Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology

General Education Unit

(Natural Science Department)

Science, Technology and Society

(GESCIETS)

Module
MMMo 1
General Concepts and STS
Historical Developments

Table of Contents
 Page/s

Lesson 1: Historical Antecedents in Which Social Considerations

Changed the Course of Science and Technology 1-22

Historical Antecedents of Science and Technology

in the World: Ancient, Middle, and Modern Ages 1-6

Historical Antecedents of Science and Technology

in the Philippines 6-11

Lesson 2: Intellectual Revolutions That Defined Society 23-41

Intellectual Revolutions

Copernican Revolution 24-25

Darwinian Revolution 25

Freudian Revolution 25-26

Information Revolution 28-27

Meso-American Revolution 27-28

Asian Revolution 28-29

Middle East Revolution 29-30

African Revolution 30

Lesson 3: Science and Technology and Nation Building 42-59

The Philippine Government S & T Agenda 42-43

Major Development Programs and Personalities

in S & T in the Philippines 43-46

Science Education in the Philippines 46-47

Selected Indigenous Science and Technologies 47-48

Subject Code: GESCIETS

Subject Title: Science, Technology and Society
Module 1: General Concepts and STS Historical Developments

Lesson 1: Historical Antecedents in Which Social

Considerations Changed the Course
of Science and Technology

Overview

This lesson discusses the interactions between science and technology and
society throughout history, and the scientific and technological developments of the
nation that affect society and its environment.

Scientific and technological developments affect and is affected by, a

society’s cultural traditions. The economic growth of a nation depends on its
scientific and technological change in which the society plays a major role.

Learning Outcomes

After successfully studying this lesson, the students should be able to:

1. Discuss the interactions between S&T and society throughout history.

2. Discuss how scientific and technological developments affect society and the
environment.

3. Identify the paradigm shifts of S & T through history.

Learning Content

Historical Antecedents of Science and Technology

in the World: Ancient, Middle, and Modern Ages

Ancient Age

Humans lived almost entirely in small nomadic communities dependent for

survival on their skills in gathering food, hunting and fishing, and avoiding predators.

The material that gives its name and a technological unity to these periods of
prehistory is stone. Though it may be assumed that primitive humans used other
materials such as wood, bone, fur, leaves, and grasses before they mastered the
 use of stone, apart from bone antlers, presumably
used as picks in flint mines and elsewhere, and
other fragments of bone implements, none of these
has survived.

Stone Tools

Stones became tools only when they were

shaped deliberately for specific purposes, and, for
this to be done efficiently, suitable hard and fine-grained stones had to be found and
means devised for shaping them and particularly for putting a cutting edge on them.

With the widening mastery of the material world in the Neolithic Period, other
substances were brought into service, such as clay for pottery and brick, and
increasing competence in handling textile raw materials led to the creation of the first
woven fabrics to take the place of animal skins. About the same time, curiosity about
the behaviour of metallic oxides in the presence of fire promoted one of the most
significant technological innovations of all time and marked the succession from the
Stone Age to the Metal Age.

The use of fire was another basic technique mastered at some unknown time
in the Old Stone Age. The discovery that fire could be tamed and controlled and the
further discovery that a fire could be generated by persistent friction between two dry
wooden surfaces were momentous. Fire was the most important contribution of
prehistory to power technology, although little power was obtained directly from fire
except as defense against wild animals.

Developments in food production brought further refinements in tools. Digging

sticks and the first crude plows, stone sickles, querns that ground grain by friction
between two stones and, most complicated of all, irrigation techniques for keeping
the ground watered and fertile—all these became well established in the great
subtropical river valleys of Egypt and Mesopotamia

Manufacturing industry had its origin in the New Stone Age, with the
application of techniques for grinding corn, baking clay, spinning and weaving
textiles, and also, it seems likely, for dyeing, fermenting, and distilling. In the same
way, the early metalworkers were beginning to acquire the techniques of extracting
and working the softer metals, gold, silver, copper, and tin, that were to make their
successors a select class of craftsmen.

Middle Age

Middle Age began with the collapse of the Roman Empire in the 5 th. Century.
The middle ages were known as a backward period in history due to its apparent
cultural decline. Due to this, the period is also known as the Dark Ages. However,
many devices were invented in this period, or had filtered in from other parts of the
world. The west led while east fell behind in technology, even though east surpassed
the west in commerce, political stability, and level of education.
 One of the most important developments in the Middle Ages was the
experimentation and developments in iron production. The above ground reduction
furnace had been developed; this furnace allowed for the easier creation of iron.

Technology during the Middle Ages

Agriculture:

● The horse collar, horseshoes, wheelbarrow and the 4-wheeled wagon were
developed. These inventions greatly improved agricultural output in the Middle
Ages.
● The windmills were widely used. Water and wind power were effectively
harnessed.
● The 3-fields system greatly reduced the risk of crop failure and famine.
● The spinning wheel was invented. Before this invention spinning thread had
been done by hand. The spinning wheel was foot powered.

Warfare:

● Swords and armor

● Greek fire was invented by a Syrian. It was used to great extent in naval
battles to immolate enemy ships.
● The first stirrup was invented in the Far East in about the second century BC.
However they came to the west during the 700th century and were used in
cavalry.
● Gunpowder was introduced.
● Primitive guns were invented.
● •The cannon was invented and is the forerunner of today’s modern artillery.

Transportation:

● The rudder was also invented around this time. The rudder was hinged to the
ship's sternpost and operated by a horizontal lever. This was capable of
standing the buffeting of great waves, and it could be used on vessels of any
size. This allowed the ships to travel into the ocean in relative safety.
● Horseshoes were invented to give horses better protection when traveling.
● The magnetic compass and eyeglasses were also implemented in the 13th
century.
● Carriages and wagons were used for travel.

Modern Age

A. Scientific Revolution
 The Scientific Revolution was a period when new ideas in physics, astronomy,
biology, human anatomy, chemistry, and other sciences led to a rejection of
doctrines that had prevailed starting in Ancient Greece and continuing through the
Middle Ages, and laid the foundation of modern science. According to most
accounts, the scientific revolution began in Europe towards the end of the
Renaissance era and continued through the late 18th century, the latter period
known as The Enlightenment. It was sparked by the publication (1543) of two works
that changed the course of science: Nicolaus Copernicus's On the Revolutions of the
Heavenly Spheres and Andreas Vesalius's On the Fabric of the Human body.

Three Phases of the Scientific Revolution

● Renaissance (1440-1540)
● Wars of Religion (1540-1650)
● Restoration (1650-1690)

Renaissance: The Renaissance was a cultural movement that profoundly

affected European intellectual life in the early modern period. Beginning in Italy, and
spreading to the rest of Europe by the 16th century, its influence affected literature,
philosophy, art, politics, science, religion, and other aspects of intellectual inquiry.

