechnology will lead to the advent of Bio-economy the advent of Bio-economy eraera ..

—— —— However, ethical problems such as However, ethical problems such as individual life code disclosure, difficulty in individual life code disclosure, difficulty in definition of individual’s social attribution, etc definition of individual’s social attribution, etc will also rise. Other problems include will also rise. Other problems include factitious impact on ecological balance and factitious impact on ecological balance and safety, new threat to human genetic and safety, new threat to human genetic and development health, etc. development health, etc.


The Achievements of nanotechnology may The Achievements of nanotechnology may

further change the industries of information, further change the industries of information,

electronics, manufacture, chemical process, electronics, manufacture, chemical process,

pharmaceuticals, materials and environmental pharmaceuticals, materials and environmental

protection etc.protection etc. ———— However, once nanotechnology is extensively applHowever, once nanotechnology is extensively appl

ied in various fields, numerous challenges in aspects suied in various fields, numerous challenges in aspects such as human health, social ethics, ecological environmech as human health, social ethics, ecological environment, etc may appear. Research already show, that some nt, etc may appear. Research already show, that some nano powder have special toxicity , nano particles and nano powder have special toxicity , nano particles and nano carbon tube may trigger cancer and could penetrnano carbon tube may trigger cancer and could penetrate animal’s blood-brain barrier, and the waste disposate animal’s blood-brain barrier, and the waste disposal of nano materials may bring us to face new problemal of nano materials may bring us to face new problems. If one day nanotechnology is used to make danger ws. If one day nanotechnology is used to make danger weapons, man has yet to find ways and means to protect eapons, man has yet to find ways and means to protect ourselves.ourselves.


Progress of cognitive science will possibly trigger Progress of cognitive science will possibly trigger

revolutionary changes for computer, revolutionary changes for computer,

communication, brain/nervous science, and even communication, brain/nervous science, and even

learning and education, providing more effective learning and education, providing more effective

means for the well-being and development of human means for the well-being and development of human

brain and neural system, and the prevention and brain and neural system, and the prevention and

cure of mental diseases.cure of mental diseases. ———— However, improper use of cognitive However, improper use of cognitive

science may lead to control of man’s science may lead to control of man’s

behavior, sensibility and thought such as behavior, sensibility and thought such as

psychological inducement, cognition psychological inducement, cognition

inducement, etc and cause serious ethical inducement, etc and cause serious ethical

problems such as illegal infringement on problems such as illegal infringement on

human rights such as privacy and self-human rights such as privacy and self-

determination of behavior, etc.determination of behavior, etc.


Combination of information Combination of information

technology and life sciences with technology and life sciences with

biotechnology, nanotechnology, biotechnology, nanotechnology,

cognitive science and mathematics / cognitive science and mathematics /

system science will find new, effective system science will find new, effective

and simple mathematic tools and and simple mathematic tools and

methods to understand matters, life methods to understand matters, life

and human cognizing process, and and human cognizing process, and

possibly trigger off new scientific and possibly trigger off new scientific and

technological revolution. technological revolution.

—— —— However, this may also bring about new However, this may also bring about new

knowledge gap and imbalance of development. knowledge gap and imbalance of development.


Advanced and extensive application of space teAdvanced and extensive application of space technology (GIS,GPS,RS) has expanded human’chnology (GIS,GPS,RS) has expanded human’s visions of cognition, promoted developing the s visions of cognition, promoted developing the earth, resource and environmental science, proearth, resource and environmental science, provided the technological support for agriculture, vided the technological support for agriculture, monitoring the eco-environmentals, forecasting monitoring the eco-environmentals, forecasting climate change and natural disaster, and creaticlimate change and natural disaster, and creation of a digital earth.on of a digital earth.

—— —— but under modern space supervision, it’s difficult but under modern space supervision, it’s difficult to keep individual privacy and confidentials of commerto keep individual privacy and confidentials of commercial information, so countries possessing space superviscial information, so countries possessing space supervision technologies inevitably have information advantageion technologies inevitably have information advantages, thus causing new ethical problems such as dissymmets, thus causing new ethical problems such as dissymmetry of information, unfair of development, etc. ry of information, unfair of development, etc.


As fortune created by mankind As fortune created by mankind jointlyjointly, science and techn, science and techn

ology has the characteristics of accumulation, sharable anology has the characteristics of accumulation, sharable an

d re-creation. It should benefit all mankind. d re-creation. It should benefit all mankind.

Meanwhile, we should clear realize that science and technMeanwhile, we should clear realize that science and techn

ology is also a double-edged sword, once misused, it may ology is also a double-edged sword, once misused, it may

endanger natural ecosystem, human rights, life in the earendanger natural ecosystem, human rights, life in the ear

th, and harmonious and sustainable evolution between huth, and harmonious and sustainable evolution between hu

man society and nature, thus causing further unfair, inseman society and nature, thus causing further unfair, inse

curity, disharmony, no sustainablility, and even man-madcurity, disharmony, no sustainablility, and even man-mad

e disasters.e disasters.


