Chapter 1- General Concepts and Historical
It
Development
Lesson 1- Historical Antecedents which Changed the
Course of Science and Technology
Science- comes from the Latin word scientia meaning
“knowledge”
- Science can be classified as a process and a product
Technology- application of scientific knowledge
- comes from the Greek word techne meaning “art, skill,
or cunning of hand”
Scientism- according to this view, when we do science, we
set aside values and only study facts
- promotes the idea that all of society's problem can be
solved by experts who are specially trained to unearth the
facts of the matter
Society- is the result of people, and institutions interacting
with one another.
Antecedents of Science and Technology- are factors that
paved way for the presence of advanced and sophisticated
scientific and technological innovations which we are
enjoying today.
Human artifacts- earliest form of science and technology
found during prehistoric time about 2.3 million years ago
roughly shaped stones- used for chopping and scraping,
found primarily in Eastern Africa
Mesopotamian cultures- Some of the earliest record of
science came from them around 400 B.C.
• From 300 to 400 B.C. there was a rise in the number of
philosophers who wrote topics on psychology, biology, and
a host of other topics.
• 3000 B.C. gave rise to the Bronze Age in the search for
finding pigments used to color the human skin, copper was
discovered
• By 3500 B.C. in Mesopotamia, two-wheeled carts had
been created and it became the most frequently used
mode of transporting heavy goods from one place to
another.
• Middle Ages (450 – 1450 A.D.) gave birth to many
scientific and technological development. Also during the
Middle Ages (often called Dark Ages), warfare had
improved tremendously.
• The Renaissance Era in Europe that began in 1450 and
lasted until 1600 A.D. was the period known as rebirth of
knowledge.
• Modern Science and Technology around 1600 A.D.
Galileo was the first to use modern scientific methods
based on experiment and testable observations.
• Albert Einstein became the most famous scientist of the
20th century.
• Philippine science and technology has a long history.
started before Spain colonized the country where some
indigenous technology already existed with regards to wet
rice and dry rice agriculture. The use of technology was
also evident in the handicrafts, pottery, weaving, metal
ware and boats used by ancient Filipinos. The natives were
already aware of the medicinal and therapeutic
properties of plants and the methods of extracting
medicine from herbs. They had an alphabet, a system of
writing, a method of counting, weights and measure. They
had no calendar but counted the years by the period of the
moon and from one harvest to another. Filipinos were
already engaged in farming, shipbuilding, mining and
weaving. The Banaue Rice Terraces is a sophisticated
product of engineering by pre-Spanish Filipinos.
Spanish Colonial Period
• The Spaniards introduced formal education and founded
scientific institutions.
• Sanitation and more advanced methods of agriculture
were taught to the natives.
• Spaniards established colleges and universities in the
archipelago including University of Santo Tomas.
• In 1871, the school of medicine and pharmacy was
opened at the University of Santo Tomas.
• It also contributed to the field of engineering in the islands
by constructing government buildings, churches, roads,
bridges and forts.
• The Jesuits promoted meteorological studies and
founded the Manila Observatory at the Ateneo Municipal
de Manila in 1865.
American Period and Post Commonwealth Era
• On July 1, 1901, the Philippine Commission established
the Bureau of Government Laboratories which was
placed under the Department of Interior. The bureau
replaced the Laboratorio Municipal, which was
established under the Spanish colonial era. The bureau
dealt with the study of tropical diseases and laboratory
projects.
• On October 26, 1905, the Bureau of Government
Laboratories was replaced by the Bureau of Science, and
on December 8, 1933, the National Research Council of
the Philippines was established. The Bureau of Science
became the primary research center of the Philippines
until World War II.
Marcos Era and Martial Law
• Science was given importance during the Marcos Regime.
In the amended 1973 Philippine Constitution, Article XV,
Section 9 (1), he declared that the "advancement of
science and technology shall have priority in national
"Development".
• On January 23, 1967, he declared that science was
necessary for the development programs, and thus,
directed the Department of Education to revitalize the
science courses in public high schools.
