Chapter 1:
General Concepts
and Historical
Events in STS
Gervacio, Jecell May C.
Table of contents
01. 02.
Scientific Revolution Intellectuals and their
Revolutionary Ideas
03.
Cradles of Early
Science
SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
1. Science as an idea - ideas, theories,
and all available systematic
explanations and observations of the
natural and physical world
2. Science as an intellectual activity-
systematic and practical study natural
and physical world
SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
3. Science as a body of knowledge -
process of learning about the natural
and physical world natural and
physical world
4. Science as a personal and social
activity - both knowledge and
activities done by human beings to
develop better understanding of the
world around them
Scientific
Revolution ● Human scientific activities - know and
understand everything around them.
● Persistently observed and studied the
world to find meanings and seek
answers to many questions.
● Developed noble ideas -> philosophy ->
provide alternative or possible
explanations to certain phenomena.
● Religion rationalize the origins of life and
all lifeless forms.
Scientific
Revolution ● The idea of scientific revolution
started in the early 16th century up to
the 18th century in Europe.
● Because of the invention of the
printing machine and the blooming
intellectual activities done in various
places of learning, and the growing
number of scholars in various fields of
human interests.
Scientific ● Scientific revolution - period of
Revolution enlightenment; developments in the
fields of mathematics, physics,
astronomy, biology, and chemistry
transformed the views of society
about nature -> the emergence or
birth of modern science
● The ideas generated enabled the
people to reflect, rethink, and
reexamine their beliefs and their way
of life -> how they do science and view
scientific processes.
Scientific
Revolution ● Scientific revolution was the golden
age for science scholars but led to
painful death or condemnation from
the religious institutions who tried to
preserve their faith, religion, and
theological views.
● Rulers and religious leaders did not
accept early works of scientists.
● But these did not stop scientists to
satisfy their curiosity of the natural
and physical world.
Scientific ● Scientific revolution is very significant
Revolution in the development of human beings,
transformation of the society, and in
the formulation of scientific ideas.
● It significantly improved the conduct
of scientific investigations,
experiments; and observations.
● Creation of new research fields in
science and prompted the
establishment of a strong foundation
for modern science.
● Scientific revolution transformed the
natural world and the world of ideas.
The influence to science
revolution
Variables that Influence Science Idies,
Discoveries, and Technology
Creativity
SCIENTIST
Science Ideas
Curiosity Passion to know
Discoveries
Passion to
Technology
discover
Critical
Thinking
Some Intellectuals and their
Revolutionary Ideas
1. Nicolaus Copernicus
● A Renaissance men, A canon at Frombork Cathedral in
Poland.
● Knowledge about the universe had been essentially
unchanged since the Ancient Greece, 1,500 years before
Copernicus
● His ideas were an example of thought experiment.
● Idea and model of the universe in 1510 - Commentariolus
(Little Commentary).
● De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (On the Revolutions of
the Heavenly Spheres) in 1543 -> the start of the scientific
revolution - a model of the universe in which everything
moved around a single center at unvarying rates
Some Intellectuals and their
Revolutionary Ideas
1. Nicolaus Copernicus
● He placed the Sun as the center of the universe.
● The Earth and all the planets are surrounding or orbiting
the Sun each year; The Moon is seen orbiting the Earth.
● Two kinds of planetary motion: (I) the orbits of Venus
and Mercury lay inside the orbit of the Earth -> closer to
the Sun; and (2) the orbits of Mars,Saturn, and Jupiter
lay outside the Earth's orbit, thus, farther from the Sun.
● Great problems in the Copernicus model was the
position of the stars.
● It was judged to be heretic -> unacceptable idea in
Catholics -> banned the Copernican model and was
ignored by Rome for the rest of the 16th century.
Some Intellectuals and their
Revolutionary Ideas
2. Charles Darwin
● Charles Darwin is famous for his theory of evolution.
● He join a five-year voyage through the HMS Beagle on the
Islands of Galapagos and published his book The Origin of
Species in 1589.
● He presented evidence on how species evolved over time
and presented traits and adaptation that differentiate
species.
Some Intellectuals and their
Revolutionary Ideas
2. Charles Darwin
● His book The Descent of Man was so
impressive yet very controversial ->
replaced the dominant views of a religious
or biblical design
● Two major contributions: evolutionary
biology and philosophy of science.
● What made Darwin truly remarkable was
his courage to challenge religious and
unscientific ideas that are deemed to be
prominent during those days.
Some Intellectuals and their
Revolutionary Ideas
3. Sigmund Freud
● Freud is famous in the field of psychology.
● Raise the consciousness of the civilized world
in psychological matters.
● Development of an observational method to
gather reliable data to study human's inner life.
-> Psychoanalysis
● It is a scientific way to study the human mind
and neurotic illness.
● His method was unorthodox-focusing on
human sexuality and the evil nature of man.
● Mesoamerica includes the entire area of Central America from
Southern Mexico up to the border of South America.
● Rich in culture and knowledge prior to the arrival of its European
colonizers.
● The Maya civilization is one of the famous civilizations that
lasted for approximately 2,000 years.
● Astronomy - the pyramid at Chichén Itzá in Mexico is situated at
the location of the Sun during the spring and fall equinoxes.
● Predicting eclipse and using astrological cycles in planting and
harvesting.
● Two complicated calendar systems.
● They built hydraulics system with waterways to supply water to
different communities
Cradles of Early Science
1. Mesoamerica - Mayan
● The Mayans built looms for weaving cloth and
devised a rainbow of glittery paints made from a
mineral called mica.
● First to produce rubber products 3,000 years before
Goodyear received its patent in 1844.
● First civilizations to use a writing system known as
the Mayan hieroglyphics.
● Created a number system based on the numeral 20.
