influence the way many individuals

GE 7 : MIDTERMS
in society think about themselves,
others, and the environment.
1.1 HISTORICAL ANTECEDENTS ● By making life easier, science has given us
OF STS the chance to pursue societal concerns such
as ethics, aesthetics, education, and justice;
To create cultures; and to improve human
What is Science?
conditions
● Is a broad field of study focused on
● The effect of science on society is neither
discovering how nature works and using that
entirely detrimental
knowledge to describe what is likely to
● The impact of science on society, society
happen in nature
also influences science
○ It is based on the assumption that
events in the physical world follow
orderly cause-and-effect patterns that
can be understood through careful
observation, measurements, and
experiments.

The Scientific Method

Step 1: Make a Observation
Step 2: Ask a Question
Step 3: Make a Hypothesis
Step 4: Conduct an Experiment 1.2 HISTORICAL ANTECEDENTS-
Step 5: Draw Conclusions ANCIENT, MIDDLE & MODERN
Step 6: Report your Results AGES

How is Science used in Technology?

HISTORICAL ANTECEDENTS , ANCIENT,
● Science is the pursuit of knowledge about
MIDDLE, & MODERN AGES
the natural world through systematic
observation and experiments. Through
● Science and technology (S&T) play major
science, we develop new technologies
roles in everyday life;
● Technology is the application of
● Make work easier allowing to do more with
scientifically gained knowledge for practical
little effort and time;
purposes
● Improvements in this field are products of
● Scientist use technology in their experiments
people’s imagination or gradual
improvements of earlier works;
Society Defined
● The driving force behind this continuous
progress is the desire to raise the quality of
Society
the life of the people.
● Sum total of our interactions as human,
including interactions that we engage in to
In ancient times, people were concerned with;
figure things out and to make things
● A group of individuals involved in persistent
● Transportation
social interaction, or a large social group
● Communication
sharing the same geographical or social
● Weapons and armors
territory, typically subject to the same
● Conservation o f li fe
political authority and dominant cultural
● Engineering & architecture
expectations.