Renaissance technology was the set of European artifacts and inventions

which spread through the Renaissance period, roughly the 14th century through the
16th century. The era is marked by profound technical advancements such as the
printing press, linear perspective in drawing, patent law, double shell domes and
bastion fortresses. Sketchbooks from artisans of the period (Taccola and Leonardo
da Vinci, for example) give a deep insight into the mechanical technology then
known and applied.

Renaissance science spawned the Scientific Revolution; science and

technology began a cycle of mutual advancement.

Some important Renaissance technologies, including both innovations and

improvements on existing techniques:

● mining and metallurgy

● blast furnace enabled iron to be produced in significant quantities
● finery forge enabled pig iron (from the blast furnace) into bar iron (wrought
iron)
● slitting mill mechanized the production of iron rods for nailmaking
● smeltmill increased the output of lead over previous methods (bole hill)

The technologies that developed in Europe during the second half of the 15th
century were commonly associated by authorities of the time with a key theme in
Renaissance thought: the rivalry of the Moderns and the Ancients. Three inventions
in particular — the printing press, firearms, and the nautical compass — were indeed
seen as evidence that the Moderns could not only compete with the Ancients, but
had surpassed them, for these three inventions allowed modern people to
communicate, exercise power, and finally travel at distances unimaginable in earlier
times.
 Major Contributions of the Renaissance

● The intellectual task of the Renaissance was essentially the rediscovery and
the mastery of the world of art and nature
● The rejection of Copernicus to the earth centered cosmos of Aristotle and
replacing it with the sun centered cosmos
● The first complete anatomy of the human body by Vesalius pictured in his “On
the Fabric of the Human Body”.

Wars of Religion: A religious war is a war caused by, or justified by, religious
differences. It can involve one state with an established religion against another state
with a different religion or a different sect within the same religion, or a religiously
motivated group attempting to spread its faith by violence, or to suppress another
group because of its religious beliefs or practices.

The Restoration: The Restoration of the monarchy began in 1660 when the
English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the
Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. The term Restoration
may apply both to the actual event by which the monarchy was restored, and to the
period immediately following the event.

● It marked the triumph of the new science

● It is the period of the formation of the first well-established scientific societies,
the Royal Society of London (1662) and the French Royal Academy (1662)
● It is the age of Boyle, Hooke, and Hugens
● Newton’s “Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy” was established

B. Age of Enlightenment

The Age of Enlightenment (also known as the Age of Reason or simply the
Enlightenment was an intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated the
world of ideas in Europe during the 18th century, the "Century of Philosophy".

Some consider the publication of Isaac Newton's Principia Mathematica

(1687) as the first major enlightenment work. Philosophers and scientists of the
period widely circulated their ideas through meetings at scientific academies,
Masonic lodges, literary salons, coffeehouses and in printed books, journals, and
pamphlets.

The Enlightenment included a range of ideas centered on reason as the

primary source of knowledge and advanced ideals such as liberty, progress,
toleration, constitutional government and separation of church and state. In France,
the central doctrines of the Enlightenment philosophers were individual liberty and
religious tolerance, in opposition to an absolute monarchy and the fixed dogmas of
the Roman Catholic Church. The Enlightenment was marked by an emphasis on the
scientific method and reductionism, along with increased questioning of religious
orthodoxy—an attitude captured by the phrase “Dare to know”.
Historical Antecedents of Science and Technology
In the Philippines

Pre-Spanish Period

Even before the colonization by the Spaniards in the Philippine islands, the
natives of the archipelago already had practices linked to science and technology.
Filipinos were already aware of the medicinal and therapeutic properties of plants
and the methods of extracting medicine from herbs. They already had an alphabet,
number system, a weighing and measuring system and a calendar. Filipinos were
already engaged in farming, shipbuilding, mining and weaving. The Banaue Rice
Terraces are among the sophisticated products of engineering by pre-Spanish era
Filipinos.

Spanish Colonial Period

The colonization of the Philippines contributed to growth of science and

technology in the archipelago. The Spanish introduced formal education and
founded scientific institution. During the early years of Spanish rule in the
Philippines, Parish schools were established where religion, reading, writing,
arithmetic and music was taught. Sanitation and more advanced methods of
agriculture were taught to the natives. Later the Spanish established colleges and
universities in the archipelago including the University of Santo Tomas.

The study of medicine in the Philippines was given priority in the Spanish era,
especially in the later years. The Spanish also contributed to the field of engineering
in the islands by constructing government buildings, churches, roads, bridges and
forts.

The Galleon Trade have accounted in the Philippine colonial economy. Trade
was given more focus by the Spaniard colonial authorities due to the prospects of big
profits. Agriculture and industrial development on the other hand were relatively
neglected. The opening of the Suez Canal saw the influx of European visitors to the
Spanish colony and some Filipinos were able to study in Europe who was probably
influenced by the rapid development of scientific ideals brought by the Age of
Enlightenment.

American Period and Post-Commonwealth Era

On July 1, 1901 The Philippine Commission established the Bureau of

Government Laboratories which was placed under the Department of Interior. The
Bureau replaced the Laboratorio Municipal, which was established under the
Spanish colonial era. The Bureau dealt with the study of tropical diseases and
laboratory projects. On October 26, 1905, the Bureau of Government Laboratories
was replaced by the Bureau of Science and on December 8, 1933, the National
Research Council of the Philippines was established. The Bureau of Science
became the primary research center of the Philippines until World War II.
 Science during the American period was inclined towards agriculture, food
processing, medicine and pharmacy. Not much focus was given on the development
of industrial technology due to free trade policy with the United States which nurtured
an economy geared towards agriculture and trade.

In 1946 the Bureau of Science was replaced by the Institute of Science. In a

report by the US Economic Survey to the Philippines in 1950, there is a lack of basic
information which was necessities to the country's industries, lack of support of
experimental work and minimal budget for scientific research and low salaries of
scientists employed by the government. In 1958, during the regime of President
Carlos P. Garcia, the Philippine Congress passed the Science Act of 1958 which
established the National Science Development Board.

Marcos Era and Martial Law

During Ferdinand Marcos' presidency, the importance given to science grew.

In the amended 1973 Philippine Constitution, Article XV, Section 9 (1), he declared
that the "advancement of science and technology shall have priority in the national
development." In his two terms of presidency and during Martial Law, he enacted
many laws promoting science and technology.

In his Second State of the Nation Address on January 23, 1967, he declared
that science was necessary for the development programs, and thus, directed the
Department of Education to revitalize the science courses in public high schools. The
Department of Education, with the National Science Development Board (NSDB), is
organizing a project to provide selected high schools with science teaching
equipment over a four-year period.

In his Third State of the Nation Address on January 22, 1968, he recognized
that technology was the leading factor in economic development, and channelled
additional funds to support projects in applied sciences and science education.

