The Collapse of Credibility for Expert Hwang Woo-suk and the Fabricated Stem Cell Research is One of the Most Shocking Events Recently. This Also Serves as a Lesson for Asian Countries on the Path to Building Knowledge-Based Economies.
While investment capital and infrastructure are important, in the long run, they may not be as critical as an open environment that encourages independent thinking and embraces diversity of opinions.
 |
Professor Hwang was once celebrated by the South Korean public as a national hero (Photo: BBC) |
In a commentary published in today’s Financial Times, writer Guy de Jonquieres argues that what is needed is not just brainpower, infrastructure, and government funding, but also a culture that encourages independent thought, a spirit of challenge, and a healthy skepticism. Only then can a groundbreaking scientific environment be fostered.
Examining the case of Professor Hwang, it is evident that he previously avoided scrutiny from colleagues, dodged criticism, and was often elevated by the media, with the public and government looking up to him.
A Lesson for Asia
According to Guy de Jonquieres, South Korea is also limited by another burden common in many East Asian countries, which is “a rigidly hierarchical society – often reflected in the structure of scientific labs – a society that highly values obedience and respects authority, and does not encourage rebelliousness and public criticism.”
“Adding to this are rote educational systems, creating an environment that is not conducive to free thinking.”
To address these issues, South Korea and Japan have broken down many research programs into smaller units that are allowed to set their own operational agendas.
Both countries also encourage universities to compete based on quality rather than quantity in research.
In China, there are plans to upgrade the quality of universities.
This plan prioritizes science over the arts, partly because the government believes that science is less likely to provoke debate and political criticism.
However, according to Guy de Jonquieres, if science is detached from the mainstream of society, it risks becoming a tool of the government, rather than promoting knowledge and societal benefits.
“This does not mean that large-scale plans to advance science in Asia will all fail. But the chances of success will be greater if scientific knowledge is allowed to develop freely in a less dogmatic, less conformist, and more questioning environment, opening the door to diverse opinions.”
In the mid-20th century, C.P. Snow, a novelist and physicist at Cambridge University, argued that the key to progress and solving societal problems lies in breaking down the barriers between “the two cultures” of arts and humanities.
Snow wrote: “When you think of the dark and long history of mankind, you will see that the number of atrocities committed in the name of obedience far exceeds those committed in the name of rebellion.”
Guy de Jonquieres’ article concludes with the statement “Asian policymakers need to remember this.”
