LESSON 1

SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
DEFINITION AND ROLE
LESSON OUTCOMES
AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, YOU
SHOULD BE ABLE TO:

define science, technology, and society

compare science and technology; and

identify and enumerate the different

roles of science and technology

WHAT IS SCIENCE?

1. A way to understand nature

2. Discovering new things

3. Learning new facts

4. Solving problems
 Science is the intellectual and
practical activity encompassing
the systematic study of the
structure and behavior of the
physical and natural world
through observation and
experiment
- Oxford dictionary

https://www.google.com.ph/searchq=science+definition&source=lnms&tbm=isch
X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwjPmKTR_tfTAhUIx7wKHYmdBcgQ_AUIBigB&biw=1366
645&dpr=1#tbm=isch&q=science+definition+cartoon&imgrc=CyB2anvUE1EUzM
WHAT IS TECHNOLOGY?
1. Creating or inventing things
WHAT IS TECHNOLOGY?

2. ›Things that fulfill our needs and

desires or perform certain functions
WHAT IS TECHNOLOGY?
3. Application of understanding of natural laws to the solution of
practical problems

TECHNOLOGY

SCIENCE
SCIENCE
Science explores new knowledge
methodically through observation
and experimentation.
It is always useful
It stresses on discoveries
It is used to make predictions.
TECHNOLOGY
Technology is the application of
scientific knowledge for various
purposes.
It can either be useful or harmful.
For example, a computer can be
useful whereas a bomb can be
harmful.
It stresses on inventions
It simplifies human life and fulfills
the need of people.
 HOW ARE SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY RELATED?

SCIENCE CONTRIBUTES TO
TECHNOLOGY

TECHNOLOGY CONTRIBUTES TO
SCIENCE
SIX (6) WAYS SCIENCE CONTRIBUTES
TO TECHNOLOGY
1. SCIENCE CAN BE A DIRECT SOURCE OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL IDEAS. FOR
INSTANCE, THE FOLLOWING SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES LED TO NEW
TECHNOLOGIES:
SIX (6) WAYS SCIENCE CONTRIBUTES
TO TECHNOLOGY

