Module 1, Lesson 1

Intellectual Revolutions That Defined Society

Introduction

This lesson will give light to the development of

science and scientific ideas in the heart of the society.
It is the goal of this lesson to articulate ways by which
society is transformed by science and technology.
Introduction

• What is science? What is Technology?

Science can be defined as

1. Science as an idea
• It includes ideas, theories, and all available systematic
explanations and observations about the natural and
physical world

2. Science as an intellectual activity

• It encompasses a systematic and practical study of the
natural and physical world. This process of study involves
systematic observation and experimentation
Science can be defined as

3. Science as a body of knowledge

• It is a subject or a discipline, a field of study, or a body of
knowledge that deals with the process of learning about
the natural and physical world. This is what we refer to as
school of science

4. Science as a personal ad social activity

• This explains that science as both knowledge and
activities done by human beings to develop better
understanding of the world around them. It is a means to
improve life and to survive in life. It is interwoven with
people’s lives
Scientific Revolution

• The idea of scientific revolution is claimed to have

stared in the early 16th up to 18th century in Europe
▪ Invention of the printing machine
▪ Blooming intellectual activities done in various places of learning
▪ Growing number of scholars in various fields of human interests
• Scientific revolution was the period of enlightenment
when the developments in the fields of mathematics,
physics, astronomy, biology, and chemistry
transformed the views of society about nature
• It explained the emergence or birth of modern science as a
result of these developments from various disciplines
Scientific Revolution
• Influences to scientific revolution

SCIENCE IDEAS

SCIENTIFIC
REVOLUTIONS

HUMANS SOCIETY

• Scientific revolution is very significant in the development of

human beings, transformation of the society , and the
formulation of scientific ideas
Some Intellectuals and their Revolutionary
Ideas
Creativity SCIENTISTS SCIENCE
IDEAS

Passion SCIENCE
Curiosity to know DISCOVERIES

Passion to
TECHNOLOGY
Critical discover

Thinking
Variables that Influence the Development of Science Ideas, Science Discoveries, and
Technology
 Some Intellectuals and their Revolutionary
Ideas
• Nicolaus Copernicus
• A mathematician who could read Greek
• “Thought experiment” – only uses his imagination
• Astronomy, influenced by Johannes Müeller
(observation of the heavens and some commentary if
earlier works, especially that of Ptolemy)
• His book publication on De revolutionibus orbium
coelestium (On the Revolution of the Heavenly Bodies)
in 1543 is often cited as the start pf the scientific
revolution
 Some Intellectuals and their Revolutionary
Ideas
• Nicolaus Copernicus
• “the sun is the center of the universe,” the
moon still orbits the earth
• Overthrew the hierarchy of the ancient and
medieval Cosmos
• Model of the Solar system
• 2 planetary motions:
• (1) the orbits of Venus ad Mercury lay inside the
orbit of the earth, thus, closer to the sun
• (2) the orbits if Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter lay
outside the Earth's orbit, thus, farther from the sun
• regarded by the catholic church as heretic
Some Intellectuals and their Revolutionary
Ideas
• Charles Darwin
• Theory of Evolution
• The Origin of Species (1589) –
presented evidence on how species
evolved over time and presented
traits and adaptation that
differentiate species
• The Descent of Man – introduced
the idea of all organic life under the
realm of evolutionary thinking
• Two major contributions:
Evolutionary Biology and
Philosophy of Science
• A science marked by observation
and experiment
Some Intellectuals and their Revolutionary
Ideas
• Sigmund Freud
• Psychology
• Development of an important
observational method to gather reliable
data to study human's inner life –
psychoanalysis
• Psychoanalysis is a scientific way to study
the human mind and neurotic illness –
focuses on human sexuality and the evil
nature of man
Some Intellectuals and their Revolutionary
Ideas
• Francis Bacon
• Developed scientific method
using induction of data from
experiments to discover laws of
science not by using logic-based
deductive arguments (Aristotle)
Some Intellectuals and their Revolutionary
Ideas
• Galileo Galilei
• Math of motion: pendulums falling bodies
projectiles
• Astronomy – invented the telescope; saw
sunspots; Phases of Venus; lunar craters
• Moon of Jupiter, Milky Way made of stars
• Supported Heliocentrism (planets revolves
around the sun)
• 1632 - the Dialogo in Italian for public,
compared Ptolemic system unfavorably to
Copernicus
• Because of such, was tried by inquisition
Some Intellectuals and their Revolutionary
Ideas
• Rene Descartes
• French mathematician, philosopher
• Father of modern western philosophy,
much philosophy is based on his
writings
• Abandoned scholastic Aristotellianism
• First modern version of mind-body
dualism
• Promoted science grounded in
observation and experiment
• Created Cartesian map (maps with
coordinates) view of the universe-
mechanistic view of nature
• Coined term ‘molecule’
Some Intellectuals and their Revolutionary
Ideas
• Sir Isaac Newton
• Theories of
• Light
• Motion
• Gravity
• Dynamics
• Alchemy
• Theology