In his Fourth State of the Nation Address on January 27, 1969, he gave a big
part of the war damage fund to private universities to encourage them to create
courses in science and technology and to research. He stated that he planned a
project to have medical interns do a tour of duty in provincial hospitals to arouse their
social conscious and reduce the "brain drain." On April 6, 1968, he proclaimed 35
hectares in Bicutan, Taguig, as the site of the Philippine Science Community. The
government also conducted seminars for public and private high school and college
science teachers, training programs and scholarships for graduate and
undergraduate science scholars, and workshops on fisheries and oceanography.

In his Fifth State of the Nation Address on January 26, 1970, he emphasized
that the upgrading of science curricula and teaching equipment is crucial to the
science development program. He added the Philippine Coconut Research Institute
to the NSDB to modernize the coconut industry. The NSDB also established the
Philippine Textile Research Institute. The Philippine Atomic Energy Commission of
the NSDB explored the uses of atomic energy for economic development. Marcos
assisted 107 institutions in undertaking nuclear energy work by sending scientists to
study nuclear science and technology abroad, and providing basic training to 482
scientists, doctors, engineers, and technicians.

In his Seventh State of the Nation Address on January 24, 1972, he spoke
about his major development projects in reforming sectors of education. Such
projects included research and development schools, technical institutes, science
education centers, and agricultural colleges and vocational high schools.

In 1972, he created the National Grains Authority to provide for the

development of the rice and corn industry to fully harness it for the economy of the
country. (Presidential Decree No. 4, s. 1972). He established the Philippine Council
for Agricultural Research to support the progressive development of agriculture,
forestry, and fisheries for the nation. It was attached to the Department of Agriculture
and Natural Resources for administrative purposes. He provided further support for
the promotion of scientific research and invention with Presidential Decree No. 49, s.
1972. This decree contains details on the protection of intellectual property for the
creator or publisher of the work. He established the Philippine Atmospheric
Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) under the
Department of National Defense to provide environmental protection and to utilize
scientific knowledge to ensure the safety of the people. (Presidential Decree No. 78,
s. 1972).

In 1973, he created the Philippine National Oil Company to promote industrial

and economic development through effective and efficient use of energy sources.
(Presidential Decree No. 334, s. 1973).

In 1976, he enacted a law under Presidential Decree No. 1003-A, s. 1976 to

establish the National Academy of Science and Technology, which is composed of
scientists with "innovative achievement in the basic and applied sciences," to serve
as a reservoir of scientific and technological expertise for the country.

In 1978, he created a Task Force on the formulation of a national action

program on science and technology to assess policies and programs of science and
technology. (Executive Order No. 512, s. 1978). In his Fourteenth State of the Nation
Address on July 23, 1979, he said that the government invested funds and time in
organizations for scientific research, such as the NSDB, the Philippine Council for
Agricultural Research and Resources, the Plant Breeding Institute, the International
Rice Research Institute, the Bureau of Plant Industry, and the Bureau of Forest
Products.

In 1979, he constituted the Health Sciences Center created by R.A. No. 5163
as an autonomous member within the University of the Philippines System to
improve the internal organization and unity of leadership within its units. (Executive
Order No. 519, s. 1979).

In 1980, he created the National Committee on Geological Sciences to advise

government and private entities on matters concerning development in geological
sciences. (Executive Order No. 625, s. 1980).
In 1982, he reorganized the National Science Development Board and its
agencies into a National Science and Technology Authority to provide central
direction and coordination of scientific and technological research and development.
(Executive Order No. 784, s. 1982). He granted salary increases to the people with
teaching positions in the Philippine Science High School due to their necessity in the
advancement of national science. (Executive Order No. 810, s. 1982). He enacted a
law on the completion of the National Agriculture and Life Sciences Research
Complex at the University of the Philippines at Los Baños. (Executive Order No. 840,
s. 1982).

In 1986, he established the Mindanao and Visayas campuses of the

Philippine Science High School to encourage careers in science and technology and
to be more accessible to the talented students in the Mindanao and Visayas areas.
(Executive Order No. 1090, s. 1986).

Fifth Republic

In 1986, during Corazon Aquino's presidency, the National Science and

Technology Authority was replaced by the Department of Science and Technology,
giving science and technology a representation in the cabinet. Under the Medium
Term Philippine Development Plan for the years 1987-1992, science and
technology's role in economic recovery and sustained economic growth was
highlighted. During Corazon Aquino's State of the Nation Address in 1990, she said
that science and technology development shall be one of the top three priorities of
the government towards an economic recovery.

On August 8, 1988, Corazon Aquino created the Presidential Task Force for
Science and Technology which came up with the first Science and Technology
Master Plan or STMP. The goal of STMP was for the Philippines to achieve newly
industrialized country status by the year 2000. The Congress did not put much
priority in handling bills related to science and technology. The Senate Committee on
Science and Technology was one of the committees that handle the least amount of
bills for deliberation.

During her term, President Corazon Aquino encouraged scientists and

inventors to bring the Philippines to its former position as second to only Japan in the
field of science and technology. One of the goals of her administration was to
achieve the status as being an industrialized country by 2000. She urged that the
private research sector form a stronger bond between public research to help jump-
start the progress in the area of Philippine Research and Development.

Ironically, it was during President Corazon Aquino’s term and the

reorganization of Philippine bureaucracy that Executive Order No.128 abolished R.A.
No. 3859, also known as the “Philippine Inventors Incentive Act.” This Philippine
Inventors Commission was under the Science Development board. It gave
assistance to Filipino inventors through giving financial aid, patent application
assistance, legal assistance, and to help inventors market their products
domestically and abroad. Despite the abolishment of the Philippine Inventors
Commission, her administration gave rise to new avenues for the government to aid
the progress of Science and Technology in the country.
The Aquino administration recognized the importance of science and
technology in the development of the Philippines into a newly industrialized country.
Funding for the science and technology sector was tripled from 464 million in 1986 to
1.7 billion in 1992. The Science and Technology Master Plan was formulated which
aimed at the modernization of the production sector, upgrading research activities,
and development of infrastructure for science and technological purposes. A
Research and Development Plan was also formulated to examine and determine
which areas of research needed attention and must be given priority. The criteria for
identifying the program to be pursued were, development of local materials,
probability of success, potential of product in the export market, and its strategic
nature. The grants for the research and development programs were included in the
Omnibus Investment Law.

There were noticeable improvements regarding science and technology as

stated in President Fidel Ramos' State of the Nation Address. In his third SONA,
there was a significant increase in personnel specializing in the science and
technology field. Schools were becoming more modernized and updated with the
addition of high-tech equipment for student improvement and teachers were getting
training programs to benefit themselves and their students.

