Scientific Research: Opening the Door to the Future
Introduction
1. Scientific Research: Why It Is Done and Who It Is For.
(3) Lays the Foundations for the Advancement of Society and Humanity
Through university education and human resource development, the results of scientific research contribute to society's advancement. Moreover, basic and original research, which private enterprises cannot undertake, creates new knowledge that serves as a foundation for the advancement of society as a whole and the entire human race. Today global issues that could affect the survival of humankind, such as the global environment, resources and energy, food, and AIDS, are the focus of sustained international cooperation based on wide-ranging research spanning all fields from the humanities and social sciences to the natural sciences. For example, the successful excavation and restoration of ancient sites in Egypt, Cambodia, and elsewhere would not have been possible without cooperation among researchers from many countries. Their joint efforts have saved treasures that are the heritage of all humanity from being lost to the encroachment of desert or jungle.
Scientific research thus benefits the whole of society and humanity. Universities in every country receive public support and a variety of research grants, reflecting the nature of scientific research as a public commodity and an investment in the future.
