STS

• Science and Technology and Society

  An interdisciplinary course designed to examine the ways that science and technology shape, and are shaped by, our society, politics, and culture
• Science and Technology and Society is important to the public because it helps address issues and problems that are of concern to the general population
• Science


  • An evolving body of knowledge that is based on theoretical expositions and experimental and empirical activities that generates universal truths
  • Independent study from other fields
  • Focuses on the scientific methods, natural processes and understanding nature
  • In current global scenario, it 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
  • Subject to idiosyncrasies, preconceptions and hidden assumptions
• Technology


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


  • Sum total of our interaction as humans, including the interactions that we engage in to understand the nature of things and to create things
  • Group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or large social group sharing the same geographical or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations
• Ancient Times to 600 BC


  • Involved practical arts like healing practices and metal tradition
  • Imhotep – renowned for his knowledge of medicine
• Egyptian medicine


  Considered advanced compared with other ancient nations because of one of the early inventions of Egyptian civilization – the papyrus
• Papyrus


  Ancient form of paper, made from the papyrus plant – a reed which grows in the marshy areas around the Nile river
• Mesopotamians


  Made pottery using the first known potter's wheel
• Chinese


  Used compasses to aid themselves in their travels
• Advent of Science (600 BC to 500 AD)


  • Ancient Greeks were the early thinkers and as far as historians can tell they were the first true scientists
  • This period produced substantial advances in scientific knowledge, especially in anatomy, zoology, botany, mineralogy, geography, mathematics, and astronomy
• Islamic Golden Age


  • Period of cultural, economic, and scientific flourishing in the history of Islam
  • Astronomy was useful in determining the Qibla, which is the direction in which to pray
  • Al-Biruni and Avicenna produced books that contain descriptions of the preparation of hundred drugs made from medicinal plants and chemical compounds
  • Islamic doctors described diseases like smallpox and measles, and challenged classical Greek medical knowledge
  • Al-Khwarizmi, Avicenna, and Jamshid al Kashi led the advancement in algebra, trigonometry, geometry, and Arabic numerals
  • Al-Haytham, Al-Biruni studied optics and mechanics as well as astronomy, and criticized Aristotle's view of motion
• Science and Technology in Ancient China


  Gave the world 4 Great Inventions – compass, gunpowder, papermaking, and printing
• Renaissance (1300 AD – 1600 AD)


  • 14th century was the beginning of the cultural movement of the Renaissance
  • Considered by many as the Golden Age of Science
  • Marie Boas Hall coined the term Scientific Renaissance to designate the early phase of the Scientific Revolution
  • The most important technological advancement of all in this period was the development of printing, with movable metal type, about the mid-15th century in Germany (Johannes Gutenberg) (Johann Faust and Peter Schoffer)
  • Flemish technique of oil painting was the origin of the new painters' ink
• Enlightenment Period (1715 AD to 1789 AD)

  • Age of Reason
  • Was characterized by radical reorientation in science, which emphasized reason over superstition and science over blind faith
  • Gave way to 19th century Romanticism
• Industrial Revolution (1760 – 1840)

  • Closely connected to the rise of modern science
  • Great Britain – home of industrial revolution
  • Rise of textile or even the metallurgical industry
  • What science offered in the 18th century was the hope that careful observation and experimentation might improve industrial production significantly
  • The main features involved in the Industrial Revolution were technological, socioeconomic, and cultural
• 20th Century Science: Physics and Information Age

  • Was an important century in the history of the sciences
  • Generated entirely novel insights in all areas of research – often thanks to the introduction of novel research methods – and it established an intimate connection between science and technology
  • Gave proof of the revolutionary changes in many areas of the sciences and how they contributed to these changes
  • Epistemological and methodological questions as well as the interdisciplinary aspects became ever more important in scientific research
  • Physics has enabled us to understand the basic components of matter and we are well on the way to an ever more consistent and unitary understanding of the entire structure of natural reality
  • Biology – with the discovery of DNA and the development of genetics, allows us to penetrate the fundamental processes of life and to intervene in the gene pool of certain organisms by limiting some of these natural mechanisms
  • Information technology and digital processing of information have transformed our lifestyle and our way of communicating in the space of very few decades
• Science and Technology in the Fourth Industrial Revolution


  • Way of describing the blurring of boundaries between the physical, digital, and biological worlds
  • Fusion of advances in AI, robotics, the Internet of Things or IoT, 3D printing, genetic engineering, quantum computing, and other technologies
  • Is paving the way for transformative changes in the way we live and radically disrupting almost every business sector
  • New computational technologies are making computers smarter. They enable computers to process vast amounts of data faster than ever before
  • Artificial Intelligence describes computers that can think like humans
  • Virtual reality offers immersive digital experiences that stimulate the real world
  • Augmented reality merges the digital and physical worlds
  • Biotechnology harnesses cellular and biomolecular processes to develop new technologies and products
  • Robotics refers to the design, manufacture, and use of robots for personal and commercial use
  • 3D printing allows manufacturing businesses to print their own parts, with less tooling, at a lower cost, and faster than via traditional processes
  • IoT or Internet of Things describes the idea of everyday items being connected to the internet and identifiable by other devices
• Pre-Spanish Era