Out of necessity, people in ancient times were

How Science and Technology Affect Society?
able to discover and invent things that would
● Science influences society through its
impact the lives of the modern people
knowledge and world view.
○ Scientific knowledge and the
Sumerian Civilization
procedures used by scientists
 ● Located in southern most tip of ancient
Mesopotamia (Tigris- Euphrates valley)
● The civilization flourished between 4100
BCE – 1750 BCE
● Sumerians are known for their high degree
of cooperation with one another and their
desire for great things, with some of these
things connected with S&T
● Lower Mesopotamia is located the modern
country of Iraq, while Upper Mesopotamia
is in Syria and Turkey
Cuneiform
● First writing system which utilizes pictures
and triangular symbols carved on clay and
left to dry
● Allowed to keep a record of things with
great historical value in their everyday life
Great Ziggurat of UR
● Also called the mountain of God
● Constructed using sunbaked bricks
● Showcases elaborate and intricate Sumerian
architecture and the remarkable technology
used to build it
Irrigation and Dikes
● As population increased, so did the demand
for food
● Irrigation systems were to bring water from
the rivers to areas with scarce water supply
allowing year-long farming and Harvesting
● Dikes were to control flood from the rivers
Sailboats
● Some sources attributed this invention to the
Sumerians
● Essential in transportation and trading as
well as in fostering culture, information, and
technology
Wheel
● Invented the wheel in the later part of their
history since tools were already available
● Used for farm work and food processes.
Farmers were able to mill grains with less
effort in less time allowing for mass
production
The Plow
● Used in farm cultivation
● Farmers can dig the ground at a faster pace
allowing them to plant seeds much faster
● Can cultivate larger parcels of land and
increase food production without taking so
much time and effort
Roads
● To facilitate faster and easier travel by
organizing the flow of traffic
● Used sun-baked bricks covered with
bitumen ( a black sticky substance similar to
asphalt)
● Very useful especially during the rainy
season when traveling in the soft and muddy
roads is difficult
Babylonian Civilization
● Emerged near the Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers
● Became a great military power under King
Hammurabi who ruled from 1792to 1750
BCE
● Great builders, engineers, and architects
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
● Can be marveled from stories of historians
and paintings that portray the place since no
physical evidence has been found to prove
its existence
● According to legends, the great Babylonian
King Nebuchadnezzar II built the gardens
for his wife, Queen Amytis
Egyptian Civilization
● Located in North Africa
● 3100 BCE – 525 BCE
● The pyramids are not the only contribution
of the Egyptian civilization to the modern
world
PAPER OR PAPYRUS
● Is a plant that grows abundantly near the
Nile River in Egypt
● Made writing a lot easier
● Clay tablets were used before papyrus
INK
● Since engraving ceased to be used in
writing, and along with the invention of the
paper or papyrus, ink for writing become
necessary
● Combining soot with different chemicals to
produce ink
● Used to record history, culture, and codified
laws
● Tamper proof and must withstand the
elements of nature
HIEROGLYPHICS
 ● A system of writing developed by the
Egyptians which uses symbols
● Remains of this form or writing can still be
seen today and remains to be as famous as
the pyramids where they are found
● Hieroglyphics was the language that tells the
modern world of the history and culture of
ancient Egypt
COSMETICS
● Invented the use of cosmetics
● For health and aesthetic reasons
● Wore Kohl around the eyes to prevent and
even cure eye diseases
● Believed that wearing of make-up protects
from evil and that beauty was a sign of
holiness
● Today, cosmetic industry is a multi-billion
industry
WIG
● At present, wigs enhance appearance of
people who are balding or try new hair
trends
● In ancient egyptian times, wigs were used to
protect the shaved heads of wealthy
egyptians from the harmful rays of the sun
WATER CLOCK/CLEPSYDRA
● Utilizes gravity that affects the flow of water
from one vessel to the other. In the process,
time Measured.
● Was used as a time keeping device
Greek Civilization
● Greece is an archipelago in the southeastern
part of Europe
● 1200 BCE – 323 BCE (death of Alexander
the Great)
● Known as the birthplace of modern
philosophy
● In-depth works on philosophy and
mathematics
● More than coliseums and the Olympics,
Greek civilization has contributed much to
the world, especially in the fields of science
and technology.
ALARM CLOCK
● Used large complicated mechanisms to time
the alarm
● Used water, small stones or sand
● Purpose was to tell an individual when to
start or to stop
WATER MILL
● Used in agricultural processes like milling of
grains
Roman Civilization
● The history of the Roman Empire can be
divided into three distinct periods:
● The Period o f Kings (625-510 BC),
● Republican Rome (510-31 BC) ,
● and Imperial Rome (31 BC – AD 476)
● Considered to be the cradle of politics and
governance during that period
● Legislation and codified laws
● A lot of discoveries can be attributed to the
Roman Empire
NEWSPAPER
● First newspapers, known as gazettes,
contained announcements of the Roman
empire to the people
● made before the invention of paper, these
gazettes were engraved in metal or stone
tablets
● The invention of paper made “publication”
of these gazettes a lot easier
BOUND BOOKS OR CODEX
● With the invention of paper, record keeping
was made a lot easier like documenting
historical events & newly passed laws
● Stacking of papyrus to form pages bound
together, providing covers to protect the
papyrus (like covers made of animal skin)
were the first books or codex
Roman Architecture
● Considered a continuation of Greek
architecture, hence, the resemblance
● Today, people still enjoy these architectural
marvels. A testament to the quality of these
roman structures
Roman Numerals
● Number system to address the need for a
standard counting method
● No longer widely used today due to its
inherent limitations but still used at certain
times due to its aesthetic and historical value
Chinese Civilization
 ● Legends claim that the earliest rulers in
China were the Xia Dynasty, from 2100 to
1600 B.C
● Considered to be the oldest civilization in
Asia, if not the world
● Also known as the middle kingdom
● Made famous because of its silk trade
SILK
● Connected East China to the world making
way for cultural, economic, and scientific
exchanges
● Used silk, from silk worms, to produce
paper and clothing
TEA PRODUCTION
● Made from shredded dried tea leaves
● Used as a product in trade aside from silk
● A famous beverage in the world today
GREAT WALL OF CHINA
● The only man-made structure visible from
the outer space
● To control the borders of China and keep
invaders out
● Today, with some sections in ruin, it is still a
world attraction due to its historical
significance and architectural grandeur
GUNPOWDER
● Originally developed by Chinese alchemist
to attain immortality but accidentality
developed a black powder (gunpowder)
● Gunpowder is also used in fireworks during
important celebrations in China
Medieval/Middle Ages
● 500 – 1500 CE
● Tainted with massive invasions and
migrations
● Wars were prevalent, & technological
advancement in weaponry, navigation, mass
food and farm production, and health is
needed
● During the latter part of the period, there
was significant rise in population, trade and
commerce among nations increased
resulting to greater demand for
transportation technology
PRINTING PRESS
● Invented by Johannes Gutenberg
● Soon evolved to become the mechanical
printing press
● Used to address the need for publishing
books that would spread information
MICROSCOPE
● Used to magnify things invisible to the eye
● Zacharias Janseen was the first to developed
the first compound Microscope
● The microscope was key in discovering new
means in preventing and curing various
illnesses
WAR WEAPONS
● Development of crossbows and longbows,
iron body armors and the chainmail
TELESCOPE
● Middle ages is also known as the Age of
Exploration, the need for navigational
instruments was high
● Together with the telescope, the invention of
the compass, oars, and rudders made sea
travel easier and safer
Modern Times
● The booming world of the nineteenth
century onwards demanded for the
production of more goods at a faster rate
● People needed efficient means of
transportation
● Animal operated processes needs to be
upgraded
● Faster and easier means of communication
● Establishment of connections between and
among nations
● All these resulted in the development of
industries. As a result, modern times were
faced with complicated problems
● Pasteurization – a process in foods such as
milk and fruit juices are treated with mild
heat to eliminate pathogens and increase
shelf life
● Petroleum refinery – petroleum (crude oil) is
transformed and refined into gasoline,
kerosene, and other products
● Used to power automobiles, factories, power
plants, among others
● At first people used animal oils for
generating light
Telephone
● Telephone by Alexander Graham Bell
● Maintains connections for trade and
exploration by communicating in real time
● Governments needed a communication
 system to allow them to administer their
state affairs Darwinian Revolution
Charles Darwin
● Born in England
1.3 Intellectual revolutions that defined
● “On the Origin of Species by Means of
society
Natural Selection” in 1859
introduction
● Discoveries and inventions in S & T were 2 Major points that Darwin Proposed
due to human needs and wants ● Argued from evidence that species were not
○ Transportation specially created in their present forms but
○ Communication have evolved from ancestral species.
○ Weapons & armors Proposed a mechanism for evolution:
○ Conservation of life NATURAL SELECTION
○ Engineering & architecture ● A population of organisms can change over
○ Aesthetics time as a result of individuals with certain
● Furthermore, advancements in S & T have heritable traits. These individuals leave more
also changed people’s perception and beliefs offspring than other individuals
● During the Intellectual Revolution
○ Copernicus publication “On the
Revolutions of the Heavenly
Spheres” in 1543 is often cited as the
beginning of the Scientific
Revolution

