GSTS Code 5001

Science, Technology, and Society

Unit 1. INTRODUCTION

Chapter II. Historical Antecedents in the Course of Science and Technology

Learning Outcomes:
1. Explain how science and technology affected the society and environment and
vice versa
2. Identify inventions and discoveries that changed the world over the course of
history

One of the key interests of STS as an academic field is the history of science
and technology. As a strand of STS, the history of ST focuses on how science and
technology have changed across time. Also, it explores the impacts of scientific and
technological innovations on the prevailing social, cultural, political and economic
contexts throughout history. Conversely, it also pays attention to the conditions that
shaped science & technology. Quite often, interests lie in historical antecedents of
scientific and technological innovations.

An ANTECEDENT is defined as a precursor to the unfolding or existence of

something. Thus, historical antecedents in ST are factors that paved the way for the
presence of advance and sophisticated scientific and technological innovations
today. Knowledge of the history of ST is useful in appraising these innovations
today. By understanding how previous generations influenced and were influenced
by developments on ST, today’s generation can come up with informed decisions on
the proper application of ST to daily life.

A. ANCIENT TIMES

In the ancient time, people were concerned with transportation and navigation,
communication and record keeping, mass production, security and protection, as
well as health, aesthetics and architecture.

Transportation was significant during that time because people were trying to
go places and discover new horizon.
- to search for food and find better locations for their settlements
- to trade their surplus goods in exchange for things that they lacked

Communication was essential in their endeavors to discover and occupy new

places.
- They communicate with the natives of the areas they visited so as to
facilitate trade and prevent possible conflict
- Record keeping was important since they needed to remember the places
they had been to and document the trades they made with each other
 - They keep records of their history and culture so they could establish their
identities as they tried to relate with other cultures and civilizations

Weapons and armors were important as well in the discovery of new places or
the establishment of new alliances with other tribes. At that time, there was
always a risk of conflict when people met others with different culture and
orientations. Conflicts were common especially if different groups struggle to
control vital resources. The development of weapons served for security and
protection.

Engineering and architecture were important for better transportation,

establishment of structures for protection from human attacks and natural
disasters. Elaborate architectural designs were signs of technological
advancement of a particular civilization.

The people were not contented on beautifying only their infrastructures

and surroundings. Being able to prolong life with the mass production of food and
advancement of medical technology as well as raise the quality of life by making
complicated and difficult tasks easier, humans later developed the technology to
improve how they look. They discovered that people looked more visually
presentable and appealing by adding some features and decorations in their
body.

With all these in mind, one can conclude that the developments in ST,
aside from affecting the lives of the people, were the results of many prior
antecedents.

MAJOR TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS DURING THE ANCIENT TIMES

SUMERIAN CIVILIZATION
- Located on the southernmost tip of the ancient Mesopotamia
- Known for their high degree of cooperation with one another and their
desire for great things
1. Cuneiform – first writing system
- A system that utilizes word pictures and triangular symbols which are
carved on clay using wedge instruments and then left to dry
- Cuneiform allowed the Sumerians to keep records of things with great
historical value
2. Uruk City – the first true city in the world
- Sumerians were able to build the city using only mud or clay from the river
which they mixed with reeds, producing sun-baked bricks. They used the
bricks to make houses that protected them from the harsh weather and
prevented wild animals and neighboring raiders from entering
3. Irrigations and dikes – considered as one of the world’s most beneficial
engineering works.
 - As population increased, so did the demand for food. The Sumerians were
challenged to mass produce food items.
- The Sumerians created dikes and irrigation canals to bring water to
farmlands and at the same time control the flooding of the rivers
- Through the dikes and canals, the Sumerians were able to enjoy year-long
farming and harvesting which increased their food production.
4. Sailboats- another challenge to the Sumerians was transportation. At that time,
the wheel was not yet invented, the main mode of transportation was through
waterways such as rivers ad seas. Boats were used to carry large quantities of
products and were able to cover large distances. Sailboats were essential in
transportation and trading as well as in fostering culture, Information and
technology
5. Wheel – the Sumerians were able to invent the wheel. The first wheels were not
made for transportation but for farm works and food processing. Farmers were
able to mill grains with less effort in less time
6. The plow- it was invented to dig the earth in a faster pace. As the plow breaks
the ground, the farmer would just dropped the seeds and farm work would
already be done. With this tool, farmers could cultivate larger parcels of land
faster, enabling them to mass produce food without taking so much effort and
time

