tr ffi&Si.

ffi$-t

SCIENCE,
TECHNOLOGY,
ANDSoCIETY

Daniel Josep@[cNamara, SJ

Vida
RamonMiaBeleno
Valverde
III

G
\,
c&E Publlshing,
2(}18 Inc.
 of Contents

Chapter 1: Historical Antecedents in the Course

ofScienceandTechnology. . . . . . .2
AncientTimes .....3
MedievaL/Middle Ages 26

ModernTimes 29

Philippinelnventions: ... ..... 32

E Publishing, Inc., Chapter 2: Intellectual Revolutions .. 39

Vida Mia S. Valverde,

Copernican Revolution
. 40
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this publication
Darwinian Revolution
may
be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
42
form, or by any means-electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise-without the prior written permission FrzudianRevolution .. ... 43
ofthe publisher.
Chapter 3: Science,Technology, and Nation-building .. 46
Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
Pre-colonial Period 47

'Jl:s.
:Y.T Science, technology,
McNamara, Vid" Mi^ and/Ramon
and society
-S.'V"1rr..do, Daniel B.
J. Colonial Period 47
2018 Beleno III.-Qrezon City: C & E Publishiog, Inc.,
Post-Colonia1 Period 48
02018.
xii,139 p. : ill.; cm. nit Teehnology,
U 2z Science, S ociety,
Includes bibliography and index. andtheHumanCondition .....51
ISBN: 978-971 -98-0935-7.
1. Science-Social aspects. 2. Technology-Social
Chapter 4: Human Flourishing in Science
aspects. I. Valverde, Vida Mia S. II. Belleno, Ramon B., andTechnology 52
III. III.Title.
Technology as a Mode of Revealing 53
Book Design: Lynzel S. Naguit and Paul Andrew L. Pagunsan
Cover Design: Ruth Anne D. Ellorin
Technology as Paeisis: Applicable
to ModernTechnology? 55
 QrestioningasthePietyofThought . - -. - 56 Chapter9:Biodiversity... ...96
Enframing: Way of Revealing The 2010InternationalYear of Dioersity 97
in ModernTechnology 56
Biotechnolory....,.. 98
Human Person Swallowed
byTechnology. . . 57 GeneticallyModified Organisms 99

Art as aWayOut of Enframing 58 GeneticModification. .. .. ..100

Chapter 5: Human Flourishing as Reflected in Progress Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety . . .102
andDevelopment ..- 62
Genetically modfred golden ricefalls sbort
Forget'deaeloping' loor countries, iti time to'de- onlfesaoingpromises . .103
deoelop'ricbcountries .. -63 Chapter 10: The Nano World . .105
Chapter6:TheGoodlife. ...70 WhyNano?... ...106
' Nicom.acbean Ethicsand Modernponcepts . 71 Chapter 11: Gene Therapy ... .109
Chapter 7: When Technology and Humanity Cross ... 76
Wbat we sbould knous about stent cell treatnent
Universal Declaration of Human Rights ... 77 inthePH ....111
Humans vs. Robots 79 Chapter 12: Climate Change. . .115
Why the Future Does Not Need Us ..... 82 Sun . .1L6
Earth's Movement around the

Unit 3: SpecialTopics in Science,Technolory, MilankovitchParameters . . .179

andSociety . .85 GlobalWarming . . .L22
Chapter8:InformationSociety . . . . . 86 Greenhouse Gases . .124
Information. 87
FutureActions . . . .126
TheRoleoflanguage ..... 87 Bibliography ...129
Mathematics as the Language of Nature . 88
Index ...135
TechnologicalWorld .....89 AbouttheAuthors

Beyond
The Printing Press and 90

The World Wide Web 9L

 lntroduction
., , Science may be defined as the system of knowledge of
the natural world gained through the scientific method. It
,q1s originally called "philosophy of the natural world" since it
dtemmed from the ancient Greeks'desire to know about nature.
''Thus, the first scientists were called "philosophers of nature."They
sought to discover the truth behind material things and natural
things. It was the task of the philosophers of nature to observe
the world and beyond, and to discover what makes materials the
$ame and what makes them different. How is a tree not a flower
' and a flower not a rock?
' In their quest for understanding the natural world, the ability
to name and classify the objects found in nature was seen as the
first step towards knowledge. Thus, the scientific search for truth
early on recognized the usefulness of language and the ability
 t gave to describe, classify, and explain the different objects of
study.
Meanwhile, the term technology comes from Greek words
tekhnE meaning "art or craft" rnd -logia, meaning a "subject or
interest." Taken together, the term has come to mean "practLcal.
applicaticlns of what we know about nature" using scientific
principles for the betterment of the human situation.
As stated by CHED Memorandum Order No.20, Science,
Technolog , and Society is an interdisciplinary course that
engages the students to confront the realities brought about by
science and technology in sociery with all its socio-political,
cultural, economic, and philosophical underpinnings at play.
These realities pervade the personal, the public, and the global
aspects oflife and are integral to human development.This course
also seeks to instill reflective knowledge in the students so that
they are able to live the good life and display ethical decision-
making in both social and scientific dilemmas.
 This course discusses how science has influenced human
society and viceversa. It examines the interaction between the
human quest to understand the natural world and how this
urrderstarding has fashioned society and its development' The
relationship between the two aspects of human culture is spelled
out in the very title of this book-science is linked to society
through technology.This connection has had a profound influence
on the development of human culture. UNIT I
This textbook gives students a taste of interdisciplinarity-
the weaving together-of two or more disciplines to come up
with a deeper understanding of the course in particular and the
world in general. Its three units contain discussions on history
General ConcePts in Science'
philosophy, and science. The first unit highlights significant Technology, and SocietY
iechnological developments throughout history that shaped
human civilizations.The second engages the students in reflective
and discursive thinking on the role of science aqd technology in
the pursuit of the good life.The last unit deals with contemporary
issues and scientific realities that we must all deal with as part of
a well-functioning societY.
Itis hoped that by the end of the course, students will
appreciate the contributions of science and technology to the
world in general, and the Philippine society in particular; appraise
the impact of science and technology on their personal decision-
and on living the good life; and make intelligent and
-uki.rgdecisions that will affect society for the good of humanity.
ethical