MIDTERMS: INTELLECTUAL REVOLUTIONS

AFRICA
• African Civilizations, also Classical African Civilizations or African Empires are terms
that generally refers to the various Pre-Colonial African Kingdoms.
• Africa was a major supplier of gold in world trade during the Medieval Age.
The civilizations of Africa:
• Nubia
• Egypt
• Carthage
• Axum
• Numidia

NUBIANS
• First civilization to appear in Northern Africa.
• The Nubians lived in villages along the Nile river just south of Egypt around 3000 B.C.
• Nubia was a major source of gold in the ancient world. Gold was a major source of
Kushitic wealth and power.
• Nubian farmers used irrigation techniques adapted from Egyptian and Near East
practices to produce cotton crop, and miners dug for iron ore. With these products,
smiths made iron weapons and plows, and weavers used the cotton for cloth.
• Hunters from Nubia traveled to the savannas south of the city and brought back
elephant tusks and ostrich feathers. Mule and camel caravans took these in-demand
products down the Nile and traded them for Egyptian olive oil and wine.
• Boats traded the goods across the Red Sea and brought back frankincense and myrrh.
• The Nubian kingdom was advanced with a written language.

AXUM/ AKSUM
• Was an ancient kingdom in what is now Northern Ethiopia and Eritrea.
• Ruled by Aksumites.
• powerful kingdom in northern Ethiopia during the early Christian era
• The Aksumites produced coins around 270 CE, under the rule of King Endubis.
Aksumite coins were issued in gold, silver, and bronze.
• Aksum was a unique ancient African civilization because king Ezana adopted
Christianity in the early 4th century and made it the state religion. As a result, Aksum
became one of the world's earliest Christian civilizations.
• Aksum's grandeur were the awe-inspiring stelae, some of which still stand. Stelae are
monumental stone pillars, carved and ornamented. They were cut from granite
quarries near the Aksumite capital, placed on logs and rolled to royal tombs, where
wooden towers and ropes raised them up. Some of the stelae tower over 100 feet in
the air.

NUMIDIA
• Numidia was an ancient Berber kingdom of the Numidians, located in what is now
Algeria and a smaller part of Tunisia and Libya in the Berber world, in North Africa,
composed of two great tribal groups:
• the Massylii in Eastern Numidia
• the Masaesyli in the West.
 EGYPT
• One of the longest histories of any country, tracing its heritage back to the 6 th -4th
millennia BCE.
• Egypt was split into two regions. These were the higher ground and narrower river
valleys in the south and the flat flood plains in the north by the sea. Another natural
boundary, the Red Sea, extends roughly parallel to the Nile lies to the East.
• These two seas ensured that the Egyptians were the only people of the ancient world
able to control both western and eastern foreign trade.
• Stone: The majority of buildings were built using sun-dried bricks made from river clay.
These walls lasted long because they were protected from weathering by an external
stone face. There are many kinds of stone in Egypt, and it was the first region in the
ancient Middle East to develop a monumental stone architecture.
• Boats: The Egyptian nation was stretched along a very long river. Boats were used for
transporting goods and allowing communication. These were made from imported
wood, because there were no forests and trees to be found nearby.
 NILE RIVER
• The Nile River was very important to Egyptian civilization. The Nile provided a
communication and trade route across a huge and harsh land. Yearly flooding of the
Nile nourished the dry surrounding farms. People had always built their homes in
towns and cities along the banks of the Nile.
• The earliest inhabitants of this region were Stone-Age hunter-gatherers who found the
area rich in wildlife. Big shifts in climate led to the change from the nomadic way of life
to one of settled farming communities.

CARTHAGE
• Was the center or capital city of the ancient Carthagian Civilization.
• Was founded in the 9th century BC on the coast of Northern Africa, in what is now
Tunisia,
• The city (in modern-day Tunisia, North Africa) was originally known as Kart-
hadasht (new city) to distinguish it from the older Phoenician city of Utica nearby. The
Greeks called the city Karchedon and the Romans turned this name into Carthago.
Originally a small port on the coast, established only as a stop for Phoenician traders
to re-supply or repair their ships, Carthage grew to become the most powerful city in
the Mediterranean before the rise of Rome.
• The history of science and mathematics show similar to other ancient civilizations, the
early civilizations in Africa are knowledge producers, too.
• Astronomy was also famous in the African region. They used three types of calendars:
lunar, solar and stellar, or a combination of the three.
• Astronomy: Several ancient African cultures birthed discoveries in astronomy. Many
of these are foundations on which we still rely, and some were so advanced that their
mode of discovery still cannot be understood. Egyptians charted the movement of the
sun and constellations and the cycles of the moon.
• They divided the year into 12 parts and developed a yearlong calendar system
containing 365 ¼ days. Clocks were made with moving water and sundial-like clocks
were used.
• A structure known as the African Stonehenge in present-day Kenya (constructed
around 300 B.C.) was a remarkably accurate calendar.
• Many of their discoveries were so advanced that some modern scholars credit their
discoveries instead to space aliens or unknown European travelers, even though the
Dogon culture is steeped in ceremonial tradition centered on several space events.
• They knew of Saturn’s rings, Jupiter’s moons, the spiral structure of the Milky Way and
the orbit of the Sirius star system.
• Metallurgy and Tools: Metallurgy was also known in the African region. They invented
metal tools used in their homes, in agriculture, and in building their magnificent
architectures.
• Many advances in metallurgy and tool making were made across the entirety of
ancient Africa. These include steam engines, metal chisels and saws, copper and iron
tools and weapons, nails, glue, carbon steel and bronze weapons and art.
• Mathematics: In mathematics, the Lebombo Bone, may have been a tool for
multiplication, division and simple mathematical calculation or a six-month lunar
calendar, is considered to be the oldest known mathematical artifact.
• The invention of mathematics is placed firmly in African prehistory. The oldest
known possibly mathematical object is the Lebombo bone, which was
discovered in the Lebombo Mountains of Swaziland and dated to approximately
35,000 B.C. Many of the math concepts that are learned in school today were
also developed in Africa. Over 35,000 years ago, Ancient Egyptians scripted
textbooks about math that included division and multiplication of fractions and
geometric formulas to calculate the area and volume of shapes.
• The oldest fossils of modern man are nearly 150,000 years old. Probably on a
rainy day, a human walked in wet sand near what is now known as Border Cave
in the Lebombo Mountains between South Africa and Swaziland. In the 1970's
during the excavations of Border Cave, a small piece of the fibula of a baboon,
the Lebombo bone, was found marked with 29 clearly defined notches, and, at
37,000 years old, it ranks with the oldest mathematical objects known. The bone
is dated approximately 35,000 BC and resembles the calendar sticks still in use
by Bushmen clans in Nimibia.
• The closest town to the Lebombo Mountains is Siteki, renowned for its Inyanga
and Sangoma School, a government school to train healers and diviners. It's a
fascinating mix of botany, spiritualism and natural science, and you can visit the
school if you arrange it in advance through Swazi Tourism in Mbabane.
• Architecture and Engineering: the bafflingly raised obelisks and the more than 80
pyramids.
• The African empire of Egypt developed a vast array of diverse structures and
great architectural monuments along the Nile, among the largest and most
famous of which are the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Great Sphinx of Giza.
Later, in the 12th century there were hundreds of great cities in Zimbabwe and
Mozambique made of massive stone complexes and huge castlelike
compounds. In the 13th century, the empire of Mali boasted impressive cities,
including Timbuktu, with grand palaces, mosques and universities.
• Medicine: Some of these practices were the use of plants with salicylic acid for pain
(as in aspirin), kaolin for diarrhea (as in Kaopectate) and malaria, and extracts that
were confirmed in the 20th century to kill Gram positive bacteria.
• Other plants used had anticancer properties, caused abortion and treated
malaria and these have been shown to be as effective as many modern-day
Western treatments.
 • Africans discovered ouabain, reserpine , capsicum, and physostigmine.
Ouabain is employed in small doses for the treatment of hypotension and some
arrhythmias. Reserpine on the other hand, lowers blood pressure by slowing
down your nervous system. This allows your blood vessels to relax and dilate
(widen), which helps your heart beat more slowly and improves blood flow.
Therefore, reserpine is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure).
Capsicum is used for the treatment of atomic gout, dyspepsia (flatulence),
tympanitis and paralysis. And physostigmine reverse toxic effect on the CNS.
• Medical procedures performed in ancient Africa before they were performed in
Europe include vaccination, autopsy, limb traction and broken bone setting,
bullet removal, brain surgery, skin grafting, filling of dental cavities, installation of
false teeth, what is now known as Caesarean section, anesthesia and tissue
cauterization.
• The use of microbiology in food processing was developed in ancient Africa and
is still used today.

• African cultures preformed surgeries under antiseptic conditions universally

when this concept was only emerging in Europe.

MODERN INVENTIONS & DISCOVERIES

1. The Computed Axial Tomography Scan or CT scan or the CAT scan was invented
by Allan MacLeod Cormackand in 1963. It won him the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physiology or
Medicine (along with Godfrey Hounsfield) for his work on X-ray computed tomography (CT).
The CAT scan uses an X-ray source and electronic detectors which are rotated about
the body. The resulting data is analyzed by a computer to produce a sharp map of the tissues
within the body.
The scan allows doctors to not only detect problems, but also accurately assess where
the problem is. The CAT scan changed the face of medicine around the world.
2. The first human to human heart transplant took place on 3 December 1967 by Dr
Christiaan Barnard. The nine hour surgery took place at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape
Town.
This extraordinary event pushed the boundaries of medical science. Today 2,000 to
2,500 heart transplants take place a year in the U.S. alone.
3. PayPal existed in 1971, co-founder Elon Musk was born in Pretoria.
4. Scheffel Bogie by Dr. Herbert Scheffel. He designed a new type of Bogie in 1970 in
order to increase the development of South Africa's narrow gauge railway system. His new
design went on to help set the world rail speed record of 245 kilometers per hour.
5. Denel Rooivalk - the first military attack helicopter was developed in 1984. A helicopter
that is capable of making a 360 degree loop, a feat previously seen as impossible.
6. Arthur Zang, Cameroonian engineer, has invented the Cardiopad, a touch screen medical
tablet that enables heart examinations such as the electrocardiogram (ECG) to be performed
at remote, rural locations while the results of the test are transferred wirelessly to specialists
who can interpret them. The device spares African patients living in remote areas the trouble
of having to travel to urban centers to seek medical examinations.
7. Rachid Yazami (1953), French Moroccan scientist best known for his research on Lithium
ion batteries
8. Bisi Ezerioha, (1972), a Nigerian engineer, racer and former pharmaceutical executive
who has built some of the world's most powerful Honda and Porsche engines.
9. Thebe Medupe (b. 1973), a South African astrophysicist and founding director of
Astronomy Africa.
10. Oil from Coal - Sasol is the world’s first – and largest – oil-from-coal refinery and it
still provides 40% of the country’s fuel.
The South African government had to come up with another plan to get access to oil.
South Africa had large coal reserves and this led to the formation of the South African Coal Oil
and Gas Corporation (Sasol).
11. Kreepy Krauly – a swimming pool cleaning equipment. It was invented by Ferdinand
Chauvier, a hydraulics engineer from Springs, who identified that people were sick and tired
of putting in so much time and energy to keep their pools clean.
12. Pratley’s Putty is the only South African invention that can brag that it’s been to the
moon.
It is a strong, fast-drying, putty-like adhesive. It was invented in 1948 by George Pratley and
became famous in 1969 when it was used to hold bits of the Apollo XI mission’s Eagle landing
craft together!
13. Dolosse - these twenty ton- geometric branching concrete blocks are used around the
world today to absorb and dissipate the energy of the sea along the coastline. The invention
of the dolosse has been greatly disputed. Some believe them to be the creation of Eric
Merrifield whilst others credit Aubrey Kruger. Their unique design means that they also
interlock and can’t be easily wasted away.
14. Q20 was invented by Mr. Richard Robertson In 1920, in Pinetown, South Africa. A famous fix-
any-squeak substance; Q20 eventually become the product found in every household, office,
workshop or VW Beetle cubby hole. It was effective at combatting rust, lubricated squeaky hinges,
released nuts and bolts that were stuck and saved the VW Beetle from being impossible to drive in the
rain.
Q20 was aimed to prevent water from penetrating the distributor cap which would cause the
Beetle to seize.
Q20 worked the way it did because unlike other oils it was heavier than water and would,
therefore, displace water on the applied area.

15. Retinal Cryoprobe- Baragwanath Hospital is the third biggest hospital in the world and
the hospital where Dr Selig Percy Amoils, an ophthalmologist and specialist in retinal
diseases, created a new method of cataract surgery. Dr Amoils became famous for his
invention and,
in 1975, received a Queen’s Award for
Technological Innovation.
In 1994, he removed a cataract from South African President Nelson Mandela's left eye
using his invention.
In 2006, President Thabo Mbeki awarded him the silver Order of Mapungubwe for
"excellence in the field of ophthalmology and for inspiring his colleagues in the field of
science".
16. Smartlock Safety Syringe - William Blake, Paul Lambourn, Jose loureiro, Michael
Moore, David Shiel, Mirko Tappero, Henk van der Meyden and Alexis Wadman invented
the Smartlock Safety Syringe in 1992 at the Vaal University of Technology.
Every day, Doctors and Nurses face the danger of being pricked by a needle. This is
very dangerous as it can lead to them contracting many different diseases including hepatitis,
the Ebola virus, HIV and more. The Smartlock Safety Syringe has a mechanism that helps
reduce the risk of such accidents.
Summary:
Scientific/ Intellectual revolution is a golden age in the history of science. It marked the
birth of science as a discipline and as a field of inquiry and gave birth to the development
of the scientific method.
Scientific revolution significantly changed how people study science and do scientific
activities. It inspired human activity and critical thinking, moving away from thought
experiments to data-driven and experiment-based ideas.
Science also developed in different parts of the world: Asia, Europe, Mesoamerica and
Africa. People in these continents invented tools to help them in everyday life, discovered
medicines to cure diseases, observed heavenly bodies, built structures, discovered many
things, and invented mathematics as a tool and as a discipline.

ASIA - the birthplace of human civilization. With BUDDHISM, ISLAM and

CHRISTIANITY, Asia was the cradle of three religions. And Islam was the one of the first
world religions to place particular emphasis on bodily hygiene.
Geographers have sometimes divided the world into two parts:
• East (Orient) - The Asian world, said to be the region of the rising sun.
• West (Occident) – is the Europe and North America, said to be the region of the
setting sun.
Western Asian: Also called near east because of nearness to Europe the middle East
lies midway between Asia and Europe.
West Asia is located in the area between Central Asia and Africa, south of
Eastern Europe. The majority of the region is often referred to as the Middle East,
although it geographically excludes the mainland of Egypt (which is culturally
considered a Middle Eastern country). West Asia is politically divided into 19 states:
Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine,
Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates,
Oman, and Yemen. It also includes the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt.
East Asian: also called the far east sub- region. It includes China, Mongolia, North
Korea, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau.
Central Asian: Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and
Kyrgyzstan. Given that the name of each of these countries ends in "-stan," Central
Asia is sometimes informally referred to as "The Stans."
North Asian:; Northern Asia refers to the vast northern part of Asia east of the Urals,
also known as Siberia so the counties in North Asia are: Russia’s Siberia;
Kazakhstan; Georgia and Armenia.
South Asian: the most populous on earth. South Asia has a peninsula-like shape that
is bordered by three bodies of water: the Indian Ocean to the south, the Bay of Bengal
to the east, and the Arabian Sea to the west. The region includes Indian subcontinent
and surrounding countries. South Asia is politically divided into eight autonomous
countries: Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal,
and the Maldives. These are the eight countries officially belong to the South Asian
Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
SouthEast Asian: Southeast Asia is located north of Australia, south of East Asia,
west of the Pacific Ocean, and east of the Bay of Bengal. It encompasses several
island and archipelago nations that stretch between the northern and southern
 hemispheres, making it the only Asian region located on both sides of the equator.
Southeast Asia is politically divided into 15 countries and territories: Brunei,
Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines (described as the
“Light of Asia”), Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste, Vietnam, Christmas Island,
Cocos Islands.