Scientific ethics that mankindScientific ethics that mankindshould all abideshould all abide Scientists and engineers should not only have the interest and Scientists and engineers should not only have the interest and

passion for creation, but also shoulder the social responsibility. passion for creation, but also shoulder the social responsibility.

In S&T innovation, we should respect life (including that of In S&T innovation, we should respect life (including that of mankind and other life).mankind and other life).

In In S&TS&T innovation, we should respect the human rights fairly innovation, we should respect the human rights fairly (including that among not just the (including that among not just the contemporaries contemporaries but also the but also the different generations).different generations).

In In S&TS&T innovation, we should respect dignity of human innovation, we should respect dignity of human (including those of different ethnic groups, genders, ages and with (including those of different ethnic groups, genders, ages and with different beliefs).different beliefs).

In In S&TS&T innovation, we should respect nature, protect eco-innovation, we should respect nature, protect eco-systems and environment, and realize harmonious coexistence systems and environment, and realize harmonious coexistence and sustainable evolution between man and nature. and sustainable evolution between man and nature.


CCommonalityommonality between ancient oriental philosophy between ancient oriental philosophyand modern scientific ethicsand modern scientific ethics

2500 years ago, the Chinese philosopher Conf2500 years ago, the Chinese philosopher Confucius (551 BC — 479 BC) put forward the follucius (551 BC — 479 BC) put forward the following ethical norms:owing ethical norms:

仁— 仁— treasure lifetreasure life

义— 义— treat people equally treat people equally

礼— 礼— respect each other respect each other

智— 智— encourage creationencourage creation

信— 信— be faithful and trustable be faithful and trustable


Confucius (551 BCConfucius (551 BC －－ 479 BC) said, “Without recognizing the ordin479 BC) said, “Without recognizing the ordinances of Heaven, it is impossible to be a superior man” (The Analectances of Heaven, it is impossible to be a superior man” (The Analects· Yao Yue)s· Yao Yue) ，， in which “ordinances of Heaven” means the rule of in which “ordinances of Heaven” means the rule of nature.nature.

Lao Tzu (around 571 BCLao Tzu (around 571 BC －－ 471 BC) once said, “Tao models itself a471 BC) once said, “Tao models itself after the nature” (The Classic of the Way and virtue), highlighting thfter the nature” (The Classic of the Way and virtue), highlighting the necessity of abiding by the rule of nature.e necessity of abiding by the rule of nature.

Zhuang Tzu (around 369 BC Zhuang Tzu (around 369 BC －－ 286 BC) once said, “There is nothi286 BC) once said, “There is nothing superior; there is nothing inferior” (Zhuang Tzu · Discussion on ng superior; there is nothing inferior” (Zhuang Tzu · Discussion on Making All Things Equal)Making All Things Equal) ，， requesting to treat all things in the unirequesting to treat all things in the universe equally.verse equally.

Mencius (around 372 BC Mencius (around 372 BC －－ 289 BC) asserted “loving people and t289 BC) asserted “loving people and treasuring things”(Mencius·Doctrine of Extending Affection), treatireasuring things”(Mencius·Doctrine of Extending Affection), treating people kindly and loving the nature.ng people kindly and loving the nature.

Ancient oriental philosophy attaches importanceAncient oriental philosophy attaches importanceto the unity of heaven and man, harmonious to the unity of heaven and man, harmonious coexistence between man and nature. coexistence between man and nature.


It is not scientific and technological development itself but It is not scientific and technological development itself but just improper use that accounts for some ethical problems just improper use that accounts for some ethical problems arising along with scientific and technological development. arising along with scientific and technological development. Man should by no means give up or restrict scientific and Man should by no means give up or restrict scientific and technological development in the excuse of ethnics.technological development in the excuse of ethnics.

—— ——Exploring the unknown world, innovating production mode and Exploring the unknown world, innovating production mode and lifestyle and preserving the eco-environment are everlasting drive for lifestyle and preserving the eco-environment are everlasting drive for scientific and technology.scientific and technology.

—— ——Science and technology is the inexhaustible source and driving Science and technology is the inexhaustible source and driving force for progress of human civilization.force for progress of human civilization.

—— ——It is the common social responsibility for scientists and engineers It is the common social responsibility for scientists and engineers to develop science and technology to promote the welfare of human to develop science and technology to promote the welfare of human beings. beings.

—— ——The combination of scientific spirit and humanistic spirit will The combination of scientific spirit and humanistic spirit will inevitably help to establish new ethical norms following science and inevitably help to establish new ethical norms following science and technology technology developingdeveloping. .


I am convinced that so long as I am convinced that so long as Scientists, Engineers and other Scientists, Engineers and other peoples of all countries work peoples of all countries work hand in hand to face common hand in hand to face common challenges, enhance exchange and challenges, enhance exchange and adequately cooperate each other, adequately cooperate each other, we will be able to create a more we will be able to create a more promising future for mankind!promising future for mankind!

Thank you!Thank you!

Nov 11, 2005 Chinese Academy of Sciences Prof. Dr.- Ing. Lu Yongxiang.

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Transcript of Nov 11, 2005 Chinese Academy of Sciences Prof. Dr.- Ing. Lu Yongxiang.