Historical Background

Group 1
In the early age, tools made by humans were made of stones, antlers, wood and bones.
Fire was also discovered by humans by rubbing two stones or woods. 25,000 to 50,000
before Christ, clothes were worn by humans.

The modern era is the so-called Information Age, Digital Age, computer Age or New
Media Age. This era is characterized by the shifting of the traditional industry to an
economy which is based on information technology.

Although the Information age started in the 1970s where personal computers were
introduced, it was not really a boom the fact that it can transfer information quickly and freely. In
1977, home computers which are classes of microcomputers entered the market but became
common in the 1980’s. Consumers can get these home computers at affordable prices and these
are intended for a single non-technical use.

Then, on August 6, 1991, the World Wide Web or www was introduced by Tim Berners-
Lee. Berners- Lee is dubbed as the father of the Web. There were other inventors in the tech
world such as Vint Cerf and Bob Metcalfe who are dubbed as the father of the Internet and
Ethernet, respectively.

It was on August 9, 1995 that Netscape initially offered this technology to the public.
After this, stocks of Netscape surge which give the company more than $2 billion on the first day
of its trading. It is the IPO or the so called ―Input Process Output‖ that became the rite of
passage for these technology startups.

Comparable to the industrial revolution and agricultural revolution, this digital revolution
marks the start of the Information Age. It is in this age that there is widespread use of digital
logic circuits together with its technologies such as computers, digital mobile phones and the
internet. These innovations of technology have revolutionized the traditional productions and
even business techniques.

Group 2
Historical Analysis of the Interdependence of Science in Medieval and Modern
Society

The degree of influence of astronomy, medicine and natural history from the different
sources such as scientific and non scientific texts, archives or even technical literatures have
relations to scientific activities. In the field of medicine, Galenism was widespread and popular.
This is the reason why medicine has indispensable and invaluable benefit to the society. This is
also true to other scientific disciplines such as medical history and astronomy which disciplines
are directly related to medicine. Various researches have been done and the focus is on:
 1. The political and socio economic context of modern medicine. In the Kingdom
of Valencia during the Spanish Catholic Monarch, health care and medical practices have
its presence in the 16th and 17thcenturies.

2. Scientific and public activities. The Baroque presentation of medicine and even
natural history has popularized scientific ideas during the Spanish Catholic Monarchy. In
addition, Baroque representations and images especially of the disease and the sick during the
Spanish Catholic Monarchy are made basis for knowing social attitudes.

3. Scientific ideas of doctors, cosmographers and astronomers in the Modern Age.

Their roles and spread of knowledge in the 16th and 17thcenturies have made changes in the
field of science.

4. The roles of the doctors being experts in different fields especially during
the medieval and modern eras.

5. Development of complete studies of a medical historian and doctor Jose

Rodrigo Pertegas which are now found in the Catalan and Valencian archives and
libraries.

6. The spread of scientific knowledge of the American land and nature and how
American plants are introduced in Europe especially on herbaria, the chronicles and
medical texts of the Indies have are part of scientific development.

Group 3
Historical Analysis of the Interdependence of Science in the Philippines

In the Philippines, the acceptance of STI or Science, Technology and Innovation are the
most important elements in the Philippine development. Progressive countries in the world make
this STI as the center of the strategy for development.

According to survey, our country, positive advancement and developments in STI remain
in a low level of innovation. This is due to the weakness of human capital, low expenditures in
RD or Research and Development and its weal linkage to STI ecosystem.
According to the GII or Global Innovation Index, our country ranked 74th out of 128
economies as far as innovation is concerned. Philippines garnered a score or 31.8 out of 100.
This is slight development due to our score of 31.1 in 2015 where the Philippines ranked 83rd out
of the 141 economies.

Our country ranked fifth from the seven members of the ASEAN or Association of
Southeast Asian Nations. The Philippines was ahead of Indonesia (88th) and Cambodia (95th)
but behind Singapore which ranked 6th, Malaysia ranked 35th, Thailand ranked 52nd and
Vietnam ranked 59th.

The weak performance of the STI sector in our country is due to the weak STI culture.
This is because of limited public awareness as well as interest in science, technology and
innovation. Many sectors in our country do not appreciate, recognize and understand the use of
science based information and technology based information in their activities every day.
 Furthermore, there are also weaknesses in the professional and social culture especially
on research culture in various universities and its commercialization from its results. There is
also lack of awareness in the research communities, the general public and even on intellectual
property rights. There is low level of adoption and application of these technologies among
MSMEs or micro, small and medium enterprises and even in other sectors such as fisheries and
agriculture.