Fidel V. Ramos believes that science and technology was one of the means
wherein the Philippines could attain the status of new industrialized country (NIC).
During his term, he was able to establish programs that were significant to the field
of S&T. In 1993, Science and Technology Agenda for National Development
(STAND) was established. Among its priorities were: (1) exporting winners identified
by the DTI; (2) domestic needs identified by the President's Council for Countryside
Development; (3) support industries and (4) coconut industry development.

In President Joseph Estrada's term, two major legislations that he signed

were Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999 (Republic Act No. 8749) which was designed
to protect and preserve the environment and ensure the sustainable development of
its natural resources, and Electronic Commerce Act of 2000 (Republic Act No. 8792)
which outlaws computer hacking and provides opportunities for new businesses
emerging from the Internet-driven New Economy. Aside from these, in his first State
of the Nation Address, President Estrada launched a full-scale program based on
cost-effective irrigation technologies. It was in his second State of the Nation
Address that President Estrada announced the passage of the Clean Air Act, and the
decision to pursue the 15-year modernization program of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines. His last State of the Nation Address pushed for the advancement of
industries and schools into the Internet age, as well as the announcement of the
passage of the e-Commerce Act.

In the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration, the science and technology

sector of the Philippines was dubbed as the "golden age" of science and technology
by then secretary Estrella Albastro Numerous laws and projects that concern both
the environment and science to push technology as a tool to increase the country's
economic level were established. This is to help increase the productivity from
Science, Technology and Innovations (STI) and help benefit the poor people.
Moreover, the term "Filipinnovation" was the coined term used in helping the
Philippines to be an innovation hub in Asia.
Helping the environment was one of the focuses in developing technology in
the Philippines. One of the more known laws to be passed by her administration was
the R.A. 9367 or the "Biofuels" act. This act promotes the development and usage of
biofuels throughout the country. This potentially enables a cheaper alternative to
gasoline as a medium in producing energy.

In 2014, President Aquino conferred four new National Scientists for their
contribution in the scientific field, Academicians Gavino C. Trono, Angel C. Alcala,
Ramon C. Barba, and Edgardo D. Gomez was honored in their respective fields.
Trono's contribution helped a lot of families in the coastal populations through the
extensive studies he made on seaweed species. On the other hand, Alcala served
as the pioneer scientist and advocate of coral reefs aside from his contribution in the
fields of systematics, serology and herpetology. Barba's contribution changes the
seasonal supply of fresh fruits to an all year round availability of mangoes through
his studies on the induction of flowering of mango and micropropagation of important
crop species. Lastly, Gomez steered the national-scale assessment of damage coral
reefs which led a national conservation.

***

The link for this part will be posted to our Google Classroom
Self-Check Test

Assessment for Learning

***

References

Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. (2020). Technology in the Ancient World.

[Link]
the-ancient-world

Wikipedia (2019). Ancient Technology. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.

[Link]

Wikipedia (2020). Renaissance Technology. htpps://[Link]/wiki/

Wikipedia (2019). Science and Technology in the Philippines. Wikimedia

Foundation, Inc. [Link]
the_Philippines

Subject Code: GESCIETS

Subject Title: Science, Technology and Society
Module 1: General Concepts and STS Historical Developments
Lesson 2: Intellectual Revolutions That Defined Society

Overview

This lesson discusses the different intellectual revolutions such as

Copernican, Darwinian, Freudian, Information, Mesoamerican, Asian, Middle East,
and African.

The intellectual revolutions transformed societies by opening the eyes and

minds of the people. Universal human progress is the main scientific and
technological purpose as well as free use of reason, logic, and critical thinking.

Learning Outcomes

After successfully studying this lesson, the students should be able to:

1. Articulate ways by which society is transformed by science and technology.

2. Identify the intellectual revolutions that opened the eyes and minds of society
for the purpose of universal human progress.

3. Analyze the ways by which society’s lives is transformed by science and

technology.

Learning Content

Intellectual Revolutions

Before, society lived within the boundaries of controlling systems like religion,
monarchies, cults and others. Many societies before the revolution were unable to
think critically and were in a way subject to being manipulated.

The ability and willingness to awaken society for a noble cause and the lack of
any one of these elements is not consistent with the definition of an intellectual thus
from this point of view, the intellectuals’ role is about social responsibility.

Intellectual revolutions that define society are the revolution that defined
society information that we access in the past, present and future. Revolutions of
intellectual people must be progressive too so it can always offer effective
contributions to improve our societies in meaningful ways.
 Intellectual revolution is a movement about enlightenment and it may have
been initiated during 17th century where people are more driven by the new
discoveries in science and technology and cultural relativism resulting from the
explorations. It is a revolution of people where faith in the power of human reason
should not be set aside and the great premium was actually placed on the discovery
of the truths through observations of nature more willingly than just through the study
of authoritative sources. Intellectual revolution emphasizes the idea of universal
human progress, the most pragmatic systems in science and technology as well as
free use of reason, logic, and critical thinking.

Copernican Revolution: The story of Copernican Revolution is the classic

example of a major shift in worldview. So, before exploring what is happening in the
present day and where it may be leading us, let us first go back and briefly recap the
salient features of this earlier revolution.

The view of the universe, cumbersome as it was, survived, virtually

unchallenged, for thirteen hundred years, until the early sixteenth century when the
Polish astronomer, Nicolaus Copernicus, put forward a radically different model. The
reason the stars appeared to orbit the earth was, he suggested, because the earth
itself was moving, rotating on its own axis once every twenty-four hours. The
apparent movement of the heavens was an illusion, caused by the movement of the
observer.

Copernicus went on to argue that

the wandering motion of the planets could
be explained if they were orbiting the sun
rather than the earth. This led to the
theory that the earth was itself just another
planet also in orbit around the sun.

Copernicus stated that the earth

was not the center of the universe, but the
sun was positioned in the center with the
planets in orbit. This assertion sparked
the beginnings of the Scientific Revolution
and the concept is known today as the
Copernican Revolution.

Being a distinguished churchman, Copernicus knew the views of the Vatican

on the earth's all important position at the center of the universe, and how
tenaciously it held to that view. In proposing his theory, he was not just challenging
orthodox science; he was challenging the established religious view of reality --
which in those days held even greater sway than the scientific view. So, fearing the
wrath of the church, he kept his ideas to himself for thirty years. Only as he was
nearing death, and feeling that he did not want to take this important knowledge with
him to the grave, did he finally decide to publish his little book On the Revolutions of
the Celestial Spheres. When it was eventually published, in 1543, (Copernicus first
saw a copy on the day he died) it was immediately placed on the papal index of
forbidden books.

Copernicus stated that the Earth was not the center of the universe, but the
Sun was positioned in the center with the planets in orbit. This assertion sparked the
beginnings of the Scientific Revolution and the concept is known today as the
Copernican Revolution.

