Sts Module 1 6 Lecture Notes 3 7

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STS Module 1-6 - Lecture notes 3-7
Science, Technology, and Society (Technological Institute of the Philippines)
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Definition of Terms
Science- the word came from the Latin "scientia," meaning "knowledge." It refers to the
systematic and methodical activity of building and organizing knowledge about how the
universe behaves through observation, experimentation, or both.
According to famous American science historian, John Heilbron (2003), " Modern science
is a discovery of regularity in nature, enough for natural phenomena to be described by
principles and laws. he also explained that science required invention to devise
techniques, abstractions, apparatuses, and organizations to describe these natural
regularities and their law-like descriptions.
Technology- it is the application of scientific knowledge, laws, and principles to produce
services, materials, tools, and machines aimed at solving real-world problems. it came
from the Greek word techne, meaning 'art, skill, or cunning of hand.'
Society- is composed of a group of people living together in a more or less ordered
community.
Wolpert (2005) made an interesting comparison between science and technology that is
helpful in the study of their interaction with society, Wolpert explained that
reliable scientific knowledge has no moral or ethical value. It is meant simply to explain
how nature and the universe work and that the obligation of the scientists, besides
studying the nature of the universe, is to explain the possible uses and applications of
such scientific knowledge. Along this line, Wolpert made it clear that science is not the
same as technology. Scientists are not responsible for the application of knowledge in
technology. He further explained that the very nature of science is that it is not possible
to predict scientific discoveries and how these discoveries may be applied. While
scientists are not responsible for the reliable conduct of the scientific inquiry and its
honest interpretation and dissemination, technological applications of science are
influenced by other sectors such as politics and governance, religion, and business.
Nowadays, advancements in science and technology have become pervasive. They are
manifested in the activities that humans pursue and the tools they use every day. The
beauty of this is that an advancement builds upon itself. As such, humans today live
more productive and more exciting lives than their predecessors.
However, the dynamism and immensity of scientific and technological progress also pose
challenges and drawbacks to the way humans live. The introduction of machines
tremendously cut the need for the human workforce and gave rise to the question of
whether machines will eventually replace humans. The invention of drugs that cured the
previously incurable diseases introduced new strains of bacteria and viruses that are
resistant to the very same drugs that once fought them-take an antibiotic-resistant strain
of gonorrhea as an example. The rise of social media drastically changed the way humans
communicate, interact, and share information; however, this tends to put people's
privacy at risk. Indeed, science and technology have served a predominantly double-
edged function.

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As problems in science and technology continue to rise and become more observable,
the need to pay attention to their interactions with various aspects of human life, e.g.
social, political, and economic, becomes even more necessary. How the different aspects
of society shape and influence the progression and further developments of science and
technology in the area of concern of a relatively new academic discipline called Science,
Technology, and Society.
Science and Technology and Society is a relatively young field that previously
independent and older disciplines, such as the history of science, philosophy of science,
and sociology of science. As an academic field, STS, according to Harvard University's
Kennedy School (2018) traces its roots from the interwar period and the start of the cold
war. It was during the period when historians and scientists found interest in
the interconnections of scientific knowledge, technological systems, and society. The rise of
STS as an academic field resulted from the recognition that many schools today do not
really prepare students to respond critically, reflectively, and proactively to the
challenges posed by science and technology in the contemporary world.
Summary
In summary, we had discussed the concepts of science, technology, and society. Also,
we mentioned that STS applies methods from history, philosophy, and sociology to study
the nature of science and technology and ultimately judge their value and place in society.
As an interdisciplinary field, the emergence of STS was a result of the question about
science and technology's dynamic interaction with various aspects of society and was
thus viewed as a socially embedded enterprise, Thus, STS seeks to bridge the gap
between traditionally exclusive cultures-humanities and natural science-so that humans will
be able to better confront the moral, ethical, and existential dilemmas brought about by
the continued developments in science and technology.
What is Dilemma?
It is a situation where a person is forced to choose between two or more conflicting
options neither of which is acceptable.
What are Ethical Dilemmas?

Ethical/Moral Dilemmas -are situations where persons, who are called "moral agents" in
ethics, are forced to choose between two or more conflicting options, neither of which
resolves the situation in a morally acceptable manner.
Three Conditions that must be Present in Moral Dilemmas
1. The person or agent of moral action is obliged to make a decision about which course
of action is best.
2. There must be different courses of action to choose from.

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3. No matter what course of action is taken, some moral principles are always
compromised.
Ten Emerging Ethical Dilemmas
1. Helix- a digital app store designed to read genomes.

2. BlessU-2 Popper- first robot priest and monk
3. Emotion-Sensing Facial Recognition- a software being developed to assess your
reactions to anything such as shopping and playing games.
4. Ransomware- a way of holding data hostage through the backing and requiring a
ransom to be paid.
5. Textalyzer- a device that analyzes whether a driver was using his or her phone during
an accident.
6. Social Credit System- a system of scoring citizens through their actions by placing
them under constant surveillance.
7. Google Clips- a hands-free camera that lets the user capture every moment
effortlessly.
8. Sentencing Software- a mysterious algorithm designed to and courts in sentencing
decisions.
9. Friendbot- an app that stores the deceased's digital footprint so one can still chat
with them.
10. Citizen App- an app that notifies users of ongoing crimes or major events in a
specific area.
Even though several items in the list sound unfamiliar to many, they can be a useful
springboard in the study of science and technology. The list points to the ever-growing
challenges, questions, and issues that need to be addressed and resolved when science
and technology, and humanity intertwine. However, methods of critiquing these
emerging ethical dilemmas may come from similar methods used in previous critiques of
science and technology issues. For example, one can use methods used in critiquing the
rise of clinical trials of gene therapy in the 1990s. Today's approach of critiquing
emerging science and technology issues, such as the ones listed above, may be
influenced by how scientists and non-scientists evaluated the positive and negative
purpose, one can continue to specifically draw from the tenets of philosophy, and
sociology in making informed and critical judgments of the ethical and moral values of
these innovations in science and technology.
Summary
In modern times, there are different technological advancements in all forms and sizes
may it be inside the home, the workplace, the learning place, or simply on the streets. It
is not completely impossible for a person in the world to own at least one technological
device. However, despite its usefulness and beneficial characteristics, there are still
problems faced by technological advancement. To be more specific, these problems are
ethical in nature that involve not only the machine but also mankind. It is not impossible
for technology and humanity to cross paths because as one would argue, technology has

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become a necessity for people. At the end of the day, ethics should still be enforced in
the field of technology so as ensure the safety and morality of these technologies to
people.
What is Social Implication?

The social implications of an event or action are the results, on society or part of society, of the
event or the action. The idea of social implications can also be extended to a law or a policy, that
is, a planned set of repeated actions.
For further information on the topic, I would like you to first click the link below on
" Emerging Ethical Dilemmas in Science and Technology and Their Implications."
Link (Links to an external site.)
The link enumerates examples of dilemmas and their social implications.
1. Personalized genetic tests/personalized medicine
Within the last 10 years, the creation of fast, low-cost genetic sequencing has given the
public direct access to genome sequencing and analysis, with little or no guidance from
physicians or genetic counselors on how to process the information. What are the
potential privacy issues, and how do we protect this very personal and private
information? Are we headed toward a new era of therapeutic intervention to increase
the quality of life or a new era of eugenics?
2. Hacking into medical devices
Implanted medical devices, such as pacemakers, are susceptible to hackers. Barnaby

Jack, of security vendor IOActive, recently demonstrated the vulnerability of a
pacemaker by breaching the security of the wireless device from his laptop and
reprogramming it to deliver an 830-volt shock. How do we make sure these devices are
secure?
3. Driverless Zipcars
In three states -- Nevada, Florida, and California -- it is now legal for Google to operate
its driverless cars. Google's goal is to create a fully automated vehicle that is safer and
more effective than a human-operated vehicle, and the company plans to marry this idea
with the concept of the Zipcar. The ethics of automation and equality of access for
people of different income levels are just a taste of the difficult ethical, legal, and policy
questions that will need to be addressed.
4. 3-D printing
Scientists are attempting to use 3-D printing to create everything from architectural
models to human organs, but we could be looking at a future in which we can print

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personalized pharmaceuticals or home-printed guns and explosives. For now, 3-D

printing is largely the realm of artists and designers, but we can easily envision a future in
which 3-D printers are affordable and patterns abound for products both benign and
malicious, and that cut out the manufacturing sector completely.
5. Adaptation to climate change
The differential susceptibility of people around the world to climate change warrants an
ethical discussion. We need to identify effective and safe ways to help people deal with
the effects of climate change, as well as learn to manage and manipulate wild species
and nature in order to preserve biodiversity. Some of these adaptation strategies might
be highly technical (e.g. building sea walls to stem off sea-level rise), but others are social
and cultural (e.g., changing agricultural practices).
6. Low-quality and counterfeit pharmaceuticals
Until recently, detecting low-quality and counterfeit pharmaceuticals required access to

complex testing equipment, often unavailable in developing countries where these
problems abound. The enormous amount of trade in pharmaceutical intermediaries and
active ingredients raise a number of issues, from the technical (improvement in
manufacturing practices and analytical capabilities) to the ethical and legal (for example,
India ruled in favor of manufacturing life-saving drugs, even if it violates U.S. patent law).
7. Autonomous systems
Machines (both for peaceful purposes and for warfighting) are increasingly evolving from
human-controlled to automated, to autonomous, with the ability to act on their own
without human input. As these systems operate without human control and are designed
to function and make decisions on their own, the ethical, legal, social and policy
implications have grown exponentially. Who is responsible for the actions undertaken by
autonomous systems? If robotic technology can potentially reduce the number of human
fatalities, is it the responsibility of scientists to design these systems?
8. Human-animal hybrids (chimeras)
So far scientists have kept human-animal hybrids on the cellular level. According to
some, even more, modest experiments involving animal embryos and human stem cells
violate human dignity and blur the line between species. Is interspecies research the next
frontier in understanding humanity and curing disease, or a slippery slope, rife with
ethical dilemmas, toward creating new species?
9. Ensuring access to wireless and spectrum
Mobile wireless connectivity is having a profound effect on society in both developed

and developing countries. These technologies are completely transforming how we

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communicate, conduct business, learn, form relationships, navigate, and entertain

ourselves. At the same time, government agencies increasingly rely on the radio
spectrum for their critical missions. This confluence of wireless technology
developments and societal needs presents numerous challenges and opportunities for
making the most effective use of the radio spectrum. We now need to have a policy
conversation about how to make the most effective use of the precious radio spectrum,
and to close the digital access divide for underserved (rural, low-income, developing
areas) populations.
10. Data collection and privacy
How often do we consider the massive amounts of data we give to commercial entities
when we use social media, store discount cards, or order goods via the Internet? Now
that microprocessors and permanent memory are inexpensive technology, we need to
think about the kinds of information that should be collected and retained. Should we
create a diabetic insulin implant that could notify your doctor or insurance company
when you make poor diet choices, and should that decision make you ineligible for
certain types of medical treatment? Should cars be equipped to monitor speed and other
measures of good driving, and should this data be subpoenaed by authorities following a
crash? These issues require appropriate policy discussions in order to bridge the gap
between data collection and meaningful outcomes.
11. Human enhancements
Pharmaceutical, surgical, mechanical, and neurological enhancements are already

available for therapeutic purposes. But these same enhancements can be used to
magnify human biological function beyond the societal norm. Where do we draw the line
between therapy and enhancement? How do we justify enhancing human bodies when
so many individuals still lack access to basic therapeutic medicine?
Summary
Technologies are indeed an inevitable part of one's life, society, and other stakeholders.
It makes life easier and more convenient than ever before. It can clearly be seen from
the simplest task at home to the most complicated ones inside the office or laboratory.
As time progresses, technology keeps also on progressing resulting in more complicated
advancements and discoveries in science and technology. However, it is essential to note
that anything too much is bad. The same problem is faced by technology. Although it has
been very helpful to people, various social implications have been considered that needs
to be addressed by the stakeholders in order to safeguard the life of individuals as well
as society.
One of the key interests of STS as an academic field is the history of science and
technology. As a strand of STS, the history of science and technology focuses on how
science and technology have changed across time. Also, it explores the impacts of

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scientific and technological innovations on the prevailing social, cultural, political, and
economic contexts throughout history. Conversely, it also pays attention to the conditions
that shaped science and technology. Quite often, interests lie in historical antecedents of
scientific and technological innovations.
What is Antecedent?
Antecedent- it is defined as a precursor to the unfolding or existence of something.
Thus, historical antecedents in science and technology are factors that paved the way for
the presence of advanced and sophisticated scientific and technological innovations today.
Knowledge of the history of science and technology in use in appraising these
innovations today. By understanding how previous generations influenced and were
influenced can come up with informed decisions on the proper application of science
and technology to daily life.
Some Inventions During Ancient Times
1. Ancient Wheel- People from ancient civilizations used animals for transportation long
before the invention of the wheel. No one knows who exactly invented the wheel
and when. There is, however, a general agreement that the ancient wheel grew out of
a mechanical device called the potter's wheel- a heavy flat disk made up of hardened
clay that was spun horizontally on an axis. The invention of the wheel is often
credited to the Sumerians since no other ancient civilization used a similar device at
the time. Today, cars, carts, bicycles, and trucks are just some of the many offshoots
of the wheels invented by the Sumerians.

