This blog post explores how small yet powerful nanotechnology can address challenges humanity faces in areas like the environment, energy, and medicine. “Micro air bubbles break down pollutants to clean!” is a phrase often used in washing machine advertisements. Long ago, in April 2012, the Environmental Machinery Systems Research Laboratory at the Korea Institute of Machinery and...
How can we utilize cloning technology while upholding ethics?
This blog post explores ways to harness cloning technology for human advancement while considering ethical concerns. It examines both scientific possibilities and societal impacts. On February 24, 1997, the world watched as the birth of Dolly the cloned sheep was announced. Since this technology had been applied to animals, it became clear that cloning could now be applied to humans as...
When genetic engineering becomes a reality, how will human nature and social values change?
This blog post deeply examines, from an ethical perspective, what changes might occur in human nature and social values if genetic engineering becomes a reality. In the film ‘Gattaca’, most children are born with artificially manipulated genes. Sperm and eggs are collected from the parents, artificially fertilized to create embryos, and then genetically edited. Only embryos with reduced...
Why did the evolution of web browsers phase out plugins?
This blog post examines the changes brought by web browser technology to the internet environment, from the emergence of plugins to their eventual phase-out. After the internet became widely available to the public in the 1990s, web browsers became an integral part of our lives as the gateway to internet usage. In the mid-to-late 90s, as web browsers began to gain popularity, Netscape and...
Why should we live altruistically within a community?
Between selfishness and altruism, what choice should we make? We explore the meaning of a righteous life within a community and examine the value of altruistic choices. There’s a saying: ‘You can see why communism is impossible by looking at university group assignments.’ Group assignments are often required in many classes under the pretext of ‘practicing working on projects with...
Have we truly decoded all the real messages within DNA?
In this blog post, we delve deeply into whether we have truly decoded all the real messages within DNA, through a life science approach that views DNA as a language. DNA information is highly complex and not easily deciphered. This decoding process is akin to interpreting sentences written in an unknown ancient language. Just as ancient languages require inferring grammar and context, DNA...
Can society’s wariness toward otaku culture shift toward understanding and respect?
This blog post explores how society’s wariness toward otaku culture can transform into understanding and respect, examining the process of this positive shift in perception. Long ago, in 2015, I traveled to Japan. On March 30, 2015, Japan hosted the ‘Otaku Expo’ as a side event for ‘Comiket Special 6’. Over 500,000 people participated in the Comiket festival, and over 50,000 people...
How should art be defined, and why is a philosophical approach important?
Understanding the essence of art requires diverse philosophical approaches. By exploring shifts in the concept of art—such as mimesis, expressionism, formalism, and institutionalism—we illuminate the importance of defining art. Aesthetics, a branch of philosophy that discusses concepts and theories concerning art and aesthetic experience, makes the question of defining art crucial...
How can artists effectively convey criticism of mass media?
This blog post examines various expressive methods and strategies artists use to effectively deliver critical messages about mass media, analyzing their artistic significance. Many artists distrust mass media, suspecting it of manipulation or propaganda, and regard popular culture as shallow. They have expressed their views in various ways. For example, one artist explicitly revealed a...
How does the meaning of an artwork change depending on the viewer and the era?
The meaning of an artwork constantly evolves based on the era and the viewer’s interpretation. This blog post explores how the interaction between the work and the viewer creates new meanings. We often say we enjoy or appreciate an artwork instead of simply viewing it. Enjoying or appreciating an artwork implies deriving pleasure from it or judging its value. This notion implies that...