CHAPTER 2

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Intended Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this chapter, students should be able to:

1. Discuss how science and technology developed from Pre-Historic up to the

Modern Age;
2. Identify the scientific and technological developments in the Philippines; and
3. Discuss how the ideas and theories of Copernicus, Darwin and Freud changed the
way humans see the world.

Pre-Test

How much do you know? Answer the items below to the best of your
ability.

Match the following discoveries and inventions in Column A with their

respective time period in Column B:
Column A Column B
1. Paper making A. Babylonian
2. Mummification of the dead B. Stone Age
3. Ziggurats C. Sumerian
4. Discovery of fire D. Egyptian
5. Hanging Gardens E. Chinese
F. Bronze Age
Match the following discoveries and inventions in Column A with the
scientists in Column B:
Column A Column B
6. Movable printing press G. Galileo Galilei
7. Telescope H. Thomas Alva Edison
8. Light bulb I. Johann Gutenberg
9. Telephone J. Alexander Graham Bell
10. Heliocentric theory K. Benjamin Franklin
L. Nicolas Copernicus
 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Historical evidences in development of science and technology can be traced back

only with written records from about 5000 years ago. However, archaeological
excavations of fossil remains of a “Peking man” were confirmed to be dated about 500
million years ago through modern instruments and techniques. These fossils were
accompanied by stones of various shapes which were used as tools for survival (Borbon,
2000).

Science and technology continued to progress with the intention to improve the
society’s quality of life. Products of science and technology allow people to do more with
a little effort in a shorter period of time (McNamara, 2012). Discovery and invention
governed man’s achievements in science and technology (Borbon, 2000).

In this chapter, we will try to look at the progress of science and technology through
the perspective of history by identifying their significant discoveries and inventions and
how these affect the societies in their respective time periods.

Time Period Significant Discoveries and Inventions

1. Pre-Historic  Fire (man’s first invention)
Times  Tools and weapons made of stones a bronze

(Source: https://historiamolim6000.wordpress.com)
2. Ancient Times
(3500 B.C. –  Cuneiform (world’s first writing system)
A.D. 1200)  Sexagesimal system of measurement which uses the number
60 as base system (e.g. an hour is divided into 60 minutes of 60
seconds)
a. Sumerian  Ziggurats
Civilization  Wheeled vehicle

Cuneiform
(Source: https://www.britannica.com/place/Sumer)
  Hanging Gardens of Babylon (one of Seven Wonders of the
World)
 Ishar Gate

b. Babylonian
Civilization

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

(Source: https://www.ancient.eu/babylon/)

 Hieroglyphics (Egyptian system of writing)

 Egyptian calendar (composed of 365 days)
 Water clock to calculate time (divided the day into 24 hours)
 Pyramids (e.g. Step Pyramid of Sakkara and Great Pyramid of
Khufu or Cheofs)
c. Egyptian  Mummification (a system of embalming their dead to preserve
Civilization the body)

Pyramid
(Source: https://www.britannica.com/place/ancient-Egypt)
 Geocentric theory of the universe (postulated by Claudius
Ptolemy) became the first model of the universe for more than
1,400 years).

d. Greek
Civilization

(Source: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/sanjac-
earthscience/chapter/introduction-to-the-solar-system/)
 Public buildings could accommodate as many as 300, 000
people (e.g. Hippodrome, Colosseum, Circus Maximus, Hagia
Sophia)
 Roman roads stretched for thousands of miles
e. Roman
Civilization

Hippodrome for horse racing and chariot racing

(Source: https://www.crystalinks.com/circusmaximus.html)
 Canon of Medicine book written and published by Ibn Sina or
Avicenna (980-1037 A.D.) was used as the basis for Arab
medicinal research.
 Arabic system of numbers
 Pseudoscience of alchemy in which they mix chemical
f. Arabic/Islamic
elements to transform base metals into gold.
Civilizations
 Glass lens (first to use them for magnification)
 Black powder (eventually used as gunpowder and they were
the first to create the first gun)

The Arabs practice alchemy to turn metals into gold.