It was considered that the Copernican Revolution was the start of the
Scientific Revolution, so its impact in that regard is unmistakable. As people began
to look for physical evidence and experiments to explain the world around them
(versus religious doctrine) a wealth of new information and ideas were uncovered.

Darwinian Revolution: The publication in 1859 of “The Origin of Species” by

Charles Darwin ushered in a new era in the intellectual history of humanity. he
accumulated evidence demonstrating that organisms evolve and discovered the
process, natural selection, by which they evolve. But the import of Darwin's
achievement is that it completed the Copernican revolution initiated three centuries
earlier, and thereby radically changed our conception of the universe and the place
of humanity in it.

Darwin's book introduced the scientific theory that populations evolve over the
course of generations through a process of natural selection. It presented a body of
evidence that the diversity of life arose by common descent through a branching
pattern of evolution. Darwin included evidence that he had gathered on the Beagle
expedition in the 1830s and his subsequent findings from research, correspondence,
and experimentation.

Darwin completed the Copernican revolution by drawing out for biology the
notion of nature as a lawful system of matter in motion. The adaptations and diversity
of organisms, the origin of novel and highly organized forms, even the origin of
humanity itself could now be explained by an orderly process of change governed by
natural laws.

Individuals less suited to the environment are less likely to survive and less
likely to reproduce; individuals more suited to the environment are more likely to
survive and more likely to reproduce and leave their heritable traits to future
generations, which produces the process of natural selection.

Freudian Revolution: Sigmund Freud (6 May 1856 – 23 September 1939)

was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for
treating psychopathology through dialogue between a patient and a psychoanalyst.
The psychodynamic approach to psychology looks closely at the unconscious drives
that motivate people to act in certain ways.

In creating psychoanalysis, Freud developed therapeutic techniques such as

the use of free association and discovered transference, establishing its central role
in the analytic process. His analysis of dreams as wish-fulfilment provided him with
models for the clinical analysis of symptom formation and the underlying
mechanisms of repression. On this basis Freud elaborated his theory of the
unconscious and went on to develop a model of psychic structure comprising id, ego
and super-ego. Freud postulated the existence of libido, an energy with which mental
processes and structures are invested and which generates erotic attachments, and
a death drive, the source of compulsive repetition, hate, aggression and neurotic
guilt.

Freud believed that people could be cured by making conscious their

unconscious thoughts and motivations, thus gaining "insight".

The role of the mind is something that Freud repeatedly talked about because
he believed that the mind is responsible for both conscious and unconscious
decisions based on drives and forces. Unconscious desires motivate people to act
accordingly. The id, ego, and super ego are three aspects of the mind, Freud
believed to make up a person's personality. He believed that people are "simply
actors in the drama of [their] own minds, pushed by desire, pulled by coincidence.
Underneath the surface, our personalities represent the power struggle going on
deep within us".

The aim of psychoanalysis therapy is to release repressed emotions and

experiences, i.e. make the unconscious conscious. Psychoanalysis is commonly
used to treat depression and anxiety disorders. It is only having a cathartic (i.e.
healing) experience can the person be helped and "cured".

Information Revolution: This has been the era in which technology has
been prevalent. It is also known as the Computer Age that has brought so much
change on how we are living today. The term information revolution describes
current economic, social and technological trends beyond the Industrial Revolution.

The main feature of the information revolution is the growing economic, social
and technological role of information. Information-related activities did not come up
with the Information Revolution. They existed, in one form or the other, in all human
societies, and eventually developed into institutions, such as the Platonic Academy,
Aristotle's Peripatetic school in the Lyceum, the Musaeum and the Library of
Alexandria, or the schools of Babylonian astronomy. The Agricultural Revolution and
the Industrial Revolution came up when new informational inputs were produced by
individual innovators, or by scientific and technical institutions. During the Information
Revolution all these activities are experiencing continuous growth, while other
information-oriented activities are emerging.

Information is a factor of production (along with capital, labor, land

(economics)), as well as a product sold in the market, that is, a commodity. As such,
it acquires use value and exchange value, and therefore a price.

All products have use value, exchange value, and informational value. The
latter can be measured by the information content of the product, in terms of
innovation, design, etc.

Industries develop information-generating activities, the so-called Research

and Development (R&D) functions.
 The information revolution has helped change the relationships between
citizens and government authorities too. As democracy has taken hold in some
countries, and civil society has asserted itself, several countries such as
Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Chinese Taipei and Thailand now have
laws enabling the public to request and receive government held information.

Meso-American Revolution: The term Meso-america is derived from the

Greek and means "Middle America." It refers to a geographical and cultural area
which extends from central Mexico down through Central America. It is one of five
areas in the world where ancient civilization arose independently, and the second in
the Americas.

Mesoamerica is one of only three regions of the world where writing is known
to have independently developed. Towards the end of the post-Classic period, the
Aztecs of Central Mexico built a tributary empire covering most of central
Mesoamerica.

The distinct Mesoamerican cultural tradition ended with the Spanish conquest
in the 16th century. Over the next centuries, Mesoamerican indigenous cultures were
gradually subjected to Spanish colonial rule. Aspects of the Mesoamerican cultural
heritage still survive among the indigenous peoples who inhabit Mesoamerica, many
of whom continue to speak their ancestral languages, and maintain many practices
harking back to their Mesoamerican roots.

The names given to the days, months, and years in the Mesoamerican
calendar came, for the most part, from animals, flowers, heavenly bodies, and
cultural concepts that held symbolic significance in Mesoamerican culture. This
calendar was used throughout the history of Mesoamerican by nearly every culture.
Even today, several Maya groups in Guatemala, continue using modernized forms of
the Mesoamerican calendar.

Writing systems: Mesoamerica is one of the five places in the world where
writing has developed independently. The best documented and deciphered
Mesoamerican writing system, and therefore the most widely known, is the classic
Maya script.

Mesoamerican writing is found in several mediums, including large stone

monuments carved directly onto architecture, carved or painted over stucco (e.g.,
murals), and on pottery. Mesoamerican society is known to have had widespread
literacy, and literacy was probably restricted to particular social classes, including
scribes, painters, merchants, and the nobility.

“ Food, medicine, and science: Mesoamerica would deserve its place in the
human pantheon if its inhabitants had only created maize, in terms of harvest weight
the world's most important crop. But the inhabitants of Mexico and northern Central
America also developed tomatoes, now basic to Italian cuisine; peppers, essential to
Thai and Indian food; all the world's squashes (except for a few domesticated in the
United States); and many of the beans on dinner plates around the world. One writer
estimated that Indians developed three-fifths of the crops now grown in cultivation,
most of them in Mesoamerica. Having secured their food supply, the Mesoamerican
societies turned to intellectual pursuits. In a millennium or less, a comparatively short
time, they invented their own writing, astronomy and mathematics, including the
zero.

