Asynchronous activity

Name & Course/Yr.: Puno, Eisen Blaise Yve L. & BSCS 1 - 2 Date: 09 / 23 / 23

STS Schedule: Saturday – 2:00 to 5:00pm

Instructor: Ms. Botona

Seatwork #2: Chapter 1-2: STS in Ancient and Western Civilizations

1. Specify (at least 2) greatest contribution of each Ancient and Western civilizations and explain
their impacts to the development of science and technology today. Complete the table. (20
points)

Ancient civilization Discovery/Inventions

1. Early civilization  AGRICULT

URE
The
transition
from a nomadic hunter-
gatherer lifestyle to settled
agriculture was a major
advancement. This included the
cultivation of crops like wheat,
barley, rice, and the
domestication of animals like
cattle and sheep.

 ANCIENT TOOLS

Tools like plows, sickles, and

hoes allowed early civilizations
to cultivate crops, significantly
increasing food production. This
shift from hunting and
gathering to agriculture was a
crucial development in human
history.

2. Sumerian civilization  CUNEIFORM

Cuneiform is important, in
terms of trading, businesses,
especially in presenting stories.

 IRRIGATION -
 LEVEES
The Sumerians created a
complex system of canals and
dikes to manage water flow in
order to support their crops.
3. Babylonian civilization  HANGING
GARDENS
The Hanging Gardens of
Babylon, located in ancient
Babylon (modern-day Iraq),
were a remarkable architectural
feat featuring lush elevated
terraced gardens with diverse
vegetation.
 NUMBER
SYSTEM
The base-
60 nature of the Babylonian
system refers to the use of sixty
different symbols or numerals.
Most likely, counting on the
digits of the hands and feet led
to the development of the
base-60 system.

4. Egyptian civilization  MUMMIFICATION

a technique used to secure the
deceased's afterlife that
involves dissecting the body,
applying preservatives, and
wrapping it in linen.
 HIEROGLYPHICS
a system of writing using
pictorial symbols, typically
carved or inscribed on stone,
papyrus, or other surfaces.

5. Greek civilization  WATER MILL

a mechanical device that
considerably increased
efficiency by using water power
to grind grain and carry out a
variety of industrial activities.

 PHILOSOPHY
 Greek philosophers, including
Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle,
made foundational
contributions to philosophy,
ethics, and political theory.
6. Roman civilization  AQUEDUCTS
transported fresh water over
long distances, using gravity to
supply Roman cities with a
reliable water source for
drinking, bathing, and irrigation.
 NUMERALS
using a combination of Latin
letters to represent numbers,
with I, V, X, L, C, D, and M
standing in for values from 1 to
1,000.

7. Chinese civilization  SILK

Chinese civilization involved the
harvesting and weaving of the
luxurious silk fibers produced by
silkworms, leading to the
creation of a highly prized and
lucrative textile industry.

 GREAT WALL OF CHINA

The Great Wall of China is a
massive fortification system
that spans thousands of
kilometres across northern
China and was built during
numerous dynasties in Chinese
history to fight off invasions.
8. Middle Age  GUNPOWDER
During the Middle Ages,
gunpowder was largely
employed for military purposes.
This led to the invention of
weapons, which changed the
character of battle by
introducing cannons, muskets,
and finally handguns.

 EYEGLASSES
improving the quality of life for
individuals with poor eyesight,
 and aiding scholars and
craftsmen in their work by
allowing them to see and read
more clearly.

9. Modern Age:  STEAM ENGINE

(Industrial Revolution period) A machine
using steam
power harnesses heat to
perform mechanical work.

 PUFFING DEVIL
early steam-powered vehicle,
considered one of the
precursors to the modern
automobile, built by Richard
Trevithick in the early 19th
century.
10. Contemporary Age:  ANATOMY AND MEDICINE
(Scientific revolution period) Advances in anatomy by
Andreas Vesalius and William
Harvey's discovery of the
circulation of blood
revolutionized medical
knowledge.
 GALILEO’S DISCOVERIES
Galileo Galilei made
groundbreaking observations
using telescopes, including the
discovery of Jupiter's moons
and the phases of Venus,
supporting the heliocentric
model.