BABYLONIAN CIVILIZATION
- Emerged near the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
- They were great builders, engineers and architects
1. Invention of the Chariot - The first chariot appeared around 3200 BC.
- chariot was used in most every civilization until motorized transportation
came into existence; used as a luxurious means of transportation for the
royal families and higher class people.
2. Map - the oldest map was discovered in Babylonia around 2300 B.C.
- The ancient cartography that was used in Babylonia was a simple sketch
on clay tablets.
3. Star Calendar
- Babylonian astronomy was able to follow the movements of the stars,
planets, and the moon. Application of advanced math predicted the
movements of several planets.
- By studying the phases of the Moon, they created the first calendar. It has
12 lunar months and was the predecessor for both the Jewish and Greek
calendars.
4. Diagnostic Handbook - the most extensive Babylonian medical text
- The text contains a list of medical symptoms. It introduced the methods
of therapy and etiology in a logical and rational way of diagnosis,
prognosis and therapy.
5. Hanging gardens of Babylon
- believed to be one of the greatest engineering and architectural
achievements of the world. However, no physical evidence has been
found to prove its existence.
 - a structure made up of layers upon layers of gardens that contained
several species of plants, trees and vines.
- Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II was said to have constructed the
luxurious Hanging Gardens in the sixth century B.C. as a gift to his wife,
Amytis, who was homesick for the beautiful vegetation and mountains of
her native Media. The multiple Greek and Roman accounts of the Hanging
Gardens, however, were second-hand written centuries after the wonder’s
alleged destruction. First-hand accounts did not exist, and for centuries,
archaeologists have hunted in vain for the remains of the gardens. A
group of German archaeologists even spent two decades at the turn of the
20th century trying to unearth signs of the ancient wonder without any
luck. The lack of any relics has caused skeptics to question whether the
supposed desert wonder was just a “historical mirage.”

EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION
- The Egyptian civilization developed in North East Africa along the
Mediterranean and Red Sea.
- The engineering feats of the Egyptians were established by the pharaohs
1. Paper or Papyrus – Papyrus is a plant (Cyperus papyrus) which once grew in
abundance, primarily in the wilds of the Egyptian Delta but also elsewhere in
the Nile River Valley.
- most closely associated with writing but the Egyptians found many uses
for the plant other than a writing surface for documents and texts such as
food source, to make rope, for sandals, for boxes and baskets and mats,
as window shades, material for toys such as dolls, as amulets to ward off
throat diseases, and even to make small fishing boats.
(https://www.ancient.eu/Egyptian_Papyrus/)
2. Ink – when the Egyptians invented the papyrus, engraving ceased to be used in
writing.
- they invented ink by combining soot with different chemicals to produce
inks of different colors. The ink withstand the elements of nature since it
was used to record history, culture and codified laws.
3. Hieroglyphics
- Ancient Egyptians developed a system of writing using symbols or
images to express sounds and meanings to represent words
- hieroglyphics shows that Egyptian records were well preserved since they
were carved at the walls of pyramids and other important structures
4. Cosmetics –
- Both male and female Egyptians placed great importance on hygiene and
their appearance. Makeup was worn not only for appearance but also for
medical, religious and cultural reasons. To the ancient Egyptians, the
more color worn by a person, the higher the social ranking. Even the
statues of gods and goddesses wore makeup.
- Egyptians wore KOHL around the eyes to prevent and cure eye disease
They believed that a person with make-up was protected from evil and
that beauty was a sign of holiness
 5. Wig
- Ancient Egyptians are known by many as a historical symbol of ancient
beauty, vanity, and hygiene. The way people looked was a symbol of their
wealth, status, and role in society.
- The desire for a beautiful body influenced fashion, but the climate and
medical issues also formed a unique style. During the ancient Egyptian
times, twigs were worn for health and wellness rather than for aesthetic
purposes.
6. Water clock and sundial
- The Egyptians had their own way of telling time
- The water clock was a pot that filled with water, when it crossed a certain
line that would tell the time.
- The sundial is a circular plate with numbers on it, and placed in the sun
where ever the shadow was cast would suggest the time. The water clock
could be used when the sun was not out, but had to be filled up
continuously.
7. Pyramids
- The ancient Egyptians built pyramids as tombs for the pharaohs and their
queens. The pharaohs were buried in pyramids of many different shapes
and sizes from before the beginning of the Old Kingdom to the end of
the Middle Kingdom