Asian Revolution: The revolution itself taught Asian countries about

freedom and independent nationhood along the improvement brought by it internally.
The twentieth century was an age of revolution in much of Asia. One factor
promoting radical change in many Asian nations was the pressure of Euro-American
imperialism, starting in the 19th century. ... Southeast Asian societies, from the
Philippines to Vietnam, would also become colonies of various Western countries.

The industrial revolution finally came to India in 1854, when the first steam-
powered cotton mill in Asia opened in Bombay. Growth was slow though and the
expansion of these modernized cotton mills didn't pick up until the 1870s and 80s.
India now has the sixth largest economy in the world.

The global information revolution is having profound effects on economies,

societies and politics in Asia. After all, improved access to information is of
fundamental importance to development, as it can facilitate the necessary
improvement in an economy’s knowledge base, as well as more transparent and
accountable governance. Information and communications technologies (ICT)
enhance integration into the global economy.

The impact of the information revolution has been greater in Asia than
elsewhere because the region has always been both an important producer and user
of IT products. Indeed, Asia has always been fertile ground for information based
activities. China was at the heart of arguably the first information revolution when it
invented paper making and the printing press in the 9th century, and propagated to
its neighbours a Confucian culture which values education. The contemporary
information revolution arrived at the same time as China’s economy was opening up
again, and as Asian countries were experiencing the most dramatic period of
economic development that humankind has known.

Rapid progress in IT and investments in the necessary infrastructure have

been key drivers of the information revolution in Asia, which in turn has underpinned
rising levels of prosperity and education across the region.

Asian economies like Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore,

Chinese Taipei and Thailand are now all important producers of hardware, while
Korea’s Samsung is now a global leader in many product areas, including
smartphones.

The ICT revolution has facilitated the development of East Asia’s

manufacturing production networks, or value-chains, that have enabled many
economies to jump on a fast track to development. A classic example of these
production networks is Apple’s iPhone. Its branding, design and marketing are
undertaken in the US. Most of its high-tech components are produced in Germany,
Japan, Korea and Chinese Taipei. And finally, the lower value-added assembly
stage is conducted in China.
 For China and other countries with one-party dominant states, the Internet,
overseas travel and more open economies and societies have also improved public
access to information. Surveys such as those by Freedom House may well judge the
Internet and the press in China not to be free. Yet China is estimated to have around
500 million Internet users–that’s more than the US and Europe combined. Its social
media is very active with China’s own version of Twitter, “Weibo”.

Science and technology in Asia is varied depending on the country and time.
In the past, the Asian civilizations most notable for their contributions to science and
technology were India, China and the West Asian civilizations. At present, probably
the most notable country in Asia in terms of its technological and scientific
achievement is Japan, which is particularly known for its electronics and automobile
products. In recent years, China and India have also once again become major
contributors to science and technology. Other countries are also notable in other
scientific fields such as chemical and physics achievements.

Middle East Revolution: The revolutions in the Middle East were a product
of the development and growth of individual nationalism, imperialism, for the efforts
to westernize and modernize Middle Eastern societies, and to push the declining
power of the Ottoman Empire in the Arab region.

The Middle East has seen many of the world's oldest cultures and
civilizations. This history started from the earliest human settlements, continuing
through several major pre- and post-Islamic Empires through to the nation-states of
the Middle East today.

Mesopotamia, the area between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (in modern
day Iraq), is often referred to as the cradle of civilization because it is the first place
where complex urban centers grew.

Large parts of the Middle East became a war ground between the Ottomans
and Iranian Safavids for centuries starting in the early 16th century. In the late 19th
and early 20th centuries, Middle Eastern rulers tried to modernize their states to
compete more effectively with the European powers. A turning point in the history of
the Middle East came when oil was discovered, first in Persia in 1908 and later in
Saudi Arabia (in 1938) and the other Persian Gulf states, and also in Libya and
Algeria. A Western dependence on Middle Eastern oil and the decline of British
influence led to a growing American interest in the region.

During the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, Syria and Egypt made moves towards
independence. The British, the French, and the Soviets departed from many parts of
the Middle East during and after World War II (1939–1945). The departure of the
European powers from direct control of the region, the establishment of Israel, and
the increasing importance of the oil industry, marked the creation of the modern
Middle East. In most Middle Eastern countries, the growth of market economies was
inhibited by political restrictions, corruption and cronyism, overspending on arms and
prestige projects, and over-dependence on oil revenues. The wealthiest economies
in the region per capita are the small oil-rich countries of Persian Gulf: Qatar, Kuwait,
Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates.
 African Revolution: The African Revolution is the fight against colonialism
and imperialism in Africa. The heart of the struggle against colonialism has shifted
from Asia and the Middle East to Africa.

The biggest of all traps to stifle the African revolution is the trap of “non-violent
revolution,” whatever that might mean. Non-violence has little to do with the realities
of the African Revolution where it meets the armed counter-revolution, as in Kenya
and in Algeria, or the entrenched armed rulers in racist South Africa. It is a
straitjacket for the self-activity of the African masses even as the indiscriminate unity
of the African state would mean the choice not of a road to socialism, but to
capitalism in its most horrific form of state-capitalism. Just as the bourgeoisie has
degraded the world, revolution, to where it means nothing but conspiracy, so
Nkrumah, who is emulating the old rulers in everything from yachts to canned
biographies and statues glorifying himself, is bent on degrading the organization of
society on totally new beginnings to where it means all things to all men except the
masses struggling for true liberation from barbaric, armed colonial rule.

The last quarter of the 19th century witnessed the outward and inordinate
expression of European’s quest for territorial occupation of Africa in order to
massively control and brutally exploit African resources for their benefits. To achieve
their selfish economic and political interests, the rapacious colonizers deliberately
distorted and grossly misinterpreted African historical accounts. Apparently, History
was used as a tool to becloud realities and make Africans to look docile and timid. A
daunting challenge faced by Africans and African historians was to counter these
misleading lies which formed the basis of colonialism and create a new image for
Africa. A foremost and committed pioneer of this epoch-making crusade was
Professor K.O Dike.

***

The link for this part will be posted to our Google Classroom

Self-Check Test
Assessment for Learning

***

References

Anderson, John (2007). The Freudian Revolution. Australasian Journal of

Philosophy. Volume 31, Issue 2.

Ruse, Michael (2009). The Darwinian Revolution: Rethinking Its Meaning and
Significance. Proceedings of the National Academy of sciences of the
United States of America.

Wikimedia (2020). Copernican Revolution. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.

[Link]

Wikimedia (2020). Information Revolution. [Link]

Information_Revolution

Subject Code: GESCIETS

Subject Title: Science, Technology and Society
Module 1: General Concepts and STS Historical Developments

Lesson 3: Science and Technology and Nation Building

Overview

The development of a nation’s economy and its society depends on the

advancements and progressive science and technology. As part of a society,
everyone should be aware of the roles of science and technology in nation building.