STI are key components to challenges. But our country is not prepared for this because
we are investing enough resources in science and technology, research and development, human
resource development and even physical infrastructure. Our country even lack technologists and
scientists needed for our development. The result is our country suffers from low agricultural and
industrial productivity, inefficiency, scientific publications, innovations and patents. Although
we have high trained technologists and scientists, our government lacks local investments to hold
them. Although these professionals are trained abroad, they are denied in our country due to lack
of science and technology innovation.

Group 4
Inside ( STS) Science, Technology and Society

The study of STS (Science, Technology and Society) is an integrative investigation of the
strong collaboration between scientific advancement with societal forces, and their part in the
technological innovations.

Science and technology have a growing impact on society because it can make people’s
life easy. With this, science had given people the chance to go after their concerns in the society
such as education, aesthetics, ethics and justice, creating cultures and improving human
conditions.

Relationship of Science with Technology

Although the purposes and perspective of science and technology are not similar, their
relationship is complex and tense. Their impact on the society is obvious and visible. Society
can also influence science and technology especially on scientific and technological
developments.

Effect of Science and Technology to Society

Society can be influenced by science through its knowledge and views. The scientific
knowledge and the different procedures used by different scientists have great influence on the
ways individuals anticipate themselves and other people in the society as well as in the place
they live and its environment. Sciences effect on the society is not entirely detrimental or
entirely beneficial.

Science tests ideas with evidences it gets from the world of nature. Science can guide to
the advancement of technology. For individuals, science can help us learn more about health and
natural hazards to our environment.
 On the other hand, technology can affect our environment, the society and its people.
This can either have positive or negative impact. The positive impact can be making people’s
way of living easy and convenient but there can be negative impact can be addiction to the
effect that it can hurt people’s communication skills or the worst is health ramifications like
eyestrain, insomnia, hearing loss, neck strain and even increase anxiety as well as depression.
Technology can also affect our brain especially the sleep cycles of those persons who use
gadgets just for gaming.

Group 5
Gadgets can Cause Radiation

There are different gadgets which are out in the market right now. Over use and wrong
use of these gadgets can cause radiation. It can result to long term effects on health such as
cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

a. Cell phone

Cell phone is a portable cordless device for creating contact list, making calls, setting up
voicemail box and texting or calling contacts. This gadget became available in the market in the
1980s. This gadget can have good and bad effect to the users. The different good effects can be
through its applications or apps. It can be your global positioning device (GPS), game consoles
and even music players. But always remember the bad effects for over use. Cell phone can also
be our hand held health coach since there are many apps for improving our health. How?

First, it can help us eat better. There are different websites or apps for healthy recipes.
This is more convenient in making our cell phones as our food journal. This is more
convenient and easy using paper and pen to record diet plans.

Second, cell phones can keep us moving by tracking our physical activities. Research
shows that apps step counts and distance measurement accurate. They can motivate us with
feedback and setting goals. Another thing is that we use cell phones to listen to music and even
doing this while having physical exercises. Cell phones can also lower stress especially by
downloading and listening to soothing music or even nature sounds. Trying yoga is better
because the breathing techniques and the physical movements can help us relax.

However, there are bad effects for cell phones. The bad effects are:

First, it can cause distraction especially using cell phones while walking outdoors or
driving. The result is we pay less attention to our surroundings and we don’t have quick reaction
time. So, the result is accident.

Second, cell phones can make us anxious especially heavy cell phone users. Students
who are heavy cell phone users tend to have lower grades.

Third, cell phones can disrupt our sleep especially attending to call alerts, answering calls
and text messages at night. These constant alerts can interrupt your sleep.
Group 6
Healthy Compromises of Cellphones
This handy gadget is very difficult to disconnect. But too much time using this gadget can
cause users physical problems. The following are the healthy compromises of cellphones:

1. Turn off cell phones at night or turn it mute. It is necessary to limit screen time
before going to bed. Playing games (like Mobile Legends) or texting or using facebook makes
users difficult to relax.

2. Take continuing breaks. Too much use of this gadget can cause users pain especially
in fingers or wrists. Eyes became tired from the constant look at the gadgets’ screen.

3. Turn off the sound. Using earphones for listening to music from the gadget
especially if the volume is high can cause damage to our sense of hearing.

4. Make a plan for the use of cell phones. Do it only on important matters.

Radiation brought about by Cellphones

There is a possibility of causing health problems especially certain types of cancer. Cell
phones release radio waves or radiofrequency energy. This is a kind of non ionizing radiation
derived from cell phones’ antennas. Hence, body tissues near the cp’s antennas can frequently
absorb this kind of energy.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), radiations coming cell phones have
a great possibility of human carcinogens which can greatly damage our DNA and cells and thus
can cause burns, cancer or sickness. The primary effect is on the brain where our brain blood
vessels die and can lead to seizures. The eyes are greatly affected too because there can be
possibility of cataracts due to non ionizing radiation which can be the source of heating.