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2. Paper- Roughly around 3000 B.C., the ancient Egyptians began writing on papyrus, a
material similar to thick paper. Papyrus is made from the pith of the papyrus plant
cyperus papyrus. It is lightweight, strong, durable, and portable. Before the Egyptians
invented the papyrus, the writing was done on stone. With the advent of the
papyrus, documentation, and record-keeping become efficient, widespread, and vast.
Through its use, information dissemination became exponentially faster. records were
kept and stood the test of times.
3. Shadoof- The shadoof was an early tool invented and used by Egyptians to irrigate
the land. It is a hand-operated device used for lifting water. Its invention introduced
the idea of lifting things using counterweights. Because of this invention, irrigation
and farming became much more efficient. The shadoof is also believed to be an
ancient precursor of more sophisticated irrigation tools. Please click the video to
watch how the shadoof is being made and used.
4. Antikythera Mechanism- Even before the invention of the antecedents of the

modern computer, the Greeks had already invented the ancient world's analog
computer orrery. Discovered in 1902 and retrieved from the waters of Antikythera,
Greece. Antikythera mechanism is similar to a mantel clock and it is known as
antecedents of modern clockwork.

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5. Aeolipile- Also known as the Hero's engine, the aeolipile is widely believed to be the
ancient precursor of the steam engine. It is a steam-powered turbine that spun when
the water container at its center was heated, thus making it practically the first
rudimentary steam engine.

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Summary
In summary, we have mentioned that ancient people were concerned with
transportation, navigation, communication, record-keeping, mass production, security,
and protection, as well as health, and architecture. They continuously invented new
things because of their desire to raise the quality of life and because of their inventions,
people of today are enjoying the offshoots of their discoveries and inventions such as
the wheel, paper, shadoof, Antikythera, and an aeolipile.
Some Inventions During the Medieval Times
1. Heavy Plow- This is one of the most important technological innovations during the
middle ages. The heavy plow turned European agriculture and economy on its
head. Clay soil, despite its being more fertile than the lighter types of soil, was not
cultivated because of its heavyweight. However, through the invention of the plow, it
became possible to harness clay soil. Professor Thomas Bernebeck Andersen of the
University of Southern Denmark succinctly describes the impact of the invention of
the heavy plow: "The heavy plow turned the European agriculture and economy on its
head. Suddenly, the field with the heavy, fatty, and moist clay soil became those that
gave the greatest yields." Because of this, Europe, particularly its northern territories,
saw rapid economic prosperity. the heavy plow stirred an agricultural revolution in
Northern Europe marked by higher and healthier agricultural yields.

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2. Gunpowder- Around 850 A.D., Chinese civilizations alchemists accidentally invented

black powder or gunpowder. Multiple accounts suggest that the gunpowder might
have been an unintended byproduct of attempts made by the Chinese to invent the
exilir of life, which is why the Chinese called it huoyao or translated as "fire potion."
Prior to the invention of gunpowder, swords and spears were used in battles and
wars. Towards the end of the 13th century, explosive invention crept into most parts
of Europe and Asia. Since its invention, gunpowder has allowed for more advanced
warfare. from fiery arrows to cannons and grenades, gunpowder has prompted
the foundation for the functionality of almost every new weapon used in war since its
invention. It ushered in an unprecedented advancement in warfare and combat
throughout the Middle Ages.
3. Paper Money- Although it was not until the 17th century that banknotes began to
be used in Europe, the first known versions of paper money could be traced back to

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the Chinese in 17th century AD as an offshoot of the invention of block printing, which
is similar to stamping. Before the introduction of paper money, precious metals, such
as gold and silver were used as currency. However, the idea of assigning value to a
marked piece of paper did not immediately become popular. in fact, when the
Mongols attempted to introduce paper money into the Middle East market in the
13th century, it did not gain immediate success. Nonetheless, traders and merchants
eventually realized the huge advantage of using paper money because it was easier to
transport around compared to the previous forms of currency.
4. Mechanical Clock- Although devices for timekeeping and recording sprung from
ancient times, such as the Antikythera mechanism, it was not until the middle ages
that clockwork technology was developed. The development of mechanical clocks
paved the way for accurately keeping track the time.

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5. Spinning Wheel- A machine used for transforming fiber into thread or yarn and
eventually woven into cloth on a loom. Please click the link to watch the video about
the Spinning Wheel of India. The Spinning Wheel encouraged the development of the
industry of fabrics, clothes, and related products.
6. Printing Press- After the Chinese developed woodblock printing, Johann Guttenberg
was able to invent the printing press, a more reliable way of printing using a cast type.
He utilized wooden machines that extracted juices from fruits, attached to them a
metal impression of the letters, and pressed firmly the cast metal into a piece of
paper, which then made an exact impression on paper. This general invention soon
evolved to be a mechanical printing press which was eventually used all over the
world.
Summary
In summary, the following inventions were significant during the medieval period: gunpowder,
printing press, the heavy plow, paper money, mechanical clock, and the spinning wheel. These
inventions had a wide range of effects on people's lives including economic, social, political, and
cultural.
1. Compound Microscope- A Dutch spectacle maker named Zacharias Jansen is

credited for the invention of the first compound microscope in 1590. Together with
his father Hans, Zacharias began experimenting with lenses by putting together
several lenses on a tube. This led to an amazing discovery that an object, when placed

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near the end of the tube, can be magnified far larger than what a simple magnifying
lens can do. Jansen's compound microscope was an important progression from a
single lens microscope. It was capable of magnifying objects three times their size
when fully closed and up to ten times when extended to the maximum. Today, the
compound microscope is an important instrument in many scientific studies, such as
in the areas of medicine, forensic studies, tissue analysis, atomic studies, and genetics.
2. Telescope- Perhaps the single, most important technological invention in the study of
astronomy during the Modern Ages was the practical telescope invented by Galileo
Galilei. This invention could magnify objects 20 times larger than the Dutch
perspective glasses. It was Galileo who first used the telescope skyward and made
important astronomical discoveries, and identified the presence of craters and
mountains in the moon. Galileo's remarkable technological contribution drastically
changed the study of astronomy. For the first time, it became clear that the universe
is far larger than previously imagined and the earth far smaller compared to the entire
universe.

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3. Jacquard Loom- As the industrial Revolution reached full speed, the Jacquard loom
was considered as one of the most critical drivers of the revolution. Built by French
weaver Joseph Maxie Jacquard, the Jacquard loom simplifies textile manufacturing.
Built by French weaver Joseph Maxie Jacquard, the Jacquard loom simplifies textile
manufacturing. Prior to the invention of the Jacquard loom, a drawloom was used
which required two individuals to operate- the weaver and a "drawboy"- if figured on
textiles were needed. As such, intensified manual labor and greater effort had to be
exerted to produce complex designs. In 1801, Jacquard demonstrated the ingenuity
of his version of a loom in which a series of cards with punch holes automatically
created complex textile designs and made mass production easier. The Jacquard loom
is also an important antecedent of modern computer technology as it demonstrated
the use of punched cards to instruct a machine to carry out complex tasks. For
further information on a Jacquard loom, please click the link to watch the video.
Jacquard loom (Links to an external site.)
4. Engine- Powered Airplane- Orville Wright and Wilbur Wright are credited for
designing and successfully operating the first engine-powered aircraft. The Wright
brothers approached the design of powered aircraft and flight scientifically. Orville

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and Wilbur proved the air crafts could fly without airfoil-shaped wings. Their
pioneering success marked an age of powered flights. Sans modern knowledge on
aerodynamics and a comprehensive understanding of the working of the aircraft
wings, the Wright brothers were brilliant scientists who paved the way for modern
aircraft technology.
5. Television- The Scottish engineer John Logie Baird is largely credited for the
invention of modern television. Baird successfully televised objects in outline in 1924,
recognizable human faces in 1925, and moving objects in 1926, and projected
colored images in 1928. Baird's television technology caught on really swiftly. In fact,
the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) used this for its earliest television
programming in 1929. Despite being the first television invented. Baird's television
was later on criticized for its fuzzy and flickering images, primarily because it was
mechanical compared to electronic versions that were developed much later.

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Summary
In summary, several inventions were made during modern times such as the compound
microscope, telescope, Jacquard loom, engine-powered airplane, and televisions. These
inventions had contributed much to the development of more sophisticated inventions
today.
The link contains information on the inventions and discoveries of prominent Filipino
scientists.
1. Gregoria Zara- He invented the first videophone. A native of Lipa, Batangas and
enrolled at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States, and
graduated with a degree in BS in Mechanical Engineering in 1926. The two-
way televisions or videophone in 1955 patented as a "photophone signal separator
network."
2. Agapito Flores- He invented the fluorescent lamp, which is the most widely used
source of lighting in the world today. The fluorescent lamp reportedly got its name
from Flores. The fluorescent lamp, however, was not invented in a particular year. it
was the product of 79 years of the development of the lightning method that began
with the invention of the electric bulb by Thomas Edison.
3. Daniel Dingel- He invented the water-powered car. Daniel Dingel started working on
a water-powered car and prototype in 1969. His hydrogen reactor uses electricity
from a 12-volt car battery to transform ordinary tap water with salt into deuterium
oxide or heavy water. However, Dingel's car has never been patented and
commercialized because of what he suspects as an anti-Dngel car conspiracy by
multinational companies.
4. Eduardo San Juan- He invented Lunar Rover. Eduardo San Juan's invention is known
as the Moon Buggy. The Moon Buggy was the car used by Neil Armstrong and other
astronauts when they first explored the moon in 1969. He worked for Lockheed
Corporation and conceptualized the design of the Moon Buggy that the Apollo
astronauts used while in the moon. As a NASA engineer, San Juan reportedly used his
Filipino ingenuity to build a vehicle that would run outside the Earth's atmosphere. he
constructed its model using homemade materials. However, San Juan was not listed
as the inventor of the Moon Buggy in American Scientific journals, instead, it was
attributed to a Polish inventor.
5. Diosdado Banatao- He invented the GUI (Graphical User Interface). Banatao is
known for introducing the first single-chip graphical user interface accelerator that
made computers work a lot faster and for helping develop the Ethernet controller chip
that made the internet possible. In 1989, he pioneered the local bus concept for
personal computers and in the following year developed the first Windows
accelerator chip. Intel is now using the chips and technologies developed by Banatao.
6. Angel Alcala- He invented the artificial coral reefs. This was used for fisheries in
Southeast Asia.
7. Roberto del Rosario- He invented karaoke in 1975. Roberto del Rosario developed a
sing-along system in 1975 and was patented in the 1980s called his sing-along system
"Minus-One," now holds the patent for the device now commonly known as the"
karaoke machine."

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8. Juan Salcedo Jr. -He developed the" Enriched Rice," a variety of rice fortified with
vitamins B1, which helps prevent beriberi. His discovery helped in the prevention and
reduction of beriberi in the Philippines and in other countries.
Other Inventions by Filipino Scientists

The Philippines boasts of its own history and tradition of scientific and technological
innovations. Filipinos have long been known for their ingenuity. As with all inventions,
necessity has always been the mother of Philippine inventions. Most of the inventions
appealed to the unique social and cultural context of the archipelagic nation. Throughout
Philippine history, Filipinos are responsible for developing many scientific and
technological innovations focused on navigation, traditional shipbuilding, textiles, food
processing, indigenous arts and techniques, and even cultural inventions. The following
are some of the most important inventions by Filipino scientists.
1. Electronic Jeepney (e-jeepney)- The jeepney is perhaps one of the most recognizable
national symbols of the Philipines and the most popular mode of transportation in the
country. It is also perhaps one of the most enduring symbols of Filipino ingenuity.
Jeepneys were designed and improvised from scratch out of military jeeps that the
Americans left in the country after WW II.
2. Erythromycin- One of the most important medical inventions is Erythromycin. The
Ilonggo scientist Abelardo Aguilar invented the antibiotic out of the strain of
bacterium called Streptomyces erythreus, from which this drug derived its name.
3. Medical Incubator- World-renowned Filipino pediatrician and national scientist, Fe
del Mundo, is called for the invention of the incubator and jaundice relieving device.
Del Mundo was the first woman pediatrician to be admitted to the prestigious
Harvard University School of Medicine. Del Mundo's incubator was particularly
outstanding as it addressed the state of Philippine rural communities that had no
electricity to aid the regulation of body temperatures of newborn babies.
4. Mole Remover- In 2000, a local invention that had the ability to easily remove moles
and warts on the skin without the need for any surgical procedure shot to
fame. Rolando dela Cruz is credited for the invention of a local mole remover that
made use of extracts of cashew nuts, which are very common in the Philippines.
5. Banana Ketchup- Filipino food technologist, Maria Orosa, is credited for the
invention of banana ketchup, a variety of ketchup different from the commonly
known tomato.
Summary
In conclusion, the birth of more Filipino scientists began in the twenty-first century as a
result of their important contributions to science, technology, physics, marine science,
agriculture, chemistry, engineering, and mathematics. Whether they are working
overseas or in the Philippines, these Filipino scientists consistently perform well. The
Filipino spirit remained in their hearts and minds throughout their lives. They continue to
uphold the country's honor. They create remarkable things out of commonplace stuff.
Despite the restricted resources available in our nation, they are always on the level of