• In 1968 technology was recognized as the leading factor
in economic development and thus additional funds were
channeled to support projects in applied sciences and
science education.
• The Philippine Council for Agricultural Research was
also established to support the progressive development
of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries for the country.
• Presidential Decree No. 49, s. 1972- Philippine
Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services
(PAGASA) under the Department of National Defense was
established.
• P.D. No. 334, s. 1973- Philippine National Oil Company
was also created to promote industrial and economic
development
• Executive Order No. 625, s. 1980- National Committee
on Geological Sciences was created in 1980 to advise
government and private entities
• Executive Order No. 784, s. 1982- the National Science
Development Board and its support agencies was
reorganized and was named National Science and
Technology Authority (NSTA) to provide central direction
and coordination of scientific and technological research
and development.
• Executive Order No. 1090, s. 1986- The Mindanao and
Visayas campuses of the Philippine Science High School
were established in 1986 to encourage careers in science
and technology and to be more accessible to the talented
students in the Mindanao and Visayas areas
Fifth Republic (Corazon Aquino)
• The first Science and Technology Master Plan or STMP
was formulated on August 8, 1988. Its goal was for the
Philippines to achieve newly industrialized country
status for the year 2000.
• R.A. 6655 or the Free Public Secondary Education Act of
1988 opened free education at the secondary level.
Together with this was implemented the "Science for the
Masses Program" which aimed at scientific and
technological literacy among Filipinos.
President Fidel V. Ramos' Term
• There was a significant increase in personnel specializing
in science and technology. In 1988, the Philippines was
estimated to have around 3,000 competent scientists and
engineers.
• Another Science and Technology framework plan entitled
'Competence, Competitive Conscience: the Medium-
Term Plan of the Department of Science and Technology
(1999-2004).
• In 1993, Science and Technology Agenda for National
Development (STAND) was established.
• Among the laws enacted by Congress during President
Ramos' term were the:
(1) Magna Carta for Science and Technology Personnel
(R.A. 8439);
(2) Science and Technology Scholarship Law of 1004 (R.A.
No. 7687) and
(4) Inventors and Inventions Incentives Act (Republic Act
No. 7459).
• The Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines
(Republic Act No. 8293) was also enacted which provides
industrial property rights, copyrights and related rights, and
technology transfer arrangements.
President Joseph Estrada's Term
• Republic Act No. 8749- Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999,
which was designed to protect and preserve the
environment and ensure the sustainable development of
its natural resources.
• Republic Act No. 8792- Electronic Commerce Act of
2000, which outlaws computer hacking and provides
opportunities for new businesses emerging from the
Internet-driven New Economy.
Science and Technology During President Gloria M.
Arroyo's Term
• “golden age”
• “Filipinovation” was the coined term used in helping the
Philippines to be an innovation hub in Asia.
• R.A. 9367- Biofuels Act, this act promotes the
development and usage of biofuels throughout the country.
President Benigno C. Aquino
• Republic Act 10601- which improves the Agriculture and
Fisheries Sector through Mechanization (AFMech).
• R.A. 10068- Organic Agricultural Act of 2010
• In 2010, President Benigno Aquino was considered as the
"father of Organic Agriculture”
• Republic Act No. 19844- otherwise known as DICT Act of
2015, was signed into law. Under this law, the Department
of Information and Communications Technology will
take charge of planning, developing, and promoting the
national ICT development agenda.
Lesson 2- Science and Technology and Its Role in Nation
Building
Importance of Science and Technology to National
Development
• A nation's development and prosperity is judged to a large
extent by the status of science and technology of that
nation.
• Science and technology are key drivers to development,
because technological and scientific revolutions underpin
economic advances, improvement in health systems,
education and infrastructure.
• Countries which have a strong base in science and
technology are the ones that developed faster. A few
examples are countries like Japan, Russia, Brazil China,
and many more.
• It is estimated by the World Bank that seven of the ten
largest economies of the world by 2020 would be in Asia:
China, Japan, India, Thailand, South Korea, and Taiwan.