Peoples of Asian
• Brown Race – represented by Filipinos, Malaysians and Indonesians.
• Yellow Race – represented by the Chinese, Koreans and Japanese.
• Aryan or Indo European – a branch of the white race represented by afghans,
Iranians and Indians.
• Semitics – a branch of the white race represented by Arabs, Jews, Iraqis and Syrians.
• Red Race – Siberian and Soviet Asian who migrated to North America and became
ancestors of American Indians.
• Eurasians/Amerasians – results of mixed marriages(part European, part Asian or part
American, part Asian).
Man made wonders
• The Great Wall of China, Built by Emperor Shih Huang Ti (220-221 B.C). With a length
of 2,700km. Long across North China, it took more than 10 years to finish, and more
than 200,000 men labored on the project.
• The Ifugao Rice Terraces of the Philippines, built 2,000 years ago, if placed end to end
they would extend more than half the circumference of the Earth.
• The Taj Mahal in Agra, India, hailed by Western writers as “the most beautiful and most
perfect of all buildings in the world”.
• The Dome of the Rock, an Islamic Shrine in Jerusalem.
• The Shwe Dagon, the fabulous golden pagoda in Rangoon ,Burma (Myanmar).

Asian character traits

• Spirituality, the Asian has an innate spiritual nature, there is spiritual dimension to
everything he does.
• Fatalism. The Asian does not believe that he is the “master of his soul”.
• Hospitality. No matter how humble their situations, Asians will serve and pamper their
guest.
• Extended family relationship. Strong bonds of love and kinship among asian family
members.
• A sense of continuity. Whatever man does affect nature.

India
• They are known for manufacturing iron and in Metallurgical works. Their iron steel is
considered to be the best and held high regard in the whole Roman Empire.
• They are also famous in Medicine. For ex., Ayurveda, a system of traditional medicine
that originated in ancient India before 2500 BC, is still practiced as a form of alternative
medicine.
• They discovered some medicinal properties of plants and they developed a text like the
Susruta Samhita, which describes different surgical and other medical procedures.
 • Notable in the field of Astronomy. They developed theories on the configuration of the
universe, the spherical self-supporting Earth, and the year of 360 days with 12 equal
parts of 30 days each.
• They are also known for their Mathematics. They tried to standardize measurement of
length to a high degree of accuracy and designed a ruler, the Mohenjo –daro ruler.
• The mathematician Aryabhata (476-550), in his Aryabhatiya, introduced a number of
trigonometric functions, tables and techniques, as well as algorithms of algebra.
• Indian, Brahmagupta, also suggested that gravity was a force of attraction, and lucidly
explained the use of zero as both a placeholder and a decimal digit, along with Hindu-
Arabic numerical system now used universally throughout the world.
• Madhava of Sangamagrama is considered as the founder of mathematical analysis.
China
• Chinese are known for their traditional medicines, a product of centuries of
experiences and discovery of Chinese people. An ex. is the practice of the
acupuncture.
• In terms of technology, the Chinese are known to develop many tools. Among the
famous discoveries and inventions of the Chinese civilizations were compass,
papermaking, gunpowder, and printing tools that became known in the West only by
the end of the Middle Ages.
• They also invented other tools like iron plough, wheelbarrow, and propeller, among
others.
• They developed a design of different models of bridges (Zhongguo Ke Xue Yuan,
1983), invented the first seismological detector, and developed a dry dock facility.
• They also made a significant records on supernovas, lunar and solar eclipses, and
comets, which were carefully recorded and preserved to understand better the
heavenly bodies and their effects to our world, like our weather changes and seasons
that may affect daily activities. They used lunar calendars, too.
• They are also known in seismology which made them more prepared in times of
natural calamities.

ASIAN INVENTIONS
1. Paper Making - the invention of paper greatly affects human history. Paper already
existed in China since 105 A.C, however, a eunuch named Cai Lun (ca. 50 AD – 121)
made significant innovation and helped drive its widespread adoption. His advanced
paper-making technology then spread to central Asia and the world through the Silk
Road.
Cai Lun invented paper using mulberry and other bast fibers along with
fishnets, old rags and hemp waste

2. Seed Drill - the seed drill is a device that plants the seed into soil at a uniform depth
and covers it. If without this device farmers had to plant the seeds by hand, resulting in
waste and uneven growth. According to records, the Chinese using of seed drills can
be dated back to the 2nd Century BC. The device made farmers’ job easier and highly
improved the agricultural output in China.

3. Movable Typewriting - movable Type Printing 960-1279 AD Woodblock printing was

already a widely used technique in the Tang Dynasty. However, this kind of printing
tech was expensive and time-consuming. Until the Song Dynasty (960-1279), a man
named Bi Sheng (990–1051) invented movable type printing, making it quicker and
 easier. He first carved individual characters on pieces of clay and then harden them
with fire. These movable type pieces were later glued to an iron plate to print a page
and then broken up and redistributed for another page. This kind of printing tech
rapidly spread across Europe, leading up to the Renaissance, and later all around the
world.

4. Compass - a compass is a navigational instrument that shows directions. The

compass was invented by Chinese between the 2nd century BC and 1st century AD. It
was first used in Feng Shui, the layout of buildings. By 1000 AD, navigational
compasses were commonly used on Chinese ships, enabling them to navigate. Arab
traders sailing to China might learned of the tech and brought it to the West.

5. Gunpowder - gunpowder was invented by Chinese Taoist alchemists about 1000 A.D.
when they tried to find a potion to gain human immortality by mixing elemental sulfur,
charcoal, and saltpeter. It is generally believed that gunpowder spread to Europe
during the Mongol expansion of 1200-1300 A.D. The interesting fact is that Chinese
used this discovery mainly for firecrackers while Europeans created cannons and guns
and dominated China in the mid-1800s.

6. Alcohol - the inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula were widely believed to be the first
brewers. However, in 2013, a 9000-year-old pottery found in Henan province revealed
the presence of alcohol, 1000 years before Arabian. Alcohol is known as Jiu in Chinese
and is often used as a spiritual offerings to Heaven and the Earth or ancestors in
ancient China. Study shows that beer with an alcoholic content of 4% to 5% was widely
consumed in ancient China and was even mentioned on oracle bone inscriptions of the
Shang Dynasty (1600 BC–1046 BC).

7. Mechanical Clock - the world’s first mechanical clock -Water-driven Spherical Birds –
was invented by Yi Xing, a Buddhist monk in 725 A.D.. It was operated by dripping
water which powered a wheel that made one revolution in 24 hours. Hundreds of years
later, the inventor Su Song developed a more sophisticated clock called the Cosmic
Empire in 1092, 200 years earlier before the mechanical clock was created in Europe.

8. Tea Production - according to old Chinese legend, tea was first discovered by
Shennong, Chinese Father of Agriculture, around 2,737 BC. In the Tang Dynasty
(618－907) tea became a popular drink enjoyed by all social classes. Cha Jing (or The
Book of Tea), written by Lu Yu in the Tang Dynasty, explicated ways to cultivate tea, tea
drinking and different classifications of tea in details. The book is considered as the
world’s first monograph about tea. And the world’s oldest and largest living tea tree can
be found in Lin Cang, China, about 3,200 years old.

9. Silk - silk, one of the oldest fibers, originated in China as early as 6,000 years ago. The
earliest evidence of silk was discovered at Yangshao culture site in Xiaxian County,
Shanxi Province, China where a silk cocoon was found cut in half, dating back to
between 4000 and 3000 BC. Chinese people mastered sophisticated silk weaving tech
and closely guarded secret, and the West had to pay gold of the same weight for the
silks. In ancient times the silk was a very important item made in China and for many
centuries businessmen transported this precious item from China to the West, forming
the famous Silk Road.
10. Umbrella - the inventions of umbrella can be traced back as early as 3500 years ago
in China. Legend has it, Lu Ban, a Chinese carpenter and inventor created the first
umbrella. Inspired by children using lotus leaves as rain shelter, he created umbrella by
making a flexible framework covered by a cloth.

11. Earth Quake Detector - according to court records of the later Han Dynasty, a
seismograph was created by the brilliant inventor Zhang Heng (78-140 AD) in 132 AD.
Its function is to determine the direction of an earthquake. In 138 AD, this instrument
indicated an earthquake occurring in Longxi a thousand kilometers away. It was the
first time that mankind to detect an earthquake. Modern seismographs only began
development in 1848 in Europe.

12. Rocket - China is hometown of rockets, ancient Chinese inventors created rockets by
applying counter-force produced by ignited gunpowder. According to history, in 228
A.D. the Wei State already used torches attached to arrows to guard Chencang
against the invading troops of the Shu State. Later the Song Dynasty (960-1279) had
adapted gunpowder to make rockets. A paper tube stuffed with gunpowder was
attached to an arrow which can be launched by a bow. This kind of ancient rockets and
improved ones were widely used in military and entertainment activities in China.

13. Bronze - the skill of produce bronze was mastered by ancient Chinese by 1700 B.C.
The Shang Dynasty (1600–1046 B.C.) and Zhou dynasties (1046-256 BC) brought
China into the Bronze Age and the making of bronze wares reached its peak in this
period. Bronze was mainly used to make weapons, bronze tools and ritual vessels at
that time. Compared to counterparts in other regions of the world, the Chinese bronze
wares stand out for their inscriptions and delicate decorative patterns.

14. Kite - the kite was developed around 3,000 years ago by ancient Chinese. The earliest
kites were made of wood, called Muyuan (wooden kite). In early times kites were
mainly used for military purposes such as sending a message, measuring distances,
testing the wind and signaling. Over time kite flying developed into playthings and kite
flying is now enjoyed worldwide.

15. Electric Rice Cooker - the development of electric rice cookers began in the Taisho
era (1912-1926), but it wasn't until 1955 that the first automatic rice cooker for
household use went on sale in Japan. The company that made this cooker, Toshiba,
spent five years developing it. After much trial and error, the company came up with a
method called "double-pot indirect cooking," in which a cup of water was poured into
the outer pot, and the machine automatically turned off when all of this water
evaporated, signaling that the rice was ready.

16. Flash Drive - Fujio Masuoka is a Japanese inventor who joined Toshiba in 1971.
Masuoka began working on a new storage memory concept while still a factory
manager. He was focused on developing memory that retained all of its information
even without power.

Tension between Toshiba and Masuoka began to develop over the years as Toshiba
continued to focus on DRAM as their mainstay instead of Masuoka’s work. Intel took
 the helm of flash memory to capitalize where Toshiba had not. Today, flash is a
multibillion dollar industry with chips present in everything from USB flash drives to
computers, cars and phones.
By 1981, Masuoka went to patent EEPROM (electronically erasable programmable
read only memory), more commonly known as flash memory. Masuoka introduced
flash memory in 1984 to the industry at the International Electronics Developers
meeting, where Intel took great interest.
The American chipmaker subsequently put hundreds of engineers into crafting and
perfecting flash memory where Toshiba only allowed Masuoka five workers part-time
for the same endeavor. In 1987, he began creating NAND flash. The NAND chip stores
files while utilizing read and write functions.
17. DVD Player - A DVD player is a device that plays DVD discs produced under both the
DVD-Video and DVD-Audio technical standards, two different and incompatible
standards. Some DVD players will also play audio CDs. DVD players are connected to
a television to watch the FBI content, which could be a movie, a recorded TV show, or
other content.

The first DVD player was created by Sony Corporation in Japan in collaboration with
Pacific Digital Company on 1997.
Some manufacturers originally announced that DVD players would be available as
early as the middle of 1996. These predictions were too optimistic. Delivery was initially
held up for "political" reasons of copy protection demanded by movie studios, but was
later delayed by lack of movie titles. The first players appeared in Japan on November
1, 1996, followed by the United States on March 26, 1997 with distribution limited to
only seven major cities for the first six months.

18. Bullet Train - Hideo Shima is a Japanese engineer and the driving force behind the
building of the first bullet train. Japan opened the world's first high-speed rail line,
between Tokyo and Osaka, in time for the 1964 Olympics. Shinkansen, or bullet trains,
now travel at speeds up to 185 miles per hour over some 1,500 miles of rail lines
across the country.

19. Emoji - In 1999 Shigetaka Kurita created the first widely-used set of emoji.
Originating on Japanese mobile phones in 1997, emoji became increasingly popular
worldwide in the 2010s after being added to several mobile operating systems. They
are now considered to be a large part of popular culture in the west.

Emoji is used in electronic messages and web pages. Emoji exist in various genres,
including facial expressions, common objects, places and types of weather, and
animals. They are much like emoticons, but emoji are actual pictures instead of
typographics. Originally meaning pictograph, the word emoji comes from Japanese e
(絵, "picture") + moji (文字, "character"); the resemblance to the English words emotion
and emoticon is purely coincidental.

20. Zero - the biggest and the most important contribution to the history of mathematics
was ‘Zero’, which is literally nothing, but without it, there would have been no binary
system and subsequently, no computers. And who gave the world this numeral? All
thanks need to go to the man of numerous mathematical and astronomical talents,
 Aryabhata. Indians were the first one to use ‘Zero’ as a symbol and in mathematical
operations, such as addition, subtraction, etc.

21. Ayurveda Therapy - the Father of Medicine, Charaka, who was one of the prime
contributors to Ayurveda. ‘Ayurveda’ means ‘science of life’; it is a traditional school of
medicine, invented and practiced in India for over 5,000 years, and helps people attain
good health and living, without the use of prescription drugs. This ancient system of
medicine has persisted even in the 21st century, and in recent years, it has gained
popularity across the world as a complementary and alternative medicine.

22. Board Games - Chess is the game of intellectuals, and it originated as ‘Ashtapada’
during the Gupta period around the 6th century AD. Gyandev, a 13th-century poet,
invented ‘Snakes and Ladders’, originally known as ‘Mokshapat’. The snakes represent
vices, while ladders denote virtues. During the British rule in India, this ancient Indian
game made its way to England and later to the USA.

23. Wireless Communication - this invention revolutionized the way we communicate.

While historians credit Guglielmo Marconi with inventing the wireless radio
communication, Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose was actually the first person who
demonstrated the use of radio waves for communication publicly back in 1895, exactly
two years before Marconi gave a similar demo in England. In other words, Sir Jagadish
Chandra Bose invented wireless communication technology, which enables people to
communicate quickly and transmit information over a distance without the need for
electrical conductors, wires or cables.

24. Shampoo - invented in 1762 in the eastern parts of the Mughal Empire and used as a
‘head massage’, comprising of natural oils and herbs. The English word ‘shampoo’
derives its name from the Hindi word ‘chāmpo’, which comes from the Sanskrit word
‘Chapayati’, meaning massage or knead.

25. The Canon of Medicine – by Ibn Sina his publication, “The Canon”, became a core
text for physicians across the Islamic world and Europe, laying out a detailed guide for
diagnosing and treating ailments.

26. Miswak toothbrush - Groomarang Miswak toothbrush, natures most organic and
natural toothbrush known to man.

27. Guitar - the guitar, as we know it today, has its origins in the Arabic oud – a lute with a
bent neck. During the Middle Ages, it found its way to Muslim Spain, where it was
referred to as “qitara” in the Arabic of Andalusia.