Protecting Ourselves from Cell phone Radiation

According to experts, keeping distance from cell phones is very important. It is not
necessary that we have to place it in the pockets of our blouses, polos or pants. When calling or
accepting calls, we should not hold the cell phones to our ears because it can uncover our
salivary glands to Electromagnetic Frequencies (EMFs). It is advisable that we have to use the
speaker or headsets. Another thing to remember, we have to turn off our cell phones more often
because in this cause no radiation is discharged when the gadget is off.

It is recommended by experts that when we sleep, we have to place our cell phones 3
meters away from our body or we can leave the gadget in our chair or couch. It is also important
not place the gadget under the pillow while sleeping or charging it overnight under the pillow.
Group 7
Bad Effects of Mobile Phones

Although cell phones have good effects; its overuse can give bad effects to the users. The
bad effects are:

1. Cell phones can damage our eyes. According to opticians, users who are addicted to
these gadgets have increased risks of eye damages. Other gadgets such as tablets, computers
and flat screen televisions screens can lead to long term damage.

2. Cell phones can affect user’s health. Too much exposure to these gadgets can damage
our DNA and cells to the effect that it can cause sickness, burns or even cancer at the most.
This is due to the fact that these gadgets have ionizing radiation which can cause heating—the
same with how microwave oven works.

3. Cell phones can affect our brain. According to the World Health Organization (WHO),
radiations coming cell phones have a great possibility of human carcinogens which can greatly
damage our DNA and cells and thus can cause burns, cancer or sickness. The primary effect is
on the brain where our brain blood vessels die and can lead to seizures. The eyes are greatly
affected too because there can be possibility of cataracts due to non ionizing radiation which can
be the source of heating.

4. Cell phones can cause temporary blindness especially if users check these gadgets
at night especially checking these in the dark.

b.) Laptops

Laptops are compact and portable personal computers with similar capabilities as
desktop computers. Laptops discharge heat while in use; and this heat has disastrous effects on
our health. Wrong placement of laptops such as placing them on legs while in use can harm our
skin. According to experts, it can cause sterility. This is due to electromagnetic radiation
discharged by these gadgets. Recent studies of the Fertility and Sterility show that the heat
discharged by these gadgets can cause Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid (DNA) damage.

c.) Tablets

If cell phones, laptops or tables are connected to the internet thru WiFi, its
connectivity can discharged electromagnetic field (EMF) radiation. This simply means that
the users are hit by two radiating sources—one from the gadget and the other one from WiFi.

d.) Earphones

Earphones are electrical devices which are used on the ear in order to receive telephone
or radio communications or for the purpose of listening to music etc. or answering to phone
calls without other people hearing it. These earphones can also damage our ears especially when
we used it with high volumes or using them for so long. The worst result is hearing loss.
 Therefore, it is a rule that we have to use these MP3 devicesat a maximum level of 60%
for 60 minutes in just one day. According to Dr. Froy, using these earphones at a louder volume
the shorter would be its duration of use. If you do it in a maximum volume, it is necessary that
we have to listen from it for only five minutes in a day.

Group 8
Intellectual Revolution
Intellectual revolution is time where there is a paradigm shift. It is in this period where
scientific beliefs and studies embraced in the early and medieval times were opposed and
challenged.

This intellectual revolution can transform society by way of critical thinking, creating
rules and policies for equal opportunities and for purposes of evaluation. It is considered as a
continuing process for the development of the country to the end that society’s needs are later
achieved. The joint efforts of great minds and intellectuals can make the world progressive and
peaceful.
Some of the examples of this intellectual revolution are the study of the orbit of the earth
around the sun and the introduction of automobile and other creations/inventions in the society.

But since we are in the Digital Age, digital information revolution can become powerful.
With the use of technologies, these can make our lives convenient and easy. How? Consumers
are already allowed to buy and sell online, order products online and even allow citizens to
interact with or complain to the government issues using the internet.

Copernican Intellectual Revolution

The Copernican Revolution was considered the paradigm shift from Ptolemaic model of
heavens to the heliocentric model. The Ptolemaic model describes the universe with a stationary
Earth at the center. The heliocentric model describes the Sun at the middle of the Solar System.
This is articulated by Nicolaus Copernicus who is a Polish astronomer in the year 1543. .

This Copernican Revolution brought dramatic changes that occurred in the universe and
how the earth revolves around the Sun as what we learnt in Science. It is for a long time that
our perception of the objects in the sky is the ones that revolved everywhere on us and that the
earth is the focus of the universe.
 Darwinian Intellectual Revolution

The Darwinian Intellectual Revolution was popularized by Charles Darwin in 1859. This
is a revolution centered on scientific and religious spheres. His book has changed the outlook of
the people on biology and the fundamental effects on modern religion, science and the other
characteristics of the society.
The Darwinian revolution is very important in the development of humanist and
scientific ideas. It was Charles Darwin who made people conscious that the place they live has
evolutionary process especially when the most intelligent and powerful structure of life was
discovered on how individuals evolved.