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other scientists. Indeed, this demonstrates the Filipinos' creativity, inventiveness, and
resourcefulness.
Intellectual Revolution
The intellectual revolution had changed the way people perceive the influence of science
on society in general. It focuses on three of the most important intellectual revolutions in
history: Copernican, Darwinian, and Freudian. By discussing these intellectual
revolutions in the context of science, technology, and society, the attention of students
is drawn again toward the complex interplay of the various social contexts and the
development of modern science.
Now, let us proceed to the three prominent scientists who contributed to the field of
science and technology.
The picture above is Nicolaus Copernicus, one of the three famous scientists. He
postulated a model, known as the "heliocentric model." To give you a little background
about the biography of Copernicus and his model, please click the video
below. Link (Links to an external site.)
The Copernican Revolution

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The Copernican Revolution refers to the 16th-century paradigm shift named after the
Polish mathematician and astronomer, Nicolaus Copernicus. Copernicus formulated the
heliocentric model of the universe. At the time, the belief was that the earth was the
center of the solar system based on the geocentric model of Ptolemy.
Copernicus introduced the heliocentric model in a 40-page outline
entitled Commentariolus. He formalized his model in the publication of his treatise, The
Revolution of Celestial Spheres in 1543. In his model, Copernicus repositioned the earth
from the center of the Solar System and introduced the idea that the earth rotates on its
own axis. The model illustrated the earth, along with the other heavenly bodies, to be
rotating around the sun.
The idea that the sun is at the center of the universe instead of the earth proved to
be unsettling to many when Copernicus first introduced his model. In fact, the
heliocentric model was met with huge resistance, primarily from the church, accusing
Copernicus of heresy. At the time, the idea that it was not the earth, and, by extension,
not man, that was at the center of all creation was unthinkable. Copernicus faced
persecution from the church because of this. However, despite the persecution and the
problems with the model, the heliocentric model was soon accepted by other scientists
of the time, most profoundly by Galileo Galilei.
The contribution of the Copernican Revolution is far-reaching. It served as a catalyst
to sway scientific thinking away from age-long views about the position of the earth
relative to the position to an enlightened understanding of the universe. This marked the
beginning of modern astronomy. Although very slowly, the heliocentric model eventually
caught on among other astronomers who further refined the model and contributed to
the recognition of heliocentrism. This was capped off by Isaac Newton's work a century
later. Thus, the Copernican Revolution marked a turning point in the study of cosmology
and astronomy making it a truly important intellectual revolution. Below is the
Copernicus Theory.

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As you can see from the image, the sun is the center of the solar system instead of
the earth by Ptolemy.
Summary
In summary, astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus proposed the heliocentric hypothesis. The
planets orbit the Sun, according to this concept; Earth is a planet that, in addition to
circling the Sun yearly, also rotates once daily on its own axis; and the precession of the
equinoxes is caused by extremely gradual changes in the direction of this axis.
Discussion
Charles Darwin
Famous for his theory of evolution, which posited that populations pass through a
process of natural selection in which only the fittest would survive. He published his
book The Origin of Species in 1589. His book presented evidence on how species evolved
over time and presented traits and adaptations that differentiate species.

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In his book The Descent of Man, he introduced the idea of all organic life, including human
beings, under the realm of evolutionary thinking. His unorthodox way of pursuing science
gave more value to evidence-based science. It is a science marked by observation and
experiment.

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The above picture shows how the natural selection process transpired. Charles Darwin
sets out his theory of evolution by natural selection as an explanation for adaptation and
speciation.
Summary
In summary, the mechanism that Darwin proposed for evolution is natural selection.
Because resources are limited in nature, organisms with heritable traits that favor
survival and reproduction will tend to leave more offspring than their peers, causing the
traits to increase in frequency over generations.
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud is known for his school of thought known as
"Psychoanalysis." This school of thought is a scientific method of understanding inner and
unconscious conflicts embedded within one's personality, springing from free associations,
dreams, and fantasies of the individual. Below is Freud's comparison of the mind to an
iceberg.

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Psychoanalysis immediately shot into controversy for it emphasized the existence of the
unconscious where feelings, thoughts, urges, emotions, and memories are contained
outside of one's conscious mind. Psychoanalytic concepts of psychosexual
development, libido, and ego were met with both support and resistance from many
scholars. Freud suggested that humans are inherently pleasure-seeking individuals.
These notions were particularly caught into the crossfire of whether Freud's
psychoanalysis fit in the study of the brain and mind.
Scientists working on biological approaches in studying human behavior criticized
psychoanalysis for lack of validity and bordering on being scientific as a theory.
Particularly, the notion that all humans are destined to exhibit Oedipus and Electra
complexes (the sexual desire towards the parent of the opposite sex and exclusions of
the parent of the same sex) did not seem to be supported by empirical data. In the same
way, it appeared to critics that psychoanalysis, then, was more of an ideological stance
than a scientific one.
Amidst controversy, Freud's psychoanalysis is widely credited for dominating
psychotherapeutic practice in the early 20th century.
For further information on psychoanalysis, please click the link below.
Link

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The video explains Sigmund Freud's psychoanalysis. He discussed the structures of

personality, id, ego, and superego. These three structures are continuously in conflict
with one another. Also, he mentioned the stages of psychosexual development of
individuals. The first is the oral stage where the child gets its satisfaction from the
mouth; second is the anal stage, the child undergoes toilet training; the third stage is the
phallic stage where the child develops complexes, the Electra complex (the girl is
attracted to the father) and the Oedipal complex ( the young boy is attracted to the
mother); the fourth stage is the latency stage where the child's focus is on education or
learning, and the last stage is the genital stage where there is a recurrence of the sex
organs as the source of satisfaction.
Summary
In summary, Sigmund Freud's contribution to the area of science is his "Psychoanalysis"
school of thinking. He proposed that numerous conscious and unconscious variables
impact behavior and emotions, and that personality is the result of three opposing
elements: the id, ego, and superego. Despite the fact that his school of thinking was
widely condemned, psychodynamic treatments, which treat a wide range of
psychological problems, are still heavily influenced by Freud's work on psychoanalysis.
Also, we may deduce that the three revolutionary theories are just a few of the
numerous scientific concepts that have shaped and altered civilizations and beliefs. The
shifts in the scientific community's and the public's viewpoints and perceptions are proof
of science and technology's connection to mankind. Through scientific research and
experimentation, people will continue to deepen their understanding of the world and
the universe.
Philippine Government
The Philippine government introduced and implemented several programs, projects, and
policies to boost the area of science and technology. The goal is to prepare the whole
country and its people to meet the demands of a technologically driven world and
capacitate the people to live in a world driven by science.

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The National Research Council of the Philippines (NCRP) clustered these policies into
four, namely:
1. Social Sciences, Humanities, Education, International Policies and Governance

2. Physics, Engineering and Industrial Research, Earth and Space Sciences, and
Mathematics
3. Medical, Chemical, and Pharmaceutical Sciences
4. Biological Sciences, Agriculture, and Forestry
DOST Projects
There are also other existing programs supported by the Philippine government
through the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

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Some of these projects are the following:
• Providing funds for basic research and patents related to science and technology
• Providing scholarships for undergraduate and graduate studies of students in the field
of science and technology
• Establishing more branches of the Philippine Science High School System
• Balik Scientist Program to encourage Filipino scientists abroad to come home and
work in the Philippines
• Developing science and technology parks in academic campuses to encourage
academe and industry partnerships
• The establishment of the National Science Complex and National Engineering
Complex within the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman.
The Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering (PAASE, 2008) identified

several capacity-building programs such as:
• Establishment of national centers of excellence;

• Manpower and institutional development programs, such as the Engineering and
Science Education Program (ESEP) to produce more Ph.D. graduates in science and
engineering
• Establishment of regional centers to support specific industries;
• Establishment of science and technology business centers to assist, advise, and
incubate technopreneurship ventures; and
• Strengthen science education at an early stage through the Philippine Science High
School system.

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Philippine-California Advanced Research Institutes (PCARI)

The Philippine-California Advanced Research Institutes (PCARI) Project is a new approach to
enhance the skills and expertise of faculty and staff of Philippine universities and colleges,
through scholarships, training, and research partnerships with top-notch research universities in
California, USA, in the priority areas of information infrastructure development (IID) and health
innovation and translational medicine (HITM).
Information infrastructure development refers to the technological and human components,

networks, systems, and processes that contribute to the creation, flow or exchange, processing,
and management of electronic information (adapted from Braa et al., 2007).
Health innovation and translational medicine refer to the bench-to-bedside translation of basic
scientific research to practicable diagnostic procedures and therapies with meaningful
improvements to physical, mental, or social health outcomes (adapted from Zerhouni, 2005).
VIRTUAL INSTITUTES
The project is going to be implemented by two virtual institutes:
1. The Institute for Information Infrastructure Development will direct projects in

information technology, energy, e-government, and e-education; and
2. The Institute for Health Innovation and Translational Medicine will direct projects in
health care through strategic technology, delivery, and training, to improve diagnosis,
treatment, and health services delivery in the ten major causes of morbidity and
mortality in the Philippines, such as asthma, diabetes, tuberculosis, dengue, and
diarrhea.

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OUTSTANDING FEATURES OF THE PCARI PROJECT
The PCARI Project:
• Involves scholarship, training, and research;

• Focuses on two fields: information infrastructure development (IID) and health
innovation and translational medicine (HITM);
• Provides opportunities for direct collaboration between Philippine faculty-
researchers and UC-based experts in order to build research capabilities and
infrastructure in Philippine universities and colleges;
• Attracts the best and the brightest with full support for research, which includes
modern equipment, attendance in conferences and state-of-the-art laboratories; and
• Addresses important problems of society using the best technologies, including the
development of technologies close to commercialization.
BENEFITS OF THE PCARI PROJECT
• Jobs in new competitive high-value-added industries and related support services in

information infrastructure in support of disaster risk management and response,
energy generation monitoring, e-governance, water resources management,
monitoring of civil infrastructures, among others
• Affordable and efficient diagnostic kits, medical devices, and inexpensive drugs and
the creation of jobs to produce such to improve the diagnosis and treatment of the
ten highest causes of mortality and morbidity in the Philippines, such as dengue,
asthma, diabetes, tuberculosis
• Increase in the number of faculty-scientists and faculty-researchers with the capacity

to generate effective technologies to benefit society
• Improved research management skills especially in research grants administration and

international linkages
• World-class research institutes with state-of-the-art facilities for Information

Infrastructure Development and Health Innovation and Translational Medicine
Science Schools in the Philippines

The Concept of Science Education

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Science education focuses on teaching, learning, and understanding science.
• Teaching science involves exploring pedagogical theories and models in helping

teachers teach scientific concepts and processes effectively.
• Learning science includes both pedagogy and the most interesting aspect, which is
helping students understand and love science.
• Understanding science implies developing and applying science-process skills and
using science literacy in understanding the natural world and activities in everyday
life.
Science Education in Basic and Tertiary Education
• In basic education, science education helps students learn important concepts and
facts that are related to everyday life including important skills such as process skills,
critical thinking skills, and life skills.
• In tertiary education, science education deals with developing students’
understanding and appreciation of science ideas and scientific works. It also focuses
on the preparation of science teachers, scientists, engineers, and other professionals
in various science-related fields.
Science Schools in the Philippines
• Philippine Science High School System (PSHSS)
-A government program for gifted students in the Philippines

-A service institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)
-Offers free scholarship basis for the secondary courses with special emphasis on
subjects pertaining to the sciences.
• Special Science Elementary Schools (SSES) Project

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-This project started in June 2007 with 57 (or 60 since its inception) identified
elementary schools that participated or were identified as science elementary schools in
the country.
The SSES Project aims to develop Filipino children equipped with scientific and
technological knowledge, skills, and values. Its mission is to:
1. provide a learning environment to science-inclined children through a special

curriculum that recognizes the multiple intelligences of the learners;
2. promote the development of lifelong learning skills; and
3. foster the holistic development of the learners.
• Quezon City Regional Science High School
The school envisions to serve as a venue in providing maximum opportunities for

science-gifted students to develop spirit of inquiry and creativity.
-The focus of its curriculum is on science and technology.
-It is well-supported by the local government unit and by the Parents and Teachers
Association (PTA).
• Manila Science High School
-It is the first science high school in the Philippines.
• Central Visayan Institute Foundation
-It is the home and pioneer of the prominent school-based innovation known as the
Dynamic Learning Program (DLP).
• DLP is a synthesis of classical and modern pedagogical theories adapted to foster the
highest level of learning, creativity, and productivity.
-The school takes pride in its Research Center for Theoretical Physics (RCTP).

