Why Canadian neuroethics got the highest status in the world? Implications to the governance of science and technology

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25560126
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Sociology/History of science and technology
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Sakura Osamu 東京大学, 大学院情報学環, 教授 (00251752)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 脳神経倫理 / 科学技術社会論 / 科学技術ガバナンス / 科学技術コミュニケーション / 比較研究

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of this study is to clarify the reasons of pushing Canadian neuroethics to the top of the world within rather short period. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews to the persons concerned and literature review. The research traced two causes to rapid emergence of Canadian neuroethics. First, the policy and structure of the funding agency for medical and life sciences of the Federal Government of Canada, or Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR), fully supports to realize the expert scientists' perspectives in new areas of scientific activities. Second, the discretion of the director of the division of neuroscience in CIHR is large and flexible enough to launch the new research field in Canada. Those worked successfully in the case of neuroethics. These traits are also beneficial to handle the system and philosophy of the governance of science and technology in Japan.

Free Research Field

科学技術社会論