SCIENCE
TECHNOLOGY, AND
SOCIETY
Module 2 - Week 2: INTELLECTUAL
REVOLUTION IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
AND NATION BUILDING
Prepared by: Kobe Bryant R. Tidoy
& Frencess Jann Tipawan
At the end of this module, you are expected to:
1. Discuss the paradigm shifts through history
2. Explain how the intellectual revolution change
the way how humans see the world; and
3. Describe the technological advancements that
happened in the information age.
Series of events that led to the emergence of modern science and the
progress of scientific thinking across critical periods in history
Period of enlightenment
Development in the fields of mathematics, physics, astronomy, biology
and chemistry transformed the views of society about nature
Ideas during this period enabled people to reflect, rethink, and reexamine
their beliefs and their way of life.
Led to the creation of new research field in science & prompted the
establishment of modern science
Focuses on three most important intellectual revolutions in history:
o Copernican
o Darwinian
o Freudian
o Information
o Mesoamerican
o Asian
o Middle East
o African
COPERNICAN REVOLUTION
In the early times, people questioned
what created days and night. Perhaps
some of you would answer God, but
religion is not the case here. So, they
wanted to understand what heavenly
bodies like stars, moons, and planets are.
The invention of the telescope allowed
the people to take a peek at the outer
space, but more importantly, it also
intrigued them to know what was actually
out there.
Many Greek philosophers and
intellectuals wrote about planets in an attempt to explain movements of heavenly bodies
and their effects on the world as they knew it. Many of them agreed that the planets moved
around in circular motion and that these movements created days and nights, among
others. A famous philosopher and astronomer, Claudius Ptolemy, stated that the planets
as well as the sun and the moon moved in a circular motion around the Earth. He believes
that the Earth was a center (geocentrism).
In the 16th century, Nicolaus Copernicus, a Polish
mathematician and astronomer, challenged the
Ptolemaic model. He introduced a new concept
known as heliocentrism, which suggested that the
center of the Solar System was not the Earth but
actually the sun. This idea was rejected at first by the
public since the religious belief had taught them that
the Earth was created before all other things. But
after some time, astronomers realized that the
Copernican Model simplified the orbits for planets. It
also answered issue that could not be explained
using the geocentric model. It was eventually
accepted by the people in a period which was called
the birth of the modern astronomy. This revolution
made a turning point in the study of cosmology and
astronomy.
(Nicolaus Copernicus)
DARWINIAN REVOLUTION
The Darwinian revolution was
considered to be one of the
most controversial intellectual
revolutions of its time. In 1859,
Charles Darwin, an English
naturalist, biologist, and
geologist published his book,
On the Origin of Species. In
this book, Darwin introduced
the Theory of Evolution,
which posited that populations
pass though a process of
natural selection in which only the fittest would survive. However, this theory became very
controversial as people perceived it to be contradictory to the church’s teaching that the
source of life is a powerful creator because some believed and accepted the biblical
version of the Earth’s creation. Because of this conflict, people were divided. Some
believed that the theory explained the origin of life but
the religious and the faithful strongly refuted it.
This has turned the world upside down for it has caused
confusion and later divide the individuals whether they
will believe science or they will believe in God. But
according to Albert Einstein “the more I study science,
the more I believe in God” which only implies that he
admires everything that this universe could offer.
(Charles Darwin)
FREUDIAN REVOLUTION
In the past, the field of psychology was always classified
under philosophy. Psychology was considered more of an
art rather than a science. In the late 19th, Sigmund Freud
was able to change people’s perception of psychology with
his revolutionary theory of Psychoanalysis.
Psychoanalysis is a scientific method of understanding
inner and unconscious conflicts embedded within one’s
personality, springing from free associations, dreams and
fantasies of the individual. Freud explained.
(Sigmund Freud)
that there are many conscious and unconscious factors that can influence behavior and
emotions. He also argued that personality is a product of three conflicting elements: id,
ego and superego.
The id is the primitive and instinctual part of the mind that contains sexual and aggressive
drives and hidden memories, the superego operates as a moral conscience, and the ego
is the realistic part that mediates between the desires of the id and the superego. In short,
the id is your instincts, the superego is your morality and your ego are the reality.
These three revolutionizing theories are just some of the many scientific ideas that
transformed and molded societies and beliefs. The changes they brought to the
perspectives and perceptions of the scientific community and the public are evidence of
science and technology’s link to humanity.
Information Revolution
The Information Revolution started from the Sumerian pictographs, which is the earliest
writing system. Then comes the invention of Gutenberg’s printing press 1455. There
emerged the use of typewriter and telegraph. Today, technologies are used widely which
became easier with the help of internet to communicate and disseminate and store
information.
MESOAMERICAN
History of Mesoamerica Archelogy – Pre-
Hispanic Mesoamerica was an area that
saw the growth of primary civilizations in the
remote past. How scholars came to realize
its significance was a process coincident
with the development of archaeology as a
scientific discipline. Discovery of cultural
horizons pre-dating the Classic Period was
perhaps the most significant development
from today's perspective.
Environment and Early Occupation - In
Mesoamerica, most specialists agree that the irrigation systems described by Wittfogel
postdate the rise of urban states. Study of long-term sequences such as the Valley of
Mexico show cultural climaxes owe much to historical continuities seen in Teotihuacan,
Tula, and Tenochtitlan. Major environmental regions include deserts of Northern Mexico
and semi-arid highlands of Central and Southern Mexico. The Maya area itself is divisible
into three major environmental sub-regions. Altitudinal zonation is another common
feature of most Mesoamerican environments.
Mesoamerican Civilizations
Mayan
Inca
Aztec
Contributions of the Mesoamericans
The Aztecs had established a great military force.
The chinampa of the Aztecs used small rectangular area of fertile land to grow crops
on the shallow lake beds.
The use of rubber is documented in the Maya ball game called tlatchtli.
They used cocoa beans as a currency.
The Maya developed an accurate calendar, also known as the Mayan Calendar.
The Quipos are used by the Incan for book-keeping
The Mita system was invented by the Inca. It is a labor service that takes for in road
and bridge construction, in cultivation of corn and textile production
MIDDLE EAST
Contributions in the Middle East:
The Arab applied the romans principles and
improve the watermill known as noria.
The middle East is known for their machine
designed for the improvement of irrigation,
industrial work and for war. The windmill and
watermill are used for crushing sugarcanes,
grinding grain, and pumping water.
The book of Badic al-Zaman ibn al-Razaz al-
Jazari described candle and water clocks, water
vessels, fountains, automata, and water raising
devices.
The book written by Taqi al-Din ibn Maruf al-
Rashid al-Dimashqi explained steam power and
a blueprint of a six-piston pump.
ASIAN
Major contributions in Asia
Traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture and herbal
medicine were practiced
Four great inventions in china: Compass, gunpowder,
papermaking, printing
Other: alchemy, which is a Taoist chemistry
AFRICAN
Contributions from Africa:
Africa is known for the production of Kola nuts and coffee in Ethiopia (Kola nuts are
mostly found in West Africa and is the basis of cola drink).
Coffee was developed as a consumable drink that spread to Arabia and then
throughout the world
Africa used plants with salicylic acid for pain (aspirin) and for diarrhea (Kaopectate).
They are also highly advanced in medicine such operating autopsies and caesarian.
The technology involved experimentation in drainage, construction of polders,
desalination, and irrigation. Evidence in 1978 suggests that they already mastered
making steels.
References:
Llado (2021) GEC 007 STS MODULE Retrieved from:
[Link]
science-technology-and-society/gec-007-sts-module-2-notes/22234195
Science and Technology Module (2022) [Link]
btech
Photo Credit:
Copernican Revolution
[Link]
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