• The role that science and technology has played in
improving the life of people across the globe is vivid and has
made life a lot easier and a lot better with the advancement
in medicine, remarkable development in education,
communication, agriculture, business and industry.
• Science and technology holds the key to the progress and
development of any nation. Technology plays a
fundamental role in wealth creation, improvement in the
quality of life and real economic growth and transformation
in any society.
• A nation who is not able to prosper in these aspects would
never be able to sustain its life and may have to depend on
other nations. Without proper implementation of science
and technology, no nation could grow and all those nations
that were labeled as low in growth have proven where they
stand today and all that happened because of science and
technology.
Importance of Science and Technology
Here are What Science and Technology do for us:
• It helps us save time and money.
• Education
• Internet
• Provides us devices for comfortable sleeping, quick
cooking and fast commute.
• It helps us live a better life.
Impact of Technology on Society
• Technology has improved transportation.
• Technology has improved communication.
• The World Wide Web has proved to be an enormous
information base from which information can be retrieved
by means of search engines.
• Technology has improved education and the learning
process.
The Role of Science and Technology in Nation-Building
• Science and technology has been one of the main driving
forces of the economic growth of nations.
The Role of Science and Technology in the Developing
World in the 21st Century
• According to Lee Roy Chetty (2012), science and
technology are key drivers to development, because
scientific and technological revolutions underpin
economic advances, improvements in health systems,
education and infrastructure.
• It is a well-known fact that national progress is highly
correlated to the capacity of a country to produce local
industrial goods for domestic needs and that
industrialization is very much dependent on the application
of science and technology.
Lesson 3- Government Laws, Policies, Plans and Projects
Pertaining to Science and Technology
• LIDAR(Light Detection and Ranging)- laser light is sent
from a source (transmitter) and reflected from objects in
the scene.
• DIWATA 1- was a Philippine microsatellite launched to
the International Space Station on March 23,2016.
- it was the first Philippine microsatellite and the first
satellite built and designed by Filipinos.
• DIWATA 2- which will be launched in 2018 has improved
the capabilities to better monitor the country. This was
made by another batch of Filipino scientists.
• R.A 2067- "Science Act of 1958"-An Act To Integrate,
Coordinate and Intensify Scientific and Technological
Research and Development and To Foster Invention, To
Provide Funds Therefore and for Other Purposes.
• R.A. 3589- An Act Amending RA 2067 Modifying the
National Science Development Board, National Institute of
Science and Technology and the Philippine Atomic Energy
Commission, Extending Tax Exemption, Privileges and
Grants, Requests and Donations for Scientific Purposes to
Private Educational Institutions and For Other Purposes
enacted June 22, 1963.
• R.A. 5207 - An Act Providing for the Licensing and
Regulation of Atomic Energy Facilities and Materials,
Establishing the Rules of Liability for Nuclear Damage and
for Other Purposes.
• Presidential Decree No. 49, s. 1972 established the
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical
Services (PAGASA). Its function was to provide
environmental protection and to utilize scientific
knowledge to ensure the safety of the people.
• Presidential Decree No. 334, s. 1973 created the
Philippine National Oil Company to promote industrial and
economic development through effective and efficient use
of energy resources.
• R.A. 8749 The Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999 was
enacted by Congress on June 23, 1999 to protect and
preserve the environment and ensure the sustainable
development of its natural resources.
• R.A. 8792 An Act Providing for the Recognition and Use of
Electronic Commercial and Non-Commercial Transactions
and Documents, Penalties for Unlawful Use Thereof and
For Other Purposes passed in June 15, 2000.
• R.A. 9367- "Biofuels Act of 2006" - An Act to Direct the Use
of Biofuels, Establishing for this Purpose the Biofuel
Program, Appropriating Funds Therefore, And For Other
Purposes.
• R.A. 9513- The Renewable Act of 2008" was passed by
Congress to accelerate the development of the country's
renewable energy resources by providing fiscal and non-
fiscal incentives to private investors and equipment
manufacturers/fabricators/suppliers.