(Source: https://www.arabbritishcentre.org.uk/alchemy-in-the-
middle-east-by-christopher-danieli/)
 Silk production
 Chopsticks
 Astronomical records of stars, novae, eclipses, and comets (e.g.
Halley comet was first observed in China in 240 B.C.)
 The Great Wall of China and the Great Palace of the First
Emperor (two architectural monuments of massive proportions)
 Chinese medicine (e.g. practice of acupuncture)
 Earthquake weathercock (instrument to detect earthquake
g. Chinese
occurrence)
Civilization
 Paper production
 Movable-type printing press
 Black powder used in fireworks displays and was later used in
explosive cannonballs.
 The Great Wall of China was built to defend the country from
invaders.
(Source: https://www.china-roads.com/travel/great-wall-of-china/)

 Indian surgeons successfully performed various operations like

repair of broken limbs, complicated bone setting, amputation,
plastic surgery, and Caesarean section.
h. Indus-Hindu  Hindu-Arabic numerals
Civilization  Mathematical concepts (known as the Indian art) such as the
negative and positive quantities; square and cube roots;
quadratic equations; mathematical implications of zero and
infinity; value of pi up to nine decimal places; important steps in
trigonometry, sine functions, spherical geometry, and calculus.

(Source: https://www.basic-mathematics.com/hindu-arabic-
numeration-system.html)
 Mayan hieroglyphics
 Calendar containing 365 days and divided into 18 months of 20
days each
i. Pre-Columbian  Calendar stone (represented the Aztec’s universe)
Mesoamerican  Rubber products
Civilization  Mathematical system with 20 as the base number instead of
10. They used dots and dashes to represent numbers and a
special symbol that signified zero.
 Farming techniques such as slash-and-burn farming, terraces
to prevent erosion, chinampas (artificial islands which serve as
their cropland)
 Chocolates made out of cacao beans
 Tacos and tortilla chips made from corn

They grew their crops in chinampas or artificial islands.

(Source: https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/157414949449830116/)
3. The Middle Ages  Known as the Medieval Times in the Western World between
(400-1300 A.D. Ancient Times and Modern Times
 in the Western  Time devoted by the scholars to the study of theology which
World) somehow left little interest for scientific pursuits.
 However, as the original works were translated and copied by
hand, errors were inadvertently committed and multiplied.

4. Modern Times

a. Renaissance Renaissance Period is known as the period of rebirth or revival in

Period Europe.
(1300-1600  Movable-type printing press invented in the 1440’s by Johann
A.D.) Gutenberg in Germany.
 Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), one of the greatest artists of
his time, left behind the plans that anticipated such inventions
as the helicopter, the submarine, the machine gun, and the
motor car.

Gutenberg’s printing press

(Source: http://davincid.weebly.com/gutenberg-printing-press.html)
The rebirth of science in Europe known as Scientific Revolution began
in 1543 with the publication of two books:
 On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres written by
b. Scientific Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543), challenged the centuries-
Revolution old geocentric universe of Claudius Ptolemy; and
(1600-1700  On the Fabric of the Human Body written by Andreas
A.D.) Vesalius (1514-1640), who presented the first scientifically
accurate description of human anatomy which eventually
replaced those earlier written by Galen (100’s A.D. Greek
physician) and Avicenna (early 1000’s A.D. Arab physician).

Significant inventions during this period include:

 Telescope which was devised by Galileo Galilei (1564-1662)
to study the heavens. It was also invented in Holland by Hans
Lippershey (1570-1619).
 Optics. Isaac Newton discovered that visible light is composed
of different colors when separated by prism which was written in
his book, The Optiks, that was published in 1704. Newton also
 transformed the underlying principles in physical science with
his three laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation.
 Cell. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723) studied the
appearance of protozoa and bacteria while he looked at them
under the optical instrument he made. Robert Hooke (1635-
1703) discovered in 1665 the “cell,” the term he used to describe
what he saw while looking at the very thin layers of cork under
his microscope.
 Barometer. Evangelista Torricelli (1608-1647) invented the
barometer while Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) demonstrated how
air pressure diminished with altitude by using the barometer.

Galileo’s telescope
(Source:
https://history.amazingspace.org/resources/explorations/groundup/les
son/scopes/galileo/index.php)

Until the nineteenth century, all physical labor was accomplished either
directly by human hands or with the aid of tools. Gradually, the power
for production was reinforced by simple machines, coal, petroleum, and
was soon replaced by electricity. The phenomenal transforming
process ushered by the transfer of work from human hands to
machines was aptly called “The Industrial Revolution.”

