A Revolution in Human Modes of Thinking and Methods of Cognition: On the Significance of Using a “Comprehensive Integrated Laboratory” to Carry Out Economic and Social Development Research and General Social Science Studies

Abstract

The idea of “overall design headquarters” and “a comprehensive integrated laboratory of economic and social development” was first proposed by Professor Qian Xuesen, the famous Chinese physicist and the honored scientist, in the 1990s. Nowadays, the meta-system of society has become more and more systemic, holistic, complex, abrupt, variable, and random. Meanwhile, sensory tools such as telescopes and microscopes and cognitive tools which are extensions of the brain such as computer technology have enjoyed rapid progress. Such circumstance calls for an innovative reform of the way of thinking and cognition tools which combine social science research and natural science research. It is now possible to establish a comprehensive integrated laboratory that adopts a systemic and integrated mode of thinking and combines the modern technologies to gain a scientific understanding of the social world just as our previous endeavors gave us a scientific understanding of the natural world. Using quantitative logical operation and simulation technologies to observe and study society is such a revolution of means and tools that it could help us better prevent and solve problems that we will face in the future development.

Keywords:

• comprehensive integrated laboratory
• modern technologies
• modes of thinking and cognition
• economic and social development research
• general social science studies

Notes

¹This is one of the highest state awards. It was issued to the scientists who made a significant contribution to the development of the “atom bomb, hydrogen bomb, and the ‘East Is Red No.1 satellite’” in China.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Wang Weiguang

Translated by Peng Chengyi