GREEK CIVILIZATION
– Greece is an archipelago in the southeastern part of Europe, known as the
birthplace of Western philosophy, some of the major achievements of the
Greeks include in-depth works on philosophy and mathematics. Aside from
coliseums and the Olympics, the Greeks contributed much to the world especially
in the fields of science and technology

1. The alarm clock of Plato - the first awakening device in human history
- Plato was believed to have utilized an alarm clock to signal the start of his
lecture
a. The upper ceramic vessel supplies the next vessel through
an (appropriately calculated for every case) outflow funnel.
b. When the 2nd vessel becomes full at the programmed
moment (for example after 7 hours) through the internally
located axial pipette, it evacuates fast towards the next closed
vessel and forces the contained air to come out whistling
through a tube at its top.
c. After its function, the 3rd vessel empties slowly (through a small
hole located at its bottom) towards the lower storage vessel in
order to be reused.
http://kotsanas.com/gb/exh.php?exhibit=0204003
 2. Watermill
- It was a water-powered mill for grinding grain which continues identically
in use until today. It was particularly suitable for the hilly and mountainous
regions of Greece and Asia Minor since it was capable of functioning with
small quantities of water that were moved, however, at great speed.
- Because milling was made possible by the use of watermills, the mass
production of rice, cereals, fours and the like became common. It required
less effort and time to operate.

ROMAN CIVILIZATION
- The Roman Empire was perceived to be the strongest political and social
entity in the West. It was considered to be the cradle of politics and
governance during that period. Aside from their contributions in politics, a
lot of discoveries and inventions still relevant today can be attributed to the
Roman Empire.
1. Newspaper
- The first newspapers, known as gazettes, contained announcements of
the Roman Empire to the people. Made before the invention of paper,
these gazettes were engraved in metal or stone tablets and then publicly
displayed. When paper was invented, it became easier for the Romans to
publish matters that needed the attention of the Roman citizens. The
Romans enjoyed easy access to government information the same way
we benefit from present-day newspapers.
2. Bound Books or Codex
- Compilation of papyrus pages bound together and covered by animal skin
- With the invention of paper, it became easier for civilizations to write down
everything that happened in their time. Record keeping was much easier
since paper did not easily break, was lightweight and did not occupy much
space. As a result, civilizations became fond of record-keeping, especially
documenting historical events.
- Literature then changed form from clay tablet to parchments of paper.
- Julius Caesar started the tradition of stacking up papyrus to form pages of
a book.
3. Roman Architecture
- Ancient Roman architecture adopted the external language of
classical Greek architecture, but was different from Greek buildings,
becoming a new architectural style.
- It used new materials, particularly Roman concrete, and newer
technologies such as the arch and the dome to make buildings that were
typically strong and well-engineered. Large numbers remain in some form
across the empire, sometimes complete and still in use to this day such as
large churches like cathedrals and basilicas, aqueducts, coliseums,
amphitheaters and even residential houses.
4. Roman Numerals
- Roman numerals originated, as the name might suggest, in ancient Rome.
There are seven basic symbols: I, V, X, L, C, D and M.
 - The Romans devised their own number system specifically to address the
need for a standard counting method that would meet their increasing
communication and trade concerns.

CHINESE CIVILIZATION
-The Chinese civilization is considered to be the oldest civilization in Asia, if not
the world. Also known as the middle kingdom, China is located on the far east of Asia. It
was famous among the other ancient civilizations because of its silk trade.