Significant discoveries and inventions during this period include:

c. Industrializati  Steam engine – James Watt invented the first satisfactory
on in the efficient condensing steam engine in 1765 with his friend,
Modern Joseph Black who discovered latent heat.
World (1703-  Electricity - Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) proved that
1930 A.D.) lightning is electricity. It led him to invent the lightning rod to
prevent houses from getting burned when struck by lightning.
Benjamin Franklin proved that lightning is electricity by flying a wired
kite in a thunderstorm.
(Source: http://www.benjamin-franklin-history.org/experiments-with-
electricity/)

 Electric battery - Alessandro Volta (1745-1827) invented

electric battery in 1800. In his honor, a unit of electromotive
force which drives current was called the volt.
 Electromagnetism - Michael Faraday (1791-1867) carried out
several experiments which greatly enlightened our
understanding of electromagnetism.
 Electric motor - Hans Oersted (1777-1851) invented electric
motor, a device for converting electricity to mechanical motion.
 Electric current - Andre Ampere (1775-1836) explained the
observed magnetic effects in terms of electric currents flowing
in small loops.
 Telegraph - Samuel F.B. Morse (1791-1872) produced the first
practical telegraph known as the Morse Code, a system of
signals composed of dots and dashes combined to represent
letters of the alphabet.
 Telephone – invented by Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922)
who carried out the world’s first successful telephone
conversation in 1876.
 Electric bulb – invented by Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931)
which brought electrical illumination into the world in the 1880’s.
Among his other outstanding inventions are the phonograph and
the motion picture equipment.
Thomas Alva Edison was deaf, claiming that his deafness enabled
him to concentrate. He held a world record of 1,093 patents for his
inventions including incandescent electric light which brought electrical
illumination into the world.
(Source: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-
Edison)

 Radio waves - Heinrich Hertz (1857-1894) was the first to

broadcast and receive radio waves. Hertz established the fact
that light and heat are electromagnetic waves.
 Radiotelegraphy – a system of mass communication which
was invented by Guglielmo Marconi (1874-1937). He patented
wireless telegraphy apparatus in 1900.
 Motor car – Nicolas Otto (1832-1891) created an improved
combustion engine and this is still the way cars work today.
 X-rays – Wilhelm Roentgen (1845-1923) recorded the first X-
ray image and realized the medical potential of x-rays.
 Airplane – Wilbur and Orville Wright built and flew the first
really successful airplane.
 Rockets and space flights – Konstantin Tsiokovsky (1857-
1935) was the first person to draw up plans for space stations
and calculated the rocket’s travel and consumption of rocket
fuel. Yuri Gagarin (1934-1968) was the first man to orbit the
earth in 1961.
 Atomic bomb - John Cockcroft (1897-1967) and Earnest
Walton (1903-1995) were able to split the atom. This proved
Albert Einstein’s (1879-1955) theory of relativity. This
unlocked the secrets of the atomic nucleus, which later allowed
scientists to develop the atomic bomb.
 HISTORY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE PHILIPPINES

Time Period Status of Philippine S&T

1. The Pre- Before the coming of the Spaniards, Filipinos already had:
Spanish  Own writing system, Baybayin
Colonial  Own method of counting
Period  System of weights and measurements
 Calendar
 Cultivated their fields
 Built ships or bancas out of logs
 Engaged in extensive fishing and some mining,
particularly gold
 Been weaving cloth from abaca, cotton, and fine
pineapple fibres (pina).
 Treated wounds and diseases using some medical
herbs

Baybayin is the ancient Filipino writing system.

(Source:https://narrastudio.com/blogs/journal/baybayin-the-
ancient-filipino-script-lives-on)

2. The Spanish The Spaniards introduced the following:

Colonial  Roads and stone bridges were built to connect
Period provinces and towns.
 Stone churches, many of which still stand today.
 Use of concrete materials and the manufacture of lime,
cement, and bricks.
 Built hospitals such as the San Lazaro Hospital in
Manila, considered the oldest in the Far East, which
still exists today.
 Printing from movable types and the Roman alphabet
was introduced and books in Spanish, Tagalog, and
some other dialects were printed in small numbers.
 Establishment of academic institutions beyond the
primary grades which influenced the beginning and
progress of science through the introduction of
scientific subjects in formal education.
 Academic institutions such as University of Sto. Tomas,
Manila were established.
(Source:https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/510736413973957507/)
3. American  The first State University, the University of the
Colonial Philippines, was established.
Period  Several members of the U.P. faculty were sent to the
United States and Europe to advance their training and
to obtain higher degrees for a Master’s or Doctorate’s
Degree in the sciences specialized in agriculture,
chemistry, biology, medicine, physics, engineering,
and mathematics.
 Science bureaus were created.
 Scientific periodicals were established with the
increase of scientific activities.
 Scientific societies were organized.
4. Japanese  There was not much scientific activity, apart from
Colonial development of the production of basic necessities
Period such as soap and coconut oil.
 Produced native substitute for quinine which was much
in demand because of the rampant spread of malaria.
5. Period of the  Many agencies in science and technology were
Republic of the established and strengthened, including the Philippine
Philippines Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services
Administration (PAGASA), the National Academy of
Science and Technology (NAST), and the National
Science and Technology Authority (NSTA).
 NSTA was reorganized into the Department of Science
and Technology (DOST). DOST is the central agency
mandated to provide direction, leadership, and
coordination of all scientific and technological activities
in the Philippines.
 Science schools were established to develop gifted
students in science and mathematics, such as the
Philippine Science High School System (PSHSS),
Manila Science High School, Quezon City Regional
Science High School, and the Special Science
 Elementary Schools Project to promote science
education.

