A talk given at BITEC on the occasion of inaugurating a book on "One Century of Science and Thailand's Role", together with Aj. Yongyuth Yutthawong and Aj. Chetana Nagavajara พิธีเปิดตัว Website และหนังสือ “๑ ศตวรรษวิทยาศาสตร์และบทบาทของไทย” วันพุธที่ 7 สิงหาคม 2556 เวลา 9.30– 12.00 น. ณ งานมหกรรมสัปดาห์วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยีแห่งชาติ ประจำปี 2556 ห้อง 202 ศูนย์ประชุมไบเทค บางนา

1. 100 Years of Thai
Science
Seminar at BITEC, August 7, 2013

2. Soraj
Hongladarom
Philosophy, Chulalongkorn University

3. Outline
•Thai science: only 100 years?
•What is science?
•Thai culture in the context of world history
•Thai science at the periphery
•Paths for the future

4. Only 100 Years?
•Distinction between modern science and ancient
science
•Modern science arose in conjunction with the
emergence of modern era in the 17th century
Political
Economic
Cultural
Epistemological
•Thai science (and technology) as integral part of Thai
culture

5. Compared to India and
China
•Question: Why did Thai science not become as
advanced as science and technology in India
and China?
•Thai culture as “surface culture” or “aesthetic
culture”

6. What is Science?
•Very difficult to define exactly
•Attempt to understand the nature around us in
a systematic manner.
•Science today intertwined with technology -
attempt to gain control over nature for
immediate gains.
•“Technoscience”

7. Thai Culture and Thai
Science at the Periphery

8. Why isn’t There a Thai
Nobel Laureate in Science?

9. Paths for the Future
•“Grand coalition” between science, civil society,
industry, education, government
•Move from periphery to center
(But then one has to answer the question of identity.)
No question as to why there should not be plurality of
centers.
•Science is not limited to labs or classrooms -- it
permeates every aspect of life (so are
philosophy, literature, history, etc.) - spirit of
critical inquiry.