Convergence and Divergence of East and West STS

Lianna Marie Vielle V. Gregorio

The only thing that doesn’t change is change.

In just a blink of an eye, science and technology continues to develop and unlock
new chapters of advancement in our society. Knowing that science lives in
nature, we also associate it as the quest for knowledge about the surrounding
universe. (D. Vassi, 2017) Its origin is way too far to examine but the starting
point of the modernization of science that also brought technology can be tracked
all the way through the history books. According to D. Memmi (2019), the birth of
modern science sparkled in Western countries. It may be full of debates and
controversies like how and why, but the fact that most of the well-known
scientists and inventors came from Western culture. However, the remarkable
milestone that the Eastern culture proves to the emerging contemporary science
is how fast they were able to develop and create brands and names in science
and technology. Hence, it adds up to the spice of the debates and whereabouts
when finding the similarities and differences of each culture with regards to
science and technology.

Western and eastern cultures are the two heavyweight collisions that most
people talk about, especially in science and technology. The Western science
has their own path of being systematic, they categorized the knowledge and try
to determine the laws governing each domain, wherein the domains were
explored and discovered. Basically, Western culture’s approach to science is
more about identifying it with the systematic method by means of categorizing the
new discoveries gained and associating with the existing laws which helps to
prove the new discoveries. For example, the numerous theories that are brought
by famous scientists like Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton. Even if they are dead
a long time ago, their theories, laws and principles are still alive until now and
forever will remain useful to explain scientific aspects of living. (D. Vassi, 2017)
Western science is also known as the well-developed one since they are
considered to initiate the advancement. Some people nowadays also look up on
them as the ones who have the better technology offers in terms of the gadgets
they offer for the consumers.

On the other hand, Eastern science took the path of having holistic view of the
universe as they integrate the knowledge gained into general perspective. It is a
different path based on what Western culture took as an approach to science, as
it is more on associating it in a holistic perspective. Eastern science is more on
determining the gained knowledge in a holistic view, meaning, it is a domino
effect of way in discovering the query about the universe. Everything is
interconnected and one discovery has to do with another one, thus it makes a
continuous unearthing about the wonders of universe. (D. Vassi, 2017) Eastern
science and technology is also considered to be the developing ones, but now
they are globally competitive as China was able to produce brands and names in
the field of technology. Also, they started to rang a bell in the field of science as
they partake into researches like the vaccine for Covid-19.

The Eastern and Western approach to science and technology is indeed different
yet they are similar also in some aspects, one of which is their goal in
modernizing the way of living and continuously nurturing complementary science.
The process on how to acquire knowledge and identify queries is different, but
the product is the same, new answers and new findings that can be beneficial not
only to one culture but also globally. Nowadays, the release of gadgets like smart
phones and laptops are fast enough that like every month, there is a new release
of different companies. For example, the Apple Company, which annually
releases new series of iPhone that starts the competition with the other brands,
causing them to release also different series or variations of their smartphones
like Samsung. However, in distinguishing Eastern and Western technology, there
is also a trend that is happening. In Western part, there are some brands that are
known like Samsung, Sony, and Apple etc. Here in Southeast Asia, we also hear
these brands but we consider them as “prime” or too expensive brands for us,
hence Xiaomi and Realme brands from our neighbors here in Eastern part are
mostly used and picked. They vary with specifications offered, price values and
features but all of them are under the category of technology and their goal is to
make life easier for the users and consumers. This is also how Eastern and
Western sciences and technology are similar to one other, they have a goal to
make everything easier with the advancement they brought in the field of science
and technology.

It may sound a joke or a way of discrimination about the “Made in China”

products but now it is clear that Eastern culture is starting to dominate also in the
field of science and technology. Moreover, the advancement and continuous
expedition that the Western culture embarked in science non-fiction books and
today’s articles are indeed one of a kind. However, both of them contribute to
build a better and advanced tomorrow for the next generation. It seems that not
only preparing for the future but predicting it is their extreme capabilities with their
goals. Hence, we must also be mindful that no matter how advance we are, we
must also consider no only our own sake but also the health of our environment.
References:

Memmi, Daniel. (2019). The relevance for science of Western and Eastern
cultures. AI & SOCIETY. 34. 10.1007/s00146-017-0774-8.

https://www.arcgis.com/apps/Cascade/index.html?
appid=efda627156b84814ac19216dbe3ef3df

https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-differences-between-Eastern-Science-and-
Western-Science-throughout-time