MODULE 1.

INTRODUCTION TO SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY

Science, Technology, and Society (STS)

 as a field of study
 traces the historical roots of STS as an academic field
 enumerates emerging ethical dilemmas that reinforce the importance of the study of
STS in an age of scientific progress and technological development
 explain the scope of the study of STS
 demonstrate preparedness and readiness in the study of STS

What is STS?

What is Science?

Science

 comes from the Latin word scientia, meaning ‘knowledge’

 a systematic and methodical activity of building and organizing knowledge

about how the universe behaves through observation, experimentation or both

Nature of Science

A. The Scientific World View

 The World is Understandable

 Scientific Ideas are subject to Change
 Scientific Knowledge is durable
 Science Cannot Provide Complete Answers to All Questions
B. The Scientific Inquiry

 Science Demands Evidence

 Science is a blend of logic and imagination
 Science Explains and Predicts
 Scientists try to identify and avoid bias
 Science is not authoritarian

C. The Scientific Enterprise

 Science is a complex social activity

 Science is organized into content disciplines and is conducted in various institutions
 There are generally accepted ethical principles in the conduct of science
 Scientists participate in public affairs both as specialists and as citizens

1. Watch this YouTube video from Bozeman Science to further understand the Nature of Science:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkvjDZseD4k&feature=emb_rel_pause
2. Read more about the Nature of Science through this link:
http://www.project2061.org/publications/sfaa/online/chap1.htm

What is Technology?

Technology

 comes from the Greek root word techne, meaning “art, skill, or cunning of hand”
 Technology is a way of knowing and is also a process of exploration and experimentation.
 It involves the development and use of materials, tools, and approaches for solving human
problems and helping to fulfil human needs and desires.
 Technology addresses the needs and wants of society through the following fields:
 Information and Communication
 Bio-Related and Agriculture
 Medical
 Manufacturing and Construction
 Environmental
 Nanotechnology
 Transportation

What is the relationship between Science, Technology, and Society?

 Science, technology and society are closely linked, especially through scientific inquiry,
technological problem solving, and communication.
 Science frequently utilizes and requires tools and processes developed by technology, and
conversely, technology often employs principles, laws, theories, and processes developed by
means of science.
 Society, as we know it today, has been affected in many ways by science and technology.
 Relationship between Science, Technology, and Society

What is the history of STS?

 Science, Technology, and Society (STS) is a relatively young field that combines 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 this period when historians and scientists found interest in the interconnections of
scientific knowledge, technological systems, and society.
 Science, Technology, and Society (STS) is an essential course in the General
Education curriculum for tertiary education.
 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 modern world.

Why do we study STS?

 seeks to bridge the gap between two traditionally exclusive cultures --- humanities (interpretive)
and natural sciences (rational)

--- so that humans will be able to better confront the moral, ethical, and existential dilemmas
brought by the continued developments in science and technology

 calls for educating you (our students) so that you will be able to apply science and technology
(tools, knowledge, process and products) to solve problems in your environment
 an important academic discipline to help you do science so as to be functional and not just
graduates who are alien to your own society
  aims to help students to develop adaptability, equipped with not only academic skills but with a
range of practical skills which will make you a functional citizen
 It is expected that students like you should become productive members of society who are self-
reliant, able to grow their own food, carry-out disease preventive measures, and well-informed
on issues involving science and technology.

Human beings are by no means perfect - we struggle with ethical dilemmas on a daily basis and fail in
doing what we think or believe to be the right thing more often than we would like to admit.

Unfortunately, these failings are also articulated in our technology. To warn us of these failings, the John
J. Reilly Center for Science, Technology, and Values at the University Of Notre Dame compiles an annual
list of what it determines to be that year’s top 10 ethical dilemmas in science and technology.

• The list points to the challenges, questions, and issues that need to be addressed and resolved
when science, and technology and humanity intertwine.

• The top 10 ethical dilemmas of science and technology as identified by the John J. Reilly Center
for Science, Technology, and Values at the University of Notre Dame for 2020 can be viewed at
this link: www.laboratoryequipment.com/558920-Top-10-Ethical-Dilemmas-in-Science-for-
2020/

• Even if several items in the list may sound unfamiliar to you, it can be a useful springboard in the
study of science and technology.

Top 10 Ethical Dilemmas in Science for 2020

1. The Pseudoscience of Skincare 5 min
2.  AI and Gamification in Hiring 5 min
3. Predatory Journals 5 min
4. The HARPA SAFEHOME Proposal 5 min
5. Class Dojo and Classroom Surveillance 5 min
6. Grinch Bots
7. Project Nightingale
8.  Student Tracking Software
9.  The Corruption of Tech Ethics
10.  Deep fakes