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Summary
In order to understand this topic, here are the following discussion points to remember:
Here are the following Philippine Governments such as:
• National Research Council of the Philippines (NCRP)

• Department of Science and Technology (DOST)
• Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering (PAASE)
• Philippine-California Advanced Research Institutes (PCARI)
Here are the following Science Schools in the Philippines:
• Philippine Science High School System (PSHSS)

• Special Science Elementary Schools (SSES) Project
• Quezon City Regional Science High School
• Manila Science High School
• Central Visayan Institute Foundation

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The concept of technology was controversial in the field of philosophy. Martin Heidegger, a
German philosopher, problematized how a human person relates to technology. He investigated
the meaning of technology in ancient and modern times. Moving on, you will also learn the
essence of technology, technology as a way of revealing, the problem and dangers of modern
technology, art as the saving power and questioning thought. To further understand technology
from the philosophical perspectives, you will get to know Martin Heidegger who wrote a
philosophical treatise on technology.
I hope you enjoy watching the life of Martin Heidegger (MH). Here is the summary of
the short episode of Martin's life;
1. He was a German philosopher who is fun of thinking about

'being', technology and etc.
2. He rejected the idea of positivist thinkers and critical to technological
domination in the modern world.
3. Heidegger was critical to the essence and modern technology and
4. He reconstructed the meaning of technology that reflected in his essay
entitled " The Question Concerning Technology".
The Greek concept of the essence of technology was investigated by Martin Heidegger.
The meaning of technology for the Greeks was assumed to be part of our everyday life.
To clarify further, the term technology was defined into two categories.
1. Technology is a means to an end.

2. Technology is a human activity.
The first definition treated technology as an instrument to achieve a purpose or

end. For example, student A bought a laptop and smartphone to be used for online
learning since students were not allowed to attend a face to face learning. The laptops
and smartphones are instruments for the student to achieve his/her purpose which is to
participate in online learning.
The second definition pointed out that technology is part of our daily activities
of the human person which is to invent technology such as gadgets for online learning,
protective equipment to fight COVID-19, agricultural machines to produce foods and
etc.
The two definitions of technology are interconnected with each other in such a
way that the outcomes of human activities are meant to serve their purpose. However,
this definition of technology became problematic when technology does not serve its
purpose (essence). For example, imagine that COVID-19 will die naturally. You might
think that those PPEs and gadgets for learning are meaningless because the purpose is
not being served. The revival of face-to-face learning will make a gadget for online
learning less significant in the traditional classroom.

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The Greek definition of technology as human activity and designed for a specific
purpose was restructured in modern times. Technology in the modern era was reduced
into calculative thinking that controls nature. For instance, the invention of the
telescope, the steam machine, and other devices was used to master nature. In the
mastery of nature, we used technology to manipulate things around us. To see a clear
picture, Heidegger provided three revelations on modern technology as challenging
forth, enframing and dangerous;
Modern Technology as Challenging Forth

Heidegger claimed that ancient and modern technology are revealing. However,
modern technology is revealing not in the sense of bringing forth but rather challenging
nature. Modern technology challenges nature through extracting, transforming, storing,
and distributing it. Challenging forth reduced nature as standing 'reserve' or something
to be disposed of by the people. For example, people exploited the natural resources
without minding the negative effects to the ecology, modernization of extracting gold,
coal, and petroleum from the ground compromised the bodies of waters, using of
synthetic dyes and artificial flavoring jeopardize human health, and the use of chemicals
in the agriculture poses threat to food safety and health security.
(Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)

Modern Technology as Enframing
According to Martin Heidegger, modern technology is enframing. The term
'enframing' derives from the word 'frame' which means putting something into a box.
This metaphorical term of Heidegger connotes that modern technology put nature into a
box through scientific knowledge. Enframing, according to Heidegger, is akin to two
ways of looking at the world; calculative thinking and meditative thinking. Humans put
an order to nature and control it through calculative thinking.

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The Dangers of Technology

Heidegger at this point is critical to the dangers of modern technology by pointing
out its defects as enframing nature, challenging forth, treat nature as a standing reserve.
In this case, modern technology deviated from the essential notion of technology and
revealing or poiesis. Heidegger sees this as a danger to humanity.
Recognizing the dangers of technology requires critical and reflective thinking on its
use. For example, social media has indeed connected people in the most efficient and
convenient way but it is prone to abuse such as the invasion of privacy, online
disinhibition, and proliferation of fake news.
The real threat of technology comes from its essence, not its activities or products.
The correct response to the danger of technology is not simply dismissing technology
altogether. Heidegger explained that people are delivered over to technology in the
worst possible way when they regard it as something neutral (Heidegger, 1997).
A brief overview of Aristotle's Life

Aristotle, who lived from 384 - 322 BC, is probably the most important ancient
Greek philosopher and scientist. He was a student of Plato and founded a school named
Lyceum. In his own school, Aristotle's students compiled their lecture notes and came up
with a book entitled Nichomachean Ethics. This Nichomachean Ethics, dedicated to his
son Nichomachus, became a foundation of Aristotle's ethics composed of ten books.
What is a good life?

The term 'good life' is one of the concerns of Greek thinkers like Aristotle. In the
Nichomachean Ethics, Aristotle says that every action aims at some goods. Some goods
are classified as instrumental or intrinsic. The instrumental good is a means to achieve
something else while intrinsic good is good in itself or ultimate good (Eudaimonia or
human flourishing/happiness). At this point, Aristotle is suggesting that if we want to live
a good life then we must develop intellectual and moral virtues.

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Eudaimonia
Eudaimonia is a Greek word that means human flourishing or happiness. Eudaimonia
as ultimate good is the final end of our action. However, Aristotle categorized well into
different aspects; instrumental good and intrinsic good. Instrumental good aims at
something else while intrinsic good is the final end or good in itself. For example,
enrolling in this course is good because you will learn something and get a grade at the
end of the day. Why do you want a grade? because I want to get a college degree. Why
do you want to get a degree? to secure a job. As you push the question, you will end up
in the final end which is the eudaimonia. So studying in college is instrumental good if it
helps you to achieve happiness. On the other hand, studying in college is intrinsic good if
you are happy with what you are doing right now. Sometimes, there are people who
wrongly assumed that bodily pleasure or wealth, fame, and honor as eudaimonia. This
assumption is wrong because eudaimonia is exclusive only for a human being who
exercises the faculty of reason.
Human Person
The table above reflects Aristotle's concept of the human soul and its hierarchy
of functions and activities. The soul was divided into three; rational, sensitive, and
nutritive. The rational part of the soul is the ability of a human person to think either
based on theoretical or practical knowledge. Aristotle formulated the principle of 'man
as a rational animal' to achieve eudaimonia/happiness. Achieving eudaimonia/happiness
is possible only when a human person learns to identify and choose the mean of their
action between excess and deficiency. By doing this, we can moderate our actions to
achieve the ultimate good or virtuous action. For example, integrating advanced
technology into human activities aided workers to produced outputs faster and easier.
Almost everything is run by machines. But, too much dependent on machines has
negative effects on human well-being. However, those societies that never upgrade their
technology were left behind in the fast-changing industrial revolution and considered
backward societies. Between the two extremes of actions, a rational animal who aims to
reach eudaimonia should choose the mean of action of the advanced technocratic

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society and backward society. Aristotle's method can be applied to the action of
generosity, courage, anger and etc. to make them virtuous.
Arete
Arete is one of the significant concepts of Aristotle in achieving a good
life/Eudaimonia or happiness. Arete is a Greek term that means 'excellence of any kind'
in terms of intellectual and moral virtues. Intellectual virtue is achieved through
education and experience. On the other hand, moral virtue is developed through the
constant practice of an action that promotes good life. For instance, courage became a
virtue when it is properly displayed in the right time, right manner, and right place in the
face of danger. A person who does not properly assess the danger and reserve any fear
may develop the vice of foolhardiness or rashness. However, a person may develop the
vice of cowardice if he/she becomes fearful and incapable of acting on the problem in
the face of danger.
Science, Technology and Good Life

The rapid development of science and technology is manifested through the current
trend in integrating machines into human affairs. The automation of communication,
transportation, food productions, education, modernization of medicine, and etc. must
be geared towards a good life. Guided with the concept of a good life, policymakers,
state leaders, and technocrats can work hand-in-hand to make our world a better place
to live in. A world is in a state of balance between excess and deficiency.
To explore more on Aristotle concept of a good life click The Good Life
Download The Good Life
Summary
To wrap up the discussion, good life as a final end of human actions is an
indispensable ethical theory that advocated happiness along with the development of
science and technology. Connecting good life, science and technology require us to set
our goal which is to achieve eudaimonia. Achieving eudaimonia is possible through the
constant practice of moral virtues guided by the rational part of the soul.
Introduction
This topic will show you another approach to human flourishing from anthro-
economic perspective which focuses on Jason Hickel's model on human
development. Hickel's concept of de-development is an option to narrow the gap
between the rich and poor countries.
Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of the discussion, you are expected to

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1. explain de-development as progress and development framework;

2. question the applicability of Jason Hickel's model of de-development in our society;
and
3. write a reflection paper about Jason Hickel's model of de -development.
Discussion
(Links to an external site.)
News U
Although there is no standard measure of inequality, the report claimed that most
indicators suggest that the widening of the growth gap slowed during the financial crisis
in 2007 but is now growing again. The increasing inequality appears paradoxical having
in mind the efforts that had been poured onto the development programs designed to
assist poor countries to rise from absence to slow progress.
With this backdrop and in the context of unprecedented scientific and technological
advancement and economic development, a human must ask themselves whether they
are indeed flourishing, individually or collectively. If development efforts to close out the
gap between the rich and the poor countries have failed, is it possible to confront the
challenges of development through a nonconformist framework?
Jason Hickel, an anthropologist at the London School of Economics, criticized the
failure of the growth and development efforts of the UN to eradicate poverty several
decades ago. He conceptualized a nonconformist perspective toward growth and
development.
Here is the outline of Jason Hickel's article on 'Forget developing poor countries, it's
time to de-develop rich countries. Hickel's article will be discussed in detail in assignment
3.1.
Assumptions:
1. UN's new sustainable development goals (SDGs) assumed that growth based on the
traditional economic model is an effective strategy to eradicate poverty.
2. Gross Domestic Products (GDP) is a measure of human development.

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3. Questions;
1. How much do we really need to live long and enjoy a happy life?
1. According to Peter Edward, instead of pushing poor countries
to catch up with rich ones, we should be thinking of ways to
get rich countries to catch down to more appropriate levels of
development.
2. Genuine Progress is anchored on quality instead of quantity
2. What is a good life or good living?
1. Latin Americans organized themselves and envision around the
indigenous concept of buen vivir, or good living.
2. Robert and Edward Skidelsky conceptualized the good life
through the possibility of interventions like banning the
advertising that promotes consumerism, shortens the working
hour, and basic income.
Summary
This topic shows you a radical model of equalizing the poor and rich countries
through eradicating poverty as a perennial problem. Jason Hickel's criticized the existing
UN model popularly known as new sustainable development goals (SDGs) and he
provided us a nontraditional framework for solving the problem of poverty.
H - human beings'
U - unequivocal
M - means
A - and privilege that
N - need to be
R- respected
I - in order to
G - gain success for humanity
T - today and tomorrow in relation to
S- Science and Technology
What are human rights?
Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of
residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, and the like.
Human rights in the face of technological and scientific advancement are critical factors
in one's journey toward a good life. Protecting the well-being and protecting the dignity

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of the human person must be at the core of continued scientific and technological
progress and development. Such is the focus of the human rights-based approach to
science, technology, and society.
The following are the three important documents:
1. Universal Declaration of Human Rights -This document affirms everyone's right to

participate in and benefit from scientific advances, and be protected from scientific
misuse. The right to the benefits of science comes under the domain of 'culture,' so it
is usually examined from a cultural rights perspective.
2. UNESCO Recommendation of the Status of Scientific Researchers- This document

that all advances in scientific and technological knowledge should solely be geared
towards the welfare of the global citizens, and calls upon member states to develop
necessary protocol policies to monitor and secure this objective. Countries are asked to
show that science and technology are integrated into policies that aim to ensure a
more humane and just society.
3. UNESCO Declaration on the Use of Scientific Knowledge- This document states,

"Today, more than ever, science and its applications are indispensable for
development. All levels of government and the private sector should provide enhanced
support for building up adequate and evenly distributed scientific and technological
capacity through appropriate education and research programs as an indispensable
foundation for economic, social, cultural, and environmentally sound development. This
is particularly urgent for developing countries." This declaration encompasses issues
such as pollution-free production, efficient resources use, biodiversity protection, and
brain drains.
A human rights- approach to science, technology, and development sets the parameters
for the appraisal of how science, technology, and development promote human well-
being.
Thus, the discussion on human rights in the face of the changing scientific and
technological contexts must not serve as merely a decorative moral dimension of
scientific and technological policies but rather the very heart of sustainable futures.
Human rights should be integrated into the journey toward the ultimate good. They
should guide humans not only to flourish as individual members of society but also to
assist each other in flourishing collectively as a society. Human rights are rights to
sustainability, as Mukherjee put it. They may function as the "golden mean," particularly by
protecting the weak, poor, and vulnerable from deficiencies and excesses of science and
technology. By imposing upon science and technology the moral and ethical duty to
protect and uphold human rights, there can be a more effective and sustainable
approach to bridging the gap between poor and rich countries on both tangible and
intangible aspects. Ultimately, all these will lead humans to flourish together through
science and technology.

