FM-AA-CIA-15 Rev.

0 10-July-2020

Study Guide in GE 6: Science, Technology, and Society Module No. 2

STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE NO. 2

HISTORICAL ANTECEDENTS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

MODULE OVERVIEW

This module will introduce you the major roles of science and technology in the everyday life in a
historical perspective. As you proceed with the learning activities, you should be able to discover how different
social, cultural, economic, and political conditions affected science and technology and how science and
technology affected society as a whole. This module will focus on three historical periods: Ancient, Middle,
and Modern Period.
We will not only be looking at the history of science and technology in a global context. We will also
discuss important Philippine inventions and innovations. This way we could appreciate the different
contributions to the science and technology field of our own countrymen.

MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this Module, you should be able to:

1. discuss the interactions between science, technology, and society throughout history;
2. discuss how scientific and technological developments affect society and the environment; and
3. explain how Philippine scientific and technological inventions shaped and were shaped by various
social context.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1

1. Before continuing on this Module, watch an 18- minute TEDxTalk by Hannu Rajaniemi entitled The
Big History of Modern Science using the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcWsjlGPPFQ.
Afterward, reflect on the following question: “Why is it important to study the history of Science and
Technology?”
2. Prepare your answers sending it directly in the Learning Management System.
3. Write your name, year, course and section and the date at the upper part of your answer sheets.
4. Submit your answer until September 28, 2020.

ANTECEDENT DEFINED

Though it is important to study scientific and technological innovations that had important societal
impacts, there would not be enough time to study them all. What we would focus on are the historical
antecedents, which, according to Quinto, et al (2019), are “factors that paved the way for the presence of
advanced and sophisticated scientific and ethnological innovations today.” This relationship of different
historical antecedents of science and technology across time can be seen in Figure 2.1.

Figure 2.1: Historical antecedents of S&T across Time

To learn more about the importance of the study of these historical antecedents, read page 17 of your
STS textbook. After this, we may proceed to the different historical antecedents across time.

ANCIENT PERIOD

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Study Guide in GE 6: Science, Technology, and Society Module No. 2

In the ancient times, people were concerned with transportation and navigation, communication and
record keeping, mass production, power and energy, security and protection, as well as health, observation,
and measurement, aesthetics, engineering, and architecture. A primary challenge they faced was the
conservation of life. The early people might have been successful in harnessing the rich resources that the
world could provide but their survival posed a great problem. Different illnesses and diseases, both natural
and man-made, hampered the full potential of a human being. Given this predicament, science and
technology played a major role in the discovery of cures, if not the prevention of illness. Moreover, in order to
integrate their needs for better transportation, establishment of structures for protection from human attacks
and natural disasters, and construction of bigger and stronger infrastructure. Furthermore, the people were
not contented on beautifying their infrastructures and surrounding but more on being able to prolong life with
the mass production of food and advancement of medical technology, as well as raising the quality of life.
The rise of ancient civilizations such as Sumerians, Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and
Chinese paved the way for advances in science and technology. Their contributions not only allowed these
ancient civilizations to flourish, but also paved the way for the developments of many other science and
technology innovations.

Some of the important historical antecedents of much more modern science and technology innovations
which were discovered in the ancient times include the ancient wheel, paper, shadoof, Antikythera
mechanism, and aeolipile. To learn more about these technologies, read page 18 – 19 of your STS textbook.
Make sure that when you read about these technological innovations, you are mindful of their impact to
modern times. However, it should be noted that many more scientific and technological innovations were
developed during ancient times.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 2

1. Your class will be divided into six groups to create a poster for an ancient civilization. For each
civilization, draw the contributions of each civilization that helped in the advancement of science and
technology. At the back of the poster, write what these contributions are all about and how it
influenced you as a member of the modern society. The ancient civilizations include the following:
Group 1: Sumerians
Group 2: Babylonians
Group 3: Egyptians
Group 4: Greeks
Group 5: Romans
Group 6: Chinese
2. Prepare your answers sending it directly in the Learning Management System.
3. Write your name, year, course and section and the date at the upper part of your answer sheets.
4. Submit your answer until September 28, 2020.

MEDIEVAL / MIDDLE AGES

The Middle Ages, which occurred between the collapse of the Roman Empire in 5th century AD and the
colonial expansion of Western Europe in late 15th century AD, was an age of which started with wars,
migrations, and population rise and fall. These events led to new technologies needed in the fields of
weaponry, transportation and navigation, mass food and farm production, and health. This is also the period
of the emergence of scientific thinking and scientific method. Because of this, many of our technologies can
actualle be traced back in this time period.

