Part One: Foundations

Prof. Rain Tolentino

The Nature and

Relationship of Science
and Technology
LECTURE 2
 Introduction

The focus of STS is to look into the formative influences on each other
exercised by science and technology on society and vice versa.

We need to clarify the natures and functions of technology and science

themselves in our modern society.

Books and experts put forth different definitions of science and technology.
Therefore, its necessary to attempt in being clear and consistent with usage.

Part One, Lecture 2

 NATURE: Four Meanings of Technology

Technology as Technics
- refers to the material products of human
making or fabrication
- encompasses to generic types or kinds of
devices (ex. bicycles, computers,
microscopes etc.), not particular individual
devices
- most fundamental meaning

Part One, Lecture 2

 NATURE: Four Meanings of Technology

Technology as Technology
- refers to the complex of knowledge,
methods, materials, and constituent parts
used in making a certain kind of technic
- can be in plural form (technologies) since
multiple technologies maybe involved in
the manufacture of a particular technic

Part One, Lecture 2

 NATURE: Four Meanings of Technology

Technology as A Form of Human Activity

- refers to a distinctive form or kind of human
cultural activity (like art, law, medicine etc.)
- a type of endeavor of which certain people,
technologists a category including
craftspeople and machinists - are
practitioners like artists and musicians.

Part One, Lecture 2

 NATURE: Four Meanings of Technology

Technology as A Form of Human Activity

- Engineering is a branch of technology viewed
as a professionalized field of technological
activity devoted to organizing the design,
production and operation of technics and
tehnical systems in order to meet practical
human needs.

Part One, Lecture 2

 NATURE: Four Meanings of Technology
Technology as A Total Societal Enterprise
- refers to the complex of knowledge,
people, skills, organizations, facilities,
technics, physical resources, methods,
and technologies that, taken together,
and in relationship to one another, are
devoted to the research, development,
production, and operation of technics.
- most encompassing meaning

Part One, Lecture 2

 NATURE: Four Meanings of Science

NOTE: How science is currently understood

Formal science abstract symbols (like those in mathematics and logic) that
does not necessarily refer to the natural world

Substantive science takes phenomena of the natural world which includes

mental and social phenomena (like in biology, physics, and psychology)

STS refers to the second explanation.

Part One, Lecture 2
 NATURE: Four Meanings of Science

Science as Knowledge
- refers to the organized, well founded
body of knowledge of natural
phenomena

Part One, Lecture 2

 NATURE: Four Meanings of Science

Science as A Field of Systematic Inquiry

into Nature
- refers to a particular field or domain
of systematic inquiry in which such
knowledge is sought.
- Can be used in the singular or plural
(ex. Social sciences)

Part One, Lecture 2

 NATURE: Four Meanings of Science

Science as A Form of Human Cultural

Activity
- refers to a distinctive form or kind of
human cultural activity
- Practiced by people we refer to as
scientists, natural philosophers and
savants

Part One, Lecture 2

 NATURE: Four Meanings of Science

Science as A Total Societal Enterprise

- refers to the complex of knowledge,
people, skills, organizations, facilities,
technics, physical resources,
methods, and technologies that,
taken together and in relationship to
one another, are devoted to the study
and understanding of the natural
world

Part One, Lecture 2

 TECHNOLOGY SCIENCE
Technics Knowledge
A field of systematic inquiry into
A technology
nature
A form of human cultural activity A form of human cultural activity
A total societal enterprise A total societal enterprise

Part One, Lecture 1

Technology and Science as Forms of Human Activity

To relate science and technology, we need to look at their six key components:
inputs, outputs, functions, transformative resources, practitioners, and
processes.

Many traditional kinds of human activity can be looked at as involving the

deliberate transformation of inputs into outputs via processes with certain
stages or phases, in order to serve one or more functions, by practitioners using
various resources to effect that transformation.

Part One, Lecture 2

Technology and Science as Forms of Human Activity
Characteristic Outputs of Technology and Science

OUTPUT
Technics materials of human making or fabrication

Technic-related intellectual constructs refers to the various kinds of

TECHNOLOGY
mental creations (ex. Procedures, plans) that pertains to the design,
production, use, or maintenance of technics
Ex. A program for computerized access to PnC library
Theory-based/Theory-related knowledge of nature data or speculative
SCIENCE theory which is organized, confirmed or explained into a confirmed
theory on a natural phenomenon.
Part One, Lecture 2
Technology and Science as Forms of Human Activity
Root Functions of Technology and Science

ROOT FUNCTION
To expand the realm of practical human possibility
- perceptual, mental, and physical abilities of humans are limited making
TECHNOLOGY
us vulnerable. Technology extends these capacities to overcome our
vulnerabilities.
Attaining an enhanced understanding of the human world
SCIENCE

Part One, Lecture 2

Technology and Science as Forms of Human Activity
Characteristic Processes of Technology and Science
TECHNOLOGY SCIENCE
Identification of a specific need, desire, or Identification of an aspect or phenomenon of
opportunity to be met, satisfied, or exploited by nature of interest to the
means of a projected technic
A design phase Formulation of hypothesis
A production phase Application of the construct to the aspect of pen
A use phase Assessment of the adequacy of the fit of the
construct to the phenomenon
Adoption/rejection of the would be explanation
ostensibly in light of the application and assessment

Part One, Lecture 2