28. Albucasis (Abu al-Qasim/ Kasim al- Zahrawi) – Father of Modern Surgery. He also
invented methods of surgically treating diseases of the urethra, the ear and the
esophagus, and was the first person to describe an ectopic pregnancy.

29. Polyethene prosthetic leg - a Thai Doctor inventor Dr. Therdchai Jivacate, who is
an orthopaedic surgeon, has enabled high-quality prosthetic limbs to be available at a
low cost.
30. Squat Toilets – toilets platforms above drains in the proximity of wells, are found in
several houses of the cities of Mohenjodaro and Harappa from the 3rd millennium B.C.

31. The Concept of Pi – was first discovered by Budhayana in 800 BC they were later
improved by Aryabhatta. Budhyana also devised the concept of Pythagorean Theorem.

32. Sagar Veena – a string instrument designed for use in classical music, was developed
entirely in Pakistan over the last 40 years at the Sanjannagar Institute in Lahore by
Raza Kazim.

33. Ommaya Reservoir – a system through which chemicals can be injected into the brain
of a patient suffering from brain tumor. A Pakistani surgeon, Ayub K. Ommaya
formulated this system.

34. Brain Chip Connection – Dr. Naweed Syed, the first scientist to connect the human
brain with a silicon chip. This groundbreaking step has paved the way for major
scientific breakthroughs like giving people control over their artificial limbs, reversing
memory loss and curing blindness.

35. Hwacha – a deadly weaponry where they attach explosives to arrows and light them
on fire then shoot them out of their wheelbarrow device. This weapon was useful in
fighting off the Japanese.

36. Acupuncture – form of traditional Chinese Medicine in which needles are places
along the meridians of the body that control the flow of blood.

37. Erythromycin – an antibiotic which was discovered by Abelardo Aguilar. This antibiotic.
is widely used to treat chest infections, such as pneumonia, skin problems, such as acne and
rosacea, dental abscesses, and sexually transmitted infections.

38. Anime – the characteristic anime art style emerged in the 1960’s with the works of
Osamu Tezuka and spread internationally in the late 20th century, developing a large
domestic and international audience.

39. MP3 Player – The world’s first commercially available MP3 Player, the MPMan, was
launched by SaeHan Information System in 1997.

40. Stirrup – first developed by Central Asian peoples and passed on first to the Chinese
around 100 CE. It was one of the technologies that contribute most to the changes in
social structure in late Middle Ages Europe.

41. Sewing Machine - people in Central Asia probably started to sew clothes about
45,000 BC, and invented sewing needles about 40,000 BC.
Lesson 4

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND NATION-BUILDING

Science and technology in the Philippines had its beginnings during the pre-colonial times
During this period, people used herbaI medicine to treat illnesses. To facititate trading,
Filipinos made use of writing, numerical, measurement, and caendar systems. Farming,
fishing, mining, and weaving were the first livelihood skills developed by Fliipinos. ln some
cases, the techniques Filipinos developed for livelihood purposes resulted in majestic
architectural designs that managed to attract worldwide attention like the Banaue Rice
Terraces of lfugao.

During the Spanish colonial period, science and technology developed through the
establishment of formal education institutions and the launching of scientific organizations.
Schools were mandated to teach religion, mathematics, reading and writing, music and arts,
and heatth and sanitation. Medicine and biology were taught in different educational and
training institutions. Since agricutture was the major livelihood of Filipinos, the natives were
trained to use innovative approaches in farming. To construct buildings, churches, bridges,
roads, and forts, engineering was introduced and developed as well. The rapid development
of scientific principles influenced by Western cutture during the Spanish colonial period was
shortchanged. This is why agriculture and industrial developments were during the latter part
of the Spanish era. lnstead, trade was prioritized due to possibte bigger profits.
When the Americans came, institutions for science and technology were reorganized as well.
For example, the former Laboratorio Muninicipal was replaced by the Bureau of Government
Laborotories under the United States' Department of lnterior. The Bureau was established for
the purpose of studying tropical diseases and pursuing other related research projects.
Eventually, in '1905, the Bureau was changed to Bureau of Science, which became the main
research center of the Philippines.

ln 1933, the National Research Council of the Philippines was established. Developments in
science and technology during the American regime were focused on agriculture, medicine
and pharmacy, food processing, and forestry. ln 1946, the Bureau of Science was replaced by
the lnstitute of Science.
During the time of former President Ferdinand Marcos, the role of science and technology in
national development was emphasized. He mandated the Department of Education and
Culture, now known as the Department of Education (DepEd), to promote science courses in
pubtlc high schools. Additional budget for research projects in applied sciences and science
education was granted by Marcos. A big drunk of the war damage fund from the Japanese
was donated to private universities and colleges for the creation of science and technology-
related courses and to promote research. The 35'hectare lot in Bicutan, Taguig Proclaimed in
1968 as the Philippine Science Community, now the site of the Department of Science and
Technology (DOST). Seminars, workshops, training programs, and scholarships on fisheries
and oceanography were also sponsored by the government during Marcos' presidency. The
Philippine Coconut Research lnstitute (PHILCORIN) was tasked to promote the
modernization of the coconut industry. SeveraI agencies and organizations were then
estabIished lnstitute, Philippine Atomic Energy Commission (now the Philippine Nuclear
lnstitute), National Grains Authority (now the National Food Authority), Philippine Council for
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY like the Philippine Textile Research Food Authority),
Philippine Council Agricultural Research (now Council for Agriculture, National Oil ComPany,
Plant lnstitute, lnternational Rice Natural Resources Research and Development), Philippine
Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomicol Services Administration (PAGASA), Philippine
the Philippine Aquatic, and Breeding Research Institute (lRRl), Bureou of Plant Industry,
Bureau of Forest Products, and the National Committee on Geological Sciences. The
National Science Development Board (NSDB) was reorganized as the National Science and
Technoloy Authority (NSTA) in 1981. ln 1976, Marcos established the National Academy of
Science ond Technology (NAST) to be the reservoir of scientific and technological expertise in
the country. Salary increases for teachers and administrators at the Philippine Science High
School were granted and the Mindanao and Visayas campuses of the Philippine Science
High School were established during Marcos' time.

ln 1986, under President Corazon Aquino, NSTA was renamed DOST. This was done in order
for the science and technology sector to be represented in the cabinet and thus play an
integral role in the country's sustainabte economic recovery and growth. The Science and
Technology Master Plan penned by DOST aimed to update the production sector, improve
research activities, and develop infrastructures for the science and technology sector.

ln 1987, during the presidency of Fidel Ramos, the Philippines had approximatety 3,000
competent scientists and engineers. The "Doctors to the Barrio" Program made healthcare
accessible even in far-ftung areas in the country. lncentives were given to people who played
significant roles in the science and technology sector. The National Program for Gifted Filipino
Children in Science and Technology was created for high school students who wanted to
major in science and engineering in college. lt was atso during Ramos' term that a number of
laws and statutes related to the science and technology sector were mandated such as RA
8439: Magna Carta for Scientist Engineers, Researchers and other Science ond Technology
Personnel in Government: RA 7687: Science and Technology Scholorship Act of 1994; RA
7459: lnventors and lnventions lncentives Act; and RA 8293: Ihe lntellectual Property Code of
the Philippines.

RA 8749: The Phitippine Clean Air Act of 1999 and RA 8792: Electronic Commerce Act of
2000 were both signed and mandated during the term of President Joseph Estrada. He was
also responsible for implementing cost' effective irrigation technologies and providing basic
health care services for those who could not afford them.

During the administration of President Gloria Macapagat'Arroyo, the science and technology
sector was developed to strengthen the education system and to address poverty. The term
Filipinnovation was coined to refer to the Philippines as an innovation hub in Asia. Arroyo also
promulgated RA 9367: Biofuels Act, to utitize indigenous materials as sources of energy.
However, the act was not able to produce positive outcomes because of the lack of
technology to source raw materiats. lt was also in Arroyo's term that farmers *ere encouraged
to use rice that can withstand environmentat hazards. RA 10601: Agriculture ond Fisheries
lvlechonization (AFMech) Law was also passed to modernize agricultural and fisheries
machinery and equipment.
ln 2014, President Benigno Aquino lll named new National Scientists namely: Gavino C.
Trono lor Marine Biotogy, Angel C. Alcola, for Biological Science, Ramon C. Barba, for
Horticulture, and Edgardo D. Gomez, also for Marine Biology.
Today, in the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, the science and technology sector
is seen to be a priority based on the budget for research and development (R&D) that grew by
nearly six times over the same period. Formutation of programs and policies that will aid in
shaping the country is backed up President Duterte. The focus of DOST is to put the results of
R&D into commerciatization in order to gain new intellectual properties. Currently, the
Philippines have the Philippine Space Technology Program which launches Diwata-2 in 2018
after the launch of Diwata -1 in 2016 that disptayed the Philippine flag in space. Besides
technology, the current administration also gives importance to agriculture and disaster
preparedness.

Science and Technology in the Philippines and the Environment

Science and technology have numerous contributions to society. The mechanization of
farming, for instance, is necessary for agriculture, being the number one source of food
production. AgriculturaI developmentment needs to cope with the rapidly and exponentially
growing population. Tools such as water pumps and sprinklers help in managing the
damaging effects of extreme heat caused by climate change on crops. Science and
technology have made it possibte produce genetically modified crops, which grow faster and
are more resistant to pests. Fertitizers that increase nutrients in the soil enhance the growth
of the crops and produce highquality yields. However, many types of research show that
genetically modified crops and fertilizers made from strong chemicals are not environment
friendly. Science and technology have improved transportation by land, air, and sea.
Communication has also improved through technologica[ advancements. With the internet
and the rise of social media, information is transmitted easily and rapidly. Through
technological developments, ways of tearning atso changed. Learning management systems
used in education is now accessible through computers, mobile phones, tablets, and other
gadgets. Online learning has also become popular in various disciplines like mathematics,
physics, biology, geography, economics, and others.

These contributions of science and technology, however, always come with advance impacts
especially on the environment. One is resource depletion. The increasing number of new and
advanced technologies in the production and manufacture of different goods and services
results in the depletion of the Earth's natural resources. Wastes are also generated as these
technologies are developed. People have also become too dependent on science and
technology, making them disregards its consequences that may be damaging to the
environment.
MODULE SUMMARY
Lesson l introduces Science, Technology, and Society (STS) as a field of study. After defining
science and technology, the section traces the historical roots of STS as an academic field, lt
also enumerates emerging dilemmas that reinforce the importance of the study of STS in an
age of scientific progress and technological development.
Furthermore, Lesson 2 tackles how social contexts shaped and were shaped by science and
technology across three historical periods. By introducing the historical antecedents of
science and technology, the section explores the dynamic interactions between different
societalbfactors and science and technology. Along with the discussion of these antecedents
during the ancient period, middles ages, and modern ages, this section also inctudes a
discussion on important Philippine inventions and innovations. lt emphasizes the various
social, cuttural, economic, and political impacts of scientific and technologicaI innovation
throughout history.
Lastty, Lesson 3 reviews the intellectual revolutions that changed the way peopte perceive
the influence of science on society in generat. lt focuses on three of the most important
intetlectual revotutions in history: Copernican, Darwinian, and Freudian. By discussing these
intellectual revotutions in the context of science, technology, and society, the attention of
students 'is drawn again toward the complex interplay of the various social context and the
development of modern science. The section also engages students in a critical analysis of
ongoing intellectual and scientific revolutions, which they may find themselves to be part of.
MODULE II

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY AND THE HUMAN CONDITION

INTRODUCTION

This module introduces students to a number of relevant and timely philosophical foundations
that will aid in examining the functions, roles, and impacts of science and technology on
society. The module is divided into five sections. These sections aim to provide students with
cogent and comprehensive knowledge on the concept of human flourishing in the face of
rapid scientific progress and technological development.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. differentiate the essences of technotogy and modern technotogy; .

2. discuss and ittustrate the dangers of modern technotogy; and
3. explain why art is the saving power of modern technoLogy.

DIRECTIONS/MODULE ORGANIZER

Read each lesson in Module ll after which you accomplish the exercises. The module
summary is also given for you to have the whole grasp of STS and its role in human
flourishing. Answer also the summative test to evaluate how much you have gained from the
whole Module.

Lesson 1

TECHNOLOGY AS A WAY OF REVEALING

At A Glance: Who is Martin Heidegger?

"The essence of technology is by no means anything technology.,, - Martin

Heidegger (1977)

Martin Heidegger (1889-1976) is widely acknowledged as one of the most important

philosophers of the 20h century. He was a German philosopher who was part of the
Continental tradition of philosophy. His stern opposition to positivism and technological world
of domination received unequivocal support from leading postmodernists and
poststructuratists of the time, including Jacques Derrida, Michel Foucault, and Jean-Francois
Lyotard.

ln 1933, he joined the Nazi Party (NSDAP) and remained to be a member until it was
dismantled toward the end of Wortd War ll. This resulted in his dismissal from the University
of Freiburg in 1949. He was onty able to resume teaching in 191. Heidegger’s membership to
the Nazi party made him controversial - his philosophical work as often eclipsed by his
political affiliation with critics saying that his philosophy would always be rooted in his political
consciousness.
 Heidegger's work on philosophy focused on ontology or the study of 'being' or dasein in
German. His philosophical works are often described as complicated, partly due to his use of
complex compound German words, such as Seinsvergessenheit (Forgetfulness of Being),
Bodenstiindigkeit (Rootedness-in-Soit) and Wesensverfassung (Essential Constitution).

The Essence of Technology

It cannot be denied that science and technology are responsible for the way's society is
continuously being modernized. Science and technology continuously seep into the way
people go about their daily lives. However, the omnipresence of science and technology must
not eclipse the basic tenets of ethics and morality. lnstead, it should allow the human person
to flourish alongside scientific progress and technological development. ln order to spark the
discussion on the role of ethics and social moratity in science and technology, it is necessary
to go back to the very essence of technology, i.e., its definition.

ln his seminal work, The Question of Technology, Martin Heidegger urges us to

question technology and see beyond people’s common understanding of it.

According to ancient doctrine, the essence of a thing is considered to be what the thing
is. We ask the question concerning technology when we ask what it is. Everyone knows the
two statements that answer our question, One says.: Technology is a means to an end. The
other says: Technology is a human activity. The two definitions of technoloy belong together.
For to opposit ends and procure and utilize the means to them is human activity the
manufacture and utilization of equipment, tools, ond machines, the manufactured and used
thing themselves, and the needs and ends that they serve, all belong to what technology is.
The whole complex of these contrivances is technology. Technology itself is a contrivance - in
Latin, an instrumentum. The current conception ol technology, according to which it is a
means and o human activity, cin, therefore, be called the instrumental and anthropological
definition of technology (Heidegger, 1997, p.5).

Martin Heidegger (197) explains the two widely embraced definitions of technology: (1)
instrumental and (2) anthropological.

1. lnstrumental definition: Technology is a means to an end.

Technology is not an end in itself, it is a means to an end. ln this context, technology is

viewed as a tool available to individuals, groups, and communities that desire to make an
impact on society how technology is used varies from individual to individual, groups to
groups, and communities to communities according to their individual and collective functions,
goals, and aspirations, White technology is omnipresent, knowing its functions requires
paying attention to how humans use it as a means to an end. ln this sense, technology is an
instrument aimed at getting things done.

2. Anthropological definition; Technology is a human activity.

Alternatively, technology can also be defined as a human activity because to achieve

an end and to produce and use a means to an end is, by itsetf, a human activity. The
production or invention of technological equipment, tools, and machines, the products and
inventions, and the purpose and functions they serve are what define technology.

