SCIENCE 113 REVIEWER

LESSON: GENERAL CONCEPTS AND HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS

TOPIC
1. Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society
2. Historical Antecedents of Science and Technology
2.1 Ancient Period
2.2 Middle Ages
2.3 Modern Ages
2.4 Inventions by Filipino Scientists
3. Intellectual Revolution and Society
3.1 Copernican Revolution
3.2 Darwinian Revolution
3.3 Freudian Revolution
4. Science and Technology and Nation Building
4.1 Science and Technology in the Philippines and the Environment

● INTRODUCTION TO SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY

Science comes from Latin word scientia, meaning ‘knowledge’. It refers to a systematic
and methodical activity of building and organizing knowledge about how the universe behaves
through observation, experimentation or both. According to the famous American science
historian, John Heilbron (2003,p.vii), “Modern science is a discovery as well as an invention.”
Technology, for its part, is the application of scientific knowledge, laws, and principles to
produce services, materials, tools, and machines aimed at solving real-world problems. It
comes from the Greek root word techne, meaning ‘art’, skill, or cunning of hand’.
Wolpert (2005) made an interesting comparison between science and technology that is
helpful in the study of their interaction with society. In his landmark paper, The Medawar
Lecturer 1998: IS Science Dangerous? Wolpert explained that reliable scientific knowledge has
no moral or ethical value. It is meant simply to explain how nature and the universe work ant
that the obligation of scientists, besides studying the nature of the universe, is to explain the
possible uses and applications of such scientific knowledge.
Science, Technology, and Society (STS) is a relatively young field that combines
previously independent and older disciplines, such as the history of science, philosophy of
science, and sociology of science.
In general, STS applies methods drawn from history, philosophy, and sociology to study
the nature of science and technology and ultimately judge their value and place in society. As
an interdisciplinary field, the emergence of STS was a result of questions about science and
technology’s dynamic interaction with various aspects of society. STS seeks to bridge the gap
between two traditional exclusive cultures--humanities (interpretive) and natural sciences
(rational) so that humans will be able to better confront the moral, ethical, and existential
dilemmas brought by the continued developments in science and technology.
Ten (10) emerging ethical dilemmas and policy issues in science and technology every year.
Below is the list for 2018:
1. Helix – a digital app store designed to read genomes.
2. Bless U-2 and Pepper – first robot priest and monk.
3. Emotion-Sensing Facial Recognition – a software being developed to assess your
reactions to anything such as shopping and playing games.
4. Ransomware – a way of holding data hostage through hacking and requiring a ransom
to be paid.
5. Textalyzer – a device that analyzes whether a driver was using his or her phone during
an accident.
6. Social Credit System – a system of scoring citizens through their actions by placing
them under constant surveillance.
7. Google clips – a hands-free camera that lets the user capture every moment
effortlessly.
8. Sentencing Software – a mysterious algorithm designed to aid courts in sentencing
decisions.
9. Friend-bot – an app that stores the deceased’s digital footprint so one still “chat” with.
10. Citizen app – an app that notifies users of ongoing crimes or major events in a specific
area.
● HISTORICAL ANTECEDENTS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
An antecedent is defined as a precursor to the unfolding or existence of something. Thus,
historical antecedents in science and technology are factors that paved the way for the
presence of advanced and sophisticated scientific and technological innovations today.
ANCIENT PERIOD
The rise of ancient civilizations paved the way for advances in science and technology.
These advances during the Ancient period allowed civilizations to flourish by finding better ways
of communication, transportation, self-organization, and of living in general.
- Sumerian Wheel
- Potter’s Wheel
MIDDLE AGES
Between the collapse of the Roman Empire in 5th century AD and the colonial expansion
of Western Europe in late 15th century AD, major advances in scientific and technological
development took place. These include steady increase of new inventions, introduction of
innovations in traditional production, and emergence of scientific thinking and method.
- Heavy Plough
- Gunpowder
- Paper Money
- Mechanical Clock
- Spinning Wheel
MODERN AGES
As the world population steadily increased, people of the Modern Ages realized the
utmost importance of increasing the efficiency of transformation, communication, and
production. Industrialization took place with greater risks in human health, food safety, and
environment which had to be addressed as scientific and technological progress unfolded at an
unimaginable speed.
- Compound Microscope
- Telescope
- Jacquard Loom
- Engine-Powered Airplane
- Television
INVENTIONS BY FILIPINO SCIENTISTS
The Philippines boasts of, its own history and tradition of scientific and technological
innovations. Filipinos have long been known for their ingenuity. As with all other inventions,
necessity has always been the mother of Philippine inventions. Most of these inventions
appealed to the unique social and cultural context of the archipelago nation. Throughout
Philippine history, Filipinos are responsible for developing many scientific and technological
innovations focused on navigation, traditional shipbuilding, textiles, food processing,
indigenous arts and techniques, and even cultural inventions. The following are some of the
most important inventions by Filipino scientists.
- Electronic Jeepney (e-jeepney)
- Erythromycin - Abelardo Aguilar
- Medical Incubator – Fe del Mundo
- Banana Ketchup – Maria Orosa

- Mole Remover – Rolando Dela Cruz

● INTELLECTUAL REVOLUTION AND SOCIETY

- refer to the series of events that led to the emergence of modern science and the
progress of scientific thinking across critical periods in history.
Three of the most important intellectual revolutions in history:
- Copernican
- Darwinian
- Freudian Revolutions
COPERNICAN REVOLUTION – Nicolaus Copernicus
- Geocentric Model (Ptolemy)
- Nicolaus Copernicus
- mathematician and astronomer
- heliocentric model of the universe
- Copernicus introduced the 40-page outline entitled Commentariolus. He formalized his
model
● Heliocentric Model
- repositioned the Earth from the center of the Solar System and introduced the idea that
the Earth rotates on its axis
- The model illustrated the Earth, along with other heavenly bodies
- The heliocentric model was met with huge resistance, primarily from the Church,
accusing Copernicus of heresy
At the time, the idea that it was nit Earth/ not man, that was at the center of all creation was
unthinkable.
DARWINIAN REVOLUTION – Charles Darwin
- Charles Darwin
- English naturalist, geologist, biologist
● Natural Selection
- An evolutionary process by which organisms, including humans (inherits, develop, and
adapt traits that favored survived and reproduction)
- Darwin’s theory of evolution was, of course, met with resistance and considered to be
controversial. Critics accused
- The Darwinian Revolution can be likened to the Copernican Revolution in its
demonstration of the power of the laws of nature
FREUDIAN REVOLUTION – Sigmund Freud
- Sigmund Freud
- Austrian neurologist
- Freud developed Psychoanalysis
● Psychoanalysis
- A scientific method of understanding inner and unconscious conflicts embedded within
one’s personality, springing from free associations, dreams, and fantasies of the
individual.
- Immediately shot into controversy for its emphasized the existence of the unconscious
where feeling, thoughts, urges, emotions, and memories are contained outside of one's
conscious mind.
- Psychoanalytic concepts of psychosexual development, libido, and ego.
- Criticized (lack of vitality and of being unscientific as a theory)
- Oedipus and Electra complexes (attachment of a child towards the parent of the
opposite sex)
- Freud's psychoanalusis is widely credited for dominating psychotherapeutic practice in
the early 20th century
- Psychodynamic therapues (Multitude psychological Disorders)
● SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND NATION BUILDING
PRE COLONIAL TIMES