日本化学家获诺贝尔奖的社会背景

Social Background:Why Did Three Japanese Chemists Win Nobel Prize

概述了2000—2002年间三位荣获诺贝尔奖的日本化学家的经历及其研究态度以及他们各自获奖的研究内容和意义,考察了产生这些划时代研究成果的社会背景——尤其是教育与研究环境。为了做出划时代的发现和发明,虽然需要研究者个人的“意外发现”能力,但是,要培养具有这种能力的人才,则需要发展重视个性的教育;要充分发挥这种能力,还需要在精神、时间和经济等方面具备充裕的条件。现在,日本几乎失去了在二战后的某一时期曾经具备的这种教育与研究环境,考察了失去这些环境条件的社会因素。

Describes briefly the background of the three Japanese chemists who had won the Nobel Prize in the period from 2000 to 2002, what attitude they showed to their respective research works and the implifications and epoch-making significance of their research achievements of which the social cause especially the education and research conditions are explored. It is found that the serendipity is indispensable to a scientist but, more important, it can only be trained through the education that highlights and develops individual personality. To play fully the role of serendipity, a scientist should have ambition and adequate time/money as supporting conditions. Nowadays Japan almost has lost such education and research conditions though she once satisfied them after the World War U . The social cause for why the conditions were lost gradually is discussed.