GEC 107

Lesson 4
INDIGENOUS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE PHILIPPINES
INTRODUCTION
This lesson focuses on indigenous science and technology in the Philippines.
Filipinos, especially during the early times, tried to invent tools that will help them in
everyday life. They also developed alternative ideas in explaining various phenomena
and in explaining the world around them. This system of knowledge is called indigenous
knowledge, which is the foundation of indigenous science.
INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM
Indigenous knowledge is embedded in the daily life experiences of young children as they
grow up.
They live and grow in a society where the members of the community prominently practice
indigenous knowledge. Their parents and other older folks served as their first teachers
and their methods of teaching are very effective in transmitting cultural knowledge in their
minds. The lessons they learned are intimately interwoven with their culture and the
environment. These lessons comprised of good values and life stories of people on their
daily life struggles. Their views about nature and their reflections on their experiences in
daily life are evident in their stories, poems, and songs.
Some examples of indigenous knowledge that are taught and practiced by the
indigenous people are:
 predicting weather conditions and seasons using knowledge in observing animals'
behavior and celestial bodies;
 using herbal medicine;
 Preserving foods;
 classifying plants and animals into families and groups based on cultural
properties;
 preserving and selecting good seeds for planting;
 using indigenous technology in daily lives;
 building local irrigation systems;
 classifying different types of soil for planting based on cultural properties;
 producing wines and juices from tropical fruits, and
 keeping the custom of growing plants and vegetables in the yard
INDIGENOUS SCIENCE
Indigenous science is part of the indigenous knowledge system practiced by
different groups of people and early civilizations. It includes complex arrays of
knowledge, expertise, practices, and representations that guide human societies in their
enumerable interactions with the natural milieu: agriculture, medicine, naming and
explaining natural phenomena, and strategies for coping with changing environments.
Indigenous science is collectively lived in and experienced by the people of a given culture.

• Indigenous science includes everything, from metaphysics to philosophy

and various practical technologies practiced by indigenous peoples both
past and present.
• Science is a part of culture, and how science is done largely depends on
the cultural practices of the people.
• Indigenous beliefs also develop desirable values that are relevant or
consistent to scientific attitudes namely:
(1) Motivating attitudes;
 (2) Cooperating attitudes;
(3) Practical attitudes; and
(4) Reflective attitudes.
• Indigenous science knowledge has developed diverse structures and
contents through the interplay between the society and the environment.
• Indigenous science provides the basics of astronomy, pharmacology, food
technology, or metallurgy, which were derived from traditional knowledge
and practices.
• Indigenous science is composed of traditional knowledge that uses science
process skills and guided by community values and culture.

• Indigenous science is composed of traditional knowledge practiced and

valued by people and communities such as ethno-biology, ethno-medicine,
indigenous farming methods, and folk astronomy.
• Indigenous science uses science process skills such as observing,
comparing, classifying, measuring, problem solving, inferring,
communicating, and predicting.

• Indigenous science is composed of traditional knowledge practiced and

valued by people and communities such as ethno-biology, ethno-medicine,
indigenous farming methods, and folk astronomy.
• Indigenous science uses science process skills such as observing,
comparing, classifying, measuring, problem solving, inferring,
communicating, and predicting.
• Indigenous science is guided by culture and community values such as the
following:
 The land is a source of life. It is a precious gift from the creator.
 The Earth is revered as "Mother Earth." It is the origin of their identity as people.
 All living and nonliving things are interconnected and interdependent with each
other.
 Human beings are stewards or trustee of the land and other natural resources.
They have a responsibility to preserve it.
 Nature is a friend to human beings-it needs respect and proper care.

Indigenous science is important in the development of science and technology in the

Philippines. Like the ancient civilizations, indigenous science gave birth to the
development of science and technology as a field and as a discipline.
Indigenous science helped the people in understanding the natural environment and in
coping with everyday life.
United Nations Educational Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s
Declaration on Science and the Use of Scientific Knowledge (1999) recognized
indigenous science as a historical and valuable contribution to science and technology.
Lesson 5
HUMAN FLOURISHING
INTRODUCTION
Eudaimonia, literally “good spirited.” Is a term coined by renowned Greek
philosopher Aristotle (385-323 BC) to describe the pinnacle of happiness that is attained
by humans.
This has often been translated into “human flourishing” in literature, arguably
likening humans to flowers achieving their full bloob.
As discussed in the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle’s human flourishing arises as a
result of different components such as phronesis, friendship, wealth, and power.
Our concept of human flourishing today proves to be different from what Aristotle
originally perceived then – humans of today are expected to become a “man of the world.
Competition as a means of survival has become outdated; coordination is the new trend.

Science, Technology, Human Flourishing

In the previous chapter, contributions of science and technology have been laid
down thoroughly. Every discovery, innovation, and success contributes to our pool of
human knowledge.

According to Martin Heidegger, technology is a human activity that we excel in as a result

of achieving science.
The end goals of both science and technology and human flourishing are related, in that
the good is inherently related to the truth.