1. Silk – the history of Chinese silk can be traced back to almost 6,000 years ago
when Chinese ancestors already used textile tools and natural silk.
- Silk is a kind of textile made of fibers produced by silkworms, which was
first developed in ancient China — one of China’s contributions to the
world. Silk is a specialty of China. The ancient Chinese people invented
and produced silk products on a large scale, which opened the first large-
scale commercial exchange between east and west in the history of the
world, known as the Silk Road. For that reason, China was called “Silk
Country”. https://medium.com/@rachel_82473/chinese-silk-facts-history-
and-production-s%C4%ABch%C3%B3u-4fbdae99ab42

2. Tea Production – the history of tea dates back to ancient China, almost 5,000
years ago. According to legend, in 2732 B.C. Emperor Shen Nung discovered
tea when leaves from a wild tree blew into his pot of boiling water. He was
immediately interested in the pleasant scent of the resulting brew, and drank
some. Legend says the Emperor described a warm feeling as he drank the
intriguing brew, as if the liquid was investigating every part of his body.
http://www.coffeeteawarehouse.com/tea-
history.html#:~:text=The%20history%20of%20tea%20dates,resulting%20brew%
2C%20and%20drank%20some.
- Tea is beverage produced by pouring hot or boiling water over crushed or
shredded dried tea leaves.
- Tea production was developed when an unknown Chinese inventor
created a machine that was able to shred tea leaves into strips. Because
of this invention, the Chinese were able to increase their production of tea
and trade with other nations.
3. Great Wall of China - an ancient series of walls and fortifications, totaling more
than 13,000 miles in length, located in northern China. Perhaps the most
recognizable symbol of China and its long and vivid history.
- It was constructed to keep out foreign invaders and control the boarders of
China. Made with stone, brick, wood and other materials showcased the
extent of Chinese engineering technology back then.
4. Gunpowder
- Few substances in history have had as profound an effect on human
history as gunpowder, yet its discovery in China was an accident. Contrary
to myth, it was not simply used for fireworks but was put to military
uses from its time of discovery. Eventually, this secret weapon leaked out
 to the rest of the medieval world. https://www.thoughtco.com/invention-of-
gunpowder-195160
- Originally, it was developed by Chinese alchemists who aimed to achieve
immortality. They mixed charcoal, sulfur and potassium nitrate but instead
of creating an elixir of life, they accidentally invented a black powder that
could generate large amount of heat and gas in an instant.
- Ironically, instead of prolonging life, gunpowder is widely used to propel
bullets from guns and cannons which cause countless deaths.

B. MEDIEVAL / MIDDLE AGES

- The Middle Ages, or medieval time, is generally believed to have started with
the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 and to have lasted about 1,000 years until
about 1450. The beginning of the Middle Ages is called the Dark Ages because
the great civilizations of Rome and Greece had been conquered.

- Life was very hard in the Middle Ages. Very few people could read or write.
Their lack of knowledge often led to superstitious beliefs. The people thought that
fate ruled their existence; therefore, there was little hope for the improvement of
their condition.

- The Renaissance began in about 1450. Renaissance is a French word that

means “rebirth.” This rebirth began when European scholars became more
aware of and interested in the world around them. The art became more true to
life. People began to learn about new lands, customs and beliefs.
www.mrdowling.com/704renaissance.html

