INTELLECTUAL REVOLUTIONS THAT DEFINED SOCIETY

ILO :
Within the given period, the learners are expected to:

 identify the paradigm shifts in history.(CLO 8)

What is a paradigm shift?

A paradigm shift is a major change in the concepts and practices of how something works or is
accomplished. A paradigm shift very often happens when new technology is introduced that
radically alters the production process of a good or service.

Preparation

Intellectual revolution is a period where paradigm shifts occurred. It is where the

scientific beliefs that have been widely embraced and accepted by the people were
challenged and opposed. When used outside the philosophy of science, though, it often
just means a significant change in theory or practice. So events like the introduction of
high definition TVs, or the acceptance of gay marriage, might be described as involving
a paradigm shift.

Presentation
INTELLECTUAL REVOLUTIONS
• According to McNamara, et. al., discoveries and inventions in science and
technology were due to the responses of brilliant minds to human needs and
wants that could make life easier for the people.
• There have also been instances when advancements in science and technology
changed people’s perceptions and beliefs. Much of these happened in a period
known as the Intellectual Revolution.

COPERNICAN REVOLUTION
 • A famous philosopher and astronomer, Claudius Ptolemy, stated that the
planets , as well as the sun and the moon, moved in a circular motion around
the Earth. The sun and the moon’s revolution explained the existence of days
and nights. He believed that the earth was at the center- a concept known as
geocentrism. Ptolemy’s model was widely accepted by the people and was one
of the greatest discoveries of that time.
• In the 16th century, Nicolaus Copernicus, a Polish mathematician and
astronomer, challenged the Ptolemaic model. He introduced a new concept
known as the heliocentrism, which suggested that the center of the Solar
System was not the Earth but the sun.
• The public rejected the idea since their religious beliefs had taught them that the
Earth was created first before all other things. After sometime, astronomers
realized that the heliocentric model simplified the orbits for planets. Other works
that supported this model started to emerge such as:
• Tycho Brahe’s accurate measurements of the positions of stars and planets;
• Johannes Kepler’s first law which said that every planet has an elliptical orbit
with the sun at one of the two foci of the ellipse, not its center;
• Galileo Galilei developed his own telescope and observed the earth’s moon
and the planets Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and Neptune
• Sir Isaac Newton’s law of gravitation.
• Its acceptance by the people started a period called the birth of modern
astronomy. This era began what was known as the scientific revolution which
resulted in the transformation of society’s thoughts and beliefs,
DARWINIAN REVOLUTION
• In 1859, Charles Darwin, an English naturalist, biologist, and geologist,
published his book. On the Origins of Species. He wrote that organisms have
the ability to adapt to their environment and would gradually change into
something that would be more competitive to survive, a process known as
evolution.
• The theory of evolution consisted of two main points:
• Diverse groups of animals evolve from one or a few common ancestors;
• The mechanism by which this evolution takes place is natural selection.
• This theory became very controversial as it contradicted to the church’s
teachings that the source of life is a powerful creator. It even sparked a massive
debate between science and religion. It was only after sometime that people
came to understand that Darwin’s theory of evolution was not against the
teachings of the church and both can coexist.
FREUDIAN REVOLUTION
• In the late 19th century, Sigmund Freud was able to change people’s perception
of psychology with his revolutionary theory of psychoanalysis. Psychoanalysis is
 the study that explains human behavior. In this theory, Freud explained that
there are many conscious and unconscious factors that can influence behavior
and emotions.
• Three elements of the psyche are:
• the conscious mind contains ideas, thoughts and feelings of which we are
aware and this makes 10 percent of our psyche;
• the sub or preconcious mind which comprise 50 to 60 percent and contains
materials that can easily be recalled ; and
• the remaining 30 to 40 percent is the unconscious mind which is well below
the surface of awareness and contains repressed memories, traumatic
experiences, unacceptable urges and all our primitive instincts and desires.
• These three elements worked together to create complex behaviors and have a
powerful influence on individuals
• According to Freud, there are three basic structures of personality: the id, ego
and super-ego.
• The id is the only component of personality present at birth and is entirely
unconscious. It is the irrational component of personality that seeks
immediate satisfaction ruled by the pleasure principle.
• The ego is the part of the id that has been modified by direct influence of the
external world. It develops to mediate between the unrealistic id and the
external real world hence it operates according to the reality principle.
• The last component to develop is the super-ego which emerges around age
5. It is the partly conscious self-evaluative and moralistic component of
personality that is formed through the internalization of parental and societal
rules, The super-ego consists of two systems:
• The conscience – can punish the ego through causing feelings of guilt
• The ideal or ego ideal -- this is an imaginary picture of how you ought to
be and represents career aspirations, how to treat other people and how to
behave as a member of society.
• Many science hardliners believed that Freud’s theory had no scientific basis as
no empirical or experimental data could support it.
• Despite criticisms, Freud continued to work on refining his theory and explained
how psychoanalysis can be a clinical method in treating some mental disorders.
Eventually, people understood the theory which resulted in classifying
psychology as a science.
INFORMATION REVOLUTION
• Information revolution is a period of change that might prove significant to the
lives of people. Computer technology is at the root of this change, and
continuing advancements in that technology seem to ensure that this revolution
would touch the lives of people.
 • The history of the evolution of computers begins thousands of years ago with
the abacus, the world's oldest known computing device. Significant advances in
computer systems have been categorized by generations:
• First generation (1946-1959) computer systems used vacuum tubes, which
were bulky, used a great deal of energy, and were prone to failure.
• Second generation (1959-1965) computers used transistors instead of
vacuum tubes. Transistors were smaller, more reliable, and used less energy
• The third generation (1965-1971) computers—like the IBM/360 series—used
integrated circuits. The 360 introduced the family concept of computers, by
which an organization could start with a small computer and then upgrade to
larger systems as it grew.
• During the fourth generation (1971-1980), the VLSI microcomputer was
introduced, signaling a revolution in the computer industry.
• The fifth generation (1980-onwards) computer systems was an initiative by
Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry, to create computers
using massively parallel computing and logic programming. It was to be the
result of a massive government/industry research project in Japan during the
1980s.
Note: You may click to this link to learn more about Information Revolution.
https://historyoftechnologyif.weebly.com/information-age.html