  • Archeological artifacts revealed that the first inhabitant in the archipelago who settled in Palawan and Batangas around 40,000 years ago have made simple tools or weapons of stone which eventually developed techniques for sawing, drilling, and polishing hard stones
  • This very primitive technology was brought by primal needs of survival by hunting wild animals and gathering fruits and vegetables in the forest
• Spanish Colonial Era


  • Spanish regime established schools, hospitals and starter scientific research that had important consequences in the development of the country
  • Schools were mostly run by Spanish friars
  • The 3 highest institution of learning during this time was the Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas
  • Spaniards began to exploit the natural resources of the country through agriculture, mining of metal and minerals, and establishing various kinds of industries to further promote economic growth
  • Manila has become a cosmopolitan center and modern amenities were introduced to the city
• American Period


  • Rapid growth in science and technology was made possible by the government's extensive public education systems from elementary to tertiary schools
  • Philippine Normal School and University of the Philippines
  • Bureau of Government Laboratories was later changed to Bureau of Science – composed of biological laboratory, chemical laboratory, serum laboratory for the production of virus vaccine, serums and prophylactics and a library
  • Philippine Journal of Science – a scientific journal that published researches done in local laboratories and reported global scientific developments that had relevance to the Philippine society
• Commonwealth Period


  • Filipinos were busy in working towards economic reliance but acknowledge the importance and vital role of science and technology for the economic development of the country
• Science and Technology since Independence

  • Bureau of Science was replaced by the Institute of Science and was placed under the Office of the President of the Philippines
  • The Philippine government focused on science and technology institutional capacity-building which were undertaken by establishing infrastructure-support facilities such as new research agencies and development trainings
  • During this time, rebuilding the country involved establishing more state funded manual and trading schools which would eventually become the current state universities and colleges
• Science and Technology in the 1960s to 1990s

  • The government gave greater importance to science and technology
  • April 6, 1698 Pres. Ferdinand Marcos proclaimed the 35-hectare land in Bicutan, Taguig as the site of the Philippine Science Community
  • 1970s, focus on science and technology was given to applied research and the main objective was to generate products and processes that were supposed to have a greater beneficial impact to the society. National Science Development Board or NSDB
  • 1980s, science and technology was still focused on applied research. In 1982, NSDB was further reorganized into a National Science and Technology Authority of NSTA
  • 1986, under the Aquin administration, the National Science and Technology Authority was replaced by the Department of Science and Technology, giving science and technology a representation in the cabinet
  • DOST is the premiere science and technology body in the country charged wit the twin mandate of providing central direction, leadership and coordination of all scientific and technological activities, and of formulating policies, programs and projects to support national development
  • The Science and Technology Master Plan was formulated which aimed at the modernization of the production sector
  • Under the Ramos administration, DOS
• National Science Development Board (NSDB)


  Science and technology body focused on applied research to generate products and processes with greater beneficial impact to society
• Science and technology still focused on applied research

  1980s
• NSDB reorganized into National Science and Technology Authority (NSTA)

  1982
• NSTA replaced by Department of Science and Technology (DOST), giving science and technology a cabinet representation


  1986
• DOST


  Premiere science and technology body in the Philippines, providing central direction, leadership and coordination of all scientific and technological activities, and formulating policies, programs and projects to support national development
• Science and Technology Master Plan

  Aimed at the modernization of the production sector
• DOST established the "Science and Technology Agenda for National Development or STAND"

  Under Ramos administration
• Diwata-1


  The Philippines' first micro-satellite, launched in 2016, providing real-time, high-resolution and multi-color infrared images for various applications
• Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH)

  Uses Lidar technology to help manage risks associated with natural hazards and disasters, providing timely flood warnings
• Intelligent Operation Center Platform

  A dashboard that allows authorized government agencies to use analytics software for monitoring events and operations in real time, established through a collaboration between Davao City and IBM Philippines
• Scientific Paradigm


  Framework containing all the commonly accepted views about a subject, conventions about what direction research should take and how it should be performed
• Paradigm


  According to Thomas Kuhn, it includes the practices that defines a scientific discipline at a certain point in time, containing all the distinct, established patterns, theories, common methods and standards
• Paradigm shift


  The successive transition from one paradigm to another via revolution, occurring when enough anomalies to the current paradigm build up, causing scientists to question the foundational principles upon which their worldview rests
• Intellectual Revolution


  Period where paradigm shift occurred and where scientific beliefs that have been widely embraced and accepted by the people were challenged and opposed
• Western science was born with the Ancient Greeks, who were the first to explain the world in terms of natural laws rather than myths about gods and heroes, and passed on the idea of the value of math and experiment in science
• Aristotle


  • Most influential figure in Western Science, created a body of scientific theory that towered like a colossus over western civilization for some 2000 years