Both definitions, i.e., instrumental and anthropological, are correct. However, neither
touches on the true essence of technology.

Technology as a Way of Revealing

Heidegger stressed that the truth can only be pursued through the correct. Simply,
what are correct leads to what is true. ln this sense, Heidegger envisioned technology as a
way of revealing - a mode of ,bringing forth.' Bringing forth can be understood through the
Ancient Greek philosophical concept, poiesis, which refers to the act of bringing something
out of concealment. By bringing something out of conceatment, ihe truth oi that something is
revealed. The truth is understood through another Ancient Greek concept of Aletheia, which is
translated as unclosedness, unconcealedness, disclosure, or truth.

Thus, for Heidegger, technology is a form of poeisis - a way of revealing that

unconceals Aletheia or the truth. This is seen in the way the term techne, the Greek root word
of technology, is understood in different contexts. ln philosophy, techne resembles the term
episteme that refers to the human abitity to make and perform. Techne also encompasses
knowledge and understanding. ln part it refers to tangible and intangible aspects of tife. The
Greek understood techne in the way that it encompasses not only craft, but other acts of the
mind, and poetry.

Technology as Poiesis: Does ilodern Technology Bring Forth or Challenge Forth?

Heidegger, in Ihe Question ConcerningTechnology, posited that both primitive crafts

and modern technology are revealing. However, he exptained that modern technology is
revealing not in the sense of bringing forth or poeisis. Heidegger made a clear distinction
between technology and modern technotogy in that the latter 'challenges' nature. Modern
technology challenges nature by extracting something from it and transforming, storing, and
distributing it.

On the surface, Heidegger's criticism of modern technology might appear

counterintuitive to the purpose of nature to human existence. However, by digging deeper into
Heidegger's question, it becomes clear that the essence of modern technology is not to bring
forth in the sense of poiesis, lnstead, Heidegger considers modern technology's way of
revealing as a way of challenging forth, modern technology challenges orth, because it makes
people think how to do things faster, more effectively, and with less effort. lt prompts peopte
into dominating and enfroming the earth's natura[ resources. Challenging forth reduces
objects as standing-reserve or something to be disposed of by those who enframe them -
humans. This is evident in the way peopte exptoit natural resources with very tittte concern for
the ecotogical consequences that come with it. Chattenging forth as a resutt of modern
technology is also evident in the formation age, such that greater control of information to
profit from its value gives rise to concern about privacy and the protection of human rights.
 The challenging forth of modern technology is seen everywhere: in the. rise and
depletion of petroleum as a strategicilsource; the introduction and use of synthetic
dyes, artificial ftavorings, and toxic materials into the consumer stream that bring about
adverse effects on human health; and the use of ripening agents in agriculture that
poses threats to food safety.

What kind of unconcealment is it, then, that is peculiar to that which results from
this setting upon those challenges? Everywhere everything is ordered to stand by, to
be immediately on hand, and indeed to stand there jusi so that it may be on call for a
further ordering. Whatever is ordered about in this way has its own standing. We call it
the standing reserve (Heidegger, l9V, p.5)

Enframing as AAodern Technology's Way of Revealing

The essence of technology can be understood as a way of bringing forth the truth in
the sense of poiesis. Heidegger distinguished the way of revealing of modern technology by
considering it as a process of enframing. Humankind's desire to control everything, including
nature, is captured in this .process. By putting things, in this case, nature, in a frame, it
becomes much easier for humans to control it according to their desires.

Enframing according to Heidegger, is akin to two ways of looking at the world:

calculative thinking and meditative thinking. ln calculative thinking, humans desire to put an
order to nature to better understand and control it. ln rnediative thinking, humans allow nature
to reveal itself to them without the use of force or violence. one thinking is not necessarily
better than the other. ln fact, humans are capable of using both the will benefit from being
able to harmonize these ways of tooking at the world. Yet, calcutative thinking tends to be
more commonly utilized, primarily because humans desire to control due to their fear of
irregularity.

Enframing, then, is a way of ordering (or framing) nature to better manipulate it.
Enframing happens because of how humans desire for security, even if it puts all of nature as
a standing reserve ready for exploitation. Modern technology challenges humans to enframe
nature. Thus, humans become part of the standing reserve and an instrument of technology,
to be exploited in the ordering of nature. The role humans take as instruments of technology
through enframing is catted destining. ln destining, humans are challenged forth by enframing
to reveal what is real. However, this destining of humans to reveal nature carries with it the
danger of misconstruction or misinterpretation.

The Dangers of Technology

Though it is true that the individual takes part in the revealing of nature, limits must still
be recognized. Humans do not really call the shots on this Earth. lf we allow ourselves to get
swallowed by modern technology, we lose the essence of who we are as beings in this world.
If we are constantly plugged online and no longer have the capacity for authentic personal
encounters, then we are truly swallowed by technology. lf we cannot let go of the
conveniences and profits brought about by -processes and industries that pollute the
environment and cause climate change, then technology has consumed our humanity.

The dangers of technology lie in how humans let themselves be consumed by it-
Although humans are looped into the cycte of bringing forth or challengine forth, it is their
responsibiiity to recognize how they become instruments of technology.

The Brazitian novelist, Paulo Coelho, once remarked that it is boastful for humans to
think that nature needs to be saved, whereas Mother Nature would remain even if humans
cease to exist. Hence, in facing the dangers of technology, the fear of disappearing from the
face of the Earth should concern people more potently than the fear of the Earth
disappearing. As mere tenants on Earth people must not allow themselves to be consumed
by technology test they lose the essence of who they are as human beings. tn this sense,
humans are in danger of becoming merely part or the standing-reserve or, alternativety, may
find themselves in nature.

Nevertheless, as expressed by the poet Holderlin, But where danger is, grows the
saving power also." The saving power lies in the essence of technology. The essence is the
way in which things are, as that which endures. Heidegger further asserted that the "essence
of technology is nothing technological" (1977). The essence of technology is not found in the
instrumentality and function of machines constructed, but in the significance of such as
technology unfolds.

Recognizing its dangers of technology requires critical and reflective thinking on its
use. For example, social media has indeed connected people in the most efficient and
convenient way imaginable, but it also inadvertently gave rise to issues such as the invasion
of privacy, online disinhibition, and proliferation of fake news. The line has to drawn between
what constitutes a beneficial use of social media and a dangerous one. As exemplified, social
media comes with both benefits and drawback.

However, the real threat of technology comes from its essence, not its activities or
products. The correct response to the danger of technology is not simply dismissing
technology altogether. Heidegger; explained that people are delivered over to technology in
the worst possible way when they regard it as something neutral. This conception of
technology, according to Heidegger, to which today humans particularly like to pay homage,
makes them utterty blind to the essence of technology. Ultimately the essence of technology
is by no means anything technology (Heideggeir1977)

He also expressed that the various problems brought about by human's dependence
on technology cannot be simply resolved by refusing technology altogether. He stated:

Thus, we shall never experience our relationship to the essence of technology so long
as we merely represent and pursue the technological, put up with it, or evade it. Everywhere
we remain unfree and choined to technology, whether we passionately affirm or deny it. But
we are delivered over to it in the worst possible way when we regard it as something neutral;
for this conception of it, to which today we particularly like to pay homage, make us utterly
blind to the essence of technology (1991 p.1)
Art as the Saving power

Necessary reflection upon and confrontation with technology are required in order to
proactively address the dangers of technology. Friedrich Holderlin, a German poet, quated by
Heidegger,said: “But where danger is, grows the saving power also” (1997 p.14). Following
this, the saving power can be traced exactly where the danger is- in the essence of
technology. As mentioned, this essence is not neutral and by no means anything
technological. Along this line, Heidegger proposed arts as the saving power and the way out
of enframing: “ And art was simply called techne. It was single manifold revealing” (1997 p.18)
. Heidegger saw art as an act of the mind, a techne, that protected and had great power over
the truth. By focusing on art, people are able to see more clearly how art is embedded in
nature. Art encourages humans to think less from a calculative standpoint where nature is
viewed as on order system. Instead, it inspires mediative thinking where nature is seen as an
art and that, in all of the art, nature is almost poetic. Heidegger encapsulated this as follows:

Because the essence of ,technology is nothing technological, essential

reflection upon technology and upon decisive confrontation with it must happen in a
real that is, on the other hand, the essence of technology and, on the other,
fundamentallydifferent from it. Such a realm is art. But certainly, only if reflection on
art, for its part, does not shut its eyes to the constellation of truth after which we are
questioning.

Enframing, as the mode of revealing in modern technology, tends to block poieses.

The poetry that is found in nature can no longer be easily appreciated when nature is
enframed. If the Earth has just become a gas station for us, then we have became enframed
as well. In modern technology, the way of revealing is no longer poetic; it is challenging.
When instruments are observed linearly, its poetry can no be longer found. For example, the
watermill is a primitive structure compared to the hydropower plant; or the first iPhone model
is just an obsolete piece of machine. People no longer realize how the watermill is more in
tune with the rythyms of nature or how much genius went into the building of the first iPhone.

Heidegger proposes art as a way out of this enframing. With art, we are better able to
see the poetic in nature in reality. lt leads us away from calcutative thinking and towards
meditative thinking. Through meditative thinking, we will recognize that nature is art par
excellence. Hence, nature is the most poetic.

There was a time when it was technology alone that bare the name techne. Once
the revealing that brings forth truth into the splendor of radiant appearance was also
called techne.

Once there was a time when the bringing-forth of the true into the beautilul was
called techne. The poiesis of the fine arts was olso called techne.

At the outset of the destining of the West, in Greece, the arts soared to the
supreme height of the revealing granted them. They illuminated the presence
[Gegenwart] of the gods and the dialogue of divine and human destinies. And art was
called simply techne. It was a single, manifold revealing. lt was pious, promos i.e.,
yielding to the holding sway and the safekeeping of truth.
 The arts were not derived from the artistic, Artwork were not enjoyed
aestheticolly. Art was not a sector of cultural activity.

What was art - perhaps only for that brief but magnificent age? Why did art bear the
modest name techne? Because it was a revealing that brought forth and mode present, and
therefore belonged within poiesis. lt was finally that revealing which holds complete sway in
all the fine arts, in poetry, and in everything poetical that obtained poiesis as its proper name
(Heidegger, 19V, p. 13).

When meditativety tooking at technology, one will begin to question its significance in
his/her life more than in its instrumentat use. Technology is normally thought of as that which
solves problems, but Heidegger asserted that it is something that must be questioned. Again,
it is in question that we build a way to understand. ln the nuclear age, we view nature as a
problem to be solved ' The calculative thinking in which we perceive nature in a technical and
scientific manner is becoming more important in the modern world. On the other hand, it is
meditative thinking that provides a way for us to remain rooted in the essence of who we are.
lt grounds us so as not let our technologicat devices affect our real core and warp our nature.

Aristotle's conception of the four causes was mechanical. As explained by Heidegger:

For centuries philosophy has taught that there are four causes: (/) the causa materials, the
material, the matter out of which' for example, a silver chalice is mode; (2) the causa formalis,
the form, the shape into which the material enters; (3) the causa finalis, the end, for example,
the sacrificial rite in relation to which the chalice required is determined as to its form and
matter; (4) the causa efficiens, which brings about the effect that is the finished actual chalice,
in this instance, the silversmith. What technology is, when represented as a means, discloses
itself when we trace instrumentality back to fourfold causality (19n, p. 2)

Through correct in the four causes, Aristotle remained in the mechanical sense and did
not allow for a larger truth to disclose itself. The poetic character may be hidden but it is there.
For example, the ancient Greek experience of cause is action or indebtedness not cause and
effect. Thus, the Greeks revere the sun because they are indebted to it, and not because the
sun is the cause of energy on earth. Action is responsible for bringing forth.

Though enframing happens, it cannot completely snuff out the poetic character of
technology. We ponder technology and question it' In so doing, we also become aware of the
crisis we have plunged the Earth into: The danger is made present and more palpable
through our art and poetry. lmid this realization, we remain hopeful because, as the poet
Holderlin put it, "... poetically man dwells upon this Earth" (Heidegger, 'l9Tl , P. 131

Questioning as the Piety of Thought

Heidegger concluded his treatise on technology by saying:

The closer we come to the danger, the more brightly do the ways into the saving power begin
to shine and the more questioning we become. For questioning is the piety of thought (1977,
P. 19).
 Heidegger underscored the importance of questioning in the midst of technology for
him, there is unparalleled wisdom gained only when humans are able to pause, think, and
question what is around them. Humans are consumed by technotogy when they are caught
up.in enframing and fail to pay attention intricacies of technology, the brilliance of the purpose
humankind, and the genius of humans to bring forth the truth.

Questioning is the piety of thought. lt is only through questioning that humans are able
to reassess their position not only in the midst of technology, around them but also, and most
importantly' in the grand scheme of things. Heidegger posited that it is through questioning
that humans bear witnesses to the crises that a complete Preoccupatlon wlth technology
brings, preventing them from experiencing the essence of technology.

Thus, humans need to take a step back and reassess who they were, who they are,
and who they are becoming in the midst of technology in this day and age.

Source and Reference: STS by Jayson O. Madayag, PhD.

Lesson 4

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND NATION-BUILDING

Science and technology in the Philippines had its beginnings during the pre-colonial times
During this period, people used herbaI medicine to treat illnesses. To facititate trading,
Filipinos made use of writing, numerical, measurement, and caendar systems. Farming,
fishing, mining, and weaving were the first livelihood skills developed by Fliipinos. ln some
cases, the techniques Filipinos developed for livelihood purposes resulted in majestic
architectural designs that managed to attract worldwide attention like the Banaue Rice
Terraces of lfugao.

During the Spanish colonial period, science and technology developed through the
establishment of formal education institutions and the launching of scientific organizations.
Schools were mandated to teach religion, mathematics, reading and writing, music and arts,
and heatth and sanitation. Medicine and biology were taught in different educational and
training institutions. Since agricutture was the major livelihood of Filipinos, the natives were
trained to use innovative approaches in farming. To construct buildings, churches, bridges,
roads, and forts, engineering was introduced and developed as well. The rapid development
of scientific principles influenced by Western cutture during the Spanish colonial period was
shortchanged. This is why agriculture and industrial developments were during the latter part
of the Spanish era. lnstead, trade was prioritized due to possibte bigger profits.
When the Americans came, institutions for science and technology were reorganized as well.
For example, the former Laboratorio Muninicipal was replaced by the Bureau of Government
Laborotories under the United States' Department of lnterior. The Bureau was established for
the purpose of studying tropical diseases and pursuing other related research projects.
Eventually, in '1905, the Bureau was changed to Bureau of Science, which became the main
research center of the Philippines.

ln 1933, the National Research Council of the Philippines was established. Developments in
science and technology during the American regime were focused on agriculture, medicine
and pharmacy, food processing, and forestry. ln 1946, the Bureau of Science was replaced by
the lnstitute of Science.
During the time of former President Ferdinand Marcos, the role of science and technology in
national development was emphasized. He mandated the Department of Education and
Culture, now known as the Department of Education (DepEd), to promote science courses in
pubtlc high schools. Additional budget for research projects in applied sciences and science
education was granted by Marcos. A big drunk of the war damage fund from the Japanese
was donated to private universities and colleges for the creation of science and technology-
related courses and to promote research. The 35'hectare lot in Bicutan, Taguig Proclaimed in
1968 as the Philippine Science Community, now the site of the Department of Science and
Technology (DOST). Seminars, workshops, training programs, and scholarships on fisheries
and oceanography were also sponsored by the government during Marcos' presidency. The
Philippine Coconut Research lnstitute (PHILCORIN) was tasked to promote the
modernization of the coconut industry. SeveraI agencies and organizations were then
estabIished lnstitute, Philippine Atomic Energy Commission (now the Philippine Nuclear
lnstitute), National Grains Authority (now the National Food Authority), Philippine Council for
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY like the Philippine Textile Research Food Authority),
Philippine Council Agricultural Research (now Council for Agriculture, National Oil ComPany,
Plant lnstitute, lnternational Rice Natural Resources Research and Development), Philippine
Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomicol Services Administration (PAGASA), Philippine
the Philippine Aquatic, and Breeding Research Institute (lRRl), Bureou of Plant Industry,
Bureau of Forest Products, and the National Committee on Geological Sciences. The
National Science Development Board (NSDB) was reorganized as the National Science and
Technoloy Authority (NSTA) in 1981. ln 1976, Marcos established the National Academy of
Science ond Technology (NAST) to be the reservoir of scientific and technological expertise in
the country. Salary increases for teachers and administrators at the Philippine Science High
School were granted and the Mindanao and Visayas campuses of the Philippine Science
High School were established during Marcos' time.

ln 1986, under President Corazon Aquino, NSTA was renamed DOST. This was done in order
for the science and technology sector to be represented in the cabinet and thus play an
integral role in the country's sustainabte economic recovery and growth. The Science and
Technology Master Plan penned by DOST aimed to update the production sector, improve
research activities, and develop infrastructures for the science and technology sector.

ln 1987, during the presidency of Fidel Ramos, the Philippines had approximatety 3,000
competent scientists and engineers. The "Doctors to the Barrio" Program made healthcare
accessible even in far-ftung areas in the country. lncentives were given to people who played
significant roles in the science and technology sector. The National Program for Gifted Filipino
Children in Science and Technology was created for high school students who wanted to
major in science and engineering in college. lt was atso during Ramos' term that a number of
laws and statutes related to the science and technology sector were mandated such as RA
8439: Magna Carta for Scientist Engineers, Researchers and other Science ond Technology
Personnel in Government: RA 7687: Science and Technology Scholorship Act of 1994; RA
7459: lnventors and lnventions lncentives Act; and RA 8293: Ihe lntellectual Property Code of
the Philippines.