• R.A. 10175- Philippine Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012
passed September 12, 2012. An Act Defining Cybercrime,
Providing for the Prevention, Investigation, Suppression
and the Imposition of Penalties Therefore and For Other
Purposes.
• R.A. 10612- An Act Expanding the Coverage of the Science
and Technology Scholarship Program and Strengthening
the Teaching of Science and Mathematics in Secondary
Schools and For Other Purposes.
• R.A. 10844 An Act Creating the Department of Information
and Communication Technology (DICT) which was signed
into law on May 23, 2016.
Major Science and Technology Development Plans
• Science and Technology Master Plan (STMP)
• Science and Technology Agenda for National
Development (STAND) Philippines 2000
• National Science and Technology Plan (NSTP 2002-2020)
• Republic Act 11035- "An Act Institutionalizing the Balik
Scientist Program" was signed into law by the President on
June 15, 2018. This law would give more incentives to
returning Filipino experts, scientists, inventors, and
engineers who would share their expertise in the country.
Chapter 2- Science, Technology and Society and the
Human Condition
Lesson 1- The Human Flourishing in terms of Science and
Technology
Eudaimonia- “good spirited”
Lesson 2- Technology as a Way of Revealing
Science as Method
1. Observe
2. Determine the problem.
3. formulate hypothesis; reject the null hypothesis
4. Conduct experiment
5. Formulate conclusion and provide recommendation
Science as Methods and Results
• Iterative Process- the scientific method that involves
such backing up and repeating, repeating the steps at any
point during the process.
• Verification Theory- earliest criterion that distinguishes
philosophy and science
• Falsification Theory- Karl Popper
- asserts that as long as an ideology is not proven to be false
and can be explain a phenomenon over alternative theories
• Science as a Social Endeavor- a new school of thought
on the proper demarcation criterion of science emerged.
Lesson 3- The Good Life
GOOD is the end goal of practical sciences
TRUTH is the aim of the theoretical sciences
• Aristotle
- “Happiness depends on ourselves.”
- claims that happiness is the be all and end all of everything
that we do
- Human flourishing, a kind of contentment in knowing that
one is getting the best out of life
• John Stuart Mill
- The Greatest Happiness Principle, attainment of
happiness for the greatest number of people
• Materialism
- Atomists in Ancient Greece are Democritus and
Leucippus
- universe and matter are only made up of “atomos" or
seeds
- This belief aims that comfort, pleasure, and wealth are the
only highest goals.
• Hedonism
- For hedonists, since life is limited, one must indulge itself
with pleasures "Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we
die".
- They strive to maximize their total pleasure, the difference
of pleasure and pain, and if the pleasure was finally gained,
happiness remains fixed.
• Stoicism
- It was founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium (early 3rd
century BC)
- asserts that virtue (e.g. wisdom) is happiness and
judgment should be based acts on behavior rather than
words. People do not have any control and must not rely on
external events, only for themselves and their responses.
- This philosophy, helps a person to overcome destructive
emotions and acts on what can be acted upon.
• Theism
- They believe that they can find the meaning of their lives
by using God as the creator of their existence.
- Theism is a belief that one or more gods exist within the
universe, and that gods are often omniscient (all- knowing),
omnipotent (all-powerful), and omnipresent (all-
pervasive).
- This belief incorporates Monotheism (belief in one god)
and Polytheism (belief in many gods)
• Humanism
- affirms that human beings have the right and
responsibility to give meaning and shape their own lives.
- humanists see themselves not only as the stewards of
creation but as individuals who have control for themselves
as well as the world outside them.
What is the ultimate goal of a good life?
• Aristotle was the originator of the concept of Eudaimonia
(from daimon true nature). He deemed happiness to be a
vulgar idea, stressing that not all desires are worth pursuing
as, even though some of them may yield pleasure, they
would not produce wellness. Aristotle thought that true
happiness is found by leading a virtuous life and doing
what is worth doing. He argued that realizing human
potential is the ultimate human goal" (Boniwell 2008).
