Introduction to Science Technology and Society and its Influences

What is Science?
Body of organized knowledge about nature
Latin scientia - knowledge
An organized, hierarchical activity that investigates nature and human nature by experiment and
observation.
Its goals are explanation, understanding, prediction, and control

What is Technology?
Latin techne (art, craft, skill) and logos (word)
The scientific study of the practical or industrial arts.
A system based on the application of knowledge, manifested in physical objects and
organizational forms, for the attainment of specific goals.

What is Society?
A group, large or small, of people in a particular place and time who are linked by common goals
and interests.

Goals of Science, Technology and Society (STS) course.

Engaging students in examining a variety of world issues and grounding scientific knowledge in
such realities. Issues include the impact on society of:
a) climate change
b) genetic engineering
c) animal testing
d) deforestation practices
e) nuclear testing
f) environmental legislations.

Science or Technology?
A. a. Fat and lye when heated will make a yellow substance.
b. Soap is a good cleaning substance; it is made from fats, oils, and lye.
B. a. Glass lenses are used to help make telescopes.
b. A glass lens will bend (refract) light.

Influences of Science and Technology

Science and technology have had both a positive and negative impact on society, especially in
the following areas:
A. Community Life
1. Communication
2. Transportation
3. Trade system
a. The 19th century witnessed the Industrial Revolution. The textile manufacturing machine
was invented which resulted to an increase textile material production. An increase
demand for manpower lead to unsafe and unhealthy working condition.
B. Work
1. Technical innovations saved physical energy and lessened people’s workload.
a. Farm tractor
b. Washing machine
c. Refrigirator
2. The “concept of leisure” developed from labor-saving technology.
a. Sporting events
b. Social activities
C. Health
1. The greatest innovation of technology was in Life expectancy.
2. A large part of technology has been dedicated to the advancement of medical science.
a. In 1796, Edward Jenner paved the way for modern immunology by discovering a
vaccine for smallpox.
b. Sir Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, the first antibiotic, in 1928.
c. In 1997, scientists at Scotland, introduced Dolly the sheep, the first mammal ever to
have been cloned.
D. Communication
1. Inventions and innovations in communication that have influence on society:
a. Papyrus and Hieroglyphics of Egypt
b. Roman alphabet of ancient Rome
c. Printing press of modern Europe
d. World Wide Web