RA 8749: The Phitippine Clean Air Act of 1999 and RA 8792: Electronic Commerce Act of
2000 were both signed and mandated during the term of President Joseph Estrada. He was
also responsible for implementing cost' effective irrigation technologies and providing basic
health care services for those who could not afford them.

During the administration of President Gloria Macapagat'Arroyo, the science and technology
sector was developed to strengthen the education system and to address poverty. The term
Filipinnovation was coined to refer to the Philippines as an innovation hub in Asia. Arroyo also
promulgated RA 9367: Biofuels Act, to utitize indigenous materials as sources of energy.
However, the act was not able to produce positive outcomes because of the lack of
technology to source raw materiats. lt was also in Arroyo's term that farmers *ere encouraged
to use rice that can withstand environmentat hazards. RA 10601: Agriculture ond Fisheries
lvlechonization (AFMech) Law was also passed to modernize agricultural and fisheries
machinery and equipment.
ln 2014, President Benigno Aquino lll named new National Scientists namely: Gavino C.
Trono lor Marine Biotogy, Angel C. Alcola, for Biological Science, Ramon C. Barba, for
Horticulture, and Edgardo D. Gomez, also for Marine Biology.
Today, in the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, the science and technology sector
is seen to be a priority based on the budget for research and development (R&D) that grew by
nearly six times over the same period. Formutation of programs and policies that will aid in
shaping the country is backed up President Duterte. The focus of DOST is to put the results of
R&D into commerciatization in order to gain new intellectual properties. Currently, the
Philippines have the Philippine Space Technology Program which launches Diwata-2 in 2018
after the launch of Diwata -1 in 2016 that disptayed the Philippine flag in space. Besides
technology, the current administration also gives importance to agriculture and disaster
preparedness.

Science and Technology in the Philippines and the Environment

Science and technology have numerous contributions to society. The mechanization of
farming, for instance, is necessary for agriculture, being the number one source of food
production. AgriculturaI developmentment needs to cope with the rapidly and exponentially
growing population. Tools such as water pumps and sprinklers help in managing the
damaging effects of extreme heat caused by climate change on crops. Science and
technology have made it possibte produce genetically modified crops, which grow faster and
are more resistant to pests. Fertitizers that increase nutrients in the soil enhance the growth
of the crops and produce highquality yields. However, many types of research show that
genetically modified crops and fertilizers made from strong chemicals are not environment
friendly. Science and technology have improved transportation by land, air, and sea.
Communication has also improved through technologica[ advancements. With the internet
and the rise of social media, information is transmitted easily and rapidly. Through
technological developments, ways of tearning atso changed. Learning management systems
used in education is now accessible through computers, mobile phones, tablets, and other
gadgets. Online learning has also become popular in various disciplines like mathematics,
physics, biology, geography, economics, and others.

These contributions of science and technology, however, always come with advance impacts
especially on the environment. One is resource depletion. The increasing number of new and
advanced technologies in the production and manufacture of different goods and services
results in the depletion of the Earth's natural resources. Wastes are also generated as these
technologies are developed. People have also become too dependent on science and
technology, making them disregards its consequences that may be damaging to the
environment.
MODULE SUMMARY
Lesson l introduces Science, Technology, and Society (STS) as a field of study. After defining
science and technology, the section traces the historical roots of STS as an academic field, lt
also enumerates emerging dilemmas that reinforce the importance of the study of STS in an
age of scientific progress and technological development.
Furthermore, Lesson 2 tackles how social contexts shaped and were shaped by science and
technology across three historical periods. By introducing the historical antecedents of
science and technology, the section explores the dynamic interactions between different
societalbfactors and science and technology. Along with the discussion of these antecedents
during the ancient period, middles ages, and modern ages, this section also inctudes a
discussion on important Philippine inventions and innovations. lt emphasizes the various
social, cuttural, economic, and political impacts of scientific and technologicaI innovation
throughout history.
Lastty, Lesson 3 reviews the intellectual revolutions that changed the way peopte perceive
the influence of science on society in generat. lt focuses on three of the most important
intetlectual revotutions in history: Copernican, Darwinian, and Freudian. By discussing these
intellectual revotutions in the context of science, technology, and society, the attention of
students 'is drawn again toward the complex interplay of the various social context and the
development of modern science. The section also engages students in a critical analysis of
ongoing intellectual and scientific revolutions, which they may find themselves to be part of.
MODULE II

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY AND THE HUMAN CONDITION

INTRODUCTION

This module introduces students to a number of relevant and timely philosophical foundations
that will aid in examining the functions, roles, and impacts of science and technology on
society. The module is divided into five sections. These sections aim to provide students with
cogent and comprehensive knowledge on the concept of human flourishing in the face of
rapid scientific progress and technological development.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. differentiate the essences of technotogy and modern technotogy; .

2. discuss and ittustrate the dangers of modern technotogy; and
3. explain why art is the saving power of modern technoLogy.

DIRECTIONS/MODULE ORGANIZER

Read each lesson in Module ll after which you accomplish the exercises. The module
summary is also given for you to have the whole grasp of STS and its role in human
flourishing. Answer also the summative test to evaluate how much you have gained from the
whole Module.

Lesson 1

TECHNOLOGY AS A WAY OF REVEALING

At A Glance: Who is Martin Heidegger?

"The essence of technology is by no means anything technology.,, - Martin

Heidegger (1977)

Martin Heidegger (1889-1976) is widely acknowledged as one of the most important

philosophers of the 20h century. He was a German philosopher who was part of the
Continental tradition of philosophy. His stern opposition to positivism and technological world
of domination received unequivocal support from leading postmodernists and
poststructuratists of the time, including Jacques Derrida, Michel Foucault, and Jean-Francois
Lyotard.

ln 1933, he joined the Nazi Party (NSDAP) and remained to be a member until it was
dismantled toward the end of Wortd War ll. This resulted in his dismissal from the University
of Freiburg in 1949. He was onty able to resume teaching in 191. Heidegger’s membership to
the Nazi party made him controversial - his philosophical work as often eclipsed by his
political affiliation with critics saying that his philosophy would always be rooted in his political
consciousness.
 Heidegger's work on philosophy focused on ontology or the study of 'being' or dasein in
German. His philosophical works are often described as complicated, partly due to his use of
complex compound German words, such as Seinsvergessenheit (Forgetfulness of Being),
Bodenstiindigkeit (Rootedness-in-Soit) and Wesensverfassung (Essential Constitution).

The Essence of Technology

It cannot be denied that science and technology are responsible for the way's society is
continuously being modernized. Science and technology continuously seep into the way
people go about their daily lives. However, the omnipresence of science and technology must
not eclipse the basic tenets of ethics and morality. lnstead, it should allow the human person
to flourish alongside scientific progress and technological development. ln order to spark the
discussion on the role of ethics and social moratity in science and technology, it is necessary
to go back to the very essence of technology, i.e., its definition.

ln his seminal work, The Question of Technology, Martin Heidegger urges us to

question technology and see beyond people’s common understanding of it.

According to ancient doctrine, the essence of a thing is considered to be what the thing
is. We ask the question concerning technology when we ask what it is. Everyone knows the
two statements that answer our question, One says.: Technology is a means to an end. The
other says: Technology is a human activity. The two definitions of technoloy belong together.
For to opposit ends and procure and utilize the means to them is human activity the
manufacture and utilization of equipment, tools, ond machines, the manufactured and used
thing themselves, and the needs and ends that they serve, all belong to what technology is.
The whole complex of these contrivances is technology. Technology itself is a contrivance - in
Latin, an instrumentum. The current conception ol technology, according to which it is a
means and o human activity, cin, therefore, be called the instrumental and anthropological
definition of technology (Heidegger, 1997, p.5).

Martin Heidegger (197) explains the two widely embraced definitions of technology: (1)
instrumental and (2) anthropological.

1. lnstrumental definition: Technology is a means to an end.

Technology is not an end in itself, it is a means to an end. ln this context, technology is

viewed as a tool available to individuals, groups, and communities that desire to make an
impact on society how technology is used varies from individual to individual, groups to
groups, and communities to communities according to their individual and collective functions,
goals, and aspirations, White technology is omnipresent, knowing its functions requires
paying attention to how humans use it as a means to an end. ln this sense, technology is an
instrument aimed at getting things done.

2. Anthropological definition; Technology is a human activity.

Alternatively, technology can also be defined as a human activity because to achieve

an end and to produce and use a means to an end is, by itsetf, a human activity. The
production or invention of technological equipment, tools, and machines, the products and
inventions, and the purpose and functions they serve are what define technology.

Both definitions, i.e., instrumental and anthropological, are correct. However, neither
touches on the true essence of technology.

Technology as a Way of Revealing

Heidegger stressed that the truth can only be pursued through the correct. Simply,
what are correct leads to what is true. ln this sense, Heidegger envisioned technology as a
way of revealing - a mode of ,bringing forth.' Bringing forth can be understood through the
Ancient Greek philosophical concept, poiesis, which refers to the act of bringing something
out of concealment. By bringing something out of conceatment, ihe truth oi that something is
revealed. The truth is understood through another Ancient Greek concept of Aletheia, which is
translated as unclosedness, unconcealedness, disclosure, or truth.

Thus, for Heidegger, technology is a form of poeisis - a way of revealing that

unconceals Aletheia or the truth. This is seen in the way the term techne, the Greek root word
of technology, is understood in different contexts. ln philosophy, techne resembles the term
episteme that refers to the human abitity to make and perform. Techne also encompasses
knowledge and understanding. ln part it refers to tangible and intangible aspects of tife. The
Greek understood techne in the way that it encompasses not only craft, but other acts of the
mind, and poetry.

Technology as Poiesis: Does ilodern Technology Bring Forth or Challenge Forth?

Heidegger, in Ihe Question ConcerningTechnology, posited that both primitive crafts

and modern technology are revealing. However, he exptained that modern technology is
revealing not in the sense of bringing forth or poeisis. Heidegger made a clear distinction
between technology and modern technotogy in that the latter 'challenges' nature. Modern
technology challenges nature by extracting something from it and transforming, storing, and
distributing it.

On the surface, Heidegger's criticism of modern technology might appear

counterintuitive to the purpose of nature to human existence. However, by digging deeper into
Heidegger's question, it becomes clear that the essence of modern technology is not to bring
forth in the sense of poiesis, lnstead, Heidegger considers modern technology's way of
revealing as a way of challenging forth, modern technology challenges orth, because it makes
people think how to do things faster, more effectively, and with less effort. lt prompts peopte
into dominating and enfroming the earth's natura[ resources. Challenging forth reduces
objects as standing-reserve or something to be disposed of by those who enframe them -
humans. This is evident in the way peopte exptoit natural resources with very tittte concern for
the ecotogical consequences that come with it. Chattenging forth as a resutt of modern
technology is also evident in the formation age, such that greater control of information to
profit from its value gives rise to concern about privacy and the protection of human rights.
 The challenging forth of modern technology is seen everywhere: in the. rise and
depletion of petroleum as a strategicilsource; the introduction and use of synthetic
dyes, artificial ftavorings, and toxic materials into the consumer stream that bring about
adverse effects on human health; and the use of ripening agents in agriculture that
poses threats to food safety.

What kind of unconcealment is it, then, that is peculiar to that which results from
this setting upon those challenges? Everywhere everything is ordered to stand by, to
be immediately on hand, and indeed to stand there jusi so that it may be on call for a
further ordering. Whatever is ordered about in this way has its own standing. We call it
the standing reserve (Heidegger, l9V, p.5)

Enframing as AAodern Technology's Way of Revealing

The essence of technology can be understood as a way of bringing forth the truth in
the sense of poiesis. Heidegger distinguished the way of revealing of modern technology by
considering it as a process of enframing. Humankind's desire to control everything, including
nature, is captured in this .process. By putting things, in this case, nature, in a frame, it
becomes much easier for humans to control it according to their desires.

Enframing according to Heidegger, is akin to two ways of looking at the world:

calculative thinking and meditative thinking. ln calculative thinking, humans desire to put an
order to nature to better understand and control it. ln rnediative thinking, humans allow nature
to reveal itself to them without the use of force or violence. one thinking is not necessarily
better than the other. ln fact, humans are capable of using both the will benefit from being
able to harmonize these ways of tooking at the world. Yet, calcutative thinking tends to be
more commonly utilized, primarily because humans desire to control due to their fear of
irregularity.

Enframing, then, is a way of ordering (or framing) nature to better manipulate it.
Enframing happens because of how humans desire for security, even if it puts all of nature as
a standing reserve ready for exploitation. Modern technology challenges humans to enframe
nature. Thus, humans become part of the standing reserve and an instrument of technology,
to be exploited in the ordering of nature. The role humans take as instruments of technology
through enframing is catted destining. ln destining, humans are challenged forth by enframing
to reveal what is real. However, this destining of humans to reveal nature carries with it the
danger of misconstruction or misinterpretation.

The Dangers of Technology

Though it is true that the individual takes part in the revealing of nature, limits must still
be recognized. Humans do not really call the shots on this Earth. lf we allow ourselves to get
swallowed by modern technology, we lose the essence of who we are as beings in this world.
If we are constantly plugged online and no longer have the capacity for authentic personal
encounters, then we are truly swallowed by technology. lf we cannot let go of the
conveniences and profits brought about by -processes and industries that pollute the
environment and cause climate change, then technology has consumed our humanity.

The dangers of technology lie in how humans let themselves be consumed by it-
Although humans are looped into the cycte of bringing forth or challengine forth, it is their
responsibiiity to recognize how they become instruments of technology.

