25 Years in Education: A Message from our Science Advisor

Makoto Asai,

Science Advisor  

Standing at the Threshold of an Unprecedented Era

I want to express my sincere respect and congratulations to Laurus International School of Science on reaching the milestone of its 25th anniversary. 

Twenty-five years is long enough for a single human being to grow into maturity. At the same time, viewed along the timeline of civilization, it is but a fleeting moment. Yet it is the accumulation of such moments that boldly shape the direction of society. Today, we stand at the threshold of an era unprecedented in human history. 

We live in an era where AI mimics human thought, and artificial life challenges the very essence of life. Technology is no longer merely a tool; it has begun to redefine what it means to be human. Where once “nature” and “artifice” were clearly distinguished, their boundaries are now rapidly dissolving. In such a moment, what is at stake is not the performance of technology, but the fundamental question: “What does it mean to be human?” 

In the era ahead, neither the quantity of knowledge nor the speed of computation will constitute decisive value. Information is already stored infinitely outside the human mind, and processing power has long surpassed human capacity. What we know can no longer serve as a compass for life. Indeed, it may not be an exaggeration to say that civilization itself is now searching for a compass. Such is the unprecedented age in which humanity finds itself. 

A compass is what determines direction. Direction is the selection of values. The selection of values is inseparable from the question of existence itself. In other words, we cannot design the future while avoiding the question, “Who are we?” A truly necessary leader is not someone who produces the correct answers within existing frameworks. Rather, it is someone who can question those very frameworks, and yet continue walking without losing sight of the essence of (what it means to be) human. Bold, but never superficial. Innovative, yet never severing the continuity of humanity. A leader is someone who accepts and carries that tension with resolve. 

We often lament the rapid pace of change, saying that nothing feels certain anymore. Yet, if we look to the natural world, we see that change is fundamental. The cells in our bodies are replaced every few months, and still our sense of identity remains intact. Within change, there exists a subtle equilibrium. From this perspective, our anxiety about the future transforms into a curiosity for exploration. 

Science is, above all, an attitude. It is not merely a body of knowledge. It is the practice of questioning the world, observing, testing, and building a provisional understanding step by step. There is humility at its core. The recognition that our understanding is always incomplete.  

We scientists often describe this as “standing on the shoulders of giants”. By standing upon the wisdom of the past, we strive to see further. It is precisely this attitude that sustains the continuity of humanity. 

“Give me a place to stand, and I will move the Earth.” 

This is a famous line by Archimedes. It seems to celebrate humanity’s potential—the idea that imagination grounded in intelligence can become a force capable of moving the world. When we find the right point from which to stand, intellect can indeed move the world. And that “point” is not only a physical fulcrum, but also a fulcrum of thought, of values, and of existence itself. 

Education is, at its core, a journey to seek that fulcrum. Over the past 25 years, Lauras has nurtured not merely science education, but an enduring attitude of inquiry. To maintain a spirit of questioning is also to embrace the uncertainties of life with courage. And it is precisely within that very uncertainty that the potential for creativity arises. 

The children of the future will coexist with AI, confront artificial life, and venture into uncharted territories such as climate change and space exploration. What they will need, then, is not perfect answers, but sincere questions. 

“Who are we?” 
“What should we preserve, and what should we change?” 
“In which direction shall we move?” 

As long as we do not abandon these questions, humanity’s compass will never be lost. 

Beyond the 25 years lies an even longer span of time. I am confident that the young people who stand within it will find their own fulcrums and guided by curiosity, will gracefully forge new paths in the world.

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Makoto Asai,

Science Advisor, Laurus International School of Science
Representative Director, Arclev Inc. 

Project Professor, Keio University