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英検1級 二次 予想トピック 36 ・ 🔬 科学・倫理・宇宙 ・ A or B

Basic research or applied research: which should governments fund more?

基礎研究と応用研究、政府はどちらにもっと資金を出すべきか。

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ノーベル賞や身近な技術の起源など、研究の話題を例に出せる人向け。

骨組み理由3つ（どちらの立場でも話せる）

賛成（Yes）で話すなら

I believe governments should fund basic research more, because it is the foundation of future breakthroughs that private companies will not support.

  1. unexpected breakthroughsMany important technologies came from research that had no practical goal at first. The research behind mRNA vaccines, for example, continued for decades before it saved lives during the pandemic.
  2. long-term supportPrivate companies want quick profits, so they rarely invest in research with uncertain results. Only governments can support this kind of long-term work.
  3. national strengthJapan has produced many Nobel Prize winners in science, but several of them have warned that support for basic research is declining. Without it, Japan may lose its scientific strength.

反対（No）で話すなら

I believe governments should fund applied research more, because society needs solutions to urgent problems now.

  1. urgent problemsIssues such as climate change, aging, and natural disasters require practical solutions quickly. Applied research can turn existing knowledge into useful technology.
  2. economic returnApplied research leads more directly to new products and jobs. This helps taxpayers see the value of public spending.
  3. international competitionCountries are competing fiercely in fields such as AI and semiconductors. Falling behind in these areas could damage a country's economy and security.

想定質疑面接委員はこう突っ込んでくる

QHow can governments justify spending taxpayers' money on research with no clear result?

That's a fair concern. Admittedly, many basic research projects will never produce anything useful. However, the few that succeed can change the world and create huge value. So I believe it's like planting many seeds, knowing that only some will grow into big trees.

Q：はっきりした成果の見えない研究に税金を使うことを、政府はどう正当化するのですか。
A：もっともな懸念です。確かに、基礎研究の多くは役に立つものを何も生まないでしょう。しかし、成功した一部の研究は世界を変え、莫大な価値を生み出します。ですから、大木に育つのは一部だけだと分かったうえで、たくさんの種をまくようなものだと考えます。

QShould private companies also fund basic research?

Yes, ideally they should. Some large companies do support basic research, and cooperation between universities and businesses can be very productive. But companies alone cannot provide stable, long-term funding, so the government's role remains essential.

Q：民間企業も基礎研究に資金を出すべきですか。
A：はい、理想的にはそうすべきです。実際に基礎研究を支えている大企業もありますし、大学と企業の協力は大きな成果を生みえます。でも、企業だけでは安定した長期的な資金は出せないので、政府の役割はやはり欠かせません。

QWhy do you think Japan's research power seems to be declining?

I think one reason is that many young researchers have unstable, short-term jobs. This makes it hard for them to focus on long-term research. Providing more stable positions would help attract talented young people to science.

Q：日本の研究力が落ちているように見えるのはなぜだと思いますか。
A：理由の1つは、多くの若い研究者が不安定な短期の職に就いていることだと思います。そのため、長期的な研究に打ち込むのが難しくなっています。安定したポストを増やせば、才能ある若者を科学の道に呼び込めるでしょう。

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