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Summary
In summary, the good life entails living in a just and progressive society whose citizens
have the freedom to flourish. The human person has the autonomy to make choices
that may enable the flourishing of his/her self and society. To be able to attain such a
good life, one must need to exercise, and to protect his or her rights for human dignity
is the ultimate core of man's existence. Thus, the United Nations proclaimed UDHR as
a global standard to ensure that the rights of a person are recognized and appreciated
by individuals regardless of race, gender, religion, and education. Also, whatever
endeavors one undertakes, whether scientific or not, one must be aware that human
rights must be respected.
Introduction
Due to technological developments, our world is undergoing numerous changes. It is
taking place all around the world to satisfy the demands of changing times. Those who
were born decades ago are finding it difficult to adjust to the changes. Generation z, on
the other hand, is appreciating the conveniences afforded by these new innovations. We
cannot dispute that technology developments are extremely beneficial in our daily lives.
However, these conveniences come with consequences for our social conduct, as we
become alienated from the outside world as a result of our addiction to these devices.
Genetic engineering, robots, and even supercomputers are worrisome innovations that
infringe on the natural order of creation. We need to take a deeper look at these
innovations and question whether we are getting anything or losing a lot of things
because, at the end of the day, the ultimate goal should be what is beneficial for
mankind.

1. analyze carefully the main idea of the essay;

2. discuss thoroughly the comprehension questions extracted from the essay; and
3. share one's insights regarding the interconnection of technology and humanity.
Discussion
The link below will give you a summary of why the future does not need us. Please
watch the video so that you can participate in the discussion.
The article, "Why the Future Does Not Need Us?" was written by William Nelson Joy, an
American computer scientist of Sun Microsystems. In his article, Joy warned against the

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rapid rise of new technologies. He explained that 21st-century technologies are becoming
very powerful that they can potentially bring about new classes of accidents, threats, and
abuses. He further warned that these dangers are even pressing because they do not
require large facilities or even rare raw materials-knowledge alone will make them
potentially harmful to humans.
Joy argued that robotics, genetic engineering, and nanotechnology pose much greater
threats than technological developments that have come before. He particularly cited the
ability of nanobots to self-replicate, which quickly gets out of control. In the article, he
cautioned humans against over-dependence on machines. He also stated that if
machines are given the capacity to decide on their own, it will be impossible to predict
how they might behave in the future. In this case, the fate of the human race would be at
the mercy of machines.
Joy also voiced out his apprehension about the rapid increase in computer power. He
was concerned that computers will eventually become more intelligent than humans,
thus ushering societies into dystopian visions, such as robot rebellions. To illuminate his
concern, Joy drew from Theodore Kaczynski's book, Unabomber Manifesto, where
Kaczynski described that the unintended consequences of the design and use of
technology are clearly related to Murphy's Law: " Anything that can go wrong will go
wrong." Kaczynski argued further that over-reliance on antibiotics led to the great
paradox of emerging antibiotic-resistant strains of dangerous bacteria.
Since the publication of the article, Joy's argument against twenty-first-century
technologies has received both criticisms and expressions of shared concern. Critics
dismissed Joy's article for deliberately presenting information in an imprecise manner
that obscures the larger picture or state of things. For one, John Seely and Paul Duguid
(2001), in their article, A Response to Bill Joy and doom-and-gloom
Technofuturists, criticize Joy's failure to consider social factors and only deliberately
focused on one part of the larger picture. Others go as far as accusing Joy of being
a neo-Luddite, someone who rejects new technologies and shows technophobic leanings.
As a material, Joy's article tackles the unpleasant and uncomfortable possibilities that a
senseless approach to scientific and technological advancements may bring. Whether
Joy's propositions are a real possibility or an absolute moonshot, it is unavoidable to think
of the future that will no longer need the human race. It makes thinking about the roles and
obligations of every stakeholder a necessary component of scientific and technological
advancement. In this case, it is preeminently necessary that the scientific community,
governments, and businesses engage in a discussion to determine the safeguards of humans
against the potential dangers of science and technology.
Summary
In conclusion, contemporary times have seen a wide range of technological
breakthroughs in all shapes and sizes. It might be at your house, office, or business. It
makes life simpler, but if not utilized appropriately, it may also make life impossible.

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In short, technology has its own set of advantages, benefits, and drawbacks. Science and
technology, as William Nelson Joy (2000) points out in his essay "Why the Future Does
Not Need Us," may be the ultimate manifestation of human rationality. People may use
science and technology to either shape or destroy the planet.
In this module, we had discussed the following:
1. a human rights-based approach to science, technology, and development

2. importance of human rights with scientific and technological advancements
3. key documents and their principles that ensure the well-being of humans in
the midst of scientific progress and technological development
4. the main idea of the essay "Why the Future Does Not Need Us?"
In summary, we know that the world is undergoing many changes at a fast pace
brought about by inventions in science and technology. Although we could not discount
the benefits that we reap from these inventions, it is very important that alongside these
technological advancements, scientists need to show concern for humanity by
safeguarding their very existence which is of utmost importance than the pleasure,
comfort, and financial gain that we can get from these inventions.
. There is nothing wrong with desiring for technological advancement, for as long as a
thorough study should be done before embarking on any scientific exploits. We could
not resort to a senseless approach in pursuing any form of the scientific invention that
would be detrimental to the welfare of the human race.
In this regard, there should be a concerted effort among the stakeholders like the
scientific community, government, businessmen to engage in a discussion to determine
the safeguards of humans against the potential dangers of these inventions.
Congratulations on an excellent midterm exam performance. I hope that you will

maintain or improve your performance on the final test so that you will receive a higher
mark. Before we go on to Module 5, please allow me to discuss the results of this
research.
According to Alonso and del Dujo (2016), the socio-technical system may be used
as a heuristic device (allowing a person to find or understand something for oneself). It is
a good methodological resource for interpreting what is happening in education systems
with the gradual introduction of digital technologies, assisting us in understanding the
changes that are occurring, and documented here, concomitant with technological
innovation, also involved political factors and economic modeling, culminating in the
"new education."

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Now, based on research, we've developed a heuristic device to deal with the "new
normal of education" in this pandemic, so an online class like this is the gradual adoption
of digital technology.
This module focuses on specific scientific and technical concerns such as the
information age, biodiversity and healthful society, and nanotechnology.

At the end of this module, you are expected to
1. explore the age of information and social media that have influenced society and
human lives;
2. analyze the interconnections among society, environment, and health;
3. define nanotechnology;
4. enumerate the positive and negative impacts of nanotechnology on mankind and the
environment; and
5. identify the moral and ethical dilemma surrounding nanotechnology;
Topics
1. Information Age
2. Biodiversity and Healthful Society
3. Nanotechnology
Discussion

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(1) There are certain facts to remember that the age of information has the
following developments: (1.1) The Gutenberg Press was invented by German goldsmith,
Johannes Gutenberg around 1440 which resulted in the improvement of the manual,
tedious, and slow printing methods. This method of the printing press is a device that
applies pressure to an inked surface lying on a print medium, such as cloth or paper, to
transfer ink; (1.2) The mass communication was traced back to the invention of the
printing press. The development of a fast and easy way of disseminating information in
print permanently reformed the structure of society; and (1.3) The rise of the printing
press had threatened the political and religious authorities which impacted the
tremendous social change on the wide circulation of information. Thus, the production
of books made accessible not only in the upper class but in the middle class and lower
class.
Summary
Around 1440, German goldsmith Johannes Gutenberg created the Gutenberg Press,
which improved laborious, tedious, and slow printing processes. The printing press was
crucial in the development of mass communication. The development of the printing
press posed a danger to political and ecclesiastical institutions, resulting in massive
societal upheaval and widespread knowledge dissemination.
Discussion

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Some people had contributed to the development of the information age:

(1) Harvard Mark 1 made by the US to address the problem of a serious shortage of human
computers for military calculations. This Harvard Mark 1 is the general-purpose
electromechanical computer that was 50 feet long and capable of doing calculations in
seconds that usually took place hours; (2) Enigma was made by Britain to encipher the
machine that the German armed forces used to securely send messages; (3) Alan Turing, an
English mathematician who hired in 1936 by British top-secret Government Code and
Cipher School at Bletchley Park to break the Enigma code; (4) Alan Turing invented
“Bombe” an electromechanical machine that encrypted messages of the German Enigma
machine. Thus, this contribution had shortened the war by two years.; (5) Universal
Machine became the foundation of computer science and the invention of a machine later
called a computer that can solve any problem in performing any task from a written
program; (6) Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple I designed the operating system,
hardware, and circuit board of the computer all by himself; (7) Steve Jobs, Wozniak’s friend
suggested to sell the Apple I as fully assembled printed circuit board.

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Some topics can enhance your knowledge of the information age. Just
click the links below.
1 Turing: Pioneer of the Information Age, by B. Jack Copeland (Links to an
external site.)
2 The impact of the information age (Links to an external site.)
Summary
Harvard Mark 1 was made by the US to address the problem of a serious shortage of human
computers for military calculations. Enigma was made by Britain to encipher the machine
that the German armed forces used to securely send messages. Alan Turing invented
“Bombe” an electromechanical machine that encrypted messages of the German Enigma
machine. Universal Machine became the foundation of computer science and the invention
of the machine later called the computer that can solve any problem in performing any task
from a written program which Apple I was sold as a fully assembled printed circuit board.
Discussion
These are the development of platforms since then (1) in 1973 onwards, social
media platforms are being introduced in variations of multi-user chat rooms; (2) instant-
messaging applications: AOL, Yahoo messenger, MSN messenger, Windows messenger; (3)
bulletin-board forum systems, game-based social networking sites: Facebook, Friendster,
Myspace; (4) business-oriented social networking website: Xing; (5) messaging, video, and

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voice calling services: Viber, Skype; (6) blogging platform, image and video hosting
websites: Flicker; (7) discovery and dating-oriented websites: Tagged, Tinder; (8) video
sharing services: Youtube; (9) real-time social media feed aggregator: FriendFeed; (10)
live-streaming: Justin.tv, Twitch.tv; (11) photo-video sharing websites: Pinterest,
Instagram, Snapchat, Keek, Vine; and (12) question-and-answer platforms: Quora.
The link below presents some examples of media platforms. Please click
to check it out.
social media before, during, & after emergencies (Links to an external site.)
(Links to an external site.)Summary
In conclusion, we've gone over the many types of social media that are now in use.
We've also looked at how these social media platforms have affected ourselves and
society as a whole.
Biodiversity refers to the variety of living forms that exist in a given habitat.
Biodiversity includes people, animals, plants, and insects. Everything on the planet,
including the ecosystem, is linked. So, today's theme is biodiversity ideas. We will ensure
that the Intended Learning Outcome of synthesizing biodiversity, environment, and
ecosystem is achieved.

1. synthesize the biodiversity, environment, and ecosystem;

2. explain the importance of community participation to achieve biodiversity
conservation; and
3. share insights about researches and studies on biodiversity.
Discussion

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Biodiversity is the variety of life—its ecosystems, species, populations, and genes.

