Science,
Technology &
Society
Course Description
The course deals with interaction between science and technology and social, cultural, political
and economic contexts that shape and are shaped by them (CMO No.20 series of 2013).
The interdisciplinary course engages students to confront the realities brought about science
and technology in society. Such realities pervade the personal, the public, and the global aspects of
our living and are integral to human development. Scientific knowledge and technological
development happen in the context of society with all its socio-political, cultural, economic, and
philosophical underpinnings at play. This course seeks to instill reflective knowledge in the students
that they are able to live the good life and display ethical decision making in the face of scientific
and technological and advancement.
This course includes mandatory topics on climate change and environmental awareness.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course, the students should be able to:
Knowledge:
1. Articulate the impacts of science and technology on society,
specifically Philippine society.
2. Explain how science and technology affect society and the
environment and its role in nation-building.
3. Analyze the human condition in order to deeply reflect and express
philosophical ramifications that are meaningful to the students as part of
the society.
4. Define and demonstrate the impact of social media on the students’
life and Philippines society in general.
Values
1. Imbibe the importance of science and technology in the
preservation of the environment and the development of the
Filipino nation.
2. Critique human flourishing vis-à-vis the progress of science
and technology such that the student may be able to define fro
himself/herself the meaning of the good life.
3. Foster the value of a healthy lifestyle toward the holistic and
sustainable development of society and the environment.
Skills
1. Creatively present the importance and contributions
of science and technology to society.
2. Examine shared concerns that make up the good life
in order to come up with innovative and creative
solutions to contemporary issues guided by ethical
standards.
3. Illustrate how the social media and information age
impact their lives and their understanding of climate
change.
CHAPTER I
SCIENCE &
TECHNOLOGY:
DEFINITION, PURPOSE
Definition of Science
• Originated from the latin word ‘scientia’- ‘knowledge’.
• A systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable
explanations and predictions about the universe (Wikipedia)
• The systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the natural and physical world, or
knowledge obtained about the world by watching it carefully and experimenting (Cambridge
Dictionary)
• It is a system of knowledge covering general truth or the operation of general laws especially as
obtained and tested through scientific method (Merriam Webster)
• Refers to a system of acquiring knowledge. It is an organized systematic field of study (Science
made simple)
• A branch of systematized knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts truths systematically
arranged and showing the operation of general laws through observation and experimentation
([Link])
Nature of Science
• 1. Subject to change as new evidences are found;
• 2. Derived from the observation of the natural world;
• 3. Creative;
• 4. Based on theoretical findings.
Purpose of Science
• 1. Explains everything that surrounds the natural world and its components;
• 2. Builds Knowledge for the purpose of application and greater
understanding
• 3. Seeks ways to solve existing problems confronting human life;
• 4. Helps in the development of technology;
• Delves on current facts to construct new explanations to existing realities.
Technology
• From the Greek word Techne “art or skill”, also refers to;
• logia “totality of the skills, techniques and methods needed to produce goods
and services for the consumption of living beings”
• It refers to the tools and techniques needed to control and manipulate the
environment and uplift human conditions.
• Also, the result of the new found knowledge being applied to engineering or
the creation of ways to simplify and hasten human activities.
Purpose of Technology
1. Improves the environment so that resources may be sustained for future
generations.
2. Simplify human activities for daily survival.
3. Empower community through promotions of civic awareness and engagement.
4. Provides greater sustainability to communities and societies through efficiency in
resources.
5. Facilitates growth and innovation as it creates higher and improved standard of
living.
CHAPTER II
HISTORICAL ANTECEDENTS
OF SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
ANCIENT EGYPTIANS
Development in Science and Technology,
includes tools to construct houses, temples,
tombs, sculpture of their gods (colossal statue
of famous Pharaoh Hatshepsut, pyramid of
Giza and etc.
They also learned to use wind power by sailing
ship.
ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIANS
IN MATHEMATICS:
-used the sexagesimal numeral system, with the mathematical operations,
quadratic and cubic equations, and fractions.
IN ASTRONOMY:
-studied celestial phenomenon.
-calculated the movements of the sun, moon and planets.
-using sundial, led to the division into 12 hours for daylight and 12 hours for
darkness.
IN MEDICINE:
-Code of Hammurabi- Earliest evidence of an understanding of the
concepts of diagnosis, prognosis, physical examination and prescriptions.
Library of Ashurbanipal- Where the herbal handbook of Mesopotamians
was found, which revealed the descriptions of herbs and their indications.
Ancient inventions
Ancient Writing- Cuneiform (Invented around
3600-3500 BC)
This writing system used to convey ideas
on trade and communicate using a tool known as
‘Stylus’
Paper
• Ancient Egyptians began writing on
Papyrus (material similar to thick
paper) arounf 3000BC
• Papyrus is made from the pith of
the Papyrus Plant
Shadoof
• Used by ancient Egyptians to irrigate the land.