Uranium fission

nuclear power
SIX (6) WAYS SCIENCE CONTRIBUTES
TO TECHNOLOGY

xrays

xray machine
 SIX (6) WAYS SCIENCE CONTRIBUTES
TO TECHNOLOGY
2. SCIENCE CAN BE A SOURCE OF ENGINEERING DESIGN TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES.
THEORETICAL PREDICTION, MODELING, AND SIMULATION OF LARGE SYSTEMS ARE
CARRIED OUT AS BASIC SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TO AID IN THE EMPIRICAL TESTING
OF A PARTICULAR TECHNOLOGY. THE RESULTS GATHERED IN THESE TESTS ARE
THEN EMPLOYED TO ENHANCE DESIGN AND/OR IMPROVE THE TECHNIQUES
INVOLVED.
 SIX (6) WAYS SCIENCE CONTRIBUTES
TO TECHNOLOGY
3. INSTRUMENTATION, LABORATORY TECHNIQUES, AND ANALYTICAL METHODS USED
IN BASIC RESEARCH CAN EVENTUALLY FIND THEIR WAY INTO DESIGN AND
INDUSTRIAL PRACTICES. FOR EXAMPLE, SUPERCONDUCTING MAGNETS WERE
ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED FOR CLOUD CHAMBER OBSERVATIONS IN PARTICLE
PHYSICS. THEN, SCIENTISTS REALIZED THAT THE INSTRUMENTATION AND
TECHNIQUES THEY ARE USING CAN BE USED AND COMMERCIALIZED FOR MAGNETIC
RESONANCE IMAGING (MRI) IN MEDICINE.
 SIX (6) WAYS SCIENCE CONTRIBUTES
TO TECHNOLOGY
4. DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN SKILLS CAN EVENTUALLY BECOME USEFUL FOR
ADVANCING TECHNOLOGY. ACCORDINGLY, ACADEMIC RESEARCH IMPARTS
RESEARCH SKILLS TO GRADUATE STUDENTS AND OTHER ADVANCED TRAINEES,
WHICH THEY CAN TAKE WITH THEM TO TACKLE TECHNOLOGICAL PROBLEMS THAT
THEY MAY FACE LATER. FOR INSTANCE, NUCLEAR PHYSICISTS WERE ABLE TO
DEVELOP AND IMPROVE SOLID STATE DEVICES EVEN IF IT WAS NOT THEIR FIELD
OF EXPERTISE.
 SIX (6) WAYS SCIENCE CONTRIBUTES
TO TECHNOLOGY
5. CREATION OF A KNOWLEDGE BASE THAT BECOMES INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT IN
THE ASSESSMENT OF TECHNOLOGY IN TERMS OF ITS WIDER SOCIAL AND
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE MANUFACTURE OF A NEW CHEMICAL
MAY INVOLVE DISPOSAL OF WASTES WHICH REQUIRE KNOWLEDGE OF THE
GROUNDWATER HYDROLOGY OF THE MANUFACTURING SITE.
 SIX (6) WAYS SCIENCE CONTRIBUTES
TO TECHNOLOGY
6. SCIENCE CAN BE A SOURCE OF DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY TO REFINE NEW
TECHNOLOGIES. ACCORDINGLY, THE PLANNING OF THE MOST EFFICIENT STRATEGY
OF TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT IS OFTEN QUITE DEPENDENT ON SCIENCE FROM
MANY FIELDS. THIS ACCUMULATED STOCK OF EXISTING SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE
HELPS TO AVOID WASTEFUL DEVELOPMENT EXPENDITURES.
 TWO (2) WAYS THAT TECHNOLOGY
CONTRIBUTES TO SCIENCE
1. TECHNOLOGY CAN BE A SOURCE OF NEW SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE. PROBLEMS
ARISING IN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ARE FREQUENTLY A RICH SOURCE OF
CHALLENGING BASIC SCIENCE PROBLEMS. FOR INSTANCE, DUE TO TECHNOLOGICAL
ADVANCEMENT IN SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES, A NEW INTERDISCIPLINARY FIELD OF
ACADEMIC RESEARCH CALLED MATERIALS SCIENCE WAS CREATED.
 TWO (2) WAYS THAT TECHNOLOGY
CONTRIBUTES TO SCIENCE
2. TECHNOLOGY CAN BE A SOURCE OF OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE
INSTRUMENTATION AND TECHNIQUES NEEDED TO ADDRESS NOVEL AND MORE
DIFFICULT SCIENTIFIC QUESTIONS MORE EFFICIENTLY. A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE OF
THIS IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPACE TECHNOLOGY, WHICH REVOLUTIONIZED THE
SCIENCES OF COSMOLOGY AND ASTROPHYSICS.
 A group of individuals involved in
continual social interactions
Shares a common language, culture, and
WHAT IS
geographical territory
SOCIETY?
Members of a society live together for
mutual benefit
The patterns of behavior and action of
the members are based on the society’s
identity and culture
 Study of how society influences the
development of science and technology,
and how scientific research and
WHAT IS
technological innovation affect society.
STS?

Deals with how science and technology

shape and are shaped by cultural,
economic, political, and social contexts.
ROLES OF S&T
S&T change the way people
live, communicate, and
transact
S&T have the ability to
improve the lives of poor
people in developing
countries through
breakthroughs in health
services and education; and
S&T are key drivers to
development because scientific
and technological revolutions
strengthen economic advances,
improvements in health,
education, and infrastructure;
S&T are engine of growth and
provide solutions to many
problems such as in health
aspects, availability of healthy
food and safe drinking water,
and infrastructure.
 Bridgstack, M. & Burch, D. (2003). Science,
REFERENCES Technology and Society: An Introduction. UK:
Cambridge University Press.

Brooks, H. (1994). The relationship between science

and technology. Research Policy 23 (5) 477-486.

Chetty, L. (2012). The Role of Science and

Technology in the Developing World in the 21st
Century. Ethical Technology.
Do you have
any questions?
Send it to us! We hope you learned
something new.
Bring any technology you have
at home and explain
the scientific background
behind the technology and
how it aids human activity
ACTIVITY 2