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Topic 1. General Concepts in Science, Technology & Society (STS) and Historical Development

1. The document discusses the key concepts of science, technology, and their interactions with society throughout history. It defines science as seeking explanations of the natural world through evidence-based testing, and technology as the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes. 2. Non-science refers to areas of knowledge that do not meet the criteria of science, like religious beliefs or opinions. Pseudoscience claims to be scientific but does not adhere to valid methodology or have supporting evidence. 3. The scientific method involves forming a hypothesis, testing it, analyzing data, and replicating work to form conclusions. When confirmed repeatedly, a hypothesis may become a theory - a time-tested, useful concept.

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James Michael
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2K views

Topic 1. General Concepts in Science, Technology & Society (STS) and Historical Development

1. The document discusses the key concepts of science, technology, and their interactions with society throughout history. It defines science as seeking explanations of the natural world through evidence-based testing, and technology as the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes. 2. Non-science refers to areas of knowledge that do not meet the criteria of science, like religious beliefs or opinions. Pseudoscience claims to be scientific but does not adhere to valid methodology or have supporting evidence. 3. The scientific method involves forming a hypothesis, testing it, analyzing data, and replicating work to form conclusions. When confirmed repeatedly, a hypothesis may become a theory - a time-tested, useful concept.

Uploaded by

James Michael
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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TOPIC 1.

GENERAL CONCEPTS IN SCIENCE,


TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY (STS) AND HISTORICAL
DEVELOPMENT

LESSON 1.1. SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, SCIENTIFIC METHOD,


AND SCIENTIFIC ATTITUDES

OVERVIEW

Since human history, people have been developing interconnected and validated
ideas about the world --- physical, biological, physiological, and social. Those ideas influence
successive generations to achieve an increasingly comprehensive and reliable understanding
of the human species and the complexity of the environment. This understanding is a result
of systematic ways of observing, thinking, experimenting, and validating. These ways are a
fundamental aspect of the nature of science. They also reflect how science tends to differ from
other modes of knowing. Scientific endeavour becomes successful if it unites science,
mathematics, and technology. Although each of these human enterprises has a character and
history of its own, each is dependent on and is reinforced by the others. Understanding how
science works allows us to easily distinguish science from non-science. To understand
biological evolution, or any other science, it is essential to begin with the nature of science.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson, the students can:


1. Distinguish Science, non-science and pseudoscience;
2. Discuss the interactions between S&T and society throughout history; and
2. Explain how scientific and technological developments affect society and the
environment.

MATERIALS NEEDED:

Gadgets (cellphone, laptop, etc.), Module, Internet connection, Notebook

DURATION:

1 hour & 30 minutes

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LEARNING CONTENTS
What makes Science?
These are some of the characteristics that make science.
1. Science seeks to explain the natural
world and its explanations are tested by
gathering evidence through our sense
and extension of our senses. The basis
of any scientific understanding is
information derived from observations of
nature. Real materials and observations
are the ultimate tests of any concept.
Evidence is the basic stuff of science.
Dreams, apparitions and hallucinations,
may seem real but they do not arise from
our senses, are not even extensions of our
senses, and so are not within the scope of science.

2. Scientific ideas are developed through


reasoning. Inferences are logical
conclusions based on observable facts.
Much of what we know from scientific study
is based on inferences from data. For
example, no person has ever seen the
inside of an atom, yet we know, by
inference, what is there.

3. Scientific claims are based on testing


explanations against observations of natural world. Those that fail the
test are rejected. Scientific explanations
are evaluated based on evidences
generated through repeated experiments,
observations, and rejection or modification
of explanations.

4. Conclusion of science are reliable,


although tentative. Science is always a
work in progress and its conclusions are
always tentative in the sense that all ideas
are open to scrutiny and are modified as new evidence appears.

5. Science is not democratic. Scientific ideas are subject to scrutiny from


near and far, and are accepted or rejected on the basis of evidence.

6. Science is non-dogmatic. Explanations and conclusions are accepted


only to the degree that they are well founded and continue to stand up to
scrutiny.

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7. Science cannot make moral and aesthetic decision. Scientist can infer
the relationship of flowering plants from their anatomy, DNA, and fossils,
but they cannot scientifically assert that a sampaguita is prettier than an
orchid. Scientist make moral and aesthetic judgements and choices, but
such decisions are obviously not part of science.

8. Science is not always a direct ascent toward the truth. In some cases,
scientific ideas that dominated a particular time may later be recognized as
inaccurate or incomplete.

9. Science corrects itself. Sometimes it takes years, decades, or even


centuries to make the correction of errors of the past. Those past “truths”
are often challenged by improved understanding attributed to new
technology or changing perspectives.

What is Technology?
 Technology ("science of craft",
from Greek τέχνη, techne, "art,
skill, cunning of hand"; and -
λογία, -logia) is the application of
scientific knowledge for practical
purposes, especially for industry
and the good life for man.
 It is the collection
of techniques, skills, methods,
and processes used in the
production of goods or services or
in the accomplishment of
objectives, such as scientific
investigation.
 The simplest form of technology is
the development and use of
basic tools.
 The prehistoric discovery of how to control fire and the later Neolithic
Revolution increased the available sources of food, and the invention of
the wheel helped humans to travel in and control their environment.
 Developments in historic times, including the printing press, the telephone, and
the Internet, have lessened physical barriers to communication and allowed
humans to interact freely on a global scale.
 Technology has helped develop more advanced economies (including
today's global economy) and has allowed the rise of a leisure class. However,
many technological processes produce unwanted by-products known
as pollution and deplete natural resources to the detriment of
Earth's environment. Innovations have always influenced the values of a
society and raised new questions of the ethics of technology.

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 Examples include the rise of the notion of efficiency in terms of
human productivity, and the challenges of bioethics.

Non Science and Pseudoscience

• Non-science may be defined as an area of knowledge which does not meet


the criteria of science like consistency, observability, testability, and
predictability, among others. Non- science topic areas may be very logical, but