Read pages 20 – 22 of your STS textbook to learn about the technologies which emerged in this time
period. These include the heavy plough, gunpowder, paper money, mechanical clock and spinning wheel.
Just like in the ancient period, be mindful of their impacts to society and that they are not the only
technologies that are developed during this time.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 3

1. After reading pages 20 – 22 of your STS textbook, complete the following table:

Heavy plough Gunpowder Paper money Mechanical Spinning

clock wheel

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Study Guide in GE 6: Science, Technology, and Society Module No. 2

Developer / inventor
Origin
Time of invention
Impact or contribution
to mankind
2. Prepare your answers sending it directly in the Learning Management System.
3. Write your name, year, course and section and the date at the upper part of your answer sheets.
4. Submit your answer until September 28, 2020.

MODERN AGES

According to Quinto, et al (2019), the Modern Ages was marked with a steady increase in population
that emphasizes the “importance of increasing the efficiency of transportation, communication, and
production”. During the Modern ages, more complicated problems were created that needed more solutions
and greater risks for many aspects of human life were needed to be addressed.

Read pages 22 – 25 of your STS textbook to learn more about important historical antecedents of
science and technology that started in the Modern Ages. These include, but are not limited to, compound
microscope, telescope, Jacquard loom, engine-powered airplane, and television.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 4

1. After reading pages 22 – 25 of your STS textbook, choose at least two (2) inventions / technologies
that were developed during Modern Ages that you consider to be antecedents of other inventions /
technologies. Describe their function and how they are being used, who invented that technology, and
the social, political, cultural, or economic contexts in which the invention was made.
2. Prepare your answers sending it directly in the Learning Management System.
3. Write your name, year, course and section and the date at the upper part of your answer sheets.
4. Submit your answer until September 28, 2020.

INVENTIONS BY FILIPINO SCIENTISTS

The Philippines, despite being considered a developing country, have their own contributions to science
and technology and have a culture of developing scientific and technological innovations. Known for original,
clever, and inventive ideas, Filipino scientists and inventors have used the needs and necessities of our
nation in their innovations using resources that are indigenous to the country. Areas where Filipinos focus
include adaptation to natural disasters, navigation, textiles, food, and culture.

To learn more about some Filipino inventors and scientists, read pages 25 – 27 of your STS textbook.
Again, these scientists and inventors are only a small handful of the many Filipino innovators in the country.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 5

1. Accomplish the activity in page 33 – 34 of your STS textbook.

2. Prepare your answers sending it directly in the Learning Management System.
3. Write your name, year, course and section and the date at the upper part of your answer sheets.
4. Submit your answer until September 28, 2020.

SUMMARY

The following learning points summarize what you have learned in this section:

 The development of science and technology is affected by social contexts and social contexts affect
the developments in science and technology. By looking at the conditions present in a certain
historical period, we can discern the needs of humankind and these needs drive the development of
science and technology.

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 FM-AA-CIA-15 Rev. 0 10-July-2020

Study Guide in GE 6: Science, Technology, and Society Module No. 2

 Certain scientific and technological innovations are considered as historical antecedents; that is, they
are precursors of other scientific innovations. They provide solutions to existing problems and are
important foundations for the development of future products and processes.
 The Ancient Period, Middle Ages, and Modern Ages are three historical periods marked with differing
contexts and thus developed different types of technologies.
 Filipino scientists and inventors contributed to the development of science and technology. They
focused on the needs of the nation as the main motivators of their inventions.

REFERENCES

 Anderson, P.((2001). More is Different-One More Time. In Ong and Bhatt, R.N.Eds.More is
Different: Fifty Years of Condensed Matter Physics. (pp.1-8). USA: Princeton University Press.
Retrieved from: https://www.tkm.kit.edu/downloads/TKM1 2011 more is different PWA.pdf
 Shuttleworth, M.(2008, April 15). Scientific Reductionism. Exxplorable.com. Retrieved from
https://explorable.com/scientific-reductionism
 TheScienceFoundation.(2011,November 28).Stephen Colbert Interviews Neil deGrasse Tyson at
Montclair Kimberley Academy-January 29th 2010. Video file. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.co/watch?v=ers2SPaTFTg
 TEDxTalks(2015, June 13). The Big History of Modern Science I Hannu Rajaniemi ITEDxDanubia.[.
Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.co/watch?v=ZcWsjlGPPFQ

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