SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY
(STS) REVIEWER
STS-LESSON 1 & 2: Introduction to Science, Technology,
and Society
Science
● From Latin "Scientia", meaning knowledge.
● A systematic way of acquiring knowledge through observation, experimentation, and
the scientific method.
Technology
● From Greek "Techne", meaning "art, skill, or craftsmanship."
● The application of scientific knowledge to create tools, machines, and techniques to
solve real-world problems.
Society
● From Latin "Societas", meaning a community of people with shared interests.
● Society influences and benefits from science and technology.
Interaction Between Science, Technology, and Society
● Science seeks to understand nature and acquire knowledge.
● Technology applies scientific knowledge to create useful innovations.
● Society uses both science and technology to improve human life.
Historical Antecedents in Science and Technology
Sumerians (Mesopotamia)
● Cuneiform Writing - First writing system, using wedge-shaped symbols on clay
tablets to record transactions, laws, and events.
● Uruk City - The first true city, built with sun-dried bricks for protection.
● The Great Ziggurat of Ur - A temple structure dedicated to their chief god.
● Irrigation and Dikes - Constructed to control flooding and improve farming.
● Sailboats - Used for transportation and trade.
● Wheel - Initially used for grinding grains before being adapted for transportation.
● Roads - Built using sun-baked bricks and later smoothened with bitumen for better
travel.
Babylonians
● Hanging Gardens of Babylon - One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World,
built by King Nebuchadnezzar II for his wife, Queen Amytis.
Egyptians
● Papyrus - The first paper-like material, used instead of clay tablets.
● Ink - Made from soot and plant extracts, used for recording history, laws, and culture.
● Hieroglyphics - A pictorial writing system believed to be a gift from the gods.
● Cosmetics - Used for health and beauty; Egyptians applied kohl around the eyes to
prevent infections.
● Wigs - Worn for protection against the sun and as a sign of social status.
Greeks
● Aristarchus of Samos - Greek mathematician and astronomer of Ionia, first to
introduce the Heliocentric view (310–230 BC).
● Alarm Clock - Used water, stones, or sand to measure time and produce sound as an
alarm.
● Philosophy and Mathematics - Introduced by thinkers like Plato, Aristotle, and
Pythagoras.
Romans
● Newspaper (Gazettes) - The first recorded newspapers, used to announce
government news and events.
● Codex (Bound Books) - The first form of books, made of stacked papyrus pages.
● Roman Architecture - Built aqueducts, roads, coliseums, and basilicas.
● Roman Numerals - A numbering system still used today.
Chinese
● Silk Production - The Chinese were the first to cultivate silk, which became a
valuable trade commodity.
● Tea Production - The first tea drink was recorded by a Chinese emperor.
● Great Wall of China - Built to protect against invaders.
● Gunpowder - Accidentally invented by alchemists trying to create an immortality
potion.
STS-LESSON 3: Intellectual Revolutions That Defined
Society
Copernican Revolution (Astronomy)
● Geocentrism (Ptolemy) - The belief that the Earth is the center of the universe and
celestial bodies revolve around it.
● Heliocentrism (Aristarchus of Samos) - First introduced the idea that the Earth and
planets revolve around the Sun (310–230 BC).
● Heliocentrism (Copernicus) - Revived Heliocentrism in the 16th century.
● Tycho Brahe - Combined elements of geocentrism and heliocentrism into a
Geoheliocentric Model.
● Johannes Kepler - Introduced the Three Laws of Planetary Motion, supporting
heliocentrism.
● Galileo Galilei - First to use a telescope for astronomical observations, providing
strong evidence for the Heliocentric model.
Darwinian Revolution (Biology)
● Charles Darwin - Proposed the Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection, which
states that organisms adapt and evolve over time.
● Galápagos Islands - Darwin observed finches, iguanas, and tortoises, leading to his
theory of evolution.
● Alfred Russel Wallace - Also studied evolution and natural selection, supporting
Darwin’s work.
Freudian Revolution (Psychology)
● Sigmund Freud - Developed Psychoanalysis, a theory that human behavior is shaped
by the unconscious mind.
● Three Structures of the Mind:
○ ID - Instincts and pleasure-seeking desires. ("I want it now!")
○ Ego - Rational thinking, balancing ID and Super Ego. ("Maybe we can
compromise.")
○ Super Ego - Morality and social rules. ("It's not right to do that.")
Psychosexual Stages of Development
1. Oral Stage (0–18 months) - Pleasure from sucking, biting, and chewing.
2. Anal Stage (18 months–3 years) - Focus on toilet training, control, and orderliness.
3. Phallic Stage (3–6 years) - Awareness of genitals, development of the Oedipus
Complex (boys desire mother) and Electra Complex (girls desire father).
4. Latency Stage (6–puberty) - Sexual impulses are dormant, focus on social
development.
5. Genital Stage (puberty onwards) - Sexual maturity and relationships develop.
Neo-Freudian Psychology: Karen Horney
● Karen Horney was a psychologist who challenged Freud’s views on sexuality and
unconscious desires.
● She argued that personality is shaped more by social and cultural influences rather
than biological urges.
● Introduced the concept of "Basic Anxiety", where children develop coping strategies
based on how they interact with their parents and environment.
STS-LESSON 4 & 5: Science, Technology, and Nation
Building
● Department of Science and Technology (DOST) - Provides leadership, direction,
and coordination in scientific and technological efforts in the Philippines.
● Philippine Coconut Research Institute (PHILCORIN) - Created to develop and
improve the coconut industry through scientific research and technology.
● National Food Authority (NFA) - Established in 1972 under President Ferdinand
Marcos (Presidential Decree No. 4) to ensure food security, price stabilization, and
rice and corn distribution.