• Terrestrial and celestial mechanics using

Euclidian theorems (geometry) and his
calculus
Some Intellectuals and their Revolutionary
Ideas
 Cradles of Early Science
• Development of Sceince in
Mesoamerica
• Includes the entire area of Central
America from Southern Mexico up to the
border if South America

• Maya Civilization
• Lasted ~2,000 years
• Known for their works in astronomy
• Used their temples for astronomical
observations, example is the pyramid at
Chichén Itzá in Mexico
 Cradles of Early Science
• Maya Civilization
• They have the knowledge to predict
eclipse and use astrological cycles
in planting and harvesting
• Also known for measuring time
using 2 complicated calendar
systems
• With technology to grow crops &
building elaborate cities with
hydraulics systems and waterways
• Developed looms for weaving other
work of arts
• Devised a rainbow of glittery paints
made of mica
• Mayan hieroglyphics
 Cradles of Early Science

• Maya Civilization
• Produced rubber even before Goodyear got its patent
• Skilled in Mathematics and created a number system based on
the numeral of 20
• Developed the concept of zero

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 Cradles of Early Science
• Inca Civilization
• Scientific ideas and tools they developed are:
1. Roads paved with stones
2. Stone buildings that surmounted earthquakes and other disasters
3. Irrigation system and technique for storing water for their crops to grow
in all types of land
4. Calendar with 12 months to make their religious festivals and prepare
them for planting season
5. The first suspension bridge
6. Quipu, a system of knotted ropes to keep record that only experts can
interpret
7. Inca textiles in cloth was one of the especially prized artistic
achievements
 Cradles of Early Science
• Inca Civilization

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 Cradles of Early Science
• Aztec Civilization
• Some of their contributions are the
following:
1. Mandatory education
2. Chocolates – used as currency
3. Antispasmodic medication
4. Chinampa – Aztec technology in
farming in which the land is divided
into rectangular areas and surrounded
by canals
5. Aztec calendar
6. Invention of the canoe

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 Cradles of Early Science
• Development of Science in Asia – India,
China, and Middle East

• India:
• Iron (iron steel) & metallurgical works
• Medicine, including alternative medicine
(Ayurveda)
• Astronomy – configuration of the universe,
spherical self-supporting earth, a year of 360 days
with 12 equal parts of 30 days each
• Mathematics – accurate
measurement/standardized measurement of
length
• Mohenjodaro ruler
 Cradles of Early Science
• Development of Science in Asia – India, China, and Middle
East

• India:
• Trigonometric functions, tables and techniques as well as algorithms of
algebra
• Gravity as a force of attraction
• Zero as both a placeholder and decimal digit
• Hindu-Arabic numeral system
• Mathematical analysis
 Cradles of Early Science
• Development of Science in Asia – India, China, and Middle
East

• China:
• Traditional medicines
• Practice of acupuncture
• Invented various tools – compass, papermaking, gunpowder, printing
tools, iron plough, wheelbarrow, propeller
• Invented different models of bridges
• Invented the first seismological detector and a dry dock facility
• Astronomy – significant records of supernovas, lunar and solar eclipses,
comets
• Used lunar calendar
 Cradles of Early Science
• Development of Science in Asia – India, China, and Middle
East

• Middle East Countries:

• Golden Age of Islam (7th to 8th
• Place greater value on science experiments
• Ibn al-Haytham – Father of Optics
• Improved and refines the Arabic numeral system - decimal point notation
• Jãbir ibn Hayyãn - Father of chemistry
• Experimental medicine and conduct of clinical trials
• Discovery of the contagious nature of infectious diseases

• Decline followed after conquest by the Mongols whereby libraries,

observatories, and other learning institutions were destroyed
 Cradles of Early Science
• Development of Science in Africa

• Egypt – astronomy, mathematics, and medicine

• Geometry – a product of necessity to preserve the layout and ownership of

farmlands of the Egyptians along the Nile River
• Developed rules of geometry to build rectilinear structure
• Early science activities were developed to improve the quality of life,
example, pyramids and dams are built to divert water from the Nile River
• Alchemy
• Human anatomy, pharmacology, applied components such as
examination, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for the treatment of
diseases
 Cradles of Early Science
• Development of Science in Africa

• Africa
• Astronomy – uses 3 types of calendar (lunar, solar and stellar, and a
combination of the three)
• Metallurgy – invented metal tools used in homes, agriculture and
architecture
• Mathematics – Lebombo Bone (the oldest known mathematical artifact
dated 35,000 BCE)