Human actions towards the land, freshwater, and oceans have already caused
biodiversity to decline. Even greater losses will occur in the future if humanity continues
its present unsustainable use of natural resources. In documenting this decline, there has
been a focus on species extinctions, the most obvious manifestation of biodiversity loss.
In addition, there is a loss of ecosystems, populations, and genes. All these are the only
truly irreversible consequences of environmental change. When any of these is lost, it is
gone forever. Species losses are also the aspect of biodiversity loss that is most often
considered, for example, by the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity. Even a species
that survives can lose much of its genetic diversity if local populations are lost from most
of its original range. Furthermore, ecosystems may shrink in the area dramatically and
lose many of their functions, even though their constituent species manage to survive.
The loss of ecosystems, species, populations, and genes all have implications for human
health (Chivian, 2003).
The research and reports in Biodiversity Studies by Roy (2016:5 15-27) reported
that due to the ever-increasing demand for natural resources, the earth is on the verge
of global mass extinction. The biodiversity hotspots are the remnant natural areas of high
terrestrial biodiversity which are rapidly degrading and constitute more than half of the
global endemic species in approximately 2% of the global land area which requires

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conservation and protection along with an effort to identify new areas. Presently, data
gaps and the nonavailability of adequate information across the biodiversity hotspots
have resulted in unsustainable commercial exploitation in these areas. In this paper, an
effort has been made to assess the status of the various biodiversity hotspots across the
globe with respect to the geographic distribution, the area under natural vegetation, the
concentration of endemic plants, and the human development index in these areas.
Monitoring such a large extent across the globe has its difficulties. The use of recent
tools and technologies including earth observation systems and information technology
can help in monitoring and identification of the global biodiversity hotspots and help in
the conservation and protection of these areas. It is suggested to identify the
biodiversity-rich areas at a coarse-scale and have a detailed study of the biodiversity-rich
areas to design appropriate conservation and protection of the biodiversity hotspots.
Johns and Eyzaquirre (2006) conducted a study on Linking Biodiversity, Diet, and
Health in Police and Practice that the simplification of human diets associated with
increased accessibility of inexpensive agricultural commodities and erosion of
agrobiodiversity leads to nutrient deficiencies and excess energy consumption. Non-
communicable diseases are growing causes of death and disability worldwide. Successful
food systems in transition effectively draw on locally available foods, food variety, and
traditional food cultures. In practice, this process involves empirical research, public
policy, promotion, and applied action in support of multi-sectoral, community-based
strategies linking rural producers and urban consumers, subsistence and market
economies, and traditional and modern food systems. Implementation of the
International Plant Genetic Resources Institute's Global Nutrition Strategy in Sub-
Saharan Africa offers a useful case study. Relevant policy platforms, in which biodiversity
conservation and nutrition are and should be linked, include the Millennium
Development Goals, Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, Convention on Biological
Diversity, Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, Food-Based Dietary
Guidelines, Right to Adequate Food and UN Human Rights Commission's Permanent
Forum on Indigenous Issues. The largely unexplored health benefits of cultivated and
wild plants include micronutrient intake and functions related to energy density,
glycaemic control, oxidative stress, and immuno-stimulation. Research on the properties
of neglected and underutilized species and local varieties deserves higher priority. In
tests of the hypothesis that biodiversity is essential for dietary diversity and health,
quantitative indicators of dietary and biological diversity can be combined with nutrition
and health outcomes at the population level. That traditional systems once lost are hard
to recreate underlines the imperative for timely documentation, compilation, and
dissemination of eroding knowledge of biodiversity and the use of food culture for
promoting positive behaviors.
This study was conducted in the Philippines by Tumbaga, Hipolito, and Gabriel
(2020) on (Links to an external site.)Community participation toward biodiversity
conservation among protected areas in Pangasinan, Philippines. They said that
the understanding of community participation in biodiversity conservation among
developing countries, such as the Philippines, is still lacking and needs to be supplemented.

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This study aimed to determine the community participation toward biodiversity

conservation in two communities located at two Protected Areas in Pangasinan,
Philippines: Hundred Islands National Park and Manleluag Spring Protected Landscape.
The knowledge, attitude, and community participation in the two communities vary,
considering that they possess a unique ecosystem dimension (coastal ecosystem and forest
ecosystem). Moreover, their knowledge of threats and importance on biodiversity,
including their attitudes, is considered high. Despite their ecosystem uniqueness, there
were no observed differences in both areas in terms of their knowledge and attitude.
However, in terms of community participation, coastal communities show a higher level of
community participation as compared to forested communities. The demographic factors,
such as income and the number of programs and projects implemented in their areas,
probably determine the status of their community participation.
To augment the knowledge in biodiversity. Please click the link and watch the video
on the Earth Focus Episode 41- Biodiversity and Health.
Earth Focus Episode 41 - Biodiversity and Health (Links to an external site.)
Summary
Biodiversity is the variety of life—its ecosystems, species, populations, and genes. Human
actions towards the land, freshwater, and oceans have already caused biodiversity to
decline. The research and reports in Biodiversity Studies by Roy (2016:5 15-27) reported
that due to the ever-increasing demand for natural resources, the earth is on the verge
of global mass extinction. Johns and Eyzaquirre (2006) conducted a study on Linking
Biodiversity, Diet, and Health in Police and Practice that the simplification of human
diets associated with increased accessibility of inexpensive agricultural commodities and
erosion of agrobiodiversity leads to nutrient deficiencies and excess energy
consumption. Tumbaga, Hipolito, and Gabriel (2020) on (Links to an external
site.)Community participation toward biodiversity conservation among protected areas
in Pangasinan, Philippines. They said that the understanding of community participation
in biodiversity conservation among developing countries, such as the Philippines, is still
lacking and needs to be supplemented.
Discussion
To start with our discussion, please observe the pictures and descriptions below. What is
your reflection on these pictures?

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Biodiversity offsets are an increasingly popular yet controversial tool in conservation.

Their popularity lies in their potential to meet the objectives of biodiversity conservation
and of economic development in tandem; the controversy lies in the need to accept
ecological losses in return for uncertain gains. We are at a critical stage: biodiversity offsets
risk becoming responses to immediate development and conservation needs without an
overriding conceptual framework to provide guidance and evaluation criteria. We clarify
the meaning of the term biodiversity offset and propose a framework that integrates the
consideration of theoretical and practical challenges in the offset process. We also propose
a research agenda for specific topics around metrics, baselines, and uncertainty (Bull,
2013).
According to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, common indicators are needed
to monitor the loss of biodiversity and the implications for the sustainable provision of
ecosystem services. Special emphasis was placed on comparing indicators of biodiversity
and ecosystem services across ecosystems (forests, grass- and shrublands, wetlands,
rivers, lakes, soils, and agro-ecosystems) and spatial scales (from patch to global scale).
The application of biological indicators was found most often focused on regional and
finer spatial scales with few indicators applied across ecosystem types (Feld et al. 2009).
Biodiversity Types: Genetic, Species and Ecological Diversity

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The living world is a complex combination of different levels of organisms. The key
components of life are at one extreme and communities of species at the other extreme.
The manifestations of all types of diversities are found at all these levels of organisms.
Biodiversity is the shorter form of the word biological diversity which means diversity in
the biological world. Thus one can define biodiversity as the degree of variety in nature
with regards to biological species.
Definition:
components of life are at one extreme and communities of species at the other extreme.
The manifestations of all types of diversities are found at all these levels of organisms.
Biodiversity is the shorter form of the word biological diversity which means diversity in
the biological world. Thus one can define biodiversity as the degree of variety in nature
with regards to biological species.
Types of Biodiversity:
(a) Genetic diversity:
It is the variation of genes within the species. This results in a distinct population of one,
even the same species. It gives genetic variation within a population or varieties within
one species. There are two reasons for differences between individual organisms. One is
a variation in the gene which all organisms possess which is passed from one to its
offspring.
The other is the influence of the environment on each individual organism. The variation
in the sequence of four base pairs in the DNA chain forms the genetic variation in the
organism. The recombination) of genetic material during cell division makes it imperative
for genetic diversity within a species. Loss of genetic diversity within a species is called
genetic erosion.
The whole area of agricultural productivity and development depend on genetic
diversity. The plant, as well as animal genetic resources, play an important role in the
economy of a country. Genetic diversity is the whole basis for a sustainable life system
on earth.
Scientists in many parts of the world are trying to introduce genetically modified seeds in
the agriculture sector for better yield as well as for the resistance of drought and flood
situations. The local people or farmers are not showing any interest to preserve the
natural way of genetic diversity.
(b) Species diversity:

This refers to the variety of species within a particular region. The number of species in a
region is a measure of such diversity. The richness of species in a given region provides a
yardstick for species diversity. Species diversity depends as much on the genetic
diversity as on the environmental condition.

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Colder regions support less than the warmer regions for species diversity. A good
climate with good physical geography supports a better species diversity. Species
richness is a term that is used to measure the biodiversity of a given site.
In addition to species richness, species endemism is a term used to measure biodiversity
by way of assessing the magnitude of differences between species. In the taxonomic
system, similar species are grouped together in general, similar genera in families,
families in orders, and so on till in the level of the kingdom. This process is a genuine
attempt to find relationships between organisms. The higher taxa have thousands of
species. Species that are very different from one another contributes more to overall
biodiversity.
(c) Ecological diversity:

This is the number of species in a community of organisms. Maintaining both types of
diversity is fundamental to the functioning of ecosystems and hence to human welfare.
Thus, ecological diversity is decided on the basis of the species and genetic diversity.
Ecological diversity is the scale of biodiversity of an ecosystem. It describes the level of
biodiversity in an ecosystem.
Ecosystem diversity deals with the variations in ecosystems within a geographical
location and its overall impact on human existence and the environment. Ecological
diversity is a type of biodiversity. It is the variation in the ecosystems found in a region
or the variation in ecosystems over the whole planet. Biodiversity is important because it
clears out our water, changes our climate, and provides us with food. Ecological diversity
includes the variation in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Ecological diversity can
also take into account the variation in the complexity of a biological community,
including the number of different niches, the number of trophic levels, and other
ecological processes. An example of ecological diversity on a global scale would be the
variation in ecosystems, such as deserts, forests, grasslands, wetlands, and oceans.
Ecological diversity is the largest scale of biodiversity, and within each ecosystem, there
is a great deal of both species and genetic diversity (All cited by your article library, n.d.)
Summary
Biodiversity offsets are an increasingly popular yet controversial tool in
conservation. According to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, common indicators
are needed to monitor the loss of biodiversity and the implications for the sustainable
provision of ecosystem services (Feld et al. 2009).
Biodiversity Types: Genetic, Species and Ecological Diversity

components of life are at one extreme and communities of species at the other
extreme. (a) Genetic diversity: It is the variation of genes within the species. This

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results in a distinct population of one, even the same species; (b) Species
diversity: This refers to the variety of species within a particular region. The number of
species in a region is a measure of such diversity; (c) Ecological diversity: This is the
number of species in a community of organisms. Maintaining both types of diversity is
fundamental to the functioning of ecosystems and hence to human welfare.
Intended Learning Outcome

1. discuss the importance of biodiversity;
2. specify the different benefits of biodiversity; and
3. examine the impact of science and technology to biodiversity.
Discussion

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Summary
Biological variety is a rich genetic resource, and genetic diversity demonstrates the
tremendous worth of research and development efforts. One of the benefits mentioned
is optimizing the effective use of natural resources, which is one of the benefits of
biodiversity.
According to biodiversity standards, an environment must be conserved in order to have

a better life and a safer place to live. People are engaging in a variety of activities as a
result of the advancement of technology, including animal experimentation and food
production at the expense of the environment.

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All of these issues must be handled, thus numerous protocols have been developed
and executed to assure man's and the world's safety.
Today, we will achieve our Intended Learning Outcome, which is to synthesize
biodiversity protocols.

1. synthesize the protocols in biodiversity;

2. specify examples of actions that lead to the conservation and sustainable use of
biodiversity; and
3. promote ways on how to conserve and preserve biodiversity.
Discussion
Living in Harmony with Nature
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is an international legally binding treaty
with
three main goals: conservation of biodiversity; sustainable use of biodiversity; and the fair and
equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. Its overall objective
is
to encourage actions that will lead to a sustainable future.
The conservation of biodiversity is a common concern of humankind. The CBD covers

biodiversity at all levels: Ecosystems, species, and genetic resources. It also covers
biotechnology through the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. In fact, it covers all possible
domains that are directly or indirectly related to biodiversity and its role in development,
ranging
from science, politics, and education to agriculture, business, culture, and much more.
The governing body of the CBD is the Conference of the Parties (COP). This ultimate
authority
of all governments (or Parties) that have ratified the treaty meets every two years to
review
progress set priorities, and commit to work plans.
In 2010, Parties to the CBD adopted the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020, a ten-
year
framework for action by all countries and stakeholders to safeguard biodiversity and the
benefits it provides to people.

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The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) is based in Montreal,

Canada. Its main function is to assist governments in the implementation of the CBD and
its programs of work, to organize meetings, draft documents, and coordinate with other
international organizations and collect and spread information. The Executive Secretary is
the
head of the Secretariat.
Cartagena Protocol on Biodiversity

Cartagena Protocol is an international agreement that aims to ensure the safe
handling, transport, and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern
biotechnology that may have adverse effects on biological diversity, taking into account
risks to human health. It makes a precautionary approach by making sure that countries
are provided with the data necessary to make informed decisions before agreeing to
the import of such organisms into their territory.
The Philippines recognizes the technologies that can be of particular help for its
development. Since the Philippines is one of the biodiversity "hotspots" in the world, it
is helpful to know how biotechnology will progress in the country.
Summary
It should be noted that, as previously said, the simplified depiction of the CBD-
Structure focuses on the parties' meeting. The three main goals are conservation of
biodiversity; sustainable use of biodiversity; and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits
arising from the use of genetic resources. Its overall objective is to encourage actions that will
lead to a sustainable future.
Also, the Philippines is also a signatory to the Cartagena Protocol, which ensures that
biodiversity is handled, transported, and stored properly.
One might be truly mesmerized about how science and technology have developed by
leaps and bounds. Who would have thought that scientists of today can perform
intervention at the microscopic level which might be just a product of imagination ages
ago. Truly revolutionary, scientists are now possessing the technology to improve human
lives, invisible it may seem to the naked eye.
As human technology progress, the ability to see and find the unknown has become
more possible. Unbeknownst to many, technological advances are not only capable to
explore the biggest objects, but the smallest particles as well. In this last module, you will
deal with nanotechnology. The scope of the discussion shall include nanotechnology's

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definition and dimension, its application, its challenges, and the ethical dilemmas
involved.
Discussion
Scientific researchers have developed new technological tools that greatly improve
different aspects of our lives. The use of nanoscale is one important interdisciplinary
area generated by advancement in science and technology. Scientists and engineers
were able to build materials with innovative properties as they manipulate
nanomaterials.
Nanotechnology refers to the science, engineering, and technology conducted at the
nanoscale, which is about 1 to 100 nanometers. Nanoscience and nanotechnology
employ the study and application of exceptionally small things in other areas of science
including material science, engineering, physics, biology, and chemistry.

