Science, Technology

& Society
 Course Description
The course deals with interaction between science and technology and social, cultural,
political and economic contexts that shape and are shaped by them (CMO No.20 series of
2013).
The interdisciplinary course engages students to confront the realities brought about
science and technology in society. Such realities pervade the personal, the public, and the
global aspects of our living and are integral to human development. Scientific knowledge
and technological development happen in the context of society with all its socio-political,
cultural, economic, and philosophical underpinnings at play. This course seeks to instill
reflective knowledge in the students that they are able to live the good life and display
ethical decision making in the face of scientific and technological and advancement.
This course includes mandatory topics on climate change and environmental
awareness.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course, the students should be able to:
Knowledge:
1. Articulate the impacts of science and technology
on society, specifically Philippine society.
2. Explain how science and technology affect
society and the environment and its role in nation-
building.
3. Analyze the human condition in order to deeply
reflect and express philosophical ramifications that are
meaningful to the students as part of the society.
4. Define and demonstrate the impact of social
media on the students’ life and Philippines society in
Values
1. Imbibe the importance of science and
technology in the preservation of the environment
and the development of the Filipino nation.
2. Critique human flourishing vis-à-vis the
progress of science and technology such that the
student may be able to define fro himself/herself the
meaning of the good life.
3. Foster the value of a healthy lifestyle toward
the holistic and sustainable development of society
and the environment.
Skills
1. Creatively present the importance and
contributions of science and technology to
society.
2. Examine shared concerns that make up
the good life in order to come up with innovative
and creative solutions to contemporary issues
guided by ethical standards.
3. Illustrate how the social media and
information age impact their lives and their
understanding of climate change.
 CHAPTER I

SCIENCE &
TECHNOLOGY:
DEFINITION, PURPOSE
 Definition of Science
• Originated from the latin word ‘scientia’- ‘knowledge’.
• A systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of
testable explanations and predictions about the universe (Wikipedia)
• The systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the natural and physical
world, or knowledge obtained about the world by watching it carefully and
experimenting (Cambridge Dictionary)
• It is a system of knowledge covering general truth or the operation of general
laws especially as obtained and tested through scientific method (Merriam
Webster)
• Refers to a system of acquiring knowledge. It is an organized systematic field of
study (Science made simple)
• A branch of systematized knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts truths
systematically arranged and showing the operation of general laws through
observation and experimentation (Explorable.com)
 Nature of Science
• 1. Subject to change as new evidences are found;
• 2. Derived from the observation of the natural world;
• 3. Creative;
• 4. Based on theoretical findings.
 Purpose of Science
• 1. Explains everything that surrounds the natural world
and its components;
• 2. Builds Knowledge for the purpose of application and
greater understanding
• 3. Seeks ways to solve existing problems confronting
human life;
• 4. Helps in the development of technology;
• Delves on current facts to construct new explanations to
existing realities.
 Technology
• From the Greek word Techne “art or skill”, also refers to;
• logia “totality of the skills, techniques and methods
needed to produce goods and services for the
consumption of living beings”
• It refers to the tools and techniques needed to control and
manipulate the environment and uplift human conditions.
• Also, the result of the new found knowledge being applied
to engineering or the creation of ways to simplify and
hasten human activities.
 Purpose of Technology
1. Improves the environment so that resources may be sustained for
future generations.
2. Simplify human activities for daily survival.
3. Empower community through promotions of civic awareness and
engagement.
4. Provides greater sustainability to communities and societies
through efficiency in resources.
5. Facilitates growth and innovation as it creates higher and
improved standard of living.
 CHAPTER II

HISTORICAL
ANTECEDENTS OF
SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
ANCIENT EGYPTIANS

Development in Science and

Technology, includes tools to
construct houses, temples, tombs,
sculpture of their gods (colossal
statue of famous Pharaoh
Hatshepsut, pyramid of Giza and
etc.
They also learned to use wind
power by sailing ship.
 ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIANS
IN MATHEMATICS:
-used the sexagesimal numeral system, with the mathematical
operations, quadratic and cubic equations, and fractions.
IN ASTRONOMY:
-studied celestial phenomenon.
-calculated the movements of the sun, moon and planets.
-using sundial, led to the division into 12 hours for daylight
and 12 hours for darkness.
IN MEDICINE:
-Code of Hammurabi- Earliest evidence of an
understanding of the concepts of diagnosis, prognosis,
physical examination and prescriptions.