1. Mechanical Clock
- Timekeeping devices have emerged since the ancient world, but it was
not until the Middle Ages that the technology was invented that allowed for
mechanical clocks to accurately keep track of time. The knowledge of not
only what hour it was, but even what minute and second it was, would
change the way people scheduled their days and work patterns, especially
in urban areas.
2. Printing Press
- While printing technology had been developed in 11th century in China, it
was the 15th century German Johannes Gutenberg and his printing
press that started a new era of the mass production of books. Until the rise
of computers in the 20th century, books and the printed word would
remain the dominant form of media for the world’s knowledge.
3. Paper 'money'
- This currency replaced those produced by private enterprises of the time.
All instances of their use were to provide a form of a promissory note
payable on demand to the bearer by the issuer.
- paper money intended to replace the need to carry around quantities of
precious metals which could easily be lost or stolen.
 4. Eyeglasses
- Roger Bacon made the first definitive reference to eyeglasses in the 13th
Century. They appear to have first been developed in Italy by one
Alessandro di Spina of Florence.
- This invention significantly improved the quality of life for the visually
impaired people
5. Microscope
- Equally remarkable was the invention of the light microscope: an
instrument that enables the human eye, by means of a lens or
combinations of lenses, to observe enlarged images of tiny objects.
- guided by the principles used for the invention of eyeglasses in earlier
years, Zacharias Janssen was able to develop the first compound
microscope. With this device, people were able to observe organism
unseen by the naked eyes.
6. Telescope
- the invention of the telescope, an optical instrument that helps in the
observation of remote objects was a great help for navigators back then.

MODERN TIMES
- The booming world population during the 19th century onwards demanded
that more goods be produced at a faster rate. People needed efficient
means of transportation to trade more goods and cover a larger distance.
Machines that required animals to operate must thus be upgraded. Faster
and easier means to communicate and compute should be developed to
establish connections between and among nations. All these needs
resulted in the development of industries. However, due to massive
industrialization, the modern times again faced more complicated
problems. Food processing and medicine posed some of the bigger
challenges since health was of great concern.
- In the past 200 years, the world has been transformed by a succession of
innovative new machines, inventions and gadgets.

1. The Electric Dynamo (1831)

- The invention of the electric dynamo by Michael Faraday opened up the
practical use of electricity – from transport to power tools and home
appliances.

2. Computer (1860s)
– Charles Babbage’s analytic engine is often seen as the forerunner of the
modern computer. It had the ability to be programmed and calculate
mathematical equations. From these early experimental machines, we saw
the development of later electronic versions although the electronic
computer wasn’t really developed until after the 1940s.
3. Pasteurization (1864)
- developed by Louis Pasteur.
- This provided a way to prevent the growth of bacteria in substances such
as wine, beer and milk. It made milk safer to drink.

4. Telephone (1876)
- The telephone was invented in 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell.
Scottish born Bell was a teacher for the deaf at Boston University. In
researching ways to teach the deaf, he experimented with transmitting
sound via electricity. Teaching by day, he spent many hours of his spare
time, developing a form of telephone. He applied for a form of patent on
March 7, 1876. Within five years, private telephone exchanges were in
place in most US cities. It was an invention that caught on very quickly.

5. Camera (1888)
– Louis Daguerre made a breakthrough with a camera which took imprints
to be developed by chemicals. In 1888, George Eastman developed the
first small Kodak box camera which made photography much more
accessible to the public.

6. X-Ray Machines (1914)

- The X-Ray was first discovered by Wilhelm Roentgen in 1895. Marie
Curie developed this discovery and through her work by 1914 and been
able to successfully create an X-ray machine which could be used to take
images of the human skeleton.

7. Internet (1973)
– Early forms of networking computers developed in the late 1960s. In 1973,
Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn developed Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet
Protocol (IP) which was an important landmark in creating a global
network of interconnected computers which could share information.

8. The Personal Computer (1980s)

– In the 1980s, the microchip enabled households to have their own personal
computer. This enabled people to print letters, use for relaxation and
multiple other uses, such as working from home.

9. The Mobile Phone (1980s)

– The mobile phone enabled people to take calls on the move, rather than be
tied to a landline. Mobile phones also enabled text messages to be sent.

10. WiFi (1990s)

– Wifi or wireless fidelity is a technology which allows users to access the
internet without a cable. It is also known as WLAN – wireless local area
network. It involves a router connected to internet by cable and then an
 adapter to pick up a signal from the router. In 1997, Vic Hayes established
many protocols which made WiFi technology popular.

