STS MODULE1

• Science comes from the Latin word 'scientia', meaning 'knowledge'

  • Refers to a systematic and methodical activity of building and organizing knowledge about how the universe behaves through observation, experimentation or both
• Technology is the application of scientific knowledge, laws, and principles to produce services, materials, tools, and machines aimed at solving real-world problems

  • Comes from the Greek root word 'techne', meaning 'art, skill, or cunning of hand'
• Society is the aggregate of people living together in a more or less ordered community
• Science, Technology and Society (STS) is a relatively young field that combines previously independent and older disciplines, such as the history of science, philosophy of science, and sociology of science
• STS seeks to bridge the gap between humanities (interpretive) and natural sciences (rational) to better confront the moral, ethical, and existential dilemmas brought by the continued developments in science and technology
• John J. Reilly Center for Science, Technology and Values of the University of Notre Dame listed the 10 emerging ethical dilemmas and policy issues for 2018:

  • Helix: a digital app store designed to read genomes
  • BlessU-2 and Pepper: first robot priest and monk
  • Emotion Sensing Facial Recognition: a software being developed to assess reactions
  • Ransomware: a way of holding data hostage through hacking and requiring a ransom
  • Textalyzer: a device that analyzes phone usage during an accident
  • Social Credit System: a system of scoring citizens through their actions by constant surveillance
• • Google Clips: a hands-free camera for effortless capturing
  • Sentencing Software: a mysterious algorithm for aiding court sentencing decisions
  • Friendbot: an app that stores the deceased's digital footprint for communication
  • Citizen App: notifies users of ongoing crimes or major events in a specific area
• Ancient Wheel:

  • Sumerians invented the wheel for farm work and food processes, making mass production easier
• Papyrus:

  • Ancient Egyptians used papyrus plant to make paper, sails, cloth, mats, cords, and was extensively used in ancient Egypt, Greece, and the Roman Empire
• Shadoof:

  • Hand-operated device used by Egyptians along the Nile River for lifting water
• Antikythera mechanism:

  • Similar to a mantle clock, invented by Greek scientists, displayed celestial time
• Aeolipile:

  • Also known as Hero’s engine, believed to be the ancient precursor of the steam engine, demonstrated by Hero of Alexandria