Li Yaning: Improving Scientific Literacy and Enhancing Decision-Making and Management Capabilities—A Recommendation for "Scientific Literacy Reader for Leading Cadials and Civil Servants" Edited by Wang Yusheng and Zhou Lijun
Improving Scientific Literacy and Enhancing Decision-Making and Management Capabilities: A Recommendation for the Scientific Literacy Reader for Leading Officials and Civil Servants Edited by Wang Yusheng and Zhou Lijun
I. Background
An individual's scientific literacy has become increasingly important in modern society, and improving the scientific literacy of citizens has a significant impact on enhancing a nation's comprehensive competitiveness. In February 2006, the State Council promulgated the Outline of the National Scheme for Scientific Literacy (hereinafter referred to as the Scientific Literacy Outline), which stated: "Scientific literacy is an important component of civic quality. A citizen possessing basic scientific literacy generally refers to understanding necessary scientific and technological knowledge, mastering basic scientific methods, establishing scientific ideas, advocating the scientific spirit, and possessing a certain ability to apply them to handle practical problems and participate in public affairs." [1] Furthermore, leading officials and civil servants were listed as one of the four key target populations for implementation. At the end of the same year, the Leading Group for National Scientific Literacy promulgated the Implementation Plan for the Scientific Literacy Action of Leading Officials and Civil Servants, making specific arrangements for carrying out these actions. However, one difficulty faced in training leading officials and civil servants is the lack of suitable teaching materials or readers. Against this background, the Beijing Association for Science and Technology organized the compilation of the Scientific Literacy Reader for Leading Officials and Civil Servants (hereinafter referred to as the Reader), edited by Wang Yusheng and Zhou Lijun. The publication of this book serves not only as a training manual for officials in Beijing but also as a reference for other provinces and cities.
II. The Reader Features Targeted Positioning
Leading officials and civil servants are a vital force in implementing the Party's various principles and policies, formulating and executing government decisions, and strengthening the building of governing capacity. The Scientific Literacy Outline explicitly proposed the developmental goal that "the scientific literacy of leading officials and civil servants should rank at the forefront among all professional groups." Comrade Xia Qiang, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Executive Vice Chairman of the Beijing Association for Science and Technology, pointed out in the preface: "Leading officials and civil servants directly manage and participate in the nation's economic and social affairs; they hold the power of decision-making and implementation for important national policies and projects, the power of macro-control over resource allocation, and the power of supervision and management over economic and social operations. Therefore, the level of scientific literacy of leading officials and civil servants directly affects the process of comprehensively implementing the Scientific Outlook on Development [2], building an innovation-oriented country, and constructing a socialist harmonious society; it affects the scientific and democratic nature of decision-making and the Party's scientific, democratic, and law-based governance. At the same time, leading officials and civil servants bear the heavy responsibility of organizing, mobilizing, and leading by example to drive the overall improvement of national scientific literacy." [3] Therefore, improving their scientific literacy is crucial.
Improving the scientific literacy of leading officials and civil servants is an essential part of the overall enhancement of their comprehensive quality. The 15th Session of the Standing Committee of the 10th National People's Congress passed and promulgated the Civil Servant Law of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as the Civil Servant Law), putting forward specific requirements for improving the quality and ability of civil servants. The Civil Servant Law emphasizes that to improve management efficiency and decision-making levels, there must be a high-quality civil service team. In today's techno-society, science and technology have permeated all aspects of political, economic, and social life; the formulation and implementation of many social policies require officials to possess a high level of scientific literacy. Thus, improving scientific literacy is also a part of implementing the Civil Servant Law.
III. Content Design Tailored to Practical Needs
The basic duties of leading officials and civil servants lie in organization, management, and decision-making; therefore, the Scientific Literacy Outline places special emphasis on their capacity for scientific decision-making and scientific management. However, these capacities must be grounded in scientific knowledge and ideas and guided by scientific methods and the scientific spirit. Therefore, the Reader closely links itself to the actual work of officials and arranges its chapters according to the following logic:
First, it elucidates the relationship between the construction of scientific literacy and the implementation of the Scientific Outlook on Development. To enhance the consciousness of officials in improving their scientific literacy, the Reader combines international experiences—especially from developed countries—to explain the concept and connotation of Chinese civic scientific literacy. It analyzes the background, philosophy, and measures of the Scientific Literacy Outline, introduces the national implementation plan for the "Twelfth Five-Year Plan" period and Beijing’s work plan, and analyzes the historical origins and connotations of development theories. It clearly asserts that improving the scientific literacy of officials is the key to implementing the Scientific Outlook on Development and is an inescapable responsibility.
