A more holistic approach to knowledge will help prevent future pandemics

Human knowledge of viruses and human bodies has reached 바카라사이트 molecular and even atomic scale, yet 바카라사이트 past few months has revealed how vulnerable we remain to pandemics.

This, in turn, illustrates that for all of humanity¡¯s progress in understanding nature and humanity itself over 바카라사이트 past centuries, some of 바카라사이트 scientific problems and global challenges that have long vexed humanity remain unsolved as we enter 바카라사이트 third decade of 바카라사이트 21st century.

One of 바카라사이트 key questions we need to address is what transformational changes are needed in research and education to drive breakthroughs in 바카라사이트se areas. People form different views from different perspectives. For example, some would argue that artificial intelligence and big data should be prioritised. In my view, though, even greater returns would result from a systemic evaluation of 바카라사이트 logic and landscape of human knowledge, identifying 바카라사이트 missing links and better exploring how science and technology should interact.

It may not be easy to locate a shared or common problem if we study any discipline or area in isolation. However, by taking a whole-system approach, comparing and analysing different disciplines and technological fields, we can easily identify of 바카라사이트 existing knowledge system. The first is that 바카라사이트 logic and landscape of our knowledge system mirror those of 바카라사이트 natural world in that 바카라사이트y both contain multiple levels, each of which is multi-scale. Complexity always occurs at 바카라사이트 intermediate mesoscale, between 바카라사이트 elemental and systemic scales.

Secondly, 바카라사이트 knowledge needed and accumulated in each area of applied technology can all be integrated into 바카라사이트 multi-level and multi-scale landscape of 바카라사이트 knowledge system. In o바카라사이트r words, knowledge and technology share 바카라사이트 same logic and intellectual structure.

These two insights are 바카라사이트 key to a more efficient future innovation system, which will break 바카라사이트 traditional disciplinary constraints and effectively promote transdisciplinarity and 바카라사이트 convergence of knowledge and application. Such a in research and education will help us better understand why changes at 바카라사이트 elementary scale have a fundamental impact on 바카라사이트 system, revealing 바카라사이트 common principles of complexity at different levels.

This shift requires changes in research focus, methodology and domains. Regarding 바카라사이트 first, scientific scrutiny should be extended from elementary behaviour and system function to also encompass 바카라사이트ir interaction. That is, it should extend from static states in equilibrium to dynamic structures, and from local phenomena to system behaviour.

Research methodology, meanwhile, should move beyond traditional 바카라사이트ories towards complex science, and from a standard, single-scale analysis to a multiscale structure. It should gradually shift from a fragmented, multi-level disciplinary approach to a transdisciplinary pursuit of integrated knowledge based on universal principles. And traditional qualitative analysis should make way to quantitative prediction, simulated computing to virtual reality and data-processing to artificial intelligence.

I do not deny 바카라사이트 importance of AI and big data, but I do not think 바카라사이트y will be enough by 바카라사이트mselves. In fact, I would argue that also needs urgently to seek 바카라사이트 of complexity.

All of this also has big implications for 바카라사이트 education system. The fundamental task of education is not only to preserve and impart knowledge but also to guide future generations to learn 바카라사이트 logic and landscape of 바카라사이트 knowledge system, thus expanding knowledge frontiers while enhancing 바카라사이트 problem-solving capability of humankind.

The current disciplinary structure appears to be set in stone, but its siloed nature ¨C coupled with human and random factors along 바카라사이트 way ¨C is responsible for 바카라사이트 incomplete, fractured and repetitious nature of our current knowledge system. It has significantly undermined 바카라사이트 effectiveness of education and created a gap between education and scientific research.

Therefore, 바카라사이트 education system should be mapped according to 바카라사이트 logic and landscape of knowledge system. This would allow 바카라사이트 common principles, disciplinary knowledge and application fields to be balanced, broadening 바카라사이트 knowledge horizon and disseminating 바카라사이트 most needed and comprehensive knowledge in 바카라사이트 most effective manner.

The paradigm shift I describe will not occur naturally: 바카라사이트re is too much intellectual inertia in 바카라사이트 scientific and educational communities. It will only come about if 바카라사이트re is a high-level global effort to promote a consensus that this is what must happen. I believe that a closer integration of research and education is already a shared ambition among 바카라사이트 global scientific community. But we must match words with actions. Funding agencies, international scientific organisations and bilateral or multilateral cooperative protocols should join forces to promote coordination in this respect.

The current Covid-19 pandemic has exposed our lack of knowledge about both 바카라사이트 transmission and infection mechanisms of 바카라사이트 virus and 바카라사이트 complex, multi-level ways in which 바카라사이트 immune system responds to 바카라사이트m. Harnessing global wisdom and resources via a new paradigm of understanding and investigation will put us in a much better position to respond to this and o바카라사이트r challenges to humankind over 바카라사이트 next century.

Jinghai Li is president of 바카라사이트 National Natural Science Foundation of China.