The Brazitian novelist, Paulo Coelho, once remarked that it is boastful for humans to
think that nature needs to be saved, whereas Mother Nature would remain even if humans
cease to exist. Hence, in facing the dangers of technology, the fear of disappearing from the
face of the Earth should concern people more potently than the fear of the Earth
disappearing. As mere tenants on Earth people must not allow themselves to be consumed
by technology test they lose the essence of who they are as human beings. tn this sense,
humans are in danger of becoming merely part or the standing-reserve or, alternativety, may
find themselves in nature.

Nevertheless, as expressed by the poet Holderlin, But where danger is, grows the
saving power also." The saving power lies in the essence of technology. The essence is the
way in which things are, as that which endures. Heidegger further asserted that the "essence
of technology is nothing technological" (1977). The essence of technology is not found in the
instrumentality and function of machines constructed, but in the significance of such as
technology unfolds.

Recognizing its dangers of technology requires critical and reflective thinking on its
use. For example, social media has indeed connected people in the most efficient and
convenient way imaginable, but it also inadvertently gave rise to issues such as the invasion
of privacy, online disinhibition, and proliferation of fake news. The line has to drawn between
what constitutes a beneficial use of social media and a dangerous one. As exemplified, social
media comes with both benefits and drawback.

However, the real threat of technology comes from its essence, not its activities or
products. The correct response to the danger of technology is not simply dismissing
technology altogether. Heidegger; explained that people are delivered over to technology in
the worst possible way when they regard it as something neutral. This conception of
technology, according to Heidegger, to which today humans particularly like to pay homage,
makes them utterty blind to the essence of technology. Ultimately the essence of technology
is by no means anything technology (Heideggeir1977)

He also expressed that the various problems brought about by human's dependence
on technology cannot be simply resolved by refusing technology altogether. He stated:

Thus, we shall never experience our relationship to the essence of technology so long
as we merely represent and pursue the technological, put up with it, or evade it. Everywhere
we remain unfree and choined to technology, whether we passionately affirm or deny it. But
we are delivered over to it in the worst possible way when we regard it as something neutral;
for this conception of it, to which today we particularly like to pay homage, make us utterly
blind to the essence of technology (1991 p.1)
Art as the Saving power

Necessary reflection upon and confrontation with technology are required in order to
proactively address the dangers of technology. Friedrich Holderlin, a German poet, quated by
Heidegger,said: “But where danger is, grows the saving power also” (1997 p.14). Following
this, the saving power can be traced exactly where the danger is- in the essence of
technology. As mentioned, this essence is not neutral and by no means anything
technological. Along this line, Heidegger proposed arts as the saving power and the way out
of enframing: “ And art was simply called techne. It was single manifold revealing” (1997 p.18)
. Heidegger saw art as an act of the mind, a techne, that protected and had great power over
the truth. By focusing on art, people are able to see more clearly how art is embedded in
nature. Art encourages humans to think less from a calculative standpoint where nature is
viewed as on order system. Instead, it inspires mediative thinking where nature is seen as an
art and that, in all of the art, nature is almost poetic. Heidegger encapsulated this as follows:

Because the essence of ,technology is nothing technological, essential

reflection upon technology and upon decisive confrontation with it must happen in a
real that is, on the other hand, the essence of technology and, on the other,
fundamentallydifferent from it. Such a realm is art. But certainly, only if reflection on
art, for its part, does not shut its eyes to the constellation of truth after which we are
questioning.

Enframing, as the mode of revealing in modern technology, tends to block poieses.

The poetry that is found in nature can no longer be easily appreciated when nature is
enframed. If the Earth has just become a gas station for us, then we have became enframed
as well. In modern technology, the way of revealing is no longer poetic; it is challenging.
When instruments are observed linearly, its poetry can no be longer found. For example, the
watermill is a primitive structure compared to the hydropower plant; or the first iPhone model
is just an obsolete piece of machine. People no longer realize how the watermill is more in
tune with the rythyms of nature or how much genius went into the building of the first iPhone.

Heidegger proposes art as a way out of this enframing. With art, we are better able to
see the poetic in nature in reality. lt leads us away from calcutative thinking and towards
meditative thinking. Through meditative thinking, we will recognize that nature is art par
excellence. Hence, nature is the most poetic.

There was a time when it was technology alone that bare the name techne. Once
the revealing that brings forth truth into the splendor of radiant appearance was also
called techne.

Once there was a time when the bringing-forth of the true into the beautilul was
called techne. The poiesis of the fine arts was olso called techne.

At the outset of the destining of the West, in Greece, the arts soared to the
supreme height of the revealing granted them. They illuminated the presence
[Gegenwart] of the gods and the dialogue of divine and human destinies. And art was
called simply techne. It was a single, manifold revealing. lt was pious, promos i.e.,
yielding to the holding sway and the safekeeping of truth.
 The arts were not derived from the artistic, Artwork were not enjoyed
aestheticolly. Art was not a sector of cultural activity.

What was art - perhaps only for that brief but magnificent age? Why did art bear the
modest name techne? Because it was a revealing that brought forth and mode present, and
therefore belonged within poiesis. lt was finally that revealing which holds complete sway in
all the fine arts, in poetry, and in everything poetical that obtained poiesis as its proper name
(Heidegger, 19V, p. 13).

When meditativety tooking at technology, one will begin to question its significance in
his/her life more than in its instrumentat use. Technology is normally thought of as that which
solves problems, but Heidegger asserted that it is something that must be questioned. Again,
it is in question that we build a way to understand. ln the nuclear age, we view nature as a
problem to be solved ' The calculative thinking in which we perceive nature in a technical and
scientific manner is becoming more important in the modern world. On the other hand, it is
meditative thinking that provides a way for us to remain rooted in the essence of who we are.
lt grounds us so as not let our technologicat devices affect our real core and warp our nature.

Aristotle's conception of the four causes was mechanical. As explained by Heidegger:

For centuries philosophy has taught that there are four causes: (/) the causa materials, the
material, the matter out of which' for example, a silver chalice is mode; (2) the causa formalis,
the form, the shape into which the material enters; (3) the causa finalis, the end, for example,
the sacrificial rite in relation to which the chalice required is determined as to its form and
matter; (4) the causa efficiens, which brings about the effect that is the finished actual chalice,
in this instance, the silversmith. What technology is, when represented as a means, discloses
itself when we trace instrumentality back to fourfold causality (19n, p. 2)

Through correct in the four causes, Aristotle remained in the mechanical sense and did
not allow for a larger truth to disclose itself. The poetic character may be hidden but it is there.
For example, the ancient Greek experience of cause is action or indebtedness not cause and
effect. Thus, the Greeks revere the sun because they are indebted to it, and not because the
sun is the cause of energy on earth. Action is responsible for bringing forth.

Though enframing happens, it cannot completely snuff out the poetic character of
technology. We ponder technology and question it' In so doing, we also become aware of the
crisis we have plunged the Earth into: The danger is made present and more palpable
through our art and poetry. lmid this realization, we remain hopeful because, as the poet
Holderlin put it, "... poetically man dwells upon this Earth" (Heidegger, 'l9Tl , P. 131

Questioning as the Piety of Thought

Heidegger concluded his treatise on technology by saying:

The closer we come to the danger, the more brightly do the ways into the saving power begin
to shine and the more questioning we become. For questioning is the piety of thought (1977,
P. 19).
 Heidegger underscored the importance of questioning in the midst of technology for
him, there is unparalleled wisdom gained only when humans are able to pause, think, and
question what is around them. Humans are consumed by technotogy when they are caught
up.in enframing and fail to pay attention intricacies of technology, the brilliance of the purpose
humankind, and the genius of humans to bring forth the truth.

Questioning is the piety of thought. lt is only through questioning that humans are able
to reassess their position not only in the midst of technology, around them but also, and most
importantly' in the grand scheme of things. Heidegger posited that it is through questioning
that humans bear witnesses to the crises that a complete Preoccupatlon wlth technology
brings, preventing them from experiencing the essence of technology.

Thus, humans need to take a step back and reassess who they were, who they are,
and who they are becoming in the midst of technology in this day and age.

Source and Reference: STS by Jayson O. Madayag, PhD.

 Introduction
Although South Africa is a small country on the tip of Africa, we have
some really smart citizens who have changed the world with their
outstanding inventions.

Photo courtesy of Celso Flores (@flickr.com) - granted under creative commons licence – attribution

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons (@wikimedia.com) - granted under creative commons licence – attribution
 The CAT Scan
The Computed Axial Tomography Scan, or CAT scan, was developed
by Cape Town physicist Allan Cormack and his associate
Godfrey Hounsfield.

The CAT scan uses an X-ray

source and electronic detectors
which are rotated about the body.
The resulting data is analysed by a
computer to produce a sharp map
of the tissues within the body.
The scan allows doctors to not
only detect problems, but also
accurately assess where the
problem is.. This resulted in them
winning the 1979 Nobel Prize in
Physiology and Medicine.

The CAT scan changed the face

of medicine around the world.
 Oil from Coal
During the years of Apartheid, the South African government had
sanctions imposed on it which meant that they had limited access to the
world resources through trade.
The South African government had
to come up with another plan to get
access to oil. South Africa had
large coal reserves and this led to
the formation of the South African
Coal Oil and Gas Corporation
(Sasol).

Sasol is the world’s first – and

largest – oil-from-coal refinery
and it still provides 40% of the
country’s fuel.
 Heart transplants
The first human to human heart transplant took place on 3 December
1967 by Dr Christiaan Barnard. The nine hour surgery took place at
Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town.

This extraordinary event pushed

the boundaries of medical
science. Today 2,000 to 2,500
heart transplants take
place a year in the
U.S. alone.
 Kreepy Krauly
Anyone with a swimming pool knows exactly what a Kreepy Krauly is!
They have been keeping pools in South Africa clean since 1974.

It was invented by Ferdinand

Chauvier, a hydraulics engineer
from Springs, who identified that
people were sick and tired of
putting in so much time and
energy to keep their pools clean.
 Pratley’s Putty
Pratley’s Putty is the only South African invention that can brag that it’s
been to the moon!

It is a strong, fast-drying,
putty-like adhesive.

It was invented in 1948 by

George Pratley and became
famous in 1969 when it was used
to hold bits of the Apollo XI
mission’s Eagle landing
craft together!
 Dolosse
These twenty tonne geometric branching concrete blocks are used
around the world today to absorb and dissipate the energy of the sea
along the coastline.

The invention of the dolosse has

been greatly disputed. Some
believe them to be the creation of
Eric Merrifield whilst others
credit Aubrey Kruger.

Their unique design means that

they also interlock and can’t be
easily wasted away.
 Q20
In 1920, Q20 was invented by
Mr Robertson in Pinetown,
South Africa.

He kept having problems with

his VW Beetle that would get
water in its distributer cap when
it rained. This meant that the car
kept stalling, so Mr Robertson
invented Q20 as an effective
Before long, he realised that his
water repellent.
invention had a hundred other
uses, from fixing the squeak on a
gate hinge to helping to release a
rusty padlock!
 Retinal Cryoprobe
Baragwanath Hospital is the third biggest hospital in the world and the
hospital where Dr Selig Percy Amoils, an ophthalmologist and specialist
in retinal diseases, created a new method of cataract surgery.
Dr Amoils became famous for his invention and,
in 1975, received a Queen’s Award for
Technological Innovation.
In 1994, he removed a cataract from South African
President Nelson Mandela's left eye using his invention.

In 2006, President Thabo Mbeki awarded him the

silver Order of Mapungubwe for "excellence in the field
of ophthalmology and for inspiring his colleagues in the
field of science".

His cryoprobe is on display in the Kensington Museum

in London.
 The Speed Gun
Anyone with a keen interest in tennis or cricket will be familiar with this
invention by Henri Johnson.

In 1992, Johnson invented the

Speedball. It was able to
accurately measure the speed
and angle of smaller objects,
such as tennis or cricket balls.
 Smartlock Safety Syringe
William Blake, Paul Lambourn, Jose loureiro, Michael Moore, David
Shiel, Mirko Tappero, Henk van der Meyden and Alexis Wadman
invented the Smartlock Safety Syringe in 1992 at the Vaal University of
Technology.

Every day, Doctors and Nurses

face the danger of being pricked
by a needle. This is very
dangerous as it can lead to
them contracting many
different diseases
including hepatitis,
the Ebola virus, The Smartlock Safety Syringe
HIV and more. has a mechanism that
helps reduce the risk of
such accidents.
 Asian
Inventions
1. Paper Making
 1. Paper Making

The invention of paper greatly affects human history. Paper already existed in China since 105 A.C, however, a eunuch named Cai Lun (ca. 50 AD – 121) made significant innovation and helped drive its widespread adoption. His advanced paper-making technology then spread to central Asia and the world through the Silk Road.
2. The seed drill
 2. The Seed Drill

The seed drill is a device that plants the seed into soil at a uniform depth and covers it. If without this device farmers had to plant the seeds by hand, resulting in waste and uneven growth. According to records, the Chinese using of seed drills can be dated back to the 2nd Century BC. The device made farmers’ job easier and highly improved
the agricultural output in China.
3. Movable Type Printing
 3. Movable Type Printing

Movable Type Print ing 960-1279 A D W oodblock print ing was already a widely used t echnique in t he Tang D ynast y. However, t his kind of print ing t ech was expensive and t ime-consuming. Unt il t he Song D ynast y (960-1279), a man named Bi Sheng (990–1051) invent ed movable t ype print ing, making it quicker and easier. He first carved individual charact ers on pieces of clay and t hen harden t hem wit h fire. These movable t ype pieces were lat er glued t o an iron plat e t o print a page and t hen broken up and redist ribut ed for anot her page. This kind of print ing t ech rapidly spread across Europe, leading up t o t he Renaissance, and lat er all around t he world.
4. Compass
 4. Compass

A compass is a navigational instrument that shows directions. The compass was invented by Chinese between the 2nd century BC and 1st century AD. It was first used in Feng Shui, the layout of buildings. By 1000 AD, navigational compasses were commonly use d on Chinese ships, enabling them to navigate. Arab traders sailing to China might
learned of the tech and brought it to the West.
5. Gunpowder
 5. Gunpowder

Gunpowder was invented by Chinese Taoist alchemists about 1000 A.D. when they tried to find a potion to gain human immortality by mixing elemental sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter. It is generally believed that gunpowder spread to Europe during the Mongol expansion of 1200-1300 A.D.. The interesting fact is that Chinese used this discovery mainly for firecrackers while Europeans created cannons and guns and dominated China in the mid-1800s.
6. Alcohol
 6. Alcohol

The inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula were widely believed to be the first brewers. However, in 2013, a 9000-year-old pottery found in Henan province revealed the presence of alcohol, 1000 years before Arabian. Alcohol is known as Jiu in Chinese and i s often used as a spiritual offerings to Heaven and the Earth or ancestors in ancient China. Study shows that beer with an alcoholic content of 4% to 5% was widely consumed in ancient China and was even
mentioned on oracle bone inscriptions of the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC –1046 BC).
7. Mechanical Clock
 7. Mechanical Clock

The world’s first mechanical clock -Water-driven Spherical Birds – was invented by Yi Xing, a Buddhist monk in 725 A.D.. It was operated by dripping water which powered a wheel that made one revolution in 24 hours. Hundreds of years later, the inventor Su Song developed a more sophisticated clock called the Cosmic Empire in 1092, 200 years earlier before the mechanical clock was created in Europe.
8. Tea Production
 8. Tea Production

According to old Chinese legend, tea was first discovered by Shennong, Chinese Father of Agriculture, around 2,737 BC. In the Tang Dynasty (618－907) tea became a popular drink enjoyed by all social classes. Cha Jing (or The Book of Tea), written by Lu Yu in the Tang Dynasty, explicated ways to cultivate tea, tea drinking and different classifications of tea in details. The book is considered as the world’s first monograph about tea. And the world’s oldest and
largest living tea tree can be found in Lin Cang, China, about 3,200 years old.
9. Silk
 9. Silk