Lesson 4- When Technology and Humanity Cross
Television Sets, Mobile Phones, Computers and
Humanity
• According to Kantar Media, one of the most trusted
television audience measurement providers in the
Philippines, 92 percent of the urban homes and 70
percent of rural homes own at least one television set.
• It is for this reason why television remains to be the
ultimate medium for advertisement placements (Manila
Times, 2014).
• Kantar Media also reported that in the Philippines, the
current count of households with television set already
reached 15.135 million (Noda, 2012).
• More than half of the Filipino population own at least one
mobile phone regardless of type. In 2010, global research
agency Synovate conducted a survey and declared 67
percent product ownership in the country.
• In fact, it was also claimed that mobile phones are
considered a must-have among young Filipinos (ABS-CBN
News, 2010).
• To prove that Filipinos really love to use their mobile
phones, the IPos media Atlas Philippines Nationwide Urban
2011-2012 survey results showed that one in every three
Filipinos cannot live without a mobile phone. In other
words, 30 percent of the Philippine urban population
nationwide said that mobile phones are necessities in
life (Roa, 2012).
• Mobile phones have a very interesting background story.
On April 3, 1973, Martin Cooper, a senior engineer at
Motorola, made the world's first mobile phone call.
• In 1983, Motorola made their first commercial mobile
phone available to the public. It was known as the
Motorola Dyna Tac 8000X (Goodwin, 2016)
• It was Charles Babbage, a nineteenth- century English
Mathematician professor, who designed the analytical
engine which was used as the basic framework of the
computers even until the present time.
• Laptops have been available to the public for even less
time than personal computers. The first true portable was
released in April 1981. It was called the Osborne 1 (Orfano,
2011).
Roles Played by These Technological Advancements
Television sets, mobile phones, and computers or laptops
all have different functions and roles played in the lives of
the people, although some may be a little similar. These
roles have become so essential that people, more
specifically Filipinos, developed a strong inclination toward
technology and its products.
For instance, television is mainly used as a platform for
advertisements and information dissemination. In fact,
television remains to be the most used venue by
different advertising companies not only in the
Philippines but also all over the world.
Robotics and Humanity
• A robot is actuated mechanism programmable in two or
more axes with degree of autonomy, moving within its
environment, to perform intended tasks.
• A service robot is a robot that performs useful tasks for
humans or equipment excluding industrial automation
application.
• A personal robot or a service robot for personal use is a
service robot used for noncommercial task, usually by
laypersons. Examples are domestic servant robot,
automated wheelchair, personal mobility assist robot and
pet exercising robot.
Roles Played by Robot
Just like people living in society, robots also have their own
set of rules and characteristics that define what a good a
robot is. These laws were formulated by Isaac Asimov back
in the 1940s, when he was thinking of the ethical
consequences of robots.
These are the following:
Law One:
A robot may not injure a human being or through inaction,
allow a human being to come to harm.
Law Two:
A robot must obey the orders given by human beings except
where such orders would conflict with the first law.
Law Three:
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such
protection does not conflict with the first and the second
law.
Ethical Dilemma/s Faced by Robotics
• One of the ethical dilemmas faced by robots is safety.
Who should be held accountable if someone's safety is
compromised by a robot? Who should be blamed, the
robot, the agent using the robot or the maker/inventor of the
robot?
• Another ethical dilemma faced by robots is the emotional
component. This may be a little absurd as of the moment,
but looking at how fast technology progresses nowadays, it
is not completely impossible for robots to develop
emotions (Evans, 2007)
If the problems arise when the robot deviates from the laws
specified, then the maker or the inventor of the machine
should be blameworthy. It just means that the robot was
not programmed very well because it violated the laws.
Other problems may arise when the machine develops
the ability to think for itself. In this case, the one that
should be blamed can be the maker or the inventor and the
robot itself. This is because, in the first place, the maker
gave the robot the capacity to think for itself so he should
be very much aware of its possible consequences. In
addition, since the robot thinks for itself, whatever decision
it makes and whatever consequences it may bring, the
robot itself should be held responsible.