Influences of Scientific Revolutions:

Darwinian Revolution
ARISTOTLE (384–322 BC)
● Each rung in the ladder of life was allotted
to a living form and all were occupied.
● The view that species were fixed or
permanent and did not evolve held for 2000
years

SOME INTELLECTUALS AND THEIR

REVOLUTIONARY IDEAS
Freudian Revolution
Copernican Revolution
Sigmund Freud
Nicolaus Copernicus
● Born in 1856 – died in 1939
● Born 1473—died 1543
● Austrian neurologist
● Polish mathematician & astronomer
● Founder of Psychoanalysis
● Proposed a concept known as
“heliocentrism” suggesting the sun was the
center of the Solar System

● These three are just some of the many ideas

that transformed and molded societies and
 beliefs;
● The changes they brought to the
perspectives and perceptions of the scientific
community and the public are evidence of
S&T’s link to humanity;
● Through research and experimentation,
people will continue to deepen their
understanding of the world and the universe
2.1 Technology as a way of revealing
Martin Heidegger
● Sept. 26, 1889 – May 26, 1976
● German philosopher
● “The Question Concerning Technology”
(1953)
Major points
● We tend to think of technology as an
instrument, a means of getting things done.
○ tends to make us think that by
making the technology better – better
able to “get things done” – we will
master technology and solve the
problems that accompany it.
● Humanity’s orientation to the world takes
the form of an enframing which views the
world only as “standing reserve”, a source of
raw materials
● Humanity’s orientation to the world takes
the form of an enframing which views the
world only as “standing reserve”, a source of
raw materials.
● Enframing is the essence of technology.
○ It is a danger that sets humans on a
destructive and self-destructive
course, &
○ It is a “saving power” and an
opportunity
■ Makes clear the
responsibility of human
beings to the world
● What can we do to save ourselves from the
consequences of enframing?
● The art of ancient Greek culture, according
to Heidegger, expresses humanity’s sense of
connectedness with all Being.
○ It was the outgrowth of humanity’s
care, a sense of stewardship of all
existence
● “We ponder technology and question it. In
so doing, we also become aware of the crisis
we have plunged the Earthinto.”
2.2 Human flourishing
Define human flourishing
● Eudaimonia, a term that combines the Greek
words for “good” and “spirit”
● Commonly translated as happiness or
welfare, human flourishing, prosperity, and
blessedness
● Eudaimonia defines happiness as the pursuit
of becoming a better person
● In his Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle says
that everyone agrees that eudaimonia is the
highest good for human beings, but that
there is substantial disagreement on what
sort of life counts as doing and living well
Dr. Jason Hickel
● Anthropologist
● Author
● Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts
● Professor at the;
○ London School of Economics
○ University of Virginia
○ University of London
Main objective
● is to eradicate poverty by 2030.
○ Growth
○ Poorer countries needs to “catch up”
with rich countries
● According to Hickel, “growth isn’t an option
any more – we’ve already grown too much”.
First major point:
● “… we’re overshooting our planet’s
biocapacity by more than 50% each year.”
● Biocapacity is the capacity of ecosystems to
produce useful biological materials and to
absorb waste materials generated by
humans, using current management schemes
and extraction techniques.
● Biocapacity deficit is the difference between
the biocapacity and Ecological Footprint of
a region or country.
○ Biocapacity deficit occurs when the
Footprint of a population exceeds the
biocapacity of the area available to
that population

