ABOUT

"Hardest Choice" Study Group

This is the homepage of the Kyoto University Interdisciplinary Education Center "Hardest Choice" Study Group (formerly Kyoto University "Hardest Choice" Research Light Unit).

Our research has no dreams, no hope, no Nobel Prize. In addition, you may feel that you need to think about such cruelty. This is because the "Hardest Choice" study is a study that considers what to sacrifice and who to sacrifice.

But it is a necessary study. Because if you don't prepare an answer to "Hardest Choice", the situation will be worse.

For example, "Who should give priority to vaccination when there is a shortage of vaccines in a high-mortality pandemic?", "Who should give priority to rescue people when rescuing people from a large-scale disaster?" Such sacrificial choices cannot be answered on the spot at that time.

If you don't answer this sacrifice question, it's likely that everyone will be sacrificed after first-come-first-served basis, power and wealthy people are prioritized, or choices are avoided. Will have an undesired ending.

Even if you keep looking away, the terrible ending will not change.

Others may associate this question with, for example, triage. However, what happened in the Great East Japan Earthquake was an emergency situation in which even if we tagged "top priority treatment" in triage, there were too many and we needed to make further choices. The larger the scale of a disaster or problem, the more difficult it is to respond with traditional mechanisms, and everywhere there is an "Hardest Choice".

In preparation for the emergence of such an "Hardest Choice", I think we need a mechanism that allows us to take the time to discuss and make choices in order to generate a convincing answer for more people.

So, under the title of "Hardest Choice", we are studying the problem of choice in extreme situations and exploring better ways.

Why don't you think about "Hardest Choice" together?

(In the future, we would like to aim for a mechanism to support global decision-making, such as accepting proposals from voters, providing a forum for deliberation, and preparing national language versions, but it is a long way off. )

Research grant

"Requirements for AI to make social decisions- good qualitydata setand desirableOutputresearch” (problem numberD19-ST-0019, Representative: Hirotsugu Ohba) (Toyota Foundation 2019 Special Issue "New Human Society Co-created with Advanced Technology")

https://toyotafound.secure.force.com/psearch/JoseiDetail?name=D19-ST-0019

Research member

Yuko Ii
The University of Tokyo, Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe, Specially Appointed Researcher, Application of Knowledge of Scientific Communication Theory

Makoto Osono
Doshisha University, Institute of Humanities, Contract Researcher, Application of Political Science Knowledge

Hirotsugu Oba
Specially Appointed Professor, Graduate School of Artificial Intelligence and Science, Rikkyo University, Representative, General Manager

Shinpei Okamoto
Hiroshima University, Graduate School of Letters, Assistant Professor, Application of Knowledge of Applied Philosophy

Masashi Kasagi
Specially Appointed Associate Professor, Faculty of Liberal Arts, Nagoya University, Application of Knowledge of Experimental Philosophy

Kikuchi Noyori
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Science and Technology Innovation Policy Research Center, Professionals, Application of Knowledge of Scientific Communication Theory

Harushi Tamazawa
Kyoto University, Graduate School of Letters, Researcher, Deputy Representative, Application of Space Science Knowledge

Satoshi Kawamura
Kyoto University, Graduate School of Science, Astronomical Observatory, Doctoral Program, Application of Space Science Knowledge

Shiro Komatsu
Yamanashi University, Faculty of Life and Environment, Associate Professor, Application of knowledge of life science and political science

Keiko Sato
Kyoto University Hospital, Medical Safety Management Department, Specially Appointed Associate Professor, Application of Life Science Knowledge

Mika Suzuki
Kyoto University, iPS Cell Research Institute, Kamihiro Ethics Research Division, Specified Researcher, Application of Bioethics Knowledge

Hiroki Takagi
Kyoto University, Graduate School of Letters, Doctoral Program, Application of Applied Ethics Knowledge

Masatsugu Chichiiwa
Kitakyushu City University, Faculty of Foreign Languages, Part-time Lecturer, Application of Political Science Knowledge

Zhangshi Nakamura
University of Tokyo, Faculty of Liberal Arts, Advanced School of Liberal Arts, Specially Appointed Assistant Professor, Application of Knowledge of Political Science

Honda Kojiro
Kanazawa Medical University, Human Sciences, Associate Professor, Application of Knowledge of Applied Philosophy

Kimiki Miyano
Kyoto University, Interdisciplinary Education and Research Promotion Center, Associate Professor, Application of knowledge of interdisciplinary fusion

Masahiro Morioka
Waseda University, Faculty of Human Sciences, Professor, Application of Knowledge of Applied Philosophy