Module 1. Unit 1.

Introduction to
Science, Technology, and Society
Intended Learning Outcomes
1. Explain general concepts related to Science and Technology.
2. Explain the scope of the study of Science, Technology, and Society
(STS).
3. Demonstrate preparedness and readiness in the study of STS.
 Science Defined
✔ Comes from the Latin word, ‘scientia’ meaning ‘knowledge’
✔ Refers to a systematic and methodical activity of building and
organizing knowledge about how the universe behaves through
either observation or experimentation or both
Science Defined
According to the famous American science historian John Heilbron
(2003, p. vii), “modern science is a discovery as well as an invention.”
 Technology Defined
✔ the application of scientific knowledge, laws, and principles to
produce services, materials, tools, and machines aimed at solving
real-world problems
✔ comes from the Greek root word, technē, meaning ‘art, skill, or
cunning of hand’
 Mark Zuckerberg’s definition of technology
“What defines a technological tool —
one historical definition — is
something that takes a human’s sense
or ability and augments it and makes
it more powerful. So, for example, I
wear contact lenses or glasses; that is
a technology that enhances my
human ability of vision and makes it
better.”
Challenges and Downsides of S&T
“We live in a society absolutely dependent on
science and technology and yet have cleverly
arranged things so that almost no one
understands science and technology. That’s a
clear prescription for disaster.” -popular American
scientist Carl Sagan quoted in Tom Head’s
(1994) book
Science, Technology, and Society Defined
• traces its roots during the interwar period and into the start of the
Cold War
• resulted from a recognition that many schools today do not really
prepare students to respond critically, reflectively, and proactively to
the challenges of the contemporary world, in this case S&T
Science, Technology, and Society Defined
• a result of questions about its dynamic interaction with various
aspects of society and was thus viewed as a socially embedded
enterprise
• seeks to bridge the gap between two traditionally exclusive cultures
of humanities (interpretive) and natural sciences (rational)
Lewis Wolpert’s (2005) The Medawar Lecture
1998 Is science dangerous?

“In contrast to technology, reliable scientific knowledge is

value-free and has no moral or ethical value” (p. 1254)
PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING
OF SCIENCE
 2018’s ten emerging ethical dilemmas and
policy issues in S&T
1. Helix - A digital app store designed to help you read your genome.
2. The Robot Priest - BlessU-2 and Pepper are the first robot priest and monk, respectively.
3. Emotion-Sensing Facial Recognition - Optimizing retail experiences by assessing your reactions.
4. Ransomware - Holding data hostage until you pay up, whether you're an individual or a large corporation.
5. The Textalyzer - A new tool in the battle against texting and driving that tells cops if you were on your phone
before an accident.
6. Social Credit Systems - China will debut theirs in 2020, but do we already live in a world where online
reputation is king?
7. Google Clips - This little camera will watch you all day and capture your most picturesque moments.
8. Sentencing Software - There are already Americans being sentenced with the help of a mysterious
algorithm.
9. The Rise of Robot Friendship - Can we create a chat bot out of our loved ones' old texts and social media
posts?
10. The Citizen App - Live crime reporting may lead to vigilante justice.