LESSON 1: GENERAL CONCEPTS AND HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT

The Interrelationships of Science, Technology and Society Evolution of Science and

Technology within the context of Man's Needs:
1. Survival

1. Survival
2. Convenience

1. Survival
2. Convenience
3. Fame, Power, and Money
History of the relationship of science, technology, society, and the environment through
time
Ancient times:

SCIENCE
SOCIETY

TECHNOLOGY

Start of Formal Science and Technology:

SCIENCE
SOCIETY

TECHNOLOGY

Present Time
SCIENCE
SOCIETY

TECHNOLOGY

Issues at present in the interrelationships among science, technology, and society:

 Due to the race and quest for money, fame and power, there is now a distortion in
the relationship among these three. This results to a great pressure and great
influence of science and technology on all levels of society from the individual to the
global level.
 The race for more products and innovations has also taken a great toll on the
environment in terms of depletion of natural resources and degradation of the
environment.
 There are also a lot of emerging ethical dilemmas as well as moral and legal issues
emerging from Artificial intelligence and the information technology.
History of Science and Technology: Philippine History
1. Ancient Times
- There is a limited literature about science and technology in the Philippines
before its first colonization by Spain. Archaeological findings though showed that
they had used stone tools to metal tools. Thus, the early Filipinos mined copper,
iron, gold, and bronze too.
- It was also revealed that they were into weaving, handicrafts, shipbuilding and
farming, and production of their own herbal medicines.
- They had their own alphabet (baybayin-pre-Spanish writing system), weights and
measurement systems as well as their own calendar.
- Thus, with their products, they engaged in trading relations with nearby Asian
neighbours like China and Vietnam, Borneo, Malacca, and Malay Peninsula All
these of their very own, could now be considered their indigenous science and
technology.
Period of Colonization
2. Spanish Period
- Education: introduced formal education, putting up schools some of which are in
existence now, the oldest of course is University of Santo Tomas. It was in the
schools where Filipinos were taught how to read and write, mathematics and of
course religion. It was in the universities where science and technology were
introduced through the medical and engineering courses.
- Engineering and Technology: their contribution in this area in on the building of the
Churches, government establishments, bridges, roads, and forts.
- Agriculture: a more advanced agricultural practices were also introduced.
- Galleon trade: opened the influx of foreign products and "know-hows" to the
country.
3. American Period: the Americans took off from what already was there in the
country.
- Education: public education system. UP was put up this time. Setting up of science
and technology agencies.
- Bureau of Government laboratories in July 1901 for the purpose to study tropical
diseases and laboratory projects which then was replaced by the Bureau of Science
in 1905 becoming the primary research center of the country.
- National Research Council of the Philippines was established.
- Others: Science at this time was focused or directed towards agriculture, food
processing, forestry, medicine, and pharmacy. Technology was not given a lot of
consideration due to the free trade policy with the US.
4. Post-Colonial Period (literature for this period is presented according to the
presidential terms)
- President Marcos:
o Science was given importance as stated in the Amended 1973 constitution
wherein in terms of national development, advancement in science and
technology shall be given priority.
o Aligned to this, is the focus on science education, thus, he directed the DepEd
and NSDB to revitalize science in public high schools by providing science-
teaching equipment for a period of 4 years.
 o Established other campuses of the Philippine Science High School in the
Visayas and Mindanao.
o Promoted scientific research and invention in a presidential decree (No. 49,
series of 1972).
o Establishment of PAGASA and NAST (National Academy of Science and
Technology).
- President Cory Aquino
o Replaced the NSTA (National Science and Technology Authority) to what it is
today as DOST (Department of Science and Technology).
o Highlighted the role of science and technology by making it one of the three
priorities in the implementation of the Philippine development plan (1987-
1992) towards economic recovery.
o Along with the declaration RA 6655 the Free Secondary Public Education Act
was the program of 1998 which was the "Science for the Masses" program.
- President Fidel Ramos
o Established STAND (Science and Technology Agenda for national
Development) to propel the country as vehicle in propelling the country to a
NIC (New Industrialized Country) status by the year 2000.
o Passed RA 8439 "Magna Carta for Science and Technology Personnel" in 1997
to give recognition and incentives to scientists and technologists for their
contributions.
o Science and Technology Scholarship Law of 1004: 3,500 scholarships were
granted to students who were interested in taking up science and technology
related courses.
- President Joseph Estrada
o Two major legislations signed during his term were:
 Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999
 Electronic Commerce Act of 2000 outlaw’s computer hacking and
provides opportunities for new businesses from the internet driven
new economy.
- President Gloria Arroyo
o Strengthened STI (Science, Technology, and Innovation) by strengthening
Schools like the Science High Schools.
o RA 9376 (Biofuel Act) to lessen the dependence on fossil fuels.
o Drought free rice production was encouraged this time.
- President Benigno C. Aquino
o RA 10601: To improve the agriculture and fisheries sector through
mechanization.
o RA 10068: Organic Agricultural Act
o RA 19844 (DICT Act): The Department of communication and Information
Technology will take charge of planning, developing, and promoting the
National ICT development agenda.
Indigenous Science and Technology
- Indigenous: Means original or native to a certain area or region.
 - Highlighted in literature as an indigenous technology is the Banaue rice terraces but
there are other indigenous groups in the Philippines with their own indigenous
technologies.
- There are other Indigenous foreign groups also with their own technologies, like the
Indians in the US, Aboriginal people of Australia, Mari's of New Zealand etc.