(Source: www.dost.gov.ph)

Filipino Discoveries and Inventions

Filipino scientists’ discoveries and inventions were built from indigenous materials
or created to adapt to the harsh tropical environment in the Philippines (McNamara,
2012). Some of Filipino-made inventions include:

Inventions Inventor Description and Photos

1. Salamander Victor Llave and his An amphibious tricycle that can cross not
Amphibious team at H2O only flooded streets but also rivers and
Tricycle Technologies lakes

(Source:
https://startsomegood.com/H2OSalaman
der)
2. Sustainable Aisa Mijeno A lighting system that utilizes saltwater, a
Alternative material abundant in the Philippines.
Lighting Alternative to saltwater may be done by
(SALt) lamp mixing two tablespoons of salt and a glass
of tap water.
 (Source: https://inhabitat.com/filipino-
salt-lamp-runs-8-hours-on-just-1-glass-
of-salty-water/)
3. Medical Dr. Fe del Mundo, a Made from indigenous and cheap
Incubator Filipino pediatrician materials which did not run on electricity.
and the first Asian
woman admitted into
Harvard Medical
School

Medical incubator made of bamboo.

(Source:https://www.esquiremag.ph/long
-reads/features/amazing-inventions-by-
filipinos-a00204-20200529)
4. Mosquito Department of Also known as OL Trap. This trap system
Ovicidal/Larvi Science and is made of natural ingredients that are
cidal Trap Technology – lethal to mosquitos but safe for humans
System Industrial and the environment.
Technology
Development
Institute (DOST-
ITDI)
(Source:https://www.researchgate.net/fig
ure/DOST-Mosquito-Ovicidal-Larvicidal-
OL-Trap-5_fig1_272361932)
This modern type of transportation utilizes
5. Electrical Leonardo Sarao electricity. It is environment-friendly since
Jeepney (e- it does not emit any smoke and noise.
Jeepney)

E-jeepney by Sarao Motors

(Source:https://www.topgear.com.ph/new
s/industry-news/sarao-e-jeepneys-
features-a00188-20180425)
 INTELLECTUAL REVOLUTION

Intellectual revolution is the period where paradigm shifts happen when well-
established and widely accepted scientific beliefs were challenged and opposed. The
following are some of the revolutionizing theories that transformed societies and beliefs:

1. Copernican Revolution

“Finally we shall place the Sun himself at the center of the Universe.” Nicolaus
Copernicus

Famous Greek philosopher and astronomer, Claudius Ptolemy, stated that the
planets, as well as the sun and the moon, moved in a circular motion around the Earth.
He believed that the Earth was at the center – a concept known as geocentrism.
Ptolemy’s geocentric model was widely accepted by the people for more than 1400 years.

In 16th century, the Ptolemaic model was challenged by Nicolaus Copernicus, a

Polish mathematician and astronomer. He introduced a new concept known as
heliocentrism, which suggested that the center of the Solar System was not the Earth
but actually the sun, and that the Earth and all the planets were surrounding or orbiting
the Sun each year (McNamara, 2012). Copernicus’ idea was rejected by the public
because his teachings were against what was widely accepted by religion that the Earth
was created first before all other things. He circulated a summary of his ideas to his few
close friends in a manuscript called Commentariolus or Little Commentary (Serafica,
2018). However, fearing the wrath of the church, he kept his ideas to himself for thirty
years. Only as he was nearing death did he finally decide to publish his little book On
the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres. When it was eventually published, in 1543,
(Copernicus first saw a copy on the day he died) it was immediately placed on the papal
index of forbidden books (Doria, 2018).

