SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY – GE117

COURSE STUCTURE
COURSE
SUBJECT TITLE SUBJECT
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY GE117
CODE
PRE - UNITS
None 3
REQUISITE
COURSE The course deals with interactions between science and technology and social,
DESCRIPTION cultural, political, and economic contexts that shape and are shaped by them.(CMO
No. 20, series of 2013) This interdisciplinary course engages students to confront the
realities brought about by science and technology in society. Such realities pervade
the personal, the public, and the global aspects of our living and are integral to
human development. Scientific knowledge and technological development happen
in the context of society with all its socio-political, cultural, economic, and
philosophical underpinnings at play. This course seeks to instil reflective knowledge in
the students that they are able to live the good life and display ethical decision making
in the face of scientific and technological advancement. This course includes
mandatory topics on climate change and environmental awareness.

MODULE WEEK DAY TOPIC

1 General Concepts Of Sts
2 Sts Historical Developments
1
Historical Antecedents In Which Social Considerations Changed
3
The Course Of Science And Technology
Historical Antecedents
1
a. Medieval/Middle Ages
2 Historical Antecedents In Which Social Considerations Changed
2
The Course Of Science And Technology
1 3 Historical Antecedents Activity
1 The Philippine Science Invention Technology
2 Importance The Philippine Science Invention Technology
3
Intellectual Revolutions That Defined Society
3
Copernican Revolution
1 Science And Technology And Nation Building
The Human Person Flourishing In Terms Of Science And
4 2
Technology
3 Technology As A Mode Of Revealing
WEEK 5 Preliminary Examination
Forget ‘Developing’ Poor Countries, It’s Time To ‘De-Develop’ Rich
1
Countries
6
2 The Good Life
3 When Technology And Humanity Cross
1
7 2 Universal Declaration Of Human Rights
2 3
1 Information Society
8 2 The Role Of Language
3 The World Wide Web
1 Biodiversity
9 2 Biotechnology
3 Biodiversity Long Quiz
WEEK 10 Mid Term Examination
3 11 1 The Nano World
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INSTRUCTOR: JIMBOY A. ABISADO, LPT, MAT
 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY – GE117
2
3
1
12 2 Gene Therapy
3
1
Climate Change
13 2
3 Global Warming
1 Human Vs. Robots
14 2
Why the Future Does not need us
3
WEEK 15
1 SPECIFIC ISSUES IN STS (WORLD)
16 2 SPECIFIC ISSUES IN STS (PHILIPPINES)
3 Modern Philippines Technology
1 How is the technology in the Philippines?
4 17 2 The Philippine Government Science and Technology Agenda
3
1
Research, present, and make a stand on S&T issues that
18 2
currently affect
3
Final Examination

Reference Books:

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY BOOK

https://ched.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Science-Technology-and-Society.pdf

Prepared By:

JIMBOY A. ABISADO, LPT, MAT

Instructor

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INSTRUCTOR: JIMBOY A. ABISADO, LPT, MAT
 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY – GE117
Why Study Science and Technology in Society?
- It is so pervasive.
- Almost everything that we eat, wear, and
use is products of scientific and
technological undertakings.
Introduction
- Science- defined as the system of
knowledge of the natural world gained
through the scientific method.
- SCIENCE (“philosophy of the natural
world”) from Greek’s desire to know
about the nature.
- The truth behind material things and
natural things.
Understanding the natural world, the ability
to name and classify the objects found in nature
was seen as the first step towards knowledge.
- Technology comes from the Greek
words tekhne meaning “art or craft” and
logia, meaning a “subject or interest.”
- Together “practical applications of what
we know about nature”
CHED Memorandum Order No. 20, Science,
technology, and Society
- Is an interdisciplinary course that
engages the students to confront the
realities brought about by science and
technology in society.
- This course also seeks to instill reflective
knowledge in the students so that they
are able to live the good life and display
ethical decisioin-making in both social
and scientific dilemmas.
- This course discusses how science
influenced human society and viceversa.
- It examines the interaction between the
human quest to understand the natural
world and how this understanding has
fashioned society and its development.
- Science is linked to society through
technology.
- This connection had a profound
influence on the development of human
culture.
- The first unit highlights significant
technological developments throughout
history that shaped human civilizations.
- The second engages the students in
reflective and discursive thinking on the
role of science and technology in the
pursuit of the good life.
- The last unit deals with contemporary
issues and scientific realities that we must
all deal with as part of a well-functioning
society.
INSTRUCTOR: JIMBOY A. ABISADO, LPT, MAT
CHAPTER 1
HISTORICAL ANTECEDENTS IN THE COURSE OF
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
-
Science and Technology indeed play
major roles in the everyday life.
- They make difficult and complicated
tasks easier and allow people to do more
with so little effort and time.
- The developments in the field are not just
products of people’s imagination or a
one-time thought process; they are also
brought about by gradual improvements
to earlier works from different time
periods.
ANCIENT TIMES
Transportation
- It was so significant during this time.
- They travelled to search for food and find
better locations for their settlements.
- To trade their surplus good in exchange
for things that they lacked.
- Navigation assisted them in their journeys
to unfamiliar and strange areas in the
world.
- It allowed them to return home after they
discovered new places or completed an
important trade with another group of
people.
Evolution of Transportation
In ancient times, people crafted simple boats out of logs, walked, rode animals and, later,
devised wheeled vehicles to move from place to place. They used existing waterways or
simple roads for transportation. Over time, people built more complex means of transportation.
Communication
- To discover and occupy new places.
- They needed a way to communicate
with the natives of the areas they visited
so as to communicate with the natives of
the areas they visited so as to facilitate
trade and prevent possible conflicts.
- Record-Keeping was also important.
- It is vital to keep records of their history
and culture.
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 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY – GE117
Mass Production - They discovered and invent things that
- The increase in size and number of would impact the lives of the modern
nations connoted increased demand for people.
food and other basic necessities. The following discussions will tackle the different
- People must be able to produce food at major technological advancements during the
a given time and space since resources ancient times, which include some of the
were getting scarcer as more people achievements of the early civilizations such as
struggled to share the basic necessities. the Sumerians, Babylonians, and Egyptians.it will
- The people thus needed a form of continue to describe the gradual application of
technology that would enable them to knowledge up to the contemporary time.
increase food supplies and other survival
needs without them travelling more or SUMERIAN CIVILIZATION
working harder.
Security and Protection - Located on the southernmost tip of
- WEAPONS and ARMORS were important ancient Mesopotamia.
as well in the discovery of new places or - Sumerians are known for their high
the establishment of new alliances with degree of cooperation with one another
other tribes. and their desire for great things.
- There are conflicts between culture and
orientations. Cuneiform
- Conflicts were common especially if - Development of the First writing system
different groups struggled to control vital - It is a system that utilizes word pictures
resources. and triangular symbols which are carved
- Stronger nations tended to invade on clay using wedge instruments and
weaker ones so they could take much then left to dry.
needed resources. - Cuneiform allowed the Sumerians to
- The development of weapons and keep records of things with great
armors for security and protection was historical value or their everyday life.
considered a major achievement.
Health, Aesthetics and Architecture
- Conservation of life
- Survival posed a great problem
- Illnesses and diseases
- Both natural and man-made
- Hampered the full potential of a human
being
- Moreover, in order to integrate their
needs –for better transportation,
establishment of structures for protection
from human attacks and natural Sumerian deities listed in Cuneiform, 2400 BC
disasters, and construction of bigger and
stronger infrastructures – people ventured
into what is known as the field of
engineering.
- The development in engineering also
ushered in the introduction of
architecture
- During the ancient times, elaborate
architectural designs were signs of
technological advancement of a
particular civilization.
- Architecture may also establish the
identity of a nation.
- Human later on developed the
technology to improve how they look.