This lesson discusses the science and technology agenda of the government,
the major development programs in science and technology and how these
development programs are implemented for nation building.

Learning Outcomes

After successfully studying this lesson, the students should be able to:

1. Discuss the role of science and technology in Philippine nation building.

2. Evaluate government policies pertaining to science and technology in terms of

their contributions to nation building.

3. Identify actual science and technology policies of the government and

appraise their impact on the development of the Filipino nation.

Learning Content

The Philippine Government Science

and Technology Agenda

The importance of science and technology in a given society cannot be under-

estimated. It is a well-known fact that no nation can develop without advancing in the
areas of science and technology. It is true that advancements in science and
technology had negatively affected humanity. For example, the role atomic weapons
played during the World War II and the consequent wars in Africa, the Middle-East,
among others, was devastating.

Science and technology are essential tools in every sector of a society. A

nation lacking in science and technology will forever depend on those who claim to
be the custodians of scientific and technological knowledge. There is no doubt that
science and technology, has led to the development of our great country and indeed
the whole world.

The Department of Science and Technology is the key government institution

for science and technology, with policy development being co-ordinated by a series
of sectorial councils. Within the framework of the current National Science and
Technology Plan, 2002–2020 (NSTP), the strategic focus is on building technological
self-reliance. The Harmonized Agenda for Science and Technology, 2002–2020
reflects this focus in its approach to problem-solving related to inclusive growth and
disaster risk reduction.

The Harmonized Agenda was presented to the President in August 2014.

Although science and technology are guided by the NSTP, the Harmonized Agenda
attempts to provide more detail of how the country can become technologically self-
reliant to sustain science and technology beyond the mandate of the administration
in power at the time of the Agenda's adoption.

The Harmonized Agenda focuses on the development of critical technologies

such as remote sensing, LiDAR processing, testing and metrology facilities,
advanced climate change and weather modelling, advanced manufacturing and
high-performance computing. Five centres of excellence are being established or
upgraded by 2020 in biotechnology, nanotechnology, genomics, semiconductors and
electronic design. The five centres of excellence are all government-funded:

Major Development Programs and Personalities

in S & T in the Philippines

Major Development Programs

Agriculture and Aquaculture: Agriculture is the field in science wherein it

concerns with the different techniques of land cultivation, crop and livestock raising,
or otherwise, farming. The Department of Agriculture (Philippines) (DA) is a
government agency responsible for the development of the Philippine's agriculture
by generating policies, investments, and support services which are significant in the
local and export-oriented trade. In the Philippine Development Plan (PDP),
Competitive and Sustainable Agriculture and Fisheries Sector, both agriculture and
fisheries sector provides the needs and raw materials for the market and surplus
labor to the industry and service sectors. The focus for improvement would be to
generate more opportunities of employments and increased income for the farmers
which would encourage participation from them. Development of the agricultural
sector is critical in maintaining an affordable price for food especially for the poor
which, then, could be translated to inclusive growth and poverty reduction

Developments regarding the research and technology of Philippine agriculture

are currently in the works. Most of the researches are inclined in solving the problem
of increasing hunger in the country by creating a more efficient and cheaper process
of yielding produce. The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is an
international research consortium, including the Philippines, which serves to improve
the rice production and quality through biotechnology and research.

Metal Industry: This industry deals with the creation and innovation of
metallic and steel products. The metal/steel industry has shown remarkable
technological dynamism over the centuries and with the growing product innovation,
there have been a great significance on the steels' economic and political influence.
The Philippines have become part of the growing revolution of the industry. The
Metal Industry Research and Development Center (MIRDC) is a government agency
under the Department of Science and Technology that supports the local metals and
engineering industry through support services enhancing the industry's competitive
advantage. The agency's mission would consist of providing both public and private
sectors with professional management and technical expertise, quality control,
research and development, technology transfer, and business advisory services.

Food and Nutrition: Food science or nutritional science is the field of science
studying the nature of foods and the natural changes in them resulting from handling
and processing. It is the science concerned with food and nourishment and the role
of nutrients in health. In the Philippines, food and nutrition research investigates the
ideal diet for Filipinos to solve the problem of malnutrition and the current state of
nutrition.

The Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) is the principal research
arm of the Philippine government in food and nutrition. The FNRI was reorganized in
Executive Order No. 128, s. 1987 to redefine its mandate to research food and
nutrition in order to research and identify solutions to malnutrition problems, develop
programs, projects, and policies to address malnutrition, and disseminate these
findings. In accordance with these functions, the Food Composition Laboratory was
established. Now known as the Food Analytical Service Laboratory (FASL), it is the
pioneering laboratory researching into the food and nutrient composition of Philippine
foods. Their services include chemical testing, microbiological testing, physico-
chemical testing, and research and consultancy services. FNRI also develops simple
recipes for small scale and household use, especially for the consumption by infants
and children. They provide the nutritional information, properties and even market
potential.

Forestry: Forestry is the field of science that practice planting, managing and
taking care of trees. The governing body for the Philippine forestry is the Department
of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). This department started way back
in 1863, when the Spanish Royal Decree established the Inspeccion General de
Montes. This was transformed into the Department of Interior in 1901. Then when
the government reorganized, it became the Department of Agriculture and Natural
Resources. During 1987, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
was formally established. Under this department, the Forest Management Bureau
was the sector that focuses on preserving the forest and the harvesting of its
resources.

Natural disaster preparedness: The National Disaster Risk Reduction &

Management Council (NDRRMC), formerly known as the National Disaster
Coordinating Council (NDCC), is a working group of various government, non-
government, civil sector and private sector organizations of the Government of the
Republic of the Philippines established by Republic Act 10121 of 2009. It is
administered by the Office of Civil Defense under the Department of National
Defense. The Council is responsible for ensuring the protection and welfare of the
people during disasters or emergencies.

The Philippines is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to natural

disasters. Every year, between six and nine tropical cyclones make landfall,
alongside other extreme events such as floods and landslides. In 2013, the
Philippines had the misfortune to lie in the path of Cyclone Haiyan (known as
Yolanda in the Philippines), possibly the strongest tropical cyclone ever to hit land,
with winds that were clocked at up to 380 kph.

To address disaster risk, the Philippines has been investing heavily in critical
infrastructure and enabling tools such as Doppler radars, generating 3D disaster-
simulation models from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology and the
wide-scale installation of locally developed sensors for accurate and timely disaster
information nationwide. In parallel, it has been building local capability to apply,
replicate and produce many of these technologies.

Personalities in Science and Technology

Eduardo Quisumbing: He conducted research on taxonomic and

morphological papers deal with orchids and authored the book Medicinal species of
Saccolabium quisumbingii was named after him.

Dioscoro L. Umali: He is an agriculturist that was dubbed as the Father of

Philippine Plant Breeding due to the programs he conducted that are related to
rainfed and upland agriculture, social forestry, and environmental preservation.