Silk, one of t he oldest fibers, originat ed in China as early as 6,000 years ago. The earliest evidence of silk was discovered at Yangshao cult ure sit e in Xiaxian Count y, Shanxi Province, China where a silk cocoon was found cut in half, dat ing back t o bet ween 4000 and 3000 BC. Chinese people mast ered sophist icat ed silk weaving t ech and closely guarded secret , and t he W est had t o pay gold of t he same weight for t he silks. In ancient t imes t he silk was a very import ant it em made in China and for many cent uries businessmen t ransport ed t his precious it em from China t o t he W est , forming t he famous Silk Road.
10. Umbrella
 10. Umbrella

The inventions of umbrella can be traced back as early as 3500 years ag o in China. Leg end has it, Lu Ban, a Chinese carpenter and inventor created the first umbrella. Inspired by children using lotus leaves as rain shelter, he created umbrella by making a flexible framew ork
covered by a cloth.
11. Earthquake Detector
 11. Earthquake Detector

According to court records of the later Han Dynasty, a seismograph was created by the brilliant inventor Zhang Heng (78-140 AD) in 132 AD. Its function is to determine the direction of an earthquake. In 138 AD, this instrument indicated an earthquake occurring in Longxi a thousand kilometers away. It was the first time that mankind to
detect an earthquake. Modern seismographs only began development in 1848 in Europe.
12. Rocket
 12. Rocket

China is hometown of rockets, ancient Chinese inventors created rockets by applying counter -force produced by ignited gunpowder. According to history, in 228 A.D. the Wei State already used torches attached to arrows to guard Chencang against the invadin g troops of the Shu State. Later the Song Dynasty (960 -1279) had adapted gunpowder to make rockets. A paper tube stuffed with gunp owder was attached to an arrow which can be launched by a bow.
This kind of ancient rockets and improved ones were widely used in military and entertainment activities in China
13. Bronze
 13. Bronze

The skill of produce bronze was mastered by ancient Chinese by 1700 B.C. The Shang Dynasty (1600 –1046 B.C.) and Zhou dynasties (1046-256 BC) brought China into the Bronze Age and the making of bronze wares reached its peak in this period. Bronze was mainly used to make weapons, bronze tools and ritual vessels at that time. Compared to counterparts in other regions of the world, the Chinese bronze wares stand out for their inscriptions and delicate
decorative patterns.
14. Kite
 14. Kite

The kite was developed around 3,000 years ago by ancient Chinese. The earliest kites were made of wood, called Muyuan (wooden kite). In early times kites were mainly used for military purposes such as sending a message,
measuring distances, testing the wind and signaling. Over time kite flying developed into playthings and kite flying is now enjoyed worldwide.
15. Electric Rice Cooker
 15. Electric Rice Cooker

The development of electric rice cookers began in the Taisho era (1912-1926),
but it wasn't until 1955 that the first automatic rice cooker for household use
went on sale in Japan. The company that made this cooker, Toshiba, spent five
years developing it. After much trial and error, the company came up with a
method called "double-pot indirect cooking," in which a cup of water was poured
into the outer pot, and the machine automatically turned off when all of this
water evaporated, signaling that the rice was ready.
16.Flashdrive
 16.Flashdrive

Fujio Masuoka is a Japanese invent or who joined Toshiba in 1971. Masuoka began working on a new st orage memory concept while st ill a fact ory manager. He was focused on developing memory t hat ret ained all of it s informat ion even wit hout power.
Tension bet ween Toshiba and Masuoka began t o develop over t he years as Toshiba cont inued t o focus on D RA M as t heir mainst ay inst ead of Masuoka’s work. Int el t ook t he helm of flash memory t o capit alize where Toshiba had not . Today, flash is a mult ibillion dollar indust ry wit h chips present in everyt hing from USB flash drives t o comput ers, cars and phones.
16. Flashdrive

By 1981, Masuoka went t o pat ent EEPROM (elect ronically erasable programmable read only memory), more commonly known as flash memory. Masuoka int roduced flash memory in 1984 t o t he indust ry at t he Int ernat ional Elect ronics D evelopers meet ing, where Int el t ook great int erest .
The A merican chipmaker subsequent ly put hundreds of engineers int o craft ing and perfect ing flash memory where Toshiba only allowed Masuoka five workers part -t ime for t he same endeavor. In 1987, he began creat ing NA ND flash. The NA ND chip st ores files while ut ilizing read and writ e funct ions.
17. DVD Player
 17. DVD Player

A DVD player is a device that plays DVD discs produced under both the DVD-Video and DVD-Audio technical standards, two different and incompatible standards. Some DVD players will also play audio CDs. DVD players are connected to a television to watch the FBI content, which could be a movie, a recorded TV show, or other content.

The first DVD player was created by Sony Corporation in Japan in collaboration with Pacific Digital Company on 1997.
 17. DVD Player

Some manufacturers originally announced that DVD players would be available as early as the middle of 1996. These predictions were too optimistic. Delivery was initially held up for "political" reasons of copy protection demanded by movie studios, but w as later delayed by lack of movie titles. The first players appeared in Japan on November 1, 1996, followed by the United States on March 26, 1997 with distribution limited to only seven major cities for the
first six months.
18. Bullet Train
 19. Bullet Train

Hideo Shima is a Japanese engineer and the driving force behind the building of the first bullet train. Japan opened the world's first high-speed rail line, between Tokyo and Osaka, in time for the 1964 Olympics. Shinkansen, or
bullet trains, now travel at speeds up to 185 miles per hour over some 1,500 miles of rail lines across the country.
20. Emoji
 20. Emoji

In 1999 Shigetaka Kurita created the first widely-used set of emoji.

Originating on Japanese mobile phones in 1997, emoji became increasingly popular worldwide in the 2010s after being added to several mobile operating systems. They are now considered to be a
large part of popular culture in the west.
 20. Emoji

Emoji is used in electronic messages and web pages. Emoji exist in various genres, including facial expressions, common objec ts, places and types of weather, and animals. They are much like emoticons, but emoji are actual pictures instead of typographics . Originally meaning pictograph, the word emoji comes from Japanese e (絵 , "picture") + moji (文 字 , "character"); the resemblance to the English words emotion and emoticon is purely coincidental.
21. Zero
 21. Zero

The biggest and the most important contribution to the history of mathematics was ‘Zero’, which is literally nothing, but without it, there would have been no binary system and subsequently, no computers. And who gave the world this numeral? All thanks need to go to the man of numerous mathematical and astronomical talents, Aryabhata. Indians were the first one to use ‘Zero’ as a symbol and in mathematical operations, such as addition, subtraction,
etc.
22. Ayurveda Therapy
 22. Ayurveda Therapy

The Father of Medicine, Charaka, who was one of the prime contributors to Ayurveda. ‘Ayurveda’ means ‘science of life’; it is a traditional school of medicine, invented and practised in India for over 5,000 years, and helps people attain good health and living, without the use of prescription drugs. This ancient system of medicine has
persisted even in the 21st century, and in recent years, it has gained popularity across the world as a complementary and alternative medicine.
23. Board Games
 23. Board Games

Chess is the game of intellectuals, and it originated as ‘Ashtapada’ during the Gupta period around the 6th century AD. Gyand ev, a 13th-century poet, invented ‘Snakes and Ladders’, originally know n as ‘Mokshapat’. The snakes represent vices, w hile ladders denote virtues.
During the British rule in India, this ancient Indian game made its w ay to England and later to the USA.
24. Wireless Communication
 24. Wireless Communication

This invention revolutionised the way we communicate. While historians credit Guglielmo Marconi with inventing the wireless r adio communication, Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose was actually the first person who demonstrated the use of radio waves for communication publicly back in 1895, exactly two years before Marconi gave a similar demo in England. In other words, Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose invented wireless communication technology, which enables
people to communicate quickly and transmit information over a distance without the need for electrical conductors, wires or cables.
25. Shampoo
 25. Shampoo

invented in 1762 in the eastern parts of the Mughal Empire and used as a ‘head massage’, comprising of natural oils and herbs. The English word
‘shampoo’ derives its name from the Hindi word ‘chāmpo’, which comes from the Sanskrit word ‘Chapayati’, meaning massage or knead.
 Cradles of Early Science

•Development of Science in
Mesoamerica
MESO AMERICA
• The term Mesoamerica is derived from the Greek and
means "Middle America.“
• The term Mesoamerica was first used by Paul Kirchoff,
a German-Mexican archaeologist in 1943
• is mainly used by cultural anthropologists and
archaeologists, but it is very useful for visitors to Mexico
to be familiar with it when trying to grasp an
understanding of how Mexico developed over time and
the different ancient civilizations that developed here.
 Cultural Features of Mesoamerica

• Some of the important ancient civilizations that

developed in this area include the Olmecs,
Zapotecs, Teotihuacanos, Mayas, and Aztecs.
These cultures developed complex societies,
reached high levels of technological evolution, built
monumental constructions, and shared many
cultural concepts.
 Mayan Civilization
• These people are known for their works in astronomy.
• They use their temples for astronomical observations. For ex., the pyramid at
Chichen Itza in Mexico is situated at the location of the Sun during the
spring and fall equinoxes.
• They have advance knowledge of celestial bodies, predicting eclipses and
using astrological cycles in planting and harvesting.
• They are also known for measuring time using two complicated calendar
systems.
• Mayans built hydraulic systems with sophisticated waterways to supply water
to different communities.
• They used various tools and adapt themselves to innovations especially in the
field of arts. They built looms for weaving cloth and devised a rainbow of
glittery paints made from a mineral called mica.
• They also believed to be one of the first people to produce rubber products,
3000 years before Goodyear received its patent in 1844.
• Mayans are considered as one of the most scientifically advanced societies in
Mesoamerica.
• They are also famous as one of the world’s first civilizations to use a writing
system known as the Mayan hieroglyphics.
• They were also skilled in mathematics and created number system based on the
numeral 20.
• They independently developed the concept of zero and positional value, even
before the Romans did.
 Inca Civilization
• The ff. were scientific ideas and tools that they developed to help them in
everyday life:
• 1. road paved with stones;
• 2. stone buildings that surmounted earthquakes and other disasters;
• 3. irrigation system and technique for storing water for their crops to grow in all
types of land;
• 4. calendar with 12 months to mark their religious festivals and prepare them for
planting season;
 Inca Civilization
• The ff. were scientific ideas and tools that they developed to help them in
everyday life:
• 5. the first suspension bridge;
• 6. quipu, a system of knotted ropes to keep records that only experts can
interpret; and
• 7. Inca textiles since cloth was one of the specially prized artistic
achievements.
 Aztec Civilization
• Some of their contributions are the ff.:
• 1. Mandatory education. It is an early form of universal or inclusive education.
• 2. Chocolates. The Aztec valued the cacao beans highly and made it as part their tribute to their gods.
• 3. Antispasmodic medication. They used a type of antispasmodic medication that could prevent muscle
spasms and relax muscles, which could help during surgery.
• 4. Chinampa. It is a form of Aztec technology for agricultural farming in which the land was divided
into rectangular areas and surrounded by canals.
• 5. Aztec calendar. This enabled them to plan their activities, rituals and planting season.
• 6. Invention of the canoe. A light narrow boat used for travelling in water systems.
Colossal stone head
Olmec Civilization
Zapotec
City of Teotihuacan in
the valley of Mexico
Mayas
Aztec
Some of the shared features of
the ancient civilizations of Mesoamerica:
• a diet based on corn, beans, and squash
• similar myths of origin
• calendar system
• writing systems
• a ball game played with a rubber ball
• religious practices of bloodletting and sacrifice
 Timeline of Mesoamerica
• The Pre-Classic period stretches from 1500 B.C. to 200 A.D.
During this period there was a refinement of agricultural techniques
which allowed for larger populations, a division of labor and the
social stratification necessary for civilizations to develop.
The Olmec civilization, which is sometimes referred to as the
"mother culture" of Mesoamerica, developed during this period, and
some of the great urban centers of the following period were
founded during this time.
 Timeline of Mesoamerica
• The Classic period, from 200 to 900 A.D., saw the development of
great urban centers with the centralization of power. Some of these
major ancient cities include Monte Alban in Oaxaca, Teotihuacan in
central Mexico and the Mayan centers of Tikal, Palenque and
Copan In Honduras. Teotihuacan was one of the largest metropoles
in the world at the time, with an estimated population of 200,000
people at its peak, and its influence stretched over much of
Mesoamerica.
 Timeline of Mesoamerica
• The Post-Classic period, from 900 A.D. to the arrival of the
Spaniards in the early 1500s, was characterized by city-states and
greater emphasis on war and sacrifice.
 Some similarities to pre-1500 civilizations:
• Writing existed; Mayan script was hieroglyphic based like in Egypt or
China
• A priestly temple class was a very powerful element in society such as in
Egypt, Mesopotamia or India. Quetzalcoatl, the most important god, was
usually portrayed as a plumed serpent (a snake with feathers)--it is pretty
interesting trying to figure out exactly what he meant and his role in
religious myth. One difference of Mesoamerican religions was the
prominent role of human sacrifice (Yet that is also another point on which
there is much controversy.)
• Monumental architecture (pyramid and temple construction such as in
Egypt, Mesopotamia and India)
• Sedentary agricultural villages which eventually evolved into massive
cities such as Teotihuacan, Chichen Itza, Cuzco, Tenochtitlan.
Maya Script
Quetzalcoatl, God of Wind and Wisdom
Cuzco

MACHU
PICCHU
Tenochtitlan
SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
Afghanistan
Israel
Armenia
Japan Palestine
Azerbaijan
Jordan Philippines
Bahrain
Kazakhstan Qatar
Bangladesh
North Korea Saudi Arabia
Bhutan
South Korea Singapore
Brunei
Kuwait Sri Lanka
Burma
Kyrgyztan Syria
Cambodia
Laos Taiwan
China
Macau Tajikistan
Cyprus
Malaysia Thailand
Georgia
Maldives Turkey
Hong Kong
Mongolia Turkmenistan
India
Nepal Vietnam
Indonesia
Oman Yemen
Iran
Pakistan
Iraq
……
Trivia:
Did you know that Asia is
the birthplace of human
civilization?
Before the Industrial Revolution in
the18 th century, most of the world’s
major technological achievements
originated in Asia.
With BUDDHISM, ISLAM
and CHRISTIANITY, Asia
was the cradle of three
religions
Asia is divided
in 5 regions
1. Western Asia
2. Southeast Asia
3. South Asia
4. East Asia
5. Central Asia
Western Asia
Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Cyprus, Syria,
Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq,
Iran, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia
West Asia is located in the area
between Central Asia and Africa,
south of Eastern Europe
West Asia was one of
the first places
where people farmed
and lived in towns!
Like of their contribution
to civilization, their
contribution to astronomy
was made with religion in
mind.
Ibn Sina
His publication, “The Canon”, became a
core text for physicians across the
Islamic world and Europe, laying out a
detailed guide for diagnosing and
treating ailments.
Manufacturing paper from cotton,
linen and rags. This opened a new era
for civilization replacing the silk paper
of the Chinese
Scientific
inventions
Islam was the one of
the first world
religions to place

TOOTHBRUSH
particular emphasis

.
on bodily hygiene

Also called
“MISWAK” by Arab
people
The guitar, as we know it today,
has its origins in the Arabic oud –
a lute with a bent neck. During
the Middle Ages, it found its way
to Muslim Spain, where it was
referred to as “qitara” in the
Arabic of Andalusia.
 Albucasis (Abu al-
Surgical
Kasim)
He also invented methods for surgically