● Developed the concept of zero and positional value,
even before the Romans did.
Cradles of Early Science
1. Mesoamerica - Mayan
1. roads paved with stones and stone buildings
that surmounted earthquakes and other
disasters;
2. irrigation system and technique for storing
water for their crops to grow in all types of land;
3. calendar with 12 months to mark their religious
festivals and prepare them for planting season;
4. the first suspension bridge;
5. quipu, a system of knotted ropes to keep
records that only experts can interpret; and
6. Inca textiles since cloth was one of the specially
prized artistic achievements.
Cradles of Early Science
1. Mesoamerica - Inca
1. Mandatory education - an early form of
universal or inclusive education.
2. Chocolates - (Mayan culture used it as
currency) The Aztec made it as part of their
tribute to their gods.
3. Antispasmodic medication - prevent muscle
spasms and relax muscles during surgery.
4. Chinampa - Aztec technology for agricultural
farming, land was divided into rectangular
areas and surrounded by canals.
5. Aztec calendar - to plan their activities, rituals,
and planting season.
6. Canoe. A light narrow boat used for traveling
in water systems
Cradles of Early Science
1. Mesoamerica - Aztec
● India is a huge peninsula surrounded by
vast bodies of water and fortified by huge
mountains in its northern boarders.
● Manufacture iron and in metallurgical
works.
● Ayurveda, a system of traditional
medicine before 2500 BC
● Medicinal properties of plants that led
them to develop medicines to cure
various illnesses.
● Susruta Samhita describes different
surgical and other medical procedures
famous in Ancient India.
●
Cradles of Early Science
2. Asia - India
● Theories on the configuration of the universe,
the spherical self-supporting Earth, and the year
of 360 days with 12 equal parts of 30 davs each.
● Siddhanta Shiromani - mean longitudes of the
planets; true longitudes of the planets; the three
problems of diurnal rotation; syzygies; lunar
eclipses; solar eclipses; latitudes of the planets;
risings and settings; the moon's crescent;
conjunctions of the planets with each other;
conjunctions of the planets with the fixed stars;
and the paths of the Sun and Mocn.
● Indus Valley Civilization - designed a ruler, the
Mohenjo- daro ruler.
Cradles of Early Science
2. Asia - India
● Aryabhatiya - trigonometric
functions, tables, and techniques,
and algorithms of algebra
● Brahmagupta- gravity was a force of
attraction, and lucidly explained the
use of zero as both a placeholder
and a decimal digit
● Madhava of Sangamagrama - the
founder of mathematical analysis
Cradles of Early Science
2. Asia - India
● China has a substantial contributions in
many areas of life like medicine,
astronomy, science, mathematics, arts,
philosophy, and music, among others.
● Chinese civilizations have greatly
influenced many of its neighbor
countries like Korea, Japan, Philippines,
Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia,
Myanmar, and other countries that
belong to the old Silk Road.
● Traditional Medicine - Acupuncture
Cradles of Early Science
2. Asia - China
● Technology - compass, papermaking, gunpowder, and printing
tools that became known in the West (end of the Middle Ages)
● Also invented iron plough, wheelbarrow, and propeller, among
others.
● Invented the first seismological detector, and developed a dry
dock facility
● Astronomy - records on supernovas, lunar and solar eclipses,
and comets
● They observed the heavenly bodies to understand weather
changes and seasons that may affect their daily activities.
● Lunar calendars
● Seismology - more prepared in times of natural calamities.
●
Cradles of Early Science
2. Asia - China
● The Middle East countries are dominantly occupied
by Muslims
● Golden Age of Islam 7th-13th century.
● Muslim scientists placed greater value on science
experiments rather than plain-thought experiments.
● Development of the scientific method in the Muslim
world,
● Ibn al-Haytham - the Father of Optics, intromission
theory of light.
● Muhammad in Musa al-Khwarizmi - concept of the
algorithm while the term algebra is derived from
al-jabr (The title of his publications).
● Introduction of decimal point notation.
Cradles of Early Science
2. Asia - Middle Eastern
● Jabir ibn Hayyän to be the "Father of
Chemistry"
● Ibn Sina - first physician to conduct clinical
trials - the Book of Healing and The Canon of
Medicine - discovery of the contagious nature
of infectious diseases and the introduction of
clinical pharmacology
● The decline of golden age of Islam - 13th
century due to the conquest of the Mongols
whereby libraries, observatories, and other
learning institutions were destroyed.
Cradles of Early Science
2. Asia - India
● The ancient Egyptian civilization -
developed geometry to preserve the
layout and ownership of farmlands of
the Egyptians living along the Nile
River.
● It is used to build rectilinear structures,
the post of lintel architecture of Egypt,
building their early homes and cities,
● The Egyptian pyramids and the early
dams built to divert water from the Nile
River are some proofs of their advanced
civilization.
Cradles of Early Science
3. Africa
● Egypt - a center of alchemy, the medieval
forerunner of chemistry, study human anatomy and
pharmacology, and applied important components
such as examination, diagnosis, treatment, and
prognosis for the treatment of diseases.
● Astronomy - used three types of calendars: lunar,
solar, and stellar, or a combination of the three.
● Metallurgy - North Africa and the Nile Valley
imported iron technology from the Near East region
that enabled them to benefit from the
developments during the Bronze Age until the Iron
Age.
Cradles of Early Science
3. Africa
● The Lebombo Bone from the
mountains between Swaziland
and South Africa - a tool for
multiplication, division, and
simple mathematical calculation
or a six-month lunar calendar, is
considered to be the oldest
known mathematical artifact
dated from 35,000 BCE.
● Ancient Egyptians have
knowledge of the basic concepts
of algebra and geometry.
Cradles of Early Science
3. Africa
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