Chapter 1- Science,

Technology Throughout
History
Objectives:
• At the end of the lesson, the students
should be able to:
1. Discuss the interactions between
science and technology and
throughout history; and
2. Discuss how scientific and
technological development.
Introduction to Science, Technology and Society (STS)

• Science, Technology and Society is broad

topic that encompasses the intersections
among these three fields of discipline.
• Science is a systematic and organized
body of knowledge that explains or
predicts nature and the universe.
 Technology
• is collection of methods, techniques, and processes
used in the production of goods or services, or the
accomplishment of objectives, such as scientific
investigation, or any other consumer demands.
Science may drive technological development by
generating or issues, or by illustrating technical
possibilities previously unconsidered.
• In turn, technology may drive scientific
investigation, by creating demand for
technological improvements that can only
be produced through scientific research
and investigation, and by raising questions
about underlying principles that new
technology relies on.
 Science and technology affect society in
general. These are as follows:
• Improved S&T result to industrialization and thus
converting a simple society to a complex one.
• People life and lifestyle change as a result of improved
S&T
• Urbanization results when S&T improve because people
usually migrate to place where their basic needs are met.
• People have stronger desire for material goods when S&T
improve in the place
• More discoveries and inventions that benefit the people
due to improved S&T.
Historical Development of Science
and Technology in the World
• Science and technology had been
around from the beginning of
time. They can be traced from
the origin of human life two
million years ago.
• The earliest known form of human
artifacts about 2.3 million year ago were
roughly shaped stones used for chopping
and scraping. These stones were primarily
in Eastern Africa.
• Some of the earliest scientific record as
evidence of emerging science came from
Mesopotamian cultures around 400 BC are
disease symptoms, Chemical substance and
astronomical observation instruments.
• During the same period the Nile Valley of
Egypt, there were evidence regarding the
treatment of wounds and disease that were
found.
• Even some mathematical calculations
currently used in Geometry and
Trigonometry such as angles, rectangles,
triangles, volume of a portion of a pyramid
have been found around for thousands of
years.
•
• From 300-400 BC, there was a rise in
philosophers who wrote topics on
psychology, biology, and a host of
others.
• There was Euclid considered as the “Father
of Modern Geometry” and Archimedes,
the founder of engineering mechanics who
calculated a value for pi which is being
used today. He also invented the first water
pump.
Archimedes Euclid
• In other words, people during the ancient
time have developed and utilized tools,
machines, and techniques without fully
understanding how or why they worked or
comprehending their physical and chemical
composition.
• The early middle period which began after the
fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD, the
coming of Islam in the 7th century and the rise of
Charlemagne in the 8th century, intellectual
scientific, and technological activities were
mainly concentrated on the Christian faith.
• Medicine and botanical knowledge were used
for the church’s duty to help and tend the sick.
Scientific issues were hardly even discussed in
depth by the church and people.
Charlemagne
• One possible reason was that the
medieval intellectuals simply “had no
time for occupations like science”.
Another reason was that the clerics and
intellectual thinkers did not have access
to the vast amount of scientific
literature written in Greek before and
during the Roman Empire.
• Greek was the language in the middle period
but was lost later. Thereafter, Latin prevailed
in Western Christianity but only few books
translated into Latin contained scientific
subject matter.
• Plato’s work provided suitable clues for
the view of the natural world in the
light of Christianity. It was Aristotle
(384-322 BC). In his book “Physics” who
thinks of the creation of the world as
being based on nature only.
• Other eminent medieval intellectuals
emerged such as Albertus Magnus (1200-
1280) who stated that natural ways are the
result of natural causes; and Roger Bacon
(1214-1294) who taught that science must
be based on empirical methods.
• In the latter part of the middle ages, inventions and
discoveries were made.
• Among these were on the inventions of gunpowder
and firearms that made mathematical knowledge
indispensable; geometry and statistics that enabled
architects to construct Gothic cathedral; new
pumping device, new machines for lifting heavy loads,
new methods of findings and extracting metals;
knowledge of human anatomy; geocentric definition
of the universe; and the introduction of Gregorian
calendar during the of Pope Gregory XII in 1852.
• The Early Modern period began in the 16th to