This theory as advocated by Charles Darwin as found in his book allows us to see how
the various species lived and have died for the reason that another species had succeeded them.
Darwin’s theory is important especially in the evolution of men.

Charles Darwin has also advocated Social Darwinism which firmly believed in the
―survival of the fittest.‖ This is a theory where individuals became influential in the society
because of their inherently better nature. This Social Darwinism theory was used to justify
racism, imperialism, social inequality and eugenics at different times in the past one hundred
fifty years.

However, oppositions to this theory of ―survival of the fittest‖ said that this theory means
―natural selection.‖ Further, oppositions said that this theory is avoided especially by modern
biologists because it is misleading. For them, survival is just one of the aspects of selection;
hence, not the most important.

Group 9

Freudian Intellectual Revolution

Sigmund Freud has important contribution to intellectual revolution being the well
known and popular psychologist of the 20th century. He founded the psychoanalysis theory
which asserts that human behavior is the outcome of the interplay of the 3 components of the
mind which are id, ego and super ego.

Freudian psychoanalysis’ theory has influenced the growth of psychotherapy and its
different methods of treatment through the century. Freud’s influence in this field continues to be
strong even though this theory had been the subject of controversy.
 Freud’s theory is mainly based on objective observations. The major problem in this
theory offers only fact explanations but failed to anticipate traits and behaviors.

Information Theory as part of Intellectual Revolution

The information theory examines the storage, quantification and communication of the
information. In 1948, Claude Shannon (an American electrical engineer, mathematician, and
cryptographer) proposed this theory finding the basic limits on the processing of signals and the
operations of communication like data compression.

MesoAmerican Intellectual Revolution

The MesoAmerican intellectual revolution has greatly influenced the civilizations in

North America, Central America and South America. In these places, the 4 ancient civilizations
are the Maya, the Aztecs, the Olmec and the Inca. These 3 have gained incredible
accomplishments in the field of science and engineering for the reason that they have high value
for education.

This intellectual revolution is very important since this is where agricultural revolution
occurred independently. This has gained ground in North America prior to Columbus. The Maya
can be included since they have expanded a distinctive writing system and an advanced calendar.

The Olmec was the most essential in the MesoAmerican culture. This is due to the
governing landowning class that built the significant MesoAmerican civilization.

Group 10

Asian Intellectual Revolution

According to Needham, a famous historian, China and the entire Asia continued in the
scientific advancement however, they were slower than countries in the west like Europe. First
and foremost, there are lots of scientific revolutions that begin in Asia particularly in China. But
since Asians are too much concerned about culture and religion, this prevented them from
proceeding in the development of science. In addition, Asian countries failed to adopt industrial
civilization. In Europe, the capitalists became richer and advanced in science.

The other reason why Asia is behind other continents is because is because of scare to
face problems. Like for example in the field of shipping industry, China had developed ships but
Timur wanted to topple down the government and the government put an end to the creation of
ships in order to focus on emerging concerns at that time.

Moreover, in the 19th century, China’s economy being the biggest in the world was
divided by the European countries to the effect that there is a slow moving scientific revolution
in China and the countries in Asia.

Scientific Revolution of Middle East

The scientific revolution of Middle East has great contribution for great innovations and
discoveries. Middle East is rich in innovations and culture even in the past; however, its
development faced lag. Education in the Middle East is left behind which makes young people
after graduation jobless. Because of this, the government has made great investments in quality
scientific researches for innovation and development. For example, Mesopotamia is now
advanced in chemistry, algebra, medicine, engineering and astrology.

Technological Development in Africa

Africa is the continent in the world that used stones as their tools. Stones are common in
East Africa as well as in the Sub Saharan Africa. From these stones they were able to make
different kinds of tools.

In the history of science and technology, Africa has made developments in mathematics,
metallurgy, architecture and other arts. In Nairobi, homegrown was developed and there are
many big companies in the world have found out that Africa has fertile lands which are
necessary for scientific and technological developments.

African leaders have promised that their governments have to fund projects on science
and technology since this is very important for the country’s economic development but they
were not able to give concern for this issue for a long time. In Summit of AU (African Union)
leaders in January 2007, they have agreed to allocate 1% of their GNP (Gross National Product)
in 2020 for this purpose.

Since there are skilled, creative and educated young Africans together with the
government’s implementation and investments on science can be of great help to the
transformation of the Africa and the improvement of the Africans’ well being.
All groups must answer these questions and present it after their report.
1. Is science and technology important for the development of a country? Why or
why not?
2. Explain the usefulness of technologies to human life.
3. Are there bad effects of technology to us? Explain.