Second, it highlights the commanding position of the scientific spirit in the construction of scientific literacy. The Reader uses rich content to explain the initial dissemination of the concept of "scientific spirit" in China (for example, Ren Hongjun believed it was the pursuit of truth; Liang Qichao [4] saw it as the "method of obtaining systematic true knowledge"; and Zhu Kezhen [5] defined it as "merely asking what is right or wrong, regardless of interests") as well as its later enrichment. It analyzes foreign scholars' understandings and proposes five basic connotations of the scientific spirit: the spirit of seeking truth from facts, the spirit of exploration and innovation, the spirit of rational criticism, the spirit of equality and tolerance, and the spirit of professional dedication.
To help readers profoundly understand the essence of the scientific spirit, distinguish truth from falsehood in complex social situations, and consciously guide their work practices, the Reader explains the dangers of pseudoscience and the criteria for distinguishing science from pseudoscience. It systematically traces the historical struggles between them, revealing the complexity of pseudoscientific phenomena and the reasons for their popularity. It notes that the fight against pseudoscience is a long-term and arduous task; scientific progress does not automatically make sorcery, superstition, and pseudoscience disappear. While scientific progress can shake the foundations of old superstitions, it also opens up new possibilities that create space for new forms of pseudoscience. If people only know the miraculous conclusions of science but do not understand the methods of scientific research or use the scientific spirit to view "new things" critically, they will inevitably fall into the clutches of new superstitions.
Third, it emphasizes the core status of scientific ideas and methods. The Reader discusses the meaning and development of scientific ideas, emphasizing that they are the general conceptual frameworks and ideological foundations that guide the establishment of scientific hypotheses and theories. These include fundamental concepts regarding nature and society, such as the unity of matter, motion, evolution, contingency and necessity, systems, models, and sustainable development. Scientific ideas determine the direction of development, and the birth of any new scientific idea opens a new field. As the Reader states, "scientific ideas not only help people establish a correct view of nature but also a correct worldview." [6] They are a powerful weapon for resisting modern superstition.
The Reader also devotes significant space to the importance of scientific methods, including observation, experimentation, social investigation, systems methods, and innovation methods. Scientific methods are not only tools for scientists to solve problems but also core content for the public to understand science. The famous French scientist Laplace, discussing Newton’s discoveries, noted that understanding the methods of a genius is no less beneficial to scientific progress than the discoveries themselves. For the public, understanding specific methods allows them to recognize the process of discovery, understand the premises and logic of conclusions, and recognize the value and limitations of scientific results. This enables them to respect rather than worship scientific conclusions and use scientific procedures to solve problems and examine new social phenomena.
Fourth, it emphasizes scientific decision-making and management capabilities based on the work characteristics of officials. Only by possessing scientific knowledge and adhering to the scientific spirit can officials truly achieve scientific decision-making and management. Therefore, the Reader discusses the theories, procedures, and support systems of scientific decision-making, the principles of scientific management, and regional science and technology strategies.
Fifth, it addresses the history of technological development and frontier trends, as well as the laws governing the shift of global centers of scientific activity. By studying this history, officials can understand the laws and trends of development and the importance of technology for sustainable economic development and national defense. Recognizing the laws behind the shift of global scientific centers helps officials view the relationship between technology and national strength from a global and historical perspective. They can recognize that the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation must be based on strong scientific and technological power, leading them to respect knowledge and talent and serve the construction of an innovation-oriented country.
Sixth, it promotes the cultivation of a scientific and healthy lifestyle. Leading officials and civil servants often face high pressure and work under intense tension with poor habits such as smoking or lack of exercise. Improving their understanding of healthy living helps enhance their efficiency and ability to perform their duties.
Finally, the Reader includes the Outline of the National Scheme for Scientific Literacy (2006-2010-2020) as Appendix I and the Development Plan Outline for the Zhongguancun National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone (2011-2020) [7] as Appendix II to highlight local characteristics.
In conclusion, this Reader edited by Wang Yusheng and Zhou Lijun provides an important reference for the scientific literacy training of leading officials and civil servants, particularly in the Beijing area, through its accurate positioning and close alignment with practical needs.