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INSTRUCTOR: JIMBOY A. ABISADO, LPT, MAT
 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY – GE117
Uruk City
- City of Uruk
- First true city in the world.
- There were no building stones in the
location of this city and lumber was
limited, making the construction a big
challenge.
- The Sumerians were able to build the city
using only mud or clay from the river,
which they mixed with reeds, producing
sun-baked bricks – a true engineering
feat.
- They used bricks for protection
The Great Ziggurat or Ur
- Aka the mountain of God
- It was built in the same manner that they
constructed the City of Uruk
- The structure was constructed using
sunbaked bricks
- It was served as the sacred place of their
chief of God, where only their priests Sailboats
were allowed to enter.
- As such, even until today, people still
enjoy and marvel at the preserved Great
Ziggurat of Ur.
INSTRUCTOR: JIMBOY A. ABISADO, LPT, MAT
Irrigation and Dikes
- Population increased, so did the demand
for food.
- The Sumerians were challenged to mass
produce food items but the elements in
the environment seemed uncooperative.
- It was difficult to get water from the rivers,
thus they could not maintain farmlands.
- Scarce water supply
- Problems with flooding
- The Sumerians created dikes and
irrigation canals to bring water to
farmlands and at the same time control
the flooding of the rivers.
- One of the world’s most beneficial
engineering works.
- Through the dikes and canals, the
Sumerians were able to enjoy year-long
farming and harvesting, which increased
their food production.
- Transportation
- At that time, the wheel was not yet
invented
- The main mode of transportation was
through waterways such as rivers and
seas.
- Boats were used to carry large quantities
of products and were able to cover large
distances.
- Boats were not enough to
accommodate more people and
products.
- Sailboats were essential in transportation
and trading as well as in foresting culture,
information and trading as well as in
fostering culture, information, and
technology.
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 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY – GE117
Wheel
- The first wheels were not made for
transportation but for farm work and food
processes.
- The use of the wheel and axle, mass
production was made easier.
- Farmers were able to mill grains with less
effort in less time.
The Plow
- Farm technology
- Humans evolved from being food
gatherers to farm cultivators.
- Farmers needed a technology which
would enable them to dig the ground
where seeds would be planted.
- It was invented to dig the earth in a faster
pace.
- With this tool, farmers could cultivate
larger parcels of land faster, enabling
them to mass produce food without
taking so much effort and time.
Roads
- In order to facilitate faster and easier
travel
- First road
- The flow of traffic became faster and
more organized.
INSTRUCTOR: JIMBOY A. ABISADO, LPT, MAT
- They made the roads with the same
technology they used in making the sun-
baked bricks that they laid on the ground
- The invention of roads was very useful
especially during the rainy season when
traveling in soft and muddy roads proved
to be too difficult.
BABYLONIAN CIVILIZATION
- It emerged near the Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers
- The Babylonians were great builders,
engineers and architects.
- One of the Major contributions is The
Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the
seven wonders of the ancient world.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
- Today, people can only marvel at the
beauty of the famous Hanging Gardens
of Babylon from stories of historians and
paintings that portray the place.
- Made up of layers upon layers of gardens
that contained several species of plants,
trees, and vines.
- King Neduchadnezzaar II built the
Gardens for his wife, Queen Amytis
- However, no physical evidence has been
found to prove the existence of the
Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
- Its exact location is also unknown.
- Many said it was just a product of the
creative imagination of the great King
because it lacked documentation or
archaeological evidence.
- Destroyed by war, erosion, or an
earthquake
- True or not, hearing the stories and
description of the place would be
enough to inspire awe to anyone.
- Greenery decorated
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