Second major point:
● Global economy has grown by 380%, but
the number of people living below poverty
($5 a day) has increased by more than 1.1
billion
● In 1990, it would have cost 10.5% of world
GDP to lift everyone above the poverty line.
In 2013, it would have cost only 3.3%.
● Our capacity to end poverty has improved
by a factor of 3.18
Third major point:
● Ecologically sustainable resource use of 1.8
“global hectares” per person annually
○ US & Canada ~ 8 hectares per
person
○ Europeans ~ 4.7 hectares per person
● What does this mean for our theory of
development?
○ Economist Peter Edward argues that
instead of pushing poorer countries
to “catch up” with rich ones, we
should be thinking of ways to get
rich countries to “catch down” to
more appropriate levels
development
● “We need to reorient ourselves toward a
positive future, a truer form of progress. One
that is geared toward quality instead of
quantity.”
● “Either we slow down voluntarily, or
climate change will do it for us.
● “This is not about giving anything up. And
its certainly not about living a life of
voluntary misery or imposing harsh limits
on human potential. On the contrary, its
about reaching a higher level of
understanding and consciousness about what
we’re doing here and why.”
2.3 The Good life
● “The good life is marked by happiness
brought about by virtuous human actions
and decisions that affect the individual self
and the greater community.”
● Virtue plays a significant role in the
attainment of the good life
○ It requires discipline and practice
● The progress of S & T is also the movement
towards the good life;
● Allow us to thrive and flourish in life if we
so desire it;
2.4 When technology and humanity
cross
Introduction
● The good life entails living in a just and
progressive society whose citizens have the
freedom to flourish;
● As implied, everyone has moral worth by
virtue of being human.
● When this truth is fully recognized and
appreciated within ourselves and in all
persons around us, regardless of status in
life, then we pave the way for a just and
progressive society
● It entails knowing one’s fundamental human
rights that must always be protected in the
face of changing condition
of

Importance of universal declaration of human
rights?
● It provides both a guide to present action
and an evolving set of ideas for future
implementation at the national level.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
● Manual labor is gradually being replaced by
machinery (artificial intelligence, robots);
○ Unemployment
● As these robots become more human-like,
people may also have to consider the ethical
treatment for AI
○ It is also important to note that as
machines become more human-like,
humans also have the tendency to
become machine-like. As the internet
becomes more intelligent, we are in
danger of becoming less so.
● As society develops along with science and
technology, it is vital that we are able to
protect and exercise human rights for
everyone in our pursuit of a good life.
● Amidst these developments, human beings
become more free, more rational, and more
loving in our practice of science and
technology.
● We keep in mind that the building of a just
and progressive society entails the constant
practice of the good

Article 1: All human beings are born free and equal

in dignity and rights.

Article 2: Everyone is entitled to all the rights and

freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without
distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex,
language, religion, political or other opinion,
national or social origin, property, birth or other
status.

Article 3: Everyone has the right to life, liberty and

security of person.

Article 4: No one shall be held of slavery or

servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be
prohibited in all their forms.

Article 5: No one shall be subjected to torture or to

cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment.

Article 6: Everyone has the right to recognition

everywhere as a person before the law.

Article 7: All are equal before the law and are

entitled without any discrimination to equal
protection of the law

Humans VS Robots