Science as Method and Results

In school, the scientific method is introduced in the earlier part of discussions.
 Observe
 Determine the problem
 Formulate hypothesis
 Conduct experiment
 Gather and analyse results
 Formulate conclusion and provide recommendation

At least in the students’ formative years, the above routine is basic methodology when
introducing them to experimentation and observation-two distinct features that give
science edge over other school of thought.
: The line separating science and the so called pseudoscience becomes more mixes up.
VERIFICATION THEORY
 The earliest criterion that distinguishes philosophy and science.
 The Idea proposes that a discipline is science if it can be confirmed or interpreted.
 The theory gives premium to observation and only takes into account those results
which are measurable and experiments which are repeatable.
Vienna Circle, a group of scholar who believed that only those which can be observed
should be regarded as meaningful.
 The problem with verification theory is that it is too risky,
  Several budding theories that lack empirical results might be shot down
prematurely.
 Einstein’s theory on the existence of gravitational waves would be dismissed due
to lack evidence almost a hundred years ago.
 Quantum mechanics would not have prospered if the scientific society during the
time.
 The theory also completely fails to weed out bogus arguments that explain things
coincidentally.
American philosopher Thomas Kuhn warned us against bridging the gap between
evidence and theory by attempting to interpret the former according to our biases that is
whether or not we subscribe to the theory.
FALSIFICATION THEORY
 Perhaps the current prevalent methodology in science.
 Asserts that as long as an ideology is not proven to be false and can best explain
a phenomenon over alternative theories, we should accept the said ideology.
 Due to its hospitable character, the shift to this theory allowed emergence of
theories rejected by verification theory.
 It does not promote ultimate adoption of one theory but instead encourages
research in order to determine which among the theories can stand the test of
falsification.

- Karl Popper is the known proponent of this view.

- He was notorious for stating that up – and – coming theories of the time, such as
Marx’s Theory of Social History and Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalysis, are not
testable and thus not falsifiable.

SCIENCE AS A SOCIAL ENDEAVOR

Due to inconclusiveness of the methodologies previously cited, a new school of
thought on the proper demarcation criterion of science emerged. Several philosopher s
presented an alternative demarcation that explored the social dimension of science and
effectively, technology.
Sciences cease to belong solely to gown-wearing, bespectacled scientists at
laboratories.
The new view perpetuates a dimension which generally benefits the society.
For instance, far-off places in South America where many of the tribes remain uncounted,
do not regard western science as their science.
SCIENCE AS A RESULT
In this particular argument, however, science is not the only discipline which is able
to produce results –religion, luck, and human randomness are some of its contemporaries
in the field.
SCIENCE AS EDUCATION
In the Philippines, a large distribution of science high schools can be found all over
the country. Although they provide holistic education by assuring that other non- science.
STEM – Trumps the remaining strands in terms of popularity and distribution.
Preconditioned
Lesson 6
TECHNOLOGY AS A WAY OF REVEALING
INTRODUCTION

If we compare the lives of the people before and now it will make us realize
that there have been a lot of changes in the peoples’ way of life due to the
existent of science and technology.
Generation gap – is a term attributed mainly to the changes brought about
by technology.

- Our early ancestors’ primal need to survive paved way for the
invention of several developments.
- Gifted with brains more advanced than other creatures, humans are
able to utilize abundant materials for their own ease and comfort.
Homo erectus have been using fire to cook through chipping one flint over
the other to produce a spark, all the while without realizing the laws of friction
and heat. [Stone Age, Homo sapiens]
“Venus” figure. A rudimentary carving of a voluptuous woman out of ivory or
stone.
Fur clothing and animal skin are primarily used for comfort against harsh
winds.
The Human Condition in the Common Era
 The Holocene Extinction, also called Anthropocene extinction is an
ongoing extinction and is a result of human activities.
 Formation of Communities caused humans to expand more in
territory.
 Trade emerged.
 New objective – gather as much products as possible.
 Bringing forth a specialized group of artisans.
 Technology has been instrumental in all of these because in
searching for the good life.
Notable Comparisons Then and Now
 Average lifespan. Engage less in combat
 Mortality Rate. Due technology, lesser women and children die during
birth.
 Literacy Rate. Access to education provided to more individuals
 Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Used to determine the value of the
country’s good services.
The Essence of Technology
One philosopher by the name of Martin Heidegger argued that its essence,
or purpose, and being are different from each other.
Technology is a means to achieve man’s end. (Good life or human
flourishing)
Technology constitutes human activity. (Each period reveals a particular
character regarding man’s being)
“Humans lose track of things that matter thus, reducing their surrounding to
their economic value”
Back tracking the Human Condition
 Technology’s initial promises proved to be true, regardless of its
consequences.
Lesson 7
THE GOOD LIFE
INTRODUCTION
In Ancient Greece, long before the word “Science” has been coined, the need to
understand the world and reality was bound with the need to understand the self and the
good life.
Plato
The task of understanding the things in the world runs parallel with the job of truly
getting into what will make the soul flourish.
If we want to understand reality and the external world. We must understand our self too.
Aristotle
Gave a definitive distinction between the theoretical and practical sciences.

THEORETICAL

Logic, Biology, PRACTICAL

Physics, and
Ethics and Politics.
metaphysics

GOOD

TRUTH