It took about 150 years before the three astronomers – Galileo, Kepler, and Tycho
– finally laid to rest the Aristotelian-Ptolemaic universe in a period which was called the
birth of modern astronomy (Doria, 2018). The evidences from their experiments finally
confirmed the heliocentric theory proposed by Copernicus.
 (Source: http://www.sussexvt.k12.de.us/science/TheHistoryoftheWorld1500-
1899/Copernicusandtheheliocentricsolarsystem.htm)

Click on the link to watch a video to know more about Nicolas Copernicus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0p6NKANE08

2. Darwinian Revolution

“It is not the strongest or the most intelligent species that survive, nor the most
intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change.” – Charles Darwin

All the species of animals and plants in existence were thought to have been created
in their final form at the time of the Creation.

This was challenged when Charles Darwin, an English naturalist, biologist, and
geologist, published his book On the Origin of Species (1859) and Descent of Man
(1871). He studied on animals, plants and geology of South America when he joined a
five-year voyage through the HMS Beagle on the Islands of Galapagos. Darwin collected
many significant materials in order to present evidence on how species evolved over time
and presented traits and adaptation that differentiate species. He stated that organisms
have the ability to adapt to their environment and would gradually change into something
that would be more competitive to survive, a process known as evolution. This process
is called the natural selection which is a natural process of survival.

However, this theory became very controversial as people perceived it to be

contradictory to the church’s teachings that the source of life is a powerful creator. The
theory emerged at a time when most of the population believed and accepted the biblical
version of the Earth’s creation. It sparked a massive debate between science and
religion. It was only after some time that people came to understand that Darwin’s theory
of evolution was not in fact against the teachings of the church and both can coexist
(McNamara, 2012).

(Source: https://www.overdrive.com/media/2062131/on-the-origin-of-species)

Click on the link to watch the video for further details about Charles Darwin:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VFxefR23EY

3. Freudian Revolution
“The mind is like an Iceberg. It floats with one-seventh of its bulk above water.”
Sigmund Freud

Psychology was always classified under philosophy and was considered more of
an art rather than a science. Sigmund Freud is a famous figure in the field of psychology.
He introduced the study of psychoanalysis to explain human behavior. Many questioned
psychoanalysis as a science since its concepts were more philosophical and
supernatural. They believed that Freud’s theory had no scientific basis as no empirical
or experimental data could support it.

Despite criticisms, Freud tried to explain how psychoanalysis can be a clinical

method in treating some mental disorders. His method of psychoanalysis was proven to
be effective in understanding some neurological conditions that were not understood by
medicine at that time. His method focused on human sexuality and the evil nature of
man. This posed immense challenges to scholars and ordinary citizens of his time. Soon
enough, people were able to understand the concepts of psychoanalysis, which
eventually resulted in classifying psychology as a science. In the late 19th century,
Sigmund Freud was able to change people’s perception of psychology with his
revolutionary theory of psychoanalysis (McNamara, 2012).
 (Source: https://sites.google.com/site/hookappsychology2a/defense-mechanisms-by-
kallie-balatsias/repression-and-regression)

Click on the link to watch the video about Sigmund Freud:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvISgp0_8Cc

ASSESSMENT

(25 points)

Output

1. Choose a specific time period from Pre-Historic, Ancient, Scientific Revolution,

Industrial Revolution, and Philippine S&T.
2. Search for one great achievement of your chosen time period. You may also
search for other achievements not provided in this module.
3. Draw your chosen achievement in a short (8”x11”) bond paper.
4. On a separate page, discuss how this discovery or invention impacted the society
during the time period when they were made.

ASSIGNMENT

(15 points)

Essay

How did intellectual revolution transform societies? Why did people accept these new
discoveries despite being contradictory to what was widely accepted at that time?
References:

1. Ariola, Mariano M. (2018). Science, Technology, and Society. Unlimited Books

Library Services & Publishing, Inc. Manila, Philippines
2. Borbon, Veronica L., et al (2000). College Science, Technology, and Society. Rex
Book Store, Inc. Manila, Philippines
3. Bueno, David C. (2019). Science, Technology and Society. Books Atbp.
Publishing Corp. Mandaluyong City, Philippines
4. Doria, Benjamin D., et al (2018). Science, Technology and Society. Jimczyville
Publications. Malabon City, Philippines
5. McNamara, Daniel Joseph, et al (2012). Science, Technology, and Society. C &
E Publishing, Inc. Quezon City, Philippines
6. Serafica, Janice Patria J., et al (2018). Science, Technology, and Society. Rex
Printing Company, Inc. Quezon City, Philippines