STS

• Science, Technology and Society (STS)

  An interdisciplinary course that examines the ways science and technology shape, and are shaped by, society, politics, and culture
• Science


  An evolving body of knowledge based on theoretical expositions and experimental/empirical activities that generates universal truths
• Technology


  The application of science and creation of systems, processes and objects designed to help humans in their daily activities
• Society


  The sum total of our interactions as humans, including the interactions to understand the nature of things and to create things
• The development of science and technology has brought immense progress in society and for humans
• Scientific knowledge and technology influences individuals and society
• Better understanding of science and technology is essential to know the unique attributes of each enterprise, then addressing their implications for society

  
• Science, technology and society is important to the public because it helps address issues and problems that are of concern to the general population
• Scientific findings must be applied at the right scales and the impact of technological breakthroughs on people, society and the environment must be critically assessed to preserve its value
• Science and technology continue to be applied to solve problems that people experience in their day-to-day aspects of living
• Scientific findings must be applied at the right scales
• The impact of technological breakthroughs on people, society and the environment must be critically assessed to preserve its value
• Science, technology and society

  Are interrelated
• Many problems in modern society involve not only technology but also human values, social organization, environmental concerns, economic resources, political decisions, and a myriad of other factors
• These problems can be solved (if they can be solved at all) by the application of scientific knowledge, technical expertise, social understanding, and humane compassion
• In the past, science was learned as an independent study from other fields
• In the current global scenario, science is studied holistically, often in an interdisciplinary method, emphasizing systems rather than processes, synthesis more than analysis and predicting nature's behavior in order to have useful application in solving contemporary problems
• The scientific data that have built up a considerable base of knowledge led to a vast portfolio of useful technologies, especially in the 21st century, to solve many of the problems now facing humankind
• To solve our contemporary problems, science needs to become more multidisciplinary and its practitioners should continue to promote cooperation and integration between the social and natural sciences

  
• A holistic approach also demands that science draw on the contributions of the humanities (such as history and philosophy), local knowledge systems, aboriginal wisdom, and the wide variety of cultural values
• The influence of science and technology on people's lives is expanding
• While recent benefits to humanity are unparalleled in the history of the human species, in some instances the impact has been harmful or the long-term effects give causes for serious concerns
• A considerable measure of public mistrust of science and fear of technology exists today
• This stems from the belief by some individuals and communities that they will be the ones to suffer the indirect negative consequences of technical innovations introduced to benefit only a privileged minority
• The power of science to bring about change places a duty on scientists to proceed with great caution both in what they do and what they say
• Scientists should reflect on the social consequences of the technological applications or dissemination of partial information of their work and explain to the public and policy makers alike the degree of scientific uncertainty or incompleteness in their findings

  
• At the same time, though, they should not hesitate to fully exploit the predictive power of science, duly qualified, to help people cope with environmental change, especially in cases of direct threats like natural disasters or water shortages
• The role of science and technology

  • Alter the way people live, connect, communicate and transact, with profound effects on economic development
  • Key drivers to development, because technological and scientific revolutions underpin economic advances, improvements in health systems, education and infrastructure
  • The technological revolutions of the 21st century are emerging from entirely new sectors, based on micro-processors, tele-communications, bio-technology and nano-technology. Products are transforming business practices across the economy, as well as the lives of all who have access to their effects. The most remarkable breakthroughs will come from the interaction of insights and applications arising when these technologies converge
  • Have the power to better the lives of poor people in developing countries
  • Differentiators between countries that are able to tackle poverty effectively by growing and developing their economies, and those that are not
  • Engine of growth
  • Interventions for cognitive enhancement, proton cancer therapy and genetic engineering
• Just like with any other discipline, the best way to truly understand where we are in science today is to look back at what happened in the past
• The history of science can teach us many lessons about the way scientists think and understand the world around us
• A historical perspective will make us appreciate more what science really is
• Science during ancient times involved practical arts like healing practices and metal tradition
• Some of the earliest records from history indicate that 3,000 years before Christ, the ancient Egyptians already had reasonably sophisticated medical practices
• Sometime around 2650 B.C., a man named Imhotep was renowned for his knowledge of medicine
• Most historians agree that the heart of Egyptian medicine was trial and error
• Egyptian medicine was considered advanced as compared with other ancient nations because of one of the early inventions of Egyptian civilization
• Practical arts


  Healing practices, metal tradition
• 3,000 years before Christ, the ancient Egyptians already had reasonably sophisticated medical practices
• Imhotep


  Renowned for his knowledge of medicine
• Egyptian medicine


  • Heart was trial and error
  • Doctors would try one remedy, and if it worked, they would continue to use it
  • If a remedy they tried didn't work, the patient might die, but at least the doctors learned that next time they should try a different remedy