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Nanotechnology deals with the very smallest components of our world – atoms, and
molecules. Trying to understand just how small the nanoscale is can be very difficult for
people. A nanometer is a unit of measurement for length just as you have with meters
and centimeters. A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter, 0.000000001 or 10-9 meters.
The word “nano” comes from the Greek word for “dwarf.” The term nanoscale is used to
refer to objects with dimensions on the order of 1-100 nanometers (nm).

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You may also like to watch the video below to know more about nanotechnology.
Summary
The scientific field called nanotechnology, young as it may be, is one of the greatest
discovery in its own right. By doing an intervention at the nanoscale, scientists were able
to build materials with innovative properties. A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter,
0.000000001 or 10-9 meters. Imagine the changes it can make to objects that we know
can improve at a great level without changing its physical appearance.
Discussion
You may not be aware of it, but many of the things you are using now is a product of
nanotechnology. This is only possible through decades of basic nanoscience research
and decades of focused research and development. Applications of nanotechnology are
now delivering in both expected and unexpected ways on nanotechnology’s promise to
benefit society.
Nanotechnology is helping to considerably improve, even revolutionize, many
technologies and industry sectors: information technology, homeland security, medicine,
transportation, energy, food safety, and environmental science, among many others.
In the video below, you will see how nanotechnology has helped in revolutionizing the
world and keeps in doing so at this very moment as we speak.
Summary
The size of nanomaterials is very similar to those of biological molecules and structures.
Therefore, these nanomaterials find extensive use in many fields, especially in biomedical
applications. Nanotechnology is helping to considerably improve, even revolutionize,
many technologies and industry sectors: information technology, homeland security,
medicine, transportation, energy, food safety, and environmental science, among many
others.

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Discussion
The emergence of nanoscience in the previous decades as a new multidisciplinary
scientific research area has attracted a great deal of attention in both synthesis
methodologies and wide applications of medicine, energy, environmental, electronics,
etc. Despite significant progress in nanotechnology and the rise of many commercialized
products involving nanomaterials, nanoscience, and technology are still facing many new
challenges, especially in the areas of great concern to the public: energy and health.
The reservation created against nanotechnology is rational in the basic sense.
Nanoscience and technology is relatively new and there are many new discoveries
happening every now and then related to the said discipline. It cannot be denied that
due to less familiarity, people may have skeptic views. Below are some of the challenges,
risks, and skeptic views about the use of nanoscience and technology:
• Because elements at the nanoscale behave differently than they do in their bulk form,
there's a concern that some nanoparticles could be toxic. Some doctors worry that
the nanoparticles are so small, that they could easily cross the blood-brain barrier, a
membrane that protects the brain from harmful chemicals in the bloodstream. If we
plan on using nanoparticles to coat everything from our clothing to our highways, we
need to be sure that they won't poison us.
• Closely related to the knowledge barrier is the technical barrier. In order for the
incredible predictions regarding nanotechnology to come true, we have to find ways
to mass-produce nano-size products like transistors and nanowires. While we can use
nanoparticles to build things like tennis rackets and make wrinkle-free fabrics, we
can't make really complex microprocessor chips with nanowires yet.
• If molecular manufacturing becomes a reality, how will that impact the world's
economy? Assuming we can build anything we need with the click of a button, what
happens to all the manufacturing jobs? If you can create anything using a replicator,
what happens to currency? Would we move to a completely electronic economy?
Would we even need money?
Being a relatively new industry, nanotechnology and the people behind it should pick a
lesson or two from history, and never ignore public policy and issues. Such issues may
include possible health and environmental hazards from genetically modified foods -
which may invite potential public backlash. If nanotechnology is billed as the "Next
Industrial Revolution",1 then it also must raise a host of important social and ethical
questions that we need to consider now.
The following are some of the issues in "nanoethics" cited by Patrick Lin, a research
director for The Nanoethics Group, a nonpartisan organization based in Santa Barbara,
California, that studies the ethical and social implications of nanotechnology. Many of
them are familiar with philosophy and ethics, but considering them in the context of
nanotechnology is important and can reveal new insights.

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• Regulation - Do we have a right to research, or is some too dangerous to publish or

conduct, such as a recently published recipe for making the 1918 killer influenza
virus? Nanotechnology has the potential to be even more destructive since it gives us
the power to precisely manipulate the very building blocks of our world and may
even enable such things as self-aware artificial intelligence systems – though that
same power can also profoundly help humanity.
• Environmental and Health - How much safety must we prove in nanomaterials,
before introducing them into the marketplace or environment? The precautionary
principle seems to require that if the impact of our research is unclear, but
catastrophe or other undesirable events are possible, then we should pause to
conduct more investigation to avoid these scenarios. But how strong is this principle,
really? After all, other products, such as mobile phones, are brought to market amid
continuing questions about their safety.
• Society - How will nanosensors evolve our concept of privacy, particularly if they are
ubiquitous (such as "smart dust") and virtually invisible? Does national security justify
a tradeoff of our rights? Nanotechnology also promises to enhance our capabilities,
but does this threaten the idea of being human? For instance, if some people are
enhanced to become smarter or to see in infrared, that may create a "nano divide"
that gives significant advantages to only these people and creates a communication
gap, if others cannot have the same basic experiences.
• Politics and Markets - How will nanotechnology affect global security and the
distribution of power, if it can radically change the face of war and terrorism?
Suppose a nondemocratic country develops it first? Will nanotech create a new arms
race? In the long term, if nano factories enable us to make anything we want, what
will be the impact on local and global economies? These issues speak to a need for
cooperation, regulation, as well as forethought to minimize any political or economic
disruption.
• Personal - A critical application for nanotechnology will be in medicine, such as
repairing cellular damage to reverse or retard aging. But how does a longer lifespan
affect Social Security, overpopulation, and retirement? Is living in the shadow of
death an essential part of being human? Will we lose our personal identity as we
become more integrated with our technologies, when human and machine become
one, as the "theory of Singularity" predicts?
You may also like to watch the video below to learn more about the ethical issues behind
nanotechnology.
Summary

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While it is true that nanotechnology brings about revolutionary solutions to age-old and
modern problems, it is still a very young discipline that needs more studying. This led to
some pessimistic views on how it is being used, and if it is right to interfere with what
moralists call "natural". Some reservations take against nanotechnology are the possible
health effects of using nanomaterial in human subjects, the danger of people losing their
jobs in the future, and even the possibility of losing individual liberty in the long run.
In this module, we had discussed the following:
1. definition of the concepts of the information age, biodiversity, and

nanotechnology
2. development of the information age from the introduction of Guttenberg's
press up to the present
3. impacts of the information age on society
4. different social media platforms used today
5. ways in which the information age and social media influence human lives
6. importance of biodiversity as a source of many biological resources
7. adverse effects of resource depletion on society and the measures to mitigate
them
In summary, we had discussed in this module the three topics which are the information
age biodiversity and healthy society and genetically modified organisms and gene
therapy.
We mentioned that nowadays, the information could be shared quickly. People are
becoming more interested in sharing information about themselves. Various aspects of
our society are also influenced by the information age especially communication,
economists, industry, health, and the environment. The rapid upgrade of information
poses both positive and negative impacts on our society. Therefore, we need to carefully
check our motives before believing, using, and sharing them. We should share
information that could help improve our lives and others.
Moreover, we discussed biodiversity. Biodiversity is seen at the macro-level seems to be
still vast and rich, yet if we look at it at the micro-level, per species, we have lost too
much. Eventually, in the near future, this biodiversity loss will have a negative effect,
especially on us humans. "The value of biodiversity is the value of everything."
Finally, nanotechnology refers to the science, engineering, and technology conducted at
the nanoscale, which is about 1 to 100 nanometers. Nanotechnology deals with the very
smallest components of our world – atoms, and molecules. A nanometer is one-billionth
of a meter, 0.000000001 or 10-9 meters. The word “nano” comes from the Greek word
for “dwarf.” The term nanoscale is used to refer to objects with dimensions on the order
of 1-100 nanometers (nm).

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Nanotechnology is helping to considerably improve, even revolutionize, many

technologies and industry sectors: information technology, homeland security, medicine,
transportation, energy, food safety, and environmental science, among many others.
Reservations and pessimist view on nanotechnology is acceptable. After all, nanoscience
and technology are relatively new and there are many new discoveries happening every
now and then.
Discussion
Summary
Cloning is a gene therapy that aims to treat a disease by supplying functional alleles.
There is one possible procedure on that gene therapy- cloning.
Discussion

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For information about genetic engineering, please click the link below to watch about
the gene-edited babies.
Ethical concerns surrounding gene-edited babies (Links to an external site.)
Summary
The GEAC makes decisions regarding the validity of GM research and the safety of
introducing GM-organisms for public services. On ethical issues like every technology
bio-nanotechnology which is having some negative impact on the word that need to be
resolved first before taking its benefits.

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The video provides basic information about gene therapy. Gene therapy is the method
of inserting genes or nucleic acid into cells as a drug to treat genetic diseases.
Brief History
Human gene therapy was actually first realized in 1971 when the first recombinant
DNA experiments were planned. It can be simply viewed as insertion foreign DNA into a
patient's tissue that hopes to successfully eradicate the targetted disease. In 1972,
Theodore Friedman and Richard Roblin proposed that people with genetic disorders can
be treated by replacing defective DNA with good DNA.
In 1985, Dr. W. French Anderson and Dr. Michael Blasse worked together to show
that cells of patients with Adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency can be corrected in
tissue culture. In 1990, the first approved gene therapy clinical research took place at
the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under the team of Dr. Anderson. It was
conducted on a four-year-old girl who had ADA deficiency. In 1993. the first somatic
treatment that proposed a permanent genetic change was performed.
The first commercial gene therapy product Gendicine was approved in China in 2003
for the treatment of certain cancers. Due to some clinical successes since 2006, gene
therapy gained greater attention from researchers but was still considered an
experimental technique.
In 2016, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European
medicines Agency endorsed the gene therapy treatment called Strimvelis that was
approved by European Commission in June 2018.
Some Studies transplanted genes to speed up the destruction of cancer cells. Gene
therapy or cell therapies have emerged as realistic prospects for the treatment of cancer
and involve the delivery of genetic information to a tumor to facilitate the production of
therapeutic proteins. This area of gene therapy still needs further studies before an
efficient and safe gene therapy procedure is adopted Gene Revolution: Issues and
Impacts, n. d., Wirth et al., 2013).

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Summary
In summary, gene therapy is the method of inserting genes or nucleic acid into cells
as a drug to treat genetic diseases. One of the approaches is gene inhibition therapy in
which a cell containing a faulty gene that produces cells functioning normally after
blocking the gene. Also, we discussed the history where it started in 1971 when the first
recombinant DNA experiments were planned. In 1972, Friedman and Roblin had
proposed that people with genetic disorders can be treated by replacing defective DNA
with good DNA. After which, several scientists had ventured into treating diseases using
gene therapy.
Discussion
Various concerns on genetic engineering arise, making gene therapy and GMOs
very controversial innovations in science and technology. Others support that it is
unethical for humans to have a hand in genetically altering and engineering organisms.
There are instances when genetic engineering has caused severe repercussions to public
health. Until today, cloning is still unacceptable to many for it violates the belief that only
higher beings should be responsible for the existence of organisms on earth. There are
also ethical and moral issues on stem cell therapy as it makes use of stem cells sourced
from human embryos and thus destroys them. These concerns regarding genetic
engineering and gene therapy are rooted in the question of whether or not humans are
playing gods in the alteration of genes of organisms.
Genetic engineering also poses problems in agriculture. Hence, there is a need to
study the ecological processes applied to agricultural production systems. Agroecology is
a field of study that presents novel management approaches on farming systems that

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may help address concerns regarding the effect of GMOs on biodiversity and the health
of the consumers. Further researchers, as well as clinical experiments to outline
functional mechanisms, predictive approaches, patient-related studies, and upcoming
challenges, should be done to address existing problems in the development of and to
acquire future perspectives in gene therapy.
Below is a link about some ethical issues in genetic engineering. Please read and
understand and be able able to share your insights into these issues.
What are the ethical issues surrounding gene therapy? (Links to an external site.)
Summary