Innovations
treating diseases of the urethra, the
ear and the esophagus, and was the
first person to describe an ectopic
pregnancy.
Southeast Asia
Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand,
Timor Lester, Vietnam, Christmas Island,
Cocos Island
Located north of Australia, south of
East Asia, west of the Pacific Ocean
and east of the Bay of Bengal
The region’s chief
cultural influences
have been from some
combination of Islam,
India and China
 trivia
Christmas Island and the
Cocos Islands are governed
by Australia, but are a part
of Southeast Asia
 Metalworking (bronze) and agriculture
(rice) were being practiced by the end of
the 3rd millennium bce in northeastern
Thailand and northern Vietnam, and
sailing vessels of advanced design and
sophisticated navigational skills were
spread over a wider area by the same
time or earlier.
The second development, which
began possibly as early as 1000
BCE, centered on the production
of fine bronze and the
fashioning of bronze-and- iron
objects
Scientific
inventions
 polyethene
Dr.
prostheticTherdchai leg
A Thai Doctor inventor, who is an
Jivacate
orthopaedic surgeon, has enabled
high-quality prosthetic limbs to be
available at a low cost.
This 1978-born young professor had
discovered a faster communication method
with smaller energy used and great
OFDM-based 4G
increased in speed of data transfers. By
the applies of this method could solve
Telecommunication
Khoirul Anwar
communication problems in big cities which
has skycraper buildings either in
Systems
mountains area. Because in the areas like
those, the transmitted waves has longer
bounces and delay.
Erythromycin
Dr. Abelardo Aguilar
South Asia
Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India,
Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bhutan,
Nepal, the Maldives
trivia

At the start of the twenty-first

century, South Asia is one of the
most backward regions of the
world in terms of educational
development
 Squat toilet
toilets platforms above drains, in
the proximity of wells, are found in
several houses of the cities of
Mohenjodaro and Harappa from
the 3rd millennium B.C
The concept of Pi and an approximate
value of it were first discovered by
Budhayana in 800 BC they were later
Value of Pi.
improved by Aryabhatta. Budhayana
also devised the concept of
Pythagorean theorem.
Scientific
inventions
a string instrument designed for
use in classical music, was
Sagar veena
developed entirely in Pakistan
over the last 40 years at the
Sanjannagar Institute in Lahore
by Raza Kazim.
 Ommay
Pakistani neurosurgeon who made the

Ayub K. Ommaya
Ommaya Reservoir, a system through
which chemicals can be injected into the

a
brain of a patient suffering from brain
tumor. Before the Ommaya Reservoir,
the treatment for brain tumors was
nowhere. Kudos to Mr. Ommaya.
The first scientist to connect the

Brain – Chip
human brain with a silicon chip! This
We have allstep
groundbreaking seenhasthe
paved the
movies
way andscientific
for major heard the
Connection
concept – mind integration
breakthroughs
Dr. Naweed like giving people
control over their artificial limbs,
with computers.
reversing memory loss, curing
Syed!!
blindness.
East Asia
China, Mongolia, North
Korea, South Korea, Japan,
Hong Kong, Macau
 trivia
For thousands of years, China largely
influenced East Asia as it was
principally the leading civilization in
the region exerting its enormous
prestige and influence on its
neighbors.
Used alongside the turtle ship when Korea was in
conflict with Japan(mid-Sixteetnth century).
The inventor is unknown, but this weaponry was
deadly. They would attach explosives to arrows
and light them on fire then shoot them out of
their wheelbarrow device. This weapon was
useful in fighting off the Japanese
He invented paper about 105 CE using

Cai Lun
mulberry and other bast fibers along
with fishnets, old rags, and hemp waste.
Scientific
inventions
form of Traditional Chinese
Medicine in which needles are
places along the meridians of
Acupuncture
the body that control the flow
of , was first mentioned in the
ancient Chinese
The characteristic anime art style
emerged in the 1960s with the works of

anime
OsamuTezuka and spread internationally
in the late twentieth century, developing
a large domestic and international
audience.
The world's first commercially available
MP3
MP3 player, the MPMan, was launched
PLAYER
by SaeHan Information Systems in
1997.[2
Central Asia
Tajikistan, Uzbekistan,
Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan,
Kyrgystani
Their efforts have had many fits and
starts, but the West should recognize
that their struggle to come to terms with
modernity holds huge potential for the
Muslim world as a whole, and may
someday serve as a template for
promoting peace among warring nations.
TRIVIA

Historically and
geographically diverse,
Central Asia is a very
interesting region.
As a bridge between Europe and Asia,
the region was the home of the Silk
Road, the ancient trading route
between the two continents in the
first centuries of the common era.
Did you
know?
From Uzbekistan was Ibn Sina is
born, known as Avicenna to the
West, whose great “Canon of
Medicine” gave rise to the
medical sciences in the Middle
East, Europe and India.
first developed by Central Asian
peoples and passed on first to the
Chinese around 100 CE--was one of
The stirrup
the technologies that contributed
most to the change in social
structure in late Middle Ages
Europe.
 SEWING
People in Central Asia probably
started to sew clothes about
45,000 BC, and invented sewing
needles about 40,000 BC.
Thank
you
MATHEMATICS
The invention of mathematics is placed firmly in African
prehistory. The oldest known possibly mathematical
object is the Lebombo bone, which was discovered in
the Lebombo Mountains of Swaziland and dated to
approximately 35,000 B.C. Many of the math concepts
that are learned in school today were also developed in
Africa. Over 35,000 years ago, Ancient Egyptians
scripted textbooks about math that included division
and multiplication of fractions and geometric formulas
to calculate the area and volume of shapes.
The oldest fossils of modern man are nearly 150,000 years old.
Probably on a rainy day, a human walked in wet sand near what
is now known as Border Cave in the Lebombo
Mountains between South Africa and Swaziland. In the 1970's
during the excavations of Border Cave, a small piece of the fibula
of a baboon, the Lebombo bone, was found marked with 29
clearly defined notches, and, at 37,000 years old, it ranks with
the oldest mathematical objects known. The bone is dated
approximately 35,000 BC and resembles the calendar sticks still
in use by Bushmen clans in Nimibia.

The closest town to the Lebombo Mountains is Siteki,

renowned for its Inyanga and Sangoma School, a government
school to train healers and diviners. It's a fascinating mix of
botany, spiritualism and natural science, and you can visit the
school if you arrange it in advance through Swazi Tourism in
Mbabane.
Left column
Center column
The numbers on both the left and right column
are all odd numbers (9, 11, 13, 17, 19 and 21).
The numbers in the left column are all of
the prime numbers between 10 and 20 (which
form a prime quadruplet), while those in the right
column consist of 10 + 1, 10 − 1, 20 + 1 and
20 − 1. The numbers on each side column add
up to 60, with the numbers in the central column
adding up to 48.
 Many treatments used today in modern medicine were
first employed in Africa centuries ago. The earliest
known surgery was performed in Egypt around 2750
B.C. Medical procedures performed in ancient Africa
before they were performed in Europe include
vaccination, autopsy, limb traction and broken bone
setting, bullet removal, brain surgery, skin grafting,
filling of dental cavities, installation of false teeth,
what is now known as Caesarean sections, anesthesia
and tissue cauterization.
 The African empire of Egypt developed a vast array of
diverse structures and great architectural monuments
along the Nile, among the largest and most famous of
which are the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Great
Sphinx of Giza. Later, in the 12th century there were
hundreds of great cities in Zimbabwe and
Mozambique made of massive stone complexes and
huge castlelike compounds. In the 13th century, the
empire of Mali boasted impressive cities, including
Timbuktu, with grand palaces, mosques and
universities.
 Many advances in metallurgy and tool-making were
made across the entirety of ancient Africa. These
include steam engines, metal chisels and saws, copper
and iron tools and weapons, nails, glue, carbon steel
and bronze weapons and art. In places like Tanzania,
Rwanda and Uganda, the advances in metallurgy and
tool-making surpassed those in Europe.
 Several ancient African cultures birthed discoveries in
astronomy. Many of these are foundations on which we
still rely, and some were so advanced that their mode
of discovery still cannot be understood. The Dogon
people of Mali amassed a wealth of detailed
astronomical observations. They knew of Saturn’s
rings, Jupiter’s moons, the spiral structure of the Milky
Way and the orbit of the Sirius star system.
1963 CT scan or the CAT scan was invented by Allan
MacLeod Cormackand it won him the 1979 Nobel
Prize in Physiology or Medicine (along with Godfrey
Hounsfield) for his work on X-ray computed
tomography (CT).
1967 Heart transplantation; Dr. Christiaan
Barnardcompleted the world's first successful heart
transplantation on 3 December 1967 in Cape Town.
 1971 PayPal, co-founder Elon Musk was born
in Pretoria.
1970's Scheffel bogie, Dr Herbert Scheffel designed a
new type of Bogie in order to increase the development
of South Africa's narrow gauge railway system. His new
design went on to help set the world rail speed record
of 245 kilometres per hour.
1984 - Denel Rooivalk - the first military attack
helicopter developed that is capable of making a 360
degree loop, a feat previously seen as impossible.
Arthur Zang, Cameroonian engineer, has invented
the Cardiopad, a touch screen medical tablet that
enables heart examinations such as the
electrocardiogram (ECG) to be performed at remote,
rural locations while the results of the test are
transferred wirelessly to specialists who can interpret
them. The device spares African patients living in
remote areas the trouble of having to travel to urban
centers to seek medical examinations.
Ahmed Zewail (1946-2016), Egyptian-American scientist,
awarded the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
. an Egyptian-American scientist, known as the "father
of femtochemistry

Femtochemistry is the area of physical chemistry that

studies chemical reactions on extremely short timescales
(approximately 10−15 seconds or one femtosecond, hence
the name) in order to study the very act of atoms within
molecules (reactants) rearranging themselves to form
new molecules (products).
Rachid Yazami (1953-), French Moroccan scientist best
known for his research on lithium ion batteries
Bisi Ezerioha, (b. 1972), a Nigerian engineer, racer and
former pharmaceutical executive who has built some
of the world's most powerful Honda and Porsche
engines.
Thebe Medupe (b. 1973), a South African astrophysicist
and founding director of Astronomy Africa.
Allan McLeod Cormack (1924–1998), a South African-
born American physicist, who won the 1979 Nobel
Prize in Physiology or Medicine, for his work on X-
ray computed tomography
INTELLECTUAL REVOLUTIONS THAT
DEFINED SOCIETY

ASIAN 1
 IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING
ASIAN
• We are Asians, thus we should know more about Asia than any other
region in the world.
• Asia will dominate the worlds political economic and spiritual
developments in the near future.
• Philippine due to its location and heritage has always been the “Light
of Asia” and today is still able to fulfill a great role in this Asian
renaissance.
 GEOGRAPHERS HAVE SOMETIMES DIVIDED THE
WORLD INTO TWO PARTS:

• East (Orient) - The Asian world, said to be the region of the rising sun.

• West (Occident) – is the Europe and North America, said to be the

region of the setting sun.
 WESTERN ASIAN
• Also called near east because of nearness to Europe the middle East
lies midway between Asia and Europe. It includes the following
country:
1.Iran
2.Iraq
3.Syria
4.Lebanon
5.Jordan
 EAST ASIAN
ALSO CALLED THE FAR EAST SUB REGION

1. China
2. Japan
3. Taiwan
4. North Korea
5. South Korea
 NORTH ASIAN
1. Afghanistan
2. Russia’s Siberia
3. Kazakhstan
4. Georgia
5. Armenia
 SOUTHEAST ASIAN

In this sub-region are:

1. Philippines
2. Indonesia
3. Malaysia
4. Singapore
5. Thailand
6. Myanmar
7. Vietnam
 PEOPLES OF ASIAN

• Brown Race – represented by Filipinos, Malaysians and Indonesians.

• Yellow Race – represented by the Chinese, Koreans and Japanese.
• Aryan or Indo European – a branch of the white race represented by
afghans, Iranians and Indians.
• Semitics – a branch of the white race represented by Arabs, Jews,
Iraqis and Syrians.
• Red Race – Siberian and Soviet Asian who migrated to North America
and became ancestors of American Indians.
• Eurasians/Amerasians – results of mixed marriages(part European, part
Asian or part American, part Asian)
 MAN MADE WONDERS
• The Great Wall of China, Built by Emperor Shih Huang Ti (220-221 B.C).
With a length of 2,700km. Long across North China, it took more than
10 years to finish, and more than 200,000 men labored on the project.
• The Ifugao Rice Terraces of the Philippines, built 2,000 years ago, if
placed end to end they would extend more than half the
circumference of the Earth.
• The Taj Mahal in Agra, India, hailed by Western writers as “the most
beautiful and most perfect of all buildings in the world”.
• The Dome of the Rock, an Islamic Shrine in Jerusalem.
• The Shwe Dagon, the fabulous golden pagoda in Rangoon ,Burma
(Myanmar)
 ASIAN CHARACTER TRAITS

• Spirituality, the Asian has an innate spiritual nature, there is spiritual dimension
to everything he does.
• Fatalism. The Asian does not believe that he is the “master of his soul”.
• Hospitality. No matter how humble their situations, Asians will serve and
pamper their guest.
• Extended family relationship. Strong bonds of love and kinship among asian
family members.
• A sense of continuity. Whatever man does affect nature.
 INDIA
• They are known for manufacturing iron and in Metallurgical works. Their iron
steel is considered to be the best and held high regard in the whole Roman
Empire.
• They are also famous in Medicine. For ex. Ayurveda, a system of traditional
medicine that originated in ancient India before 2500 BC, is still practiced as
a form of alternative medicine.
• They discovered some medicinal properties of plants and they developed a
text like the Sushruta Samhita, which describes different surgical and other
medical procedures.
• Notable in the field of Astronomy. They developed theories on the
configuration of the universe, the spherical self-supporting Earth, and the
year of 360 days with 12 equal parts of 30 days each.
• They are also known for their Mathematics. They tried to standardize
measurement of length to a high degree of accuracy and designed a ruler,
the Mohenjo –daro ruler.
INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION
AYURVEDA
INDIA’S RULER
 INDIA

• The mathematician Aryabhata (476-550), in his Aryabhatiya, introduced a

number of trigonometric functions, tables and techniques, as well as
algorithms of algebra.
• Indian, Brahmagupta, also suggested that gravity was a force of attraction,
and lucidly explained the use of zero as both a placeholder and a decimal
digit, along with Hindu-Arabic numerical system now used universally
throughout the world.
• Madhava Sangamagrama is considered as the founder of mathematical
analysis.
BRAHMAGUPTA'S FORMULA
 CHINA
• The of Chinese are known for their traditional medicines, a product of
centuries of experiences and discovery of Chinese people. An ex. is
the practice of the acupuncture.
• In terms of technology, the Chinese are known to develop many tools.
Among the famous discoveries and inventions of the Chinese
civilizations were compass, papermaking, gunpowder, and printing
tools that became known in the West only by the end of the Middle
Ages.
• They also invented other tools like iron plough, wheelbarrow, and
propeller, among others.
• They developed a design of different models of bridges (Zhongguo Ke
Xue Yuan, 1983), invented the first seismological detector, and
developed a dry dock facility.
ANCIENT EARTHQUAKE DETECTOR
 CHINA
• They also made a significant records on supernovas, lunar and solar eclipses,
and comets, which were carefully recorded and preserved to understand
better the heavenly bodies and their effects to our world, like our weather
changes and seasons that may affect daily activities. They used lunar
calendars, too.
• They are also known in seismology which made them more prepared in times
of natural calamities.
CHINA
CHINA