Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society | Lesson 1

CHAPTER I: General Concepts and STS Historical Developments

Lesson 1
Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society

Introduction
This section introduces Science, Technology, and Society (STS) as a field of study. After defining
science and technology, the section traces the historical roots of STS as an academic field. It also
enumerates emerging ethical dilemmas that reinforce the importance of the study of STS in an age of
scientific progress and technological development.

Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

a. distinguish science from technology;
b. explain how science and technology affect society and the environment; and
c. discuss the importance of science and technology.

Pretest
Directions: On the space provided, write TRUE if the statement is correct or FALSE if it is not.
________ 1. Science is a methodical way of acquiring knowledge.
________ 2. Technology is the use of scientific knowledge for practical purposes.
________ 3. History cannot teach people about evaluating present – day science and technology.
________ 4. STS draws from other disciplines, such as history, sociology, philosophy, economics, political science
and international relations, and science policy.
________ 5. STS is an important area of study because science and technology permeate every aspect of everyday
life.

Content

Science comes from the Latin word scientia, meaning “knowledge.” It refers to a systematic and methodical
activity of building and organizing knowledge about how the universe behaves through observation, experimentation
or both. According to the famous American science historian, John Heilbron (2003), “Modern science is the discovery
as well as an invention.” Heilbron considered science as a discovery of regularity in nature, enough for natural
phenomena to be described by principles and laws. He also explained that science required invention to devise
techniques, abstractions, apparatuses and organizations to describe these natural regularities and their law-like
descriptions.
Technology, for its part, is the application of scientific knowledge, laws, and principles to produce services,
materials, tools, and machines aimed at solving real-world problems. It comes from the Greek root word techne,
meaning “art, skill, or cunning of hand.” During a live public Q&A in December 2014, one member of the audience
asked Mark Zuckerberg what his definition of a technological tool is, and the CEO of Facebook responded:

“What defines a technological tool – one historical definition – is something that takes a
human’s sense or ability and augments it and makes it more powerful. So, for example, I
wear contact lenses or glasses; that is a technology that enhances my human ability of vision
and makes it better.”

Wolpert (2005) made an interesting comparison between science and technology that is helpful in the study
of their interaction with society. In his landmark paper, The Medawar Lecture 1998: Is Science Dangerous? Wolpert
explained that reliable scientific knowledge has no moral or ethical value. It is meant simply to explain how nature and
the universe work and that the obligation of scientists, besides studying the nature of universe, is to explain the possible
uses and applications of such scientific knowledge. Along this line, Wolpert made it clear that science is not the same
as technology. Scientists are not responsible for the application of knowledge in technology. He further explained that
the very nature of science is that it is not possible to predict scientific discoveries and how these discoveries may be
applied. While scientists are responsible for the reliable conduct of scientific inquiry and its honest interpretation and

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 Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society | Lesson 1

dissemination, technological applications of science are influenced by other sectors such as politics and governance,
religion, and business. With this distinction, one can surmise the need for the study of the various ways in which science
and technology act and are enacted in society. This is particularly timely and relevant concern because of the
advancements in science and technology today.
Nowadays, advancements in science and technology have become pervasive. They are manifested in the
activities that humans pursue and the tools they use every day. The beauty of this is that an advancement builds upon
itself. As such, humans today live more productive and more exciting lives than their predecessors. With the way things
go, it could be expected that this generation’s children, and the children of their children have the chance to lead even
better lives than this generation already does.
However, the dynamism and immensity of scientific and technological progress also pose challenges and
drawbacks to the way humans live. The introduction of machines tremendously cut the need for human workforce and
gave rise to questions about whether machines will eventually replace humans. The invention of drugs that cured the
previously incurable diseases introduced a new strain of bacteria and viruses that are resistant to the very same drugs
that once fought them – take an antibiotic-resistant strain of gonorrhea as an example. The rise of social media
drastically changed the way humans communicate, interact, and share information; however, this tends to put people’s
privacy at risk. Indeed, science and technology have served predominantly double-edged function.
As problems in science and technology continue to rise and become more observable, the need to pay
attention to their interactions with various aspects of human life, e.g., social, political, and economic, becomes ever
more necessary. How the different aspects of society shape and influence the progression and further development of
science and technology is the area of concern of a relatively new academic discipline called Science, Technology,
and Society.
Science, Technology, and Society (STS) is a relatively young field that combines previously independent and
the older disciplines, such as history of science, philosophy of science, and sociology of science. As an academic field,
STS, according to Harvard University’s Kennedy School (2018), traces its roots from the interwar period and the start
of Cold War. It was during this period when historians and scientists found interest in the interconnections of scientific
knowledge, technological systems, and society. The rise of STS as an academic field resulted from the recognition
that many schools today do not really prepare students to respond critically, reflectively, and proactively to the
challenges posed by science and technology in the contemporary world.
In general, STS applies methods drawn from history, philosophy, and sociology to study the nature of science
and technology and ultimately judge their value and place in society. As an interdisciplinary field, the emergence of
STS was a result of questions about science and technology’s dynamic interaction with various aspects of society and
was thus viewed as a socially embedded enterprise. Thus, as the Kennedy School effectively encapsulates, STS seeks
to bridge the gap between two traditionally exclusive cultures – humanities (interpretive) and natural sciences (rational)
– so that humans will be able to better confront the moral, ethical, and existential dilemmas brought by the continued
developments in science and technology.
The John J. Reilly Center for Science, Technology, and Values of the University of Notre Dame is responsible
for listing ten emerging ethical dilemmas and policy issues in science and technology every year. Below is the list for
2018:
1. Helix – a digital app store designed to read genomes
2. BlessU-2 and Pepper – first robot priest and monk
3. Emotion-Sensing Facial Recognition – a software being developed to assess your reactions to
anything such as shopping and playing games
4. Ransomware – a way of holding data hostage through hacking and requiring a ransom to be paid
5. Textalyzer – a device that analyzes whether a driver was using his or her phone during an accident
6. Social Credit System – a system of scoring citizens through their actions by placing them under constant
surveillance (which China plays to adopt)
7. Google Clips – a hands-free camera that lets the user capture every moment effortlessly
8. Sentencing Software – a mysterious algorithm designed to aid courts in sentencing decisions
9. Friendbot – an app that stores the deceased’s digital footprint so one can still “chat” with them
10. Citizen App – an app that notifies users of ongoing crimes or major events in a specific area

Even though several times in the list sound unfamiliar to many, it can be useful springboard in the study of
science and technology. The list points to the evergrowing challenges, questions, and issues that need to be addressed
and resolved when science and technology and humanity intertwine. However, methods of critiquing these emerging
ethical dilemmas may come from similar methods used in previous critiques of science and technology issues. For
example, one can use methods used in critiquing the rise of clinical trials of gene therapy in the 1990s. Today’s

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 Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society | Lesson 1

approach in critiquing emerging science and technology issues, such as the ones listed above, may be influenced by
how scientists and non-scientists evaluated the positive and negative implications of clinical trials of gene therapy in
the 1990s. For this purpose, one can continue to specifically draw from the tenets of history, philosophy, and sociology
in making informed and critical judgments of the ethical and moral values of these innovations in science and
technology.

Here are What Science and Technology do for us:

1. It helps us save time and money. Various contributions of science and technology have helped us save
time and money. While science has given us the knowledge why baked or steam-cooked food is better than
fried or oily food, technology has gifted us the microwave and steam-cookers that help us bake and steam
cook our food. Various objects like computers, modes of transport, washing machines help us save time and
money.
2. Education. Science and technology have made significant contribution in the education field as well.
Technology has made education itself easier. It has provided us options like smart classes, multimedia
devices, e-libraries, e-books, etc.
3. Internet. Information technology, including internet, is an excellent gift of technology. With the help of internet,
we do not get only immense knowledge on science and other subjects, but we also get to stay connected with
our friends and family.
4. Provides us devices for comfortable sleeping, quick cooking and fast commute. With the help of objects
like AC microwave and vehicles, science and technology have made our sleeping, cooking, and commuting
process easier and faster.
5. It helps us live a better life. While science has made significant contributions in health by providing treatment
for various chronic diseases, technology has benefited us in receiving those treatments through various ways
and devices like X-ray, scan machines, operation devices, pacemaker, and many more. We are also blessed
with numerous exercising equipment, various health apps, online doctor and other things that help us maintain
good health and life.

References
• Quinto, E. J. M., & Nieva, A. D. (2019). Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society. In Science,
Technology, and Society (pp. 1–14). E Publishing, Inc.
• Prieto, N. G., Vega, V. A., Felipe, E. F., & Meneses, J. L. (2019). Science and Technology and Its Role in
Nation Building. In Science, Technology, and Society (pp. 11–16). Lorimar Publishing.

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 Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society | Lesson 1

Learning Task 1
Name: __________________________________________ Student ID Number: __________________
Course/Section: __________________________________

Instructions: On the space below, paste a magazine or newspaper cutout of any photograph that depicts an issue or
problem in science and technology. Then, answer the questions that follow.

1. What is the issue or problem depicted in the photograph?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. How does this particular issue or problem impact the well-being of humans today?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
3. Why is it important for people to study and learn about STS as an academic field, especially in addressing
the issue or problem depicted in the photograph?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

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 Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society | Lesson 1

Learning Task 2. Your View of Science and Technology

Instructions: Work in pairs. On an 8.5 x 11 inches drawing paper, creatively illustrate your view regarding a current
issue on science and technology by using an editorial cartoon. Provide one-paragraph description of your output. Use
different art materials to make it visually appealing and expressive.

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 Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society | Lesson 1

Learning Task 3. Issues in Science and Technology

Instructions: Review the ten emerging ethical dilemmas and policy issues by the John J. Reilly Center for Science,
Technology, and Values of the University of Notre Dame for 2018. Choose one emerging ethical dilemma in science
and technology. Research about the nature of the dilemma and create a PowerPoint presentation (no more than five
slides) to highlight the summary of your research. Use the guide questions below in preparing your output.
1. What is the emerging ethical dilemma about?
2. What factors or events led to this dilemma?
3. What are the societal implications of this dilemma?
4. Why is it important to question the moral and ethical issues surrounding innovations in science and
technology?
5. In the face of this dilemma, why is it important to study STS?

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