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In summary, gene therapy and GMOs are very controversial innovations in science
and technology. Others support that it is unethical for humans to have a hand in
genetically altering and engineering organisms. Also, ethical issues on gene therapy are
stem cell therapy in which is sourced from human embryos, and cloning which violates
the belief that only a higher being should be responsible for the existence of organisms
on earth. While on agriculture, issues such as the effect of GMOs on biodiversity and the
health of the consumers.
As how the United Nations explained, Climate Change is the defining issue of our time
and we are at a defining moment. From shifting weather patterns that threaten food
production, to rising sea levels that increase the risk of catastrophic flooding, the impacts
of climate change are global in scope and unprecedented in scale. Without drastic action
today, adapting to these impacts in the future will be more difficult and costly.
Climate is not similar with weather which is constantly changing. Climate refers to the
long term weather patterns prevailing over a given area of the planet. The term comes
from “klinein” (to slope) and later evolved into “klima” connoting a zone or region of the
Earth characterized by its atmospheric conditions.
Discussion
Indeed, Climate Change is a threat to both developing and developed nations around the
world. But what exactly causes it? Scientists like those from NASA attribute the global
warming trend observed since the mid-20th century to the human expansion of the
"greenhouse effect" (Links to an external site.) — warming that results when the
atmosphere traps heat radiating from Earth toward space. But overall, there are three
major causes of climate change, though it could be natural or by human activities such
as:
• Volcanic Eruptions - When volcanoes erupt, it emits different natural aerosols like
carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxides, salt crystals, volcanic ashes or dust, and even
microorganisms like bacteria and viruses all of which are greenhouse gases; Can
cause a cooling effect to the lithosphere because its emitted aerosol can block a
certain percentage of solar radiation.
• Orbital Changes - Also known as the Earth’s movement around the sun
Earth’s orbit can also cause climate change, this was proposed by the Milankovitch
theory. As the Earth travels through space around the Sun, cyclical variations in three
elements of Earth-Sun geometry combine to produce variations in the amount of
solar energy that reaches Earth.
• Human Activities - The largest known contribution comes from the burning of fossil
fuels, which releases carbon dioxide gas into the atmosphere. Human activities result
in emissions of four principal greenhouse gases:
o carbon dioxide

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o Methane
o nitrous oxide
o Halocarbons
If you like, you might want to watch the video below to learn more.
Summary
As we all know, the earth has gone through warm and cool phases in the past, and long
before humans were around. Forces that contribute to climate change include the sun’s
intensity, volcanic eruptions, and changes in naturally occurring greenhouse gas
concentrations. But records indicate that today’s climatic warming—particularly the
warming since the mid-20th century—is occurring much faster than ever before and
can’t be explained by natural causes alone. Humans—more specifically, the greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions we generate—are the leading cause of the earth’s rapidly changing
climate. Greenhouse gases play an important role in keeping the planet warm enough to
inhabit. But the amount of these gases in our atmosphere has skyrocketed in recent
decades.
Climate change has devastating effects on all living things especially humans. The effects
are so enormous that discussing it for a day may not be enough. However, we may
deduce it by looking into its effects on society as a whole. Such effects include but are
not limited to the following:
• It directly affects the basic elements of people’s lives like water, food, health, use of
land, and the environment.
• Declining crop yields due to drought, especially in Africa, are likely to leave hundreds
of millions without the ability to produce or purchase sufficient food.
• It will increase worldwide deaths from malnutrition and heat stress.
• Ecosystems will be particularly vulnerable to climate change.
• Ocean edification will have major effects on marine ecosystems, with possible
adverse consequences on fish stocks.
• Melting or collapse of ice sheets would raise sea levels
• It will increase flood risks during the wet season and it will strongly reduce dry-
season water supplies.
To learn more about the effects of climate change, watch the video below.

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Summary
Climate Change is the defining issue of our time and we are at a defining moment. From
shifting weather patterns that threaten food production to rising sea levels that increase
the risk of catastrophic flooding, the impacts of climate change are global in scope and
unprecedented in scale. Without drastic action today, adapting to these impacts in the
future will be more difficult and costly.
Discussion
In your high school and elementary days, you were constantly reminded about the layers
that protect the Earth from rays of the sun and other external objects. You must also
take note that the depletion of the Earth's protective layers - such as the Stratosphere is
also affected by Climate Change.
Ozone is both beneficial and harmful to us. Near the ground, ozone-forming as a result
of chemical reactions involving traffic pollution and sunlight may cause a number of
respiratory problems, particularly for young children. However, high up in the
atmosphere in a region known as the stratosphere, ozone filters out incoming radiation
from the Sun in the cell-damaging ultraviolet (UV) part of the spectrum. Without this
ozone layer, life on earth would not have evolved in the way it has.

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The stratosphere is the second major layer of the atmosphere and lies above the
troposphere, the lowest layer. It occupies the region of the atmosphere from about 12 to
50 km above the Earth's surface, although its lower boundary tends to be higher nearer
the equator and lower nearer the poles.
Concentrations of ozone in the stratosphere fluctuate naturally in response to variations
in weather conditions and amounts of energy being released from the Sun, and to major
volcanic eruptions.
Ozone depletion results in harmful effects on human health, plants, marine ecosystems,
and biochemical cycles among others.
To learn more about the effects of ozone depletion, watch the video below.
Summary
Ozone depletion, gradual thinning of Earth’s ozone layer in the upper atmosphere caused
by the release of chemical compounds containing gaseous chlorine or bromine from
industry and other human activities. The thinning is most pronounced in the polar

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regions, especially over Antarctica. Ozone depletion is a major environmental problem

because it increases the amount of ultraviolet (UV) radiation that reaches Earth’s surface,
which increases the rate of skin cancer, eye cataracts, and genetic and immune system
damage.
Discussion
Another devastating effect of Climate Change on living things is acid rains. Acid rain
describes any form of precipitation that contains high levels of nitric and sulfuric acids. It
can also occur in the form of snow, fog, and tiny bits of dry material that settle to Earth.
Normal rain is slightly acidic, with a pH of 5.6, while acid rain generally has a pH between
4.2 and 4.4.
Rotting vegetation and erupting volcanoes release some chemicals that can cause acid
rain, but most acid rain is a product of human activities. The biggest sources are coal-
burning power plants, factories, and automobiles.
When humans burn fossil fuels, sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) are
released into the atmosphere. Those air pollutants react with water, oxygen, and other
substances to form airborne sulfuric and nitric acid. Winds may spread these acidic
compounds through the atmosphere and over hundreds of miles. When acid rain reaches
Earth, it flows across the surface in runoff water, enters water systems, and sinks into
the soil.
Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are not primary greenhouse gases that contribute to
global warming, one of the main effects of climate change; in fact, sulfur dioxide has a
cooling effect on the atmosphere. But nitrogen oxides contribute to the formation of
ground-level ozone, a major pollutant that can be harmful to people. Both gases cause
environmental and health concerns because they can spread easily via air pollution and
acid rain.
Acid deposits damage physical structures such as limestone buildings and cars. And
when it takes the form of inhalable fog, acid precipitation can cause health problems
including eye irritation and asthma.
Watch the video below to will learn more about its effects.

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Summary:
Acid rain, or acid deposition, is a broad term that includes any form of precipitation with
acidic components, such as sulfuric or nitric acid that fall to the ground from the
atmosphere in wet or dry forms. This can include rain, snow, fog, hail, or even dust that is
acidic. When an acid deposition is washed into lakes and streams, it can cause some to
turn acidic which may lead to loss of biodiversity.
Discussion
Another devastating effect of Climate Change is the fact that the temperature in certain
areas tends to become inverted. But what exactly is temperature inversion or thermal
inversion? According to Britannica Encyclopedia, Temperature inversion, also called
thermal inversion, is a reversal of the normal behavior of temperature in the troposphere
(the region of the atmosphere nearest Earth’s surface), in which a layer of cool air at the
surface is overlain by a layer of warmer air. (Under normal conditions air temperature
usually decreases with height.)
Although temperature inversion may be somewhat a normal phenomenon, it may have
an adverse effect if coupled with climate change and global warming. Temperature
inversions have a great effect on air pollution. Whether it's a blanket of smog over a city
or the melting of ice packs due to ozone depletion, atmospheric temperature inversions
are intricately involved. They influence the scope and intensity of the effects of air
pollution on a temporary, localized basis as well as long term and globally.
If climate change is not controlled, temporary inversion may lead to its permanence.
Permanent temperature inversions occur high above the surface of the planet. In regard
to air pollution, the most important of these is the stratosphere. This atmospheric layer
stretches from an average of seven miles to 31 miles above the earth's surface. The
stratosphere sits atop the troposphere, which is the lowest layer of the atmosphere and
home to the majority of all-weather. The stratosphere’s temperature inversion impacts
global, long-term air pollution.
Watch the video below.

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Summary
A temperature or thermal inversion is a natural phenomenon and ideally with the
increase in height the temperature decreases. However, in the troposphere, the
temperature of the atmosphere decreases with the increase in altitude at the rate of 1
degree for every 165 meters. One of the most harmful effects of inversions is that they
trap the pollution close to the ground, trapping the smog.
Discussion
Obviously, we humans are one of the agents of Climate Change. Our actions and
inactions can lead to harmful effects on our planet. It is essential, therefore, to raise our
environmental awareness. Mother Earth as we speak, has its own way to heal herself.
Maybe some of you have seen posters, ads, and the like carrying the exhortation ''Go
Green!'' But, what does it mean to ''go green''? It takes a variety of forms, but essentially,
going green means being mindful of the natural environment and making economic
choices that aren't harmful to the earth. For example, this might mean purchasing a glass
or ceramic water bottle instead of using disposable plastic water bottles. Plastic takes an
incredibly long time to break down, and a significant percentage of plastic makes it to
the oceans, where it kills plant and animal life. Going green might also involve using an
all-natural hair-care product, instead of a can of aerosol spray containing toxic chemicals.
When people ''go green,'' they are practicing environmental awareness. The term means
exactly what you expect it to be aware of the natural environment and making choices
that benefit--rather than hurt--the earth. In recent years, environmental awareness has
gained increased attention. It is fair to say it has become a bit of a trend: from
environmentally friendly tiny homes to organic food, environmental awareness is a hot
topic. However, it is nothing new and it ought to be more than just a passing fad because
of its importance. Let's dig deeper and learn more about environmental awareness.
Environmental awareness is to understand the fragility of our environment and the
importance of its protection. Promoting environmental awareness is an easy way to
become an environmental steward and participate in creating a brighter future for our
children.
To learn more about environmental awareness, watch the video below.

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Summary
Environmental awareness is to understand the fragility of our environment and the
importance of its protection. Promoting environmental awareness is an easy way to
become an environmental steward and participate in creating a brighter future for our
children.
Discussion
Research conducted by the United Nations indicates that the Earth’s climate is changing
at a rate that has exceeded most scientific forecasts. Some families and communities
have already started to suffer from disasters and the consequences of climate change,
which has forced them to leave their homes in search of a new beginning.UNHCR
recognizes that the consequences of climate change are extremely serious, including for
refugees and other people of concern. The Global Compact on Refugees, adopted by an
overwhelming majority in the UN General Assembly in December 2018, directly
addresses this growing concern. It recognizes that ‘climate, environmental degradation,
and natural disasters increasingly interact with the drivers of refugee movements.’
It is therefore imperative that high-risk countries must have a well-developed Disaster
Risk Management policy. Watch the video to know more.
Summary
Disaster Risk Management or simply Disaster Risk Reduction helps us consider our
emergency response activities in light of existing and new disaster risks. This enables us
to design or adjust our activities so that people and communities become safer and more
disaster-resilient, as well as safeguarding efforts to create and expand enabling
conditions for sustainable poverty alleviation and development.

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STS Module 1-6 - Lecture notes 3-7

Science, Technology, and Society (Technological Institute of the Philippines)

Studocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university

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What are Ethical Dilemmas?

Three Conditions that must be Present in Moral Dilemmas

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Ten Emerging Ethical Dilemmas

1. Helix- a digital app store designed to read genomes.

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What is Social Implication?

1. Personalized genetic tests/personalized medicine

2. Hacking into medical devices

Implanted medical devices, such as pacemakers, are susceptible to hackers. Barnaby

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personalized pharmaceuticals or home-printed guns and explosives. For now, 3-D

5. Adaptation to climate change

6. Low-quality and counterfeit pharmaceuticals

Until recently, detecting low-quality and counterfeit pharmaceuticals required access to

8. Human-animal hybrids (chimeras)

9. Ensuring access to wireless and spectrum

Mobile wireless connectivity is having a profound effect on society in both developed

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communicate, conduct business, learn, form relationships, navigate, and entertain

10. Data collection and privacy

11. Human enhancements

Pharmaceutical, surgical, mechanical, and neurological enhancements are already

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Some Inventions During Ancient Times

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Link (Links to an external site.)

4. Antikythera Mechanism- Even before the invention of the antecedents of the

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Some Inventions During the Medieval Times

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2. Gunpowder- Around 850 A.D., Chinese civilizations alchemists accidentally invented

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Link (Links to an external site.)

1. Compound Microscope- A Dutch spectacle maker named Zacharias Jansen is

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Jacquard loom (Links to an external site.)

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Other Inventions by Filipino Scientists

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below. Link (Links to an external site.)

The Copernican Revolution

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The video explains Sigmund Freud's psychoanalysis. He discussed the structures of

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1. Social Sciences, Humanities, Education, International Policies and Governance

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Some of these projects are the following: