Science, Technology and Society

COURSE MODULE COURSE UNIT Session

1 2 1
Introduction to Science, Technology and Society

 Read course and unit objectives

 Read study guide prior to class attendance
 Read required learning resources; refer to unit
terminologies for jargons
 Proactively participate in classroom discussions
 Participate in weekly discussion board (Canvas)
 Answer and submit course unit tasks

At the end of this unit, the students are expected to:

1. Define science, technology and society;

2. Compare and Contrast science and technology.
3. Know the limitations of science and technology
Science
- System of knowledge of the natural world gained through the scientific method.
- Primarily interested in the acquisition of knowledge.
- Preoccupied with the “know-why” resulting in new knowledge usually disseminated through
science papers.
- Science is a kind of human cultural activity which is practiced by people known as scientist and
formerly called natural philosophers and savants.
- Science is complex system of people, skills, facilities, knowledge, material or physical resources
and technologies devoted and directed to the inquiry into and understanding of the natural
world.
- Science as a modern science is the dynamic cumulative inquiry into nature using the scientific
method.
 Deals with the natural world.
 Concerned with WHAT IS (exist) in the natural world.
 Focuses on Research
 Discovering natural phenomena (knowledge)
Technology
- Comes from Greek words tekhne meaning “art or craft” and logia meaning a ‘subject or
interest”.
- Practical application of knowledge
- Science of industrial arts and manufacture
- Material products or result of human fabrication and making.
- A kind of human cultural activity or endeavor which is practiced by people called technologist
which include engineers, craftsmen and machinists.
- A complex system of knowledge, skills, people, methods, tools, organization, facilities,
materials, physical resources devoted and directed to the research, development, production as
well operation of a new or improved product, process or services in a reproducible way.
- Is concerned with the know-how resulting in a new product or process distributed for
commercial consumption or appropriated through patents.
 Deals with how humans modify, change, alter or control the natural world.
  Concerned with what can be or should be designed, made or developed from natural world
and substances to satisfy human needs and wants.
 Focuses on Development and Innovation
 Inventing new or better tools and materials.
Society – an organized group of people associated as members of a community.
Development -which involves transforming research findings into prototype inventions of new
materials, devices and processes.
Innovation- which involves commercialization of prototype inventions of Research and
Development into marketable products or processes.
Research- a process of acquiring new knowledge.
The power and promise of technology can be further enhanced through the study of technology to
assure that all people are technologically literate in the future.
Society- people in general thought of as living together in organized communities with shared laws,
traditions and values.

Types of Research
1. Fundamental/Basic Research- gaining new knowledge
2. Applied-practical application
3. Mission-Oriented-accomplishing a particular mission or technological objective
Types of Technology

1.Material technology-extraction, fabrication, processing, combination and synthesis of materials

2.Equipment technology-design and fabrication of tools, instruments, devices and machines.
3.Energy technology- deals with the distribution of various forms of energy such as solar panels,
wind turbines and hydrothermal.
4.Information technology- based on machines that collect, store, process, retrieve, transmit and
utilize data or information.
5.Life technology- these are devices, medicines, procedures and systems designed to preserve,
repair, maintain, reproduce and improve living systems.
6.Management technology-Planning, organization, coordination and control of social activities

Branches of Science
 1. Geology
2. Chemistry
3. Physics
4. Biology
5. Astronomy
Scientific Processes
1. Observing
2. Describing
3. Comparing
4. Classifying
5. Measuring
6. Making inference
Science Processes
1. Identification of an aspect, problem, question or phenomenon of nature of interest to the
scientists or practitioner.
2. Formulation of some sort of intellectual construct- a guess or hypothesis or theory explain the
aspect, problem, question or phenomenon.
3. Application of the construct to the aspect, problem, question or phenomenon.
4. Assessment, evaluation or analysis of the adequacy of fit, compatibility or appropriateness of
the construct to the aspect, problem, question or phenomenon.
5. Acceptance, adoption modification or rejection of the construct base on the application and
assessment, evaluation or analysis.
Technology Processes
1. Identification of a specific need, desire or opportunity to be satisfied of interest to the
practitioner or technologist
2. Conceptualization of design or plan to satisfy the need or opportunity
3. Production or execution of plan or design
4. The use of phase.

Classification of technology based on a country’s level of technological sophistication.

 1. First Wave Technology- Agricultural Age- comprising the pre-industrial technologies which are
labor-intensive, small-scale, decentralized and based on empirical rather than scientific
knowledge.
2. Second Wave technology- comprising the industrial technologies which were developed since
the time of industrial revolution until the end of World War II. These are usually capital-
intensive technologies and are essentially based on the classical principles of classical physics,
chemistry and biology.
3. Third-Wave technology- comprising the post-industrial or the high technologies which are
called science-intensive since they are based on the modern scientific knowledge of the
structures, properties and interaction of molecules, atoms and nuclei.

Evolution of Societies
1. Hunter and Gatherer Societies- the most primitive of all societies.
2. Shifting and Farming- e.g. slash and burn farming
3. Agricultural and Mining Societies- both depend on the natural resources of the world to sustain
the needs of people but both entail the risk of environmental damage.
4. Manufacturing and Processing Societies-the use of coal marked the start of industrialization.
5. Synthesizing and Recycling Societies- production of synthetic food and other resources and
recycling of nonrenewable resources.

Technology comes from Greek words ‘techne” meaning art or craft and logia, meaning a
subject or interest. It means practical applications of what we know about nature” using
scientific principles for the betterment of the human situation.
Study Questions

1. Compare and contrast modern science and philosophy of science.

2. What is scientific method? Enumerate the steps in the scientific method. 

3. What are the limitations of science?

4. What do you think is the role of science and technology in our society today?

Borbon, V., Dela Cruz, ME., Flores, R., Medina-Gerona Z, Lee, A.

College Science, Technology and Society, First Edition 2000. Rex
BookStore INc. (RBSI). Chapter 4&5 pp. 129-144. ISBN 971-23-
2860-0
https://www. Wikipedia.org
McNamara, SJ., Valverde VM., Beleno III, R. Science, Technology
and Society. C&E Publishing Inc. 2018. Unit 1 p.1.ISBN:978-971-
98-0935-7
Spacey, John. 20 Types of technology, March 5,2017.
https://simplicable.com

https://www.oxfordreference.com