LESSON 2: BASIC CONCEPTS OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY

Definitions:
- SCIENCE: A systematized body of knowledge based on facts established through
observation, research, and experimentation.
- TECHNOLOGY: the application of the product of science which is knowledge for
practical purposes to ensure man's survival and to make life more convenient.
- ARTIFACTS: simply means the products of science and technology
- SOCIETY: The people in general, thought of as an organized group. The people in a
country or region, their organizations, and their way of life.

Relationship of Science and Technology as manifested in their present-day artifacts:

- Science provides the theories and principles for technology, while technology
provides the mechanics and instruments for a scientific endeavor. Example: A cake
as a product of science and technology. The science part would explain why the cake
dough would rise and be baked perfectly when following the exact measurements or
ratios and procedures in the cake recipe. The measuring devices like measuring
spoons, weighing scale, thermometer, timer, oven, and other tools used to come up
with your perfect cake are the technological tools.
Directions of Science and technology:
A scientific product (hypothesis, principle, or a theory), a technic, an artifact or a product
can have the following fates:
- It could be discarded/become useless, "passe" or outmoded.
- It could still be in use in the same form or state.
- It could undergo innovation.
Methods of Science:
- Intuitions: sudden thoughts or mental flashes which have no scientific bases but can
serve as starting points for new investigation.
- Sensory observations: Impressions on the senses (so in doing observations, see to it
that the senses involved are in normal conditions)
- Agreement with others: this happens in fora, conventions, meetings etc. where
experts in the same field to come to agreements and conclusions.
- Authorities: are experts in their own fields whom we use as references.
- Scientific method: a logical/step-by- step/systematic way of doing things, answering
a question, or solving a problem. Steps in the Scientific Method:
1. Define the problem (to make it clear/delimited)
2. Gather data (skill to develop getting only the pertinent data-only the data
related to the problem)
3. Formulation of the hypothesis (this is an educated guess which serves as
a temporary solution to the problem/answer to the problem)
4. Test the hypothesis (through experimentation)

Intellectual Revolutions that Defined Society:

These revolutions changed the outlooks, perceptions, or views of society about the world.
1. Copernican Revolution
o Nicolaus Copernicus was a Polish mathematician and astronomer who
proposed the heliocentric model of the universe.
Prevailing concept about the heavenly bodies at that time:
o Ptolemaic Concept called Geocentrism-Proposed by Ptolemy, an ancient
astronomer, geographer, and mathematician.
o The earth was at the centre with the other planets, the sun, moon, and stars
revolving around it.
o Heliocentrism: Copernicus came about with this concept to explain the
position of the earth in the solar system. It states that the sun is at the centre
with the earth, other planets and their moons revolving around it.
o Heliocentrism met a negative, even violent reactions at first but finally was
finally accepted during the time referred to as the “birth of Astronomy”.
2. Darwinian Revolution
o Charles Darwin was an English naturalist, who was also a biologist and a
geologist in his book, “The Origin of Species” introduced his theory of
evolution which ushered another intellectual revolution considered the most
controversial at that time.
o This theory of evolution proposed that organisms change or evolve through
time through the processes of:
 Mutation which is a sudden genetic change which results to formation
of new characteristics that could be inherited.
 Natural Selection which is in sum, survival of the fittest and
elimination of the weak.
3. Freudian Revolution
 o Sigmund Freud was an Austrian neurologist who developed the theory of
Psychoanalysis. Psychology then was classified under Philosophy but with
Psychoanalysis, psychology was brought into the realm of science. So, it is
now the scientific study that explains human behaviour.
o Psychoanalysis proposes that the mind is divided into three areas which are
the subconscious, preconscious and conscious minds which define human
behaviour. According to Freud, a person had motives, desires, and beliefs–all
buried in the unconscious–which they knew nothing about, but which
nonetheless directly controlled and motivated their conscious thought and
behaviour.
o Freud's most obvious impact was to change the way society thought about
and dealt with mental illness. At this time, the belief was that physical
diseases of the brain caused mental illness. Insane people were those with
physical diseases of the brain. Sane people were those without diseased
brains.

Evolution of Societies
The evolution of societies overtimes as shown is interdependent with the evolution of
science and technology.
History of Societies:
1. Hunting and Gathering Societies: Until approximately 12,000 years ago, all
humans practiced hunting-gathering.
o Relied on their surroundings for survival—they hunted wild animals and
foraged for uncultivated plants for food. When resources became scarce, the
group moved to a new area to find sustenance, meaning they were nomadic.
2. Herding or Pastoral Societies: Unlike earlier hunter-gatherers who depended
entirely on existing resources to stay alive, pastoral groups were able to breed
livestock for food, clothing, and transportation, and they created a surplus of
goods.
o Although remained nomadic because they were forced to follow their
animals to fresh feeding grounds.
3. Horticultural Societies: Formed in areas where rainfall and other conditions
allowed them to grow stable crops. They were like hunter- gatherers in that they
largely depended on the environment for survival, but since they didn’t have to
abandon their location to follow resources, they were able to start permanent
settlements. This created more stability and more material goods and became
the basis for the first revolution in human survival.
4. Agricultural Societies: relied on permanent tools for survival. Around 3000
B.C.E., an explosion of new technology known as the Agricultural Revolution
made farming possible—and profitable.
o Farmers learned to rotate the types of crops grown on their fields and to
reuse waste products such as fertilizer, which led to better harvests and
bigger surpluses of food. New tools for digging and harvesting were made of
metal, and this made them more effective and longer lasting. Human
settlements grew into towns and cities, and particularly bountiful regions
became centres of trade and commerce.
5. Feudal Societies: These societies contained a strict hierarchical system of power
based around land ownership and protection. The nobility, known as lords,
placed vassals in charge of pieces of land. In return for the resources that the
land provided, vassals promised to fight for their lords.
6. Industrial Society: A dramatic rise in technological invention, ushering in, an era
known as the Industrial Revolution. What made this period remarkable was the
number of new inventions that influenced people’s daily lives. Within this time,
tasks that had until this point required months of labour became achievable in a
matter of days.
o It was at this time that the demands of science and technology started
takings its toll on the environment.
7. Information Societies: Sometimes known as post-industrial or digital societies,
are a recent development. Unlike industrial societies that are rooted in the
production of material goods, information societies are based on the production
of information and services.
o Since the economy of information societies is driven by knowledge and not
material goods, power lies with those in charge of storing and distributing
information.
o Post-industrial society is the stage of development of society where the
economy is dominated by services, science, and education.