MESO-AMERICAN
• Mesoamerica refers to the diverse civilizations that shared similar cultural
characteristics in the geographic areas comprising the modern-day countries of
Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.
Some of the shared cultural traits among Mesoamerican peoples included a
complex pantheon of deities, architectural features, a ballgame, the 260-day
calendar, trade, food (especially a reliance on maize, beans, and squash),
dress, and paraphernalia (additional items that are worn or used by a person,
such as ear spools).
• Some of the most well-known Meso-American cultures were the Maya, Mexica
(or Aztec), and Inca.

Note: You may view this video to learn more about the Meso-American Civilization and
its contribution to science and technology.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dzc6rVmhaq8&t=3s
ASIAN
• In the past, the Asian civilizations most notable for their contributions to science
and technology were India, China and the West Asian civilizations. At present,
probably the most notable country in Asia in terms of its technological and
scientific achievement is Japan, which is particularly known for its electronics
and automobile products. In recent years, China and India have also once again
become major contributors to science and technology. Other countries are also
notable in other scientific fields such as chemical and physical achievements.

Note: You may also click to these links to know more about the contributions of Japan,
China and India to science and technology.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Th2GttSbhTM&t=18s
https://www.ducksters.com/history/china/inventions_technology.php
https://www.mapsofindia.com/my-india/india/interesting-indian-inventions-and-
discoveries-that-are-universally-accepted

MIDDLE EAST
• The Middle East is an area of the world that includes many countries, such as
Turkey, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Iraq. Throughout its history, these people
have either invented or contributed to the development of important
technologies that have impacted the fields of astronomy, medicine, and much
more.

Note: You may also click to this link to learn more about the contributions of the Middle
East in science and technology.

https://www.insider.com/15-everyday-things-you-didnt-know-were-from-middle-
east-2019-12

AFRICAN
• The history of the sciences in Africa is rich and diverse. In ancient northeast
Africa, those regions such as Egypt, Nubia and Aksum that had evolved large,
complex state systems, also supported a division of labor which allowed for the
growth of science and the more practical technologies involved with the
engineering of public works. In other parts of Africa, in the various city states,
kingdoms, and empires that dominated the political landscape, science and
technology also developed in various ways. The applied sciences of agronomy,
metallurgy, engineering and textile production, as well as medicine, dominated
the field of activity across Africa. So advanced was the culture of farming within
West Africa, that ‘New World‘ agricultural growth was spawned by the use of
 captives from these African societies that had already made enormous strides
in the field of agronomy.

Note: You may also view this video to learn more about the contributions of Africa to
science and technology.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KpIMzVvWyo

References:
Bautista, D.H., et. al.(2018). Science, Technology and Society. Philippines: MaxCor
Publishing House, Inc.

McNamara,D.J., et. al.(2018). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon City,

Philippines: C & E Publishing, Inc.

Web Sources

Crash Course. (2018). The Scientific Revolution: Crash Course History of Science #12.
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzo8vnxSARg

Ducksters Educational Site. (2020). Ancient China Inventions and Technology. Retrived
from https://www.ducksters.com/history/china/inventions_technology.php

Facts Verse. (2017). 16 Amazing Things From Japan that the world Needs. Retrieved

from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Th2GttSbhTM&t=18s

History of Technology. (2014). Information Age. Retrieved from

https://historyoftechnologyif.weebly.com/information-age.html

Mussack, Ryan. (2015). Aztec, Inca, Maya--MesoAmerica. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dzc6rVmhaq8&t=3s

Phukan, R. (2019). Interesting Indian Inventions and Discoveries that Are Universally
Accepted. Retrieved from https://www.mapsofindia.com/my-
india/india/interesting-indian-inventions-and-discoveries-that-are-universally-
accepted