STS Science, Technology and Society

Hand out Title: Historical Antecedents (Cradles of early Science)

Prepared by: Kussel D. Mendiola

If you look back at the time when humans first decided to give up their nomadic ( hunter-gatherer
lifestyle) in favor of settling down at one place, distinct cradles of civilization can be clearly identified:

ANTECEDENTS/ CIVILIZATIONS CRADLES OF EARLY SCIENCE

SCIENCE IN MESOAMERICA
Mayan Civilization - Works in Astronomy, incorporated into their temples
and other religious structures.
- eclipse prediction
- astrological cycles in planting and harvesting
Kulkukan temple, - complicated calendar system
Chiche’n Itza,
Mexico.
Inca Civilization - roads paved with stones
The Inca civilization - irrigation system and technique for storing water for
flourished in ancient their crops to grow in all types of land
- calendar with 12 months
Peru between 1400
and 1533 CE

Aztec Civilization - Mandatory education

Aztecs used the - Chocolates
passion flower (relieve - Antipasmodic medication
insomnia, epilepsy, and - Aztec calendar
high blood pressure) to - Invention of canoe
create antispasmodic
medication.
SCIENCE IN ASIA
INDIA -Iron and metallurgical works
Sushruta Samhita- - medicine, Ayurveda (healthy life style)
eye cataract -Notable in the field of Astronomy-developed theories
surgery on the configuration of the universe.
-Sushruta Samhita

CHINA - Traditional medicines: acupucture

The first papermaking
process was documented in
China during the Eastern
Han period (25–220 AD)
traditionally attributed to the
court official Cai Lun.
- Compass
- Papermaking and Printing tools
- Gunpowder
- Wheelbarrow and Propeller
- Different models of bridges
-In Astronomy, Lunar calendar

Middle East Countries -Islam, Arabic language

- Acess to Greek text
-Science experiments rather than thought experiment
- Scientific method, Empirical observations
 Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi
Abu Ali al Hasan ibn gave his name to the concept of the algorithm.
al-Haytham, -Algebra is derived from Al-jabr
- Arabic Numerical System, Modern Chemistry
And Science of Experimental Medicine

Father of Optics
SCIENCE IN AFRICA
Egyptian Science Lebombo bone- bone tool
made of a baboon fibula
with incised markings
discovered in
the Lebombo Mountains
located between South
Africa.
- Development of Geometry
- Egyptians Pyramid and Early Dams
- Egypt– center of Alchemy
- Metallurgy
- Three types of calendar (lunar, solar, stellar)
- Lebombo bone (south africa)

*Why Egypt, science in africa? Is Egypt not Asia?

Because it is a transcontinental country, sovereign states that are divided

between one geographical continent and another.
Egypt, officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country
spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia, via a land
bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula.

Important Terms:
 Metallurgy- art and science of extracting metals from their ores and modifying the metals for use.
Metallurgy customarily refers to commercial as opposed to laboratory methods.
 Ayurveda- a natural system of medicine, originated in India more than 3,000 years ago. The term
Ayurveda is derived from the Sanskrit words ayur (life) and veda (science or knowledge). Thus,
Ayurveda translates to knowledge of life.
 Canoe- Just as their canoes were made from wood, so were their poles and paddles. It is a lightweight
narrow vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or
kneeling paddlers
 Al-jabr- Algebra (from Arabic: ‫ الجبر‬al-jabr, meaning "reunion of broken parts" and "bonesetting") is one
of the broad parts of mathematics, together with number theory, geometry and analysis.
 Acupucture- is a form of alternative medicine and a key component of traditional Chinese medicine in
which thin needles are inserted into the body.
 Antipasmodic medication- A medication that relieves, prevents, or lowers the incidence of
muscle spasms, especially those of smooth muscle such as in the bowel wall.
References;
https://www.nature.com/scitable/blog/labcoat-
https://www.science.org.au/curious/people-medicine
https://www.britannica.com/
Originalpeople.org
Beautifulworld.com
Atlas Obscura.com
Additional Content:
STS Science, Technology and Society
Hand title: History of Science and technology in The Philippines.
Prepared by: Kussel D. Mendiola

The History of Science and Technology in the Philippines

(by M. Telabangco)
Historical Periods CRADLES OF EARLY SCIENCE
PRE-COLONIAL
 Fire, (light and heat) and herbal medicines are considered as the first science technology.
 Early natives already had activities linked to science and technology even before colonizers came.
 Clay pottery and soil mettalurgy, example the creation of famous “manunggul jars”
 The use of alibata writing system, stones were used for recording purpose
 Agricultural revolution, introduce and used methods in farming for both animal and plant.
 There is agricultural abundance, native Filipinos were already engaged in farming.
 The Banaue Rice Terreces, is among the sophisticated products of engineering in pre spanish era.
 Faith- natives based their abundance of harvest , the different plants and animals in faith and myths.
COLONIAL
 Ferdinand Magellan, a portugese in service of spanish crown, was looking forward to a westward
route to the spice island of Indonesia, later on found Phillipines
 The colonization of the philippines contributed to the growth of science and technology in the
archipelago.
 Spanish introduced formal education and founded science institutions.
 Parish schools were established where religion, writing and arithmetic was taught.
 Sanitation and more advanced methods of agriculture was taught.
 Start of formal studies in medicine
 Engineering fields in the island grow, constructions of government buildings, churches, roads, bridge
and ports.
POST COLONIAL
 Industrial scientific revolutions
 During Ferdinand Marcos presidency, the importance given to science field grew.
 He recognized that technology was a leading factor in the economic development and chanelled
additional funds to support projects in applied science education.
 Management of first nuclear power plant. (Bataan, Philippines)
 Established PAGASA ( Philippine atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services)
 Other inventions also paveway for development of science like, Florescent bulb (Agapito Flores),
Incubator (Fe del Mundo), Karaoke Machine (Roberto Del rosario), Erythromycin (Abelardo
Aguilar)-the first successful macrolide antibiotic, Antibiotic from Aspergillus species of fungi.


References;
https://youtu.be_XOAWhHgPas