2. If you were to live during the ancient times, which civilization would you like to be part of and
explain why. (10 points)
 If I were to live during ancient times, I might choose to be part of the Egyptian
civilization. Egypt had rich and enduring culture with a deep appreciation for art,
architecture, and science. Being part of this civilization would provide an opportunity to
witness the construction of iconic structure like the pyramids, the development of
hieroglyphics writing, and the exploration of astronomy and mathematics. Additionally,
the Egyptian civilization had a long and stable history, providing a serve of continuity and
belonging, of course, life in any ancient civilization would have its challenges, but the
unique cultural and historical aspects of ancient. Egypt makes it an intriguing choice for
me.
Seatwork #3: Chapter 3: Intellectual Revolutions in the History of Science
1. As mentioned in the lesson from Chapter 3, the following scientists listed on the table below are
considered as intellectual revolutionaries in different fields. Briefly discuss their work and
mention what paradigm shift their work brought about. (30 points)
Name of Scientist Name and describe their most
important work
Nicolaus Copernicus Celestial Spheres - Copernicus's
heliocentric model shifted the
center of the universe from Earth
to the Sun, asserting that
planets, including Earth, orbited
the Sun in circular orbits,
challenging the established
geocentric view of the cosmos.
Sir Isaac Newton Law of Universal Gravitation -
Isaac Newton's law of universal
gravitation states that objects
with mass are attracted to each
other by gravity, with the force
being stronger for larger masses
and weaker with greater
distance.
Antoine-Laurent Law of Conservation of Mass -
Lavoisier states that in a chemical
reaction, matter is neither
created nor destroyed. Instead,
the total mass of the reactants is
equal to the total mass of the
products. He meticulously
measured the mass of reactants
before and after chemical
Paradigm shift
Heliocentrism - The shift to
the heliocentric model
positioned the Sun as the
central point, with planets,
including Earth, circling
around it. This revolutionized
our comprehension of the
solar system's organization
and workings.
Impact on Astronomy - The
theoretical foundation for
comprehending planetary
motion was provided by
Newton's equations, which
resulted in the validation of
Copernicus's heliocentric
theory and the rejection of
the geocentric viewpoint.
Chemical Revolution - As a
result of the introduction of
systematic nomenclature
and classification of chemical
elements and compounds,
Lavoisier's work led to a
chemical revolution. He was
instrumental in creating the
current system of chemical
 reactions
Albert Einstein Mass-Energy equivalence -
Einstein's work showed that
even small amounts of mass
contain vast amounts of
potential energy. This concept
was later confirmed through
nuclear reactions, such as in the
development of nuclear
weapons and nuclear power.
Charles Darwin Natural Selection - The
possibility that an individual will
live, reproduce, and pass on
desirable features to the
following generation is higher for
those with traits that provide
them an advantage in their
environment.
symbols and formulas.
Physics - The conversion of
mass into energy is a crucial
premise in understanding
the behavior of subatomic
particles, and this idea
established the framework
for current particle physics.
Biology - Darwin's work
transformed biology by
providing a naturalistic
explanation for the diversity
of life on Earth. It laid the
foundation for the field of
evolutionary biology,
influencing subsequent
research in genetics, ecology,
and paleontology.

2. The scientists mentioned above are the scientific revolutionaries that Kuhn had considered
except Sigmund Freud. What do you think is the reason for not including his approach in
psychology as scientific revolutionary? Explain. (10 points)
 I think that there is a several reason why Sigmund freud works is not considered as a
scientific revolutionary, First of all, Freud's theories frequently drew extensively on
introspection and case studies. Although these techniques can offer insightful
information, they lack the factual rigor seen in scientific study. It was challenging to put
his theories to the kind of objective testing that is a characteristic of scientific research
because of his emphasis on unconscious processes. Furthermore, it might be difficult to
assess or objectively confirm certain of Freud's ideas, such as the id, ego, and superego.
This has caused certain critics to question the validity of psychoanalysis's scientific
foundation. In addition, fundamental elements of scientific inquiry, such as the Oedipus
complex, which is crucial to Freud's theories, are challenging to verify or disprove. And
also there’s a lot more reasons to be considered in this situation. But, I think this is the
main reason why Sigmund work is not considered as a revolutionary.