Angel Alcala: a biologist who was recognized for his research on amphibians
and reptiles diversity and marine biodiversity in the country and served as consultant
on marine and aquatic projects under the United Nations Environment Programme,
World Bank, Asian Development Bank and others,

Arturo Alcaraz is a volcanologist specializing in geothermal energy

development. In 1967, Arturo Alcaraz and team powered an electric light bulb using
steam-powered electricity. The power came from a Volcano near the town of Tiwi.
This was the first geothermal power generated in the Philippines.

Ramon Barba invented practical flower induction treatments. He is best

known for his advancements in mango farming research and tropical tree physiology.
Ramon Barba invented techniques to promote crop flowering using a potassium
nitrate spray. The Philippines is a leading exporter of mangoes and mango products.

Paulo Campos built the first radioisotope laboratory in the Philippines. Doctor
Paulo Campos is a specialist in nuclear medicine and the award winning writer of
over seventy-five scientific papers.

Fe Del Mundo is credited with studies that lead to the invention of an

improved incubator and a jaundice relieving device. She has dedicated her life to the
cause of pediatrics in the Philippines. Fe Del Mundo received the Ramon Magsaysay
Award for outstanding public service; and she also received the 15th International
Congress of Pediatrics award as most outstanding pediatrician and humanitarian in
1977.
 Francisco Quisumbing. Filipino chemist, Francisco Quisumbing invented
Quink ink, which is used in Parker Pens. It is a quick drying ink with a cleaning
property that prevents the ink from clogging the pen.

Gregorio Zara - famous Filipino scientist that invented, or discovered the

following: invented the two-way television telephone or videophone (1955) patented
as a "photo phone signal separator network"; discovered the physical law of
electrical kinetic resistance called the Zara effect (around 1930); invented an
airplane engine that ran on plain alcohol as fuel (1952); improved methods of
producing solar energy including creating new designs for a solar water heater
(SolarSorber), a sun stove, and a solar battery (1960s); invented a propeller-cutting
machine (1952); designed a microscope with a collapsible stage; and helped design
the robot Marex X-10.

Abelardo Aguilar in 1949 Invented (Discovered Erythromycin. He sent a

sample to Eli Lilly, who promptly stole the idea and patented it, and later marketed it
successfully. He never received a single peso from his product that saved millions of
lives.

Diosdado Banatao, invented Computer Microchips beginning with the world’s

first 16-bit chip in 1972, which he invented while working at Commodore. This led to
the development of GUI (The thing that makes the graphics on this page…). Why
should you care? Without GUI, you would now be looking at a page filled with
nothing but a bunch of ones and zeroes.

Science Education in the Philippines

Science education is the field concerned with sharing science content and
process with individuals not traditionally considered part of the scientific community.
The learners may be children, college students, or adults within the general public.

It is important to teach science because of the following: Science is a

significant part of human culture and represents one of the pinnacles of human
thinking capacity. It provides a laboratory of common experience for development of
language, logic, and problem-solving skills in the classroom.

Why is science education important in our schools? ... Ideally, teaching the
scientific method to students is teaching them how to think, learn, solve problems
and make informed decisions. These skills are integral to every aspect of a student's
education and life, from school to career.

School students are naturally curious, which makes science an ideal subject
for them to learn. Science allows students to explore their world and discover new
things. It is also an active subject, containing activities such as hands-on labs and
experiments.

Special Science Grade School (SSGS)

 As part of the expansion program of the Department of Educations'
Engineering and Science Education Program, the Special Science Elementary
School (SSES) was established, to serve as feeder school for science high schools.
This program envisions developing Filipino children who are equipped with scientific
and technological knowledge, skills and attitudes; creative and have positive values;
and lifelong learning skills to become productive partners in the development of the
community and society and it aims to determine the qualities that science inclined
learners possess; describe the characteristics of a good special elementary school;
and determine the factors inputted into the SSES that significantly contribute to the
improved performance of the learners involved in the study. Currently there are 57
special science elementary schools entire the Philippines.

Philippine Science High School System

The Philippine Science High School (PSHS) System is a specialized high

school program in the Philippines under the Department of Science and Technology.
It offers scholarships to students that are gifted in science and mathematics. High
school students are bound by law to major in pure and applied science, mathematics
or engineering. PSHS have 12 regional campuses in addition to the main campus.
PSHS follows the K-12 basic education program of the government.

Regional Science High School System

The Regional Science High School (RSHS) System is a specialized high

school program in the Philippines under the Department of Education. RSHS have
regional campuses and follows the K-12 basic education program of the government.

Tertiary Education

Various universities offer science courses that encompass the different fields
of science. The Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act of 2017 provides
for free tuition and exemption from other fees in public universities and colleges for
Filipino students, as well as subsidies for those enrolled in private higher education
institutions.

Selected Indigenous Science and Technologies

Indigenous Science (IS) refers to the science knowledge of all people who, as
participants in culture, are affected by the worldview and interests of their home
communities and homelands. The technologies evolved by indigenous people are
indigenous technologies.

What is the role of indigenous science in the development of science and

technology in Philippines? Indigenous peoples, with their decades of personal
experience combined with that of their ancestors, harbour vast knowledge about the
environment and the ecological relationships within them. Tremendous opportunities
exist where such knowledge can contribute to modern science and natural resource
management.
 Why is indigenous science important? Throughout history, Indigenous
peoples have been responsible for the development of many technologies and have
substantially contributed to modern science.

Indigenous science and technology thrives in the following areas:

● Medicine (traditional medicine using herbs),

● Energy production (through charcoal burning),
● Farming practices (soil conservation, intercropping, farm rotation,
selecting good seeds for planting),
● Food technology (fermentation, preservation, producing wine), and
● Arts and crafts (e.g. painting, pottery, carving, decoration, weaving,).

***

The link for this part will be posted to our Google Classroom

Self-Check Test
Assessment for Learning

***

References

Ambag, R. (2018, August 3). Teaching Science in the Philippines: Why and How
We Can Do Better. [Link]

Aquino, A. et al. (2014). Public Sector Investments in Science, Technology and

Innovation for Inclusive Growth and Competitive Economy in the Philippines:
A Focus on Agriculture. [Link]

Mabagos, M. (2018). The Philippine Government Science and Technology

Agenda. [Link]

Napa, D. (2017, December 22). The Role of Science and Technology in the
Philippine Economy. [Link]
Science-and-technology-in-the-philippine-economy

Pelumi, O. (2017). Science, Technology In Nation Building. [Link]

[Link]/121869/

Prezi, Inc. 2020. Indigenous Science and Technology. [Link]

/indigenous-science-and-technology-in-the-ph

Wikipedia (2019). Science and Technology in the Philippines. Wikimedia Foundation,

Inc. [Link]