Library of Ashurbanipal- Where the herbal handbook

of Mesopotamians was found, which revealed the
descriptions of herbs and their indications.
 Ancient inventions
Ancient Writing- Cuneiform
(Invented around 3600-3500 BC)
This writing system used
to convey ideas on trade and
communicate using a tool known as
‘Stylus’
 Paper
• Ancient Egyptians began
writing on Papyrus
(material similar to thick
paper) arounf 3000BC
• Papyrus is made from the
pith of the Papyrus Plant
 Shadoof
• Used by ancient Egyptians to irrigate the land.
• Also spelled as ‘Shaduf’
The Wheel and Sail (Ancient Wheel) - used during war, and
later used for carts, chariots to facilitate transportation.
- Grew out of a mechanical device called Potter’sWheel
 Antikythera mechanism
Believed :
• Used to predict astronomical
positions and eclipses for
calendar and astrological
purposes.
• One of the oldest antecedents of
modern clockwork
• Invented by Greek scientists
between 150-100BC
 Aeolipile (Hero’s Engine)
• Precursor of Steam Engine
• Hero of Alexandria is credited for the
demonstration of the use of the aeolipile
during 1st century AD.
• Believed to be one of many temple
wonders
• Vitruvius (Roman Author, Civil Engineer)
described Aeolipile as scientific invention
through which ‘the mighty and wonderful
laws of the heavens and the nature of the
winds’
 GREEKS AND ROMAN
SCIENCE
• Anaximenes (c. 586-c.526 BC) – Asserted that aer (‘mist’,
‘vapour’, ‘air’) a fundamental substance of which all natural
beings are made.
• Hippocrates (c.460BC-c.375BC)- ‘Father of Medicine’ He
developed the tradition of systemic medical science.
• Ptolemy (AD 127-145)- He considered that the earth is the center
of the universe.
• Aristotle (384-322 BC)- Developed the concept of scientific
method. He stated that the sun goes around the earth.
• Socrates (C470-399 BC) – Socratic Method ‘used to
search for truths through science’.
• Plato (424/423-348/347 BC) – Founded the Platonist
School ‘academy’ (First institution of higher learning in
the western world).
 MEDIEVAL PERIOD
• ‘Middle Ages’ after the fall of Roman Empire in 476 A.D
• The collapse of roman empire result to the rise of ‘Dark Ages’.
• Most of Europe converted into Christianity
• Rise of more stable monarchies resulted to technological and
agricultural innovations.
• Ibn Sina (980-1037)-Wrote the canon of medicine. He used
clinical trials as experiments that led to greater contributions
in the practices of medicine.
 Heavy Plough
• Stirred an agricultural
revolution in Northern
Europe by higher and
healthier agricultural
yields and more
efficient agricultural
practices
 Gunpowder
• Chinese alchemists
accidentally invented black
powder or gunpowder.
• Unintended byproduct of
attempts to invent the elixir
of life.
• Chinese called it ‘Huoyao’
means ‘Fire potion’
 Paper Money
• Could be traced back to
the Chinese in 17th
century AD as an
offshoot of the invention
of block printing, similar
to stamping.
 Mechanical Clock
• Paved the way for accurately
keeping track of time.
• Changed the way days were
spent and work patterns were
established.
Spinning Wheel
• A machined used for
transforming fiber into
thread or yarn and
eventually woven into
cloth on a loom
• Theorized that the Indians
invented the spinning
wheel between 6th and 11th
century AD.
 THE RENAISSANCE
• ‘Renaitre’ ‘Rebirth’ (1400-1600s)
• Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-2543)- Established
‘Heliocentric’ (The sun is the center of Solar system)
• Johannes kepler (1571-1630)- ‘Laws of Planetary
Motions’ The foundation of Newton’s theory of universal
gravitation.
• Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)- ‘Father of observational
astronomy’, ‘Father of modern physics’, and ‘father of
scientific method and modern science’.
Modern Ages:
Compound Microscope
-First compound microscope
was invented by a Dutch -
Zacharias Janssen in 1590.
- Capable of magnifying
objects three times when
fully closed and up to ten
times when extended to the
maximum.
 Telescope
• It was invented by Galileo
Galilei
• It can magnify 20x larger
than the dutch perspective
glasses
• Galilei identified craters
and mountains on the moon
 Jacquard Loom
• It was built by French
weaver Joseph Marie
Jacquard
• It simplifies textile
manufacturing
• Before the invention of
Jacquard loom, there was a
‘Drawloom’ which needs
two individuals to operate –
The ‘weaver’ and a
‘drawboy’
 Engine Powered Airplane
• Orvile Wright and Wilbur
Wright designed and
successfully operating
the first engine power
aircraft.
• Wright brothers
demonstrated this in
their original Flying
Machine (US Patent
#821393
 Television
• Scottish engineer John Logie Baird
invented the modern television.
• Baird Televised objects outline in
1924
Recognizable human faces
in 1925
Moving objects in 1926
Projected colored images in
1928.
• BBC ( British Broadcasting
Corporation) used this in 1929.
• Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)- Renaissance man who
invented ‘The Mona Lisa’ and ‘The Last Supper’. He
contained the manuscript collections that talks about
investigations of Flight. ‘Codice sul volo degli uccelli’
means ‘Codex on the flight of Birds’. He invented
Ornithopher.