• Also spelled as ‘Shaduf’
The Wheel and Sail (Ancient Wheel) - used during war, and later used for
carts, chariots to facilitate transportation.
- Grew out of a mechanical device called Potter’sWheel
Antikythera mechanism
Believed :
• Used to predict astronomical positions
and eclipses for calendar and
astrological purposes.
• One of the oldest antecedents of
modern clockwork
• Invented by Greek scientists between
150-100BC
Aeolipile (Hero’s Engine)
• Precursor of Steam Engine
• Hero of Alexandria is credited for the
demonstration of the use of the aeolipile
during 1st century AD.
• Believed to be one of many temple wonders
• Vitruvius (Roman Author, Civil Engineer)
described Aeolipile as scientific invention
through which ‘the mighty and wonderful laws
of the heavens and the nature of the winds’
GREEKS AND ROMAN SCIENCE
• Anaximenes (c. 586-c.526 BC) – Asserted that aer (‘mist’, ‘vapour’, ‘air’) a
fundamental substance of which all natural beings are made.
• Hippocrates (c.460BC-c.375BC)- ‘Father of Medicine’ He developed the
tradition of systemic medical science.
• Ptolemy (AD 127-145)- He considered that the earth is the center of the
universe.
• Aristotle (384-322 BC)- Developed the concept of scientific method. He
stated that the sun goes around the earth.
• Socrates (C470-399 BC) – Socratic Method ‘used to search for truths
through science’.
• Plato (424/423-348/347 BC) – Founded the Platonist School ‘academy’
(First institution of higher learning in the western world).
MEDIEVAL PERIOD
• ‘Middle Ages’ after the fall of Roman Empire in 476 A.D
• The collapse of roman empire result to the rise of ‘Dark Ages’.
• Most of Europe converted into Christianity
• Rise of more stable monarchies resulted to technological and agricultural
innovations.
• Ibn Sina (980-1037)-Wrote the canon of medicine. He used clinical trials as
experiments that led to greater contributions in the practices of medicine.
Heavy Plough
• Stirred an agricultural
revolution in Northern
Europe by higher and
healthier agricultural yields
and more efficient agricultural
practices
Gunpowder
• Chinese alchemists accidentally
invented black powder or gunpowder.
• Unintended byproduct of attempts to
invent the elixir of life.
• Chinese called it ‘Huoyao’ means ‘Fire
potion’
Paper Money
• Could be traced back to the
Chinese in 17th century AD as an
offshoot of the invention of
block printing, similar to
stamping.
Mechanical Clock
• Paved the way for accurately keeping track
of time.
• Changed the way days were spent and work
patterns were established.
Spinning Wheel
• A machined used for transforming
fiber into thread or yarn and
eventually woven into cloth on a
loom
• Theorized that the Indians invented
the spinning wheel between 6th and
11th century AD.
THE RENAISSANCE
• ‘Renaitre’ ‘Rebirth’ (1400-1600s)
• Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-2543)- Established ‘Heliocentric’ (The sun is
the center of Solar system)
• Johannes kepler (1571-1630)- ‘Laws of Planetary Motions’ The foundation
of Newton’s theory of universal gravitation.
• Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)- ‘Father of observational astronomy’, ‘Father of
modern physics’, and ‘father of scientific method and modern science’.
Modern Ages:
Compound Microscope
-First compound microscope was
invented by a Dutch - Zacharias
Janssen in 1590.
- Capable of magnifying objects
three times when fully closed and
up to ten times when extended to
the maximum.
Telescope
• It was invented by Galileo Galilei
• It can magnify 20x larger than the
dutch perspective glasses
• Galilei identified craters and
mountains on the moon
Jacquard Loom
• It was built by French weaver Joseph
Marie Jacquard
• It simplifies textile manufacturing
• Before the invention of Jacquard
loom, there was a ‘Drawloom’ which
needs two individuals to operate –
The ‘weaver’ and a ‘drawboy’
Engine Powered Airplane
• Orvile Wright and Wilbur Wright
designed and successfully
operating the first engine power
aircraft.
• Wright brothers demonstrated
this in their original Flying Machine
(US Patent #821393
Television
• Scottish engineer John Logie Baird
invented the modern television.
• Baird Televised objects outline in 1924
Recognizable human faces in 1925
Moving objects in 1926
Projected colored images in 1928.
• BBC ( British Broadcasting
Corporation) used this in 1929.
• Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)- Renaissance man who invented ‘The Mona
Lisa’ and ‘The Last Supper’. He contained the manuscript collections that
talks about investigations of Flight. ‘Codice sul volo degli uccelli’ means
‘Codex on the flight of Birds’. He invented Ornithopher.