11. The Smartphone (2007)

- The Smartphone combined many technologies in one. The modern
smartphone has enabled calls, texts, internet access, camera and a
variety of apps. Steve Jobs played a key role in developing the first
smartphones.
https://www.biographyonline.net/scientists/modern-inventions.html

PHILIPPINE INVENTIONS
Despite being considered a developing country, the Philippines also
contributes to the global advancement of ST. It is quite remarkable to note the
ingenuity of the Filipinos despite the lack in resources. The Philippines is known to
be one of the vulnerable countries in terms of natural disasters. Many of the
discoveries and inventions made by the Filipinos were therefore built from
indigenous materials or created to adapt to the harsh tropical environment.

1. Plastic-to-Diesel Converter
- Jayme Navarro, a Filipino inventor from Bacolod discovered a surprising
way to convert plastic bags into usable fuel, namely gasoline, diesel, and
kerosene.
- The process, called Pyrolysis, starts by drying the plastics, shredding
them into smaller pieces, and heating them in a thermal chamber. Navarro
and his company, Poly-green Technology, and Resources, Inc., which is
based in the Payatas area where most of the plastic waste comes from,
produce around 1,600 liters of fuel from recycling two metric tons of plastic
daily.
- In 2008, his research was awarded the winner of the Outstanding
Creative Research category by the Department of Science and
Technology (DOST).
2. E-Jeepney
- E-jeepneys are like standard jeepneys, the only difference is that it runs
on electricity instead of diesel fuel.
- These vehicles are the invention of Green Renewable Independent Power
Producers (GRIPP) in partnership with Solar Electric Company.
- These jeeps are already operating in several parts of Metro Manila and in
some provinces, such as those found in Puerto Princesa and Makati.
3. Medical Incubator
- Doctor Fe Del Mundo is credited with studies that led to the invention of
an improved incubator and jaundice-relieving device. She had dedicated
her life to the cause of pediatrics. She is also the first Asian to have
entered the prestigious Harvard University’s School of Medicine.
- This improvised incubator comprised of two native laundry baskets that
were placed one inside of the other. Hot water bottles were arranged
 around and in-between the two baskets to provide warmth. It also included
a makeshift hood over the overlapping baskets so that oxygen will be able
to circulate within.
- This was created in order to address the needs of families in rural areas.
Especially those who have no electricity that is needed to regulate the
body temperature of newborn babies.
4. Yoyo
- We all know “yoyo” as that rounded and stringed toy that kids play
nowadays.
- The original “yo-yo” was used by the natives 400 years ago as a combat
weapon against Spaniards and intruders, the first “yoyo” was large and
had sharp edges and studs.
- The modern toy that we know today was the invention of law
undergraduate Pedro Flores, whose idea was later brought to reality.
https://remit.com.au/5-brilliant-pinoy-inventions-that-you-didnt-know/
5. Salamander Amphibious Tricycle
- This most coveted spot belongs to car designer Victor Atoy Llave, who is
also known for his car customization business "A-Toy Bodykits." He
teamed up with H2O Technologies to develop the "H2O Salamander," or
simply "Salamander."
- During the rainy season, flooding is a common occurrence in many areas
in the country. To remedy the issue, Victor Llave and his team at H 2O
Technology were able to invent the Salamander, an amphibious tricycle
that can cross not only flooded streets but also rivers and lakes.
6. Water Gasoline
- A car engine that runs on water may be something out of a science fiction
novel, but it's really not that far-fetched. In fact, Noli Dazo, discovered a
way to make a vehicle run using nothing but H2O.
- A graduate of Southern Nevada in Computer Science and Engineering,
his "Tubig na Gasoline" or "Dazo Water Fuel Hydrogen" even made him
an "Outstanding Filipino Inventor of the Philippines" in the field of
Innovative Products Invention.
- According to Dazo, his "Water Gasoline" would be beneficial to drivers
who particularly operate jeepneys and tricycles, since hydrogen fuel has
around "three times the power as standard petrol or diesel."
- It is cleaner and more powerful compared to diesel or gasoline.

Filipinos have achieved a lot in sports, pageants, arts, and etc. But let’s not forget how
creative and resourceful Filipinos are. There are plenty of unique and great
inventions that were made by Filipinos we hope that someday they can get enough
support and recognition for their brilliant inventions.