17th century. Modern science began to develop
in the period. Scientific revolution started in
Europe and spread later to other parts of the
globe.
• From the 18th century through late 20th
century, science and technology emphasized
more on physical and biological sciences.
Scientific knowledge was often presented in
a progressive narrative in which theories
replaced false beliefs.
• Today, there are many scientific and
technological advancements to enhance our
daily activities, whether it be as simple as
iPad, computer game, a video game, and
other digital gadgets for entertainment and
information purposes or as vital as an artificial
heart for human survival. It is science and
technology that revolutionized society into a
cyberspace contemporary society.
Historical Development of
Science and Technology in
the Philippines
• Before the coming of the Spaniards, there
were already indigenous technology that
existed. Evident on the use of technology
was on wet and dry rice technology,
handicrafts, pottery weaving, metal ware,
and boat making. When the Spaniards
arrived and colonized the country, the
colonizers changed the lives of the natives.
• It was believed that the primary reasons for
colonizing the country was to make our country a
source of raw materials such as gold, silver, bronze,
and spices (which command a very high price in
Spain and Portugal) and these were used for
international trade. Christianizing the early Filipinos
was believed not the main reason for coming to
Philippines. Converting the native Filipinos was only
accidental and for opportunity reasons. The best
possible reason Spain could easily extract raw
materials and make production of goods faster was
to set up a colonial government in the Philippines.
• Socio- political systems were erected
and introduced to divide the country’s
land and mineral resources including its
people into an encomienda (Hacienda)
System for easier and faster extraction
of the country’s valuable resources it
could find.
• After more than three hundred years (333 years
to be exact) under Spanish rule, the country
evolved into a colony largely exporting raw
materials and importing those that the country
cannot produce. If there were local
technological innovation at that time, these
were due largely to the importation of foreign
manufactured goods.
• When the American came, the feudal system
established by Spain still maintained but a
“farce” trading system between the Philippines
and the United States was established. The
technological impact of Philippine raw
materials was traded for high technological
input of foreign finished products.
• Due to lesser value of Philippine products
compared to that of foreign finished products,
the trade between the Philippines and the
more advanced countries was basically
unequal. This trade imbalance has caused
lesser-develop countries, like the Philippines,
to incur loans to pay for this trade deficit. Such
foreign loans grew steadily, as trade imbalance
became more unequal.
• In order for the colonial power to maintain
their dominance in the world market, it was
essential that other countries including their
colonies, do not develop its own system of
manufacturing goods and services that shall
compete with the goods produced by the
mother country. For the Philippines, this would
mean that no genuine progress for scientific
and technological advancement would ever be
drawn up.
• Under 46 years of American rule,
Philippines sild down from being the
second country next to Japan in terms of
technological development to being next to
bottom ranking among Southeast Asian
countries in technological development.
• Even after more than 100 years of “independence”
the Philippines have yet to rid itself of the poor
systems created by the colonial rulers and later on by
the succeeding Philippine Governments.
• Until the end of President Aquino’s term, his
administration did not serve well the scientific and
technological needs of the Filipino masses. Up to this
time (2018), we have yet to see how President
Duterte’s administration, through the DOST, if S&T
will improve its ranking and serve best Filipino people
in terms of scientific and technological benefits.
• But let us go back into the past years of
Philippine Government rule. It must be noted
that 75% of the Filipinos were engaged in
agriculture because the Philippines is primarily
agricultural but nothing or less than nothing
has been done to spur rural industrialization
which is very much needed by 85% of the
population who resides in the rural areas.
• To this day, we have yet to see efficient
development of infrastructure, energy
generation, transportation, information and
communication technology (internet speed
and WIFI elsewhere) and basic services
water utilities and electricity in every places,
healthcare services, especially to the senior
citizens and PWDs, and the establishment of
basic services such as steel production
around the country.
• At present, there is little science and
technological advancement that we could
boost out as our own invention and
discoveries comparable with the global
world, especially in the field of
transportation and information.