S.T.S.

(Science, Technology and Society)

Raymund Joshua T. Preña
4TH YEAR BS MINING ENGINEERING

Homework # 1
1.) What is the intellectual revolution all about?
 About the NORTH AMERICAN INTELLECTUAL REVOLUTION
The American Enlightenment was a period of great intellectual and social change that took
place in the thirteen colonies during the 18th century. Rooted in revolutionary ideas from the
European Enlightenment, the American Enlightenment introduced new ways of thinking,
especially regarding government. This movement eventually caused the American Revolution
and, ultimately, helped create the United States of America.
Early modern Europe emerged from the 1500s to about 1750 in response to intellectual and
political changes from the Middle Ages and Renaissance. During the Middle Ages, Europe went
through a time of crisis; plagues wiped out much of its population, government organization
caused strong class divisions, and revolts led to religious and political instability. During this
time, European Christianity enforced the divine right of kings, and its superstitious and fearful
population was apt to follow religious authority.
In the early 15th century new inventions, like the Gutenberg printing press, allowed for
quicker communication and the spread of ideas. Around this time, the Age of Discovery began,
as Europeans began exploring areas of the world by sea. This Age established new trade, wealth,
and knowledge to spread throughout the country. The Age of Discovery helped Europe transition
out of the Middle Ages and into a period known as the Renaissance, which led to the rediscovery
and appreciation of ideas associated with Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. The Renaissance
reawakened all aspects of European life that the people had cast aside during the Middle Ages,
including art, literature, music, science, and politics. With this movement, Europe rediscovered
political systems like the republic and the importance of democracy; these ideas would
eventually make their way to American politics.
 About the ASIAN and MIDDLE EAST INTELLECTUAL REVOLUTION
Revolutions in the Middle East were a product of the growth of nationalism, imperialism,
efforts to westernize and modernize Middle Eastern societies, and the declining power of the
Ottoman Empire in the Arab region. World War I led to the end of the Ottoman Empire , leaving
an enormous political vacuum only temporarily filled by the mandates created by France and
Great Britain . In addition, Jewish nationalism, or Zionism, created further impetus for change in
the region, and the interwar years saw the historical roots of the current Arab-Israeli Conflict.
Modernizing movements in Turkey and Persia (soon to be called Iran), along with Arab
nationalism, created momentum for revolution along with the backlash that was waged by those
opposed to such rapid changes. The continued presence of European powers, the discovery of
rich oil deposits, and the specific national aspirations of the new states in the Middle East
contributed to the instability. The years following World War II saw the creation of the state of
Israel , the rise of Arab Socialism in Egypt and surrounding states, Palestinian nationalism with
its demand for an independent nation, and the Iranian Revolution of 1979, which resulted in the
rise of political Islam. In addition, growing reliance by the West on oil, and the confrontation
between the United States and the Soviet Union known as the Cold War, would make the Middle
East a central site for foreign intervention. All of these developments bred the desire for rapid
change countered by the longing for the stability of traditional cultures. While Asia experienced
many of the same influences that created revolution in the Middle East , the role played by oil,
the Arab-Israeli crisis, and the rise of political Islam have been unique features that continue to
make for a revolutionary Middle East.
The twentieth century was an age of revolution in much of Asia. One factor promoting
radical change in many Asian nations was the pressure of Euro-American imperialism, starting in
the 19th century. As England, then France, Germany, and the United States industrialized in the
nineteenth century, their global reach expanded along with their demand for a variety of raw
materials. A belief in the superiority of Western values combined with economic and
technological innovations in shipbuilding, weaponry, and communications to create a potent mix
that would challenge Asian societies in many ways.
 About the AFRICAN INTELLECTUAL REVOLUTION
The African intellectual revolution is known as the first societal intellectual revolution.
African development has vastly contributed to the early knowledge used by humankind. The
early use of chemistry dates back to the ancient civilization of Egypt.
2.) Who are the key figures in the revolution?
Francis Bacon. Bacon (1561-1626) was one of the great philosophers of the Scientific
Revolution
 Giovanni Alfonso Borelli. Borelli (1608-1679) was the foremost thinker of the era on
human mechanics
 Robert Boyle
 Tycho Brahe
 Otto Brunfels
 Giordano Bruno
 Nicolas Copernicus
 Rene Descartes

3.) How did the revolution advance modern science and scientific thinking at that time?
 The revolution replaced the Greek view of nature that had dominated science for
almost 2,000 years. The Scientific Revolution was characterized by an emphasis on
abstract reasoning, quantitative thought, an understanding of how nature works, the
 view of nature as a machine, and the development of an experimental scientific
method.

4.) What controversies met the revolution?

 From the beginning of the Scientific Revolution around the late sixteenth century to
its final crystallization in the early eighteenth century, hardly an observational result,
an experimental technique, a theory, a mathematical proof, a methodological
principle, or the award of recognition and reputation remained unquestioned for long.
The essays collected in this book examine the rich texture of debates that comprised
the Scientific Revolution from which the modern conception of science emerged.
Were controversies marginal episodes, restricted to certain fields, or were they the
rule in the majority of scientific domains? To what extent did scientific controversies
share a typical pattern, which distinguished them from debates in other fields?
Answers to these historical and philosophical questions are sought through a close
attention to specific controversies within and across the changing scientific
disciplines as well as across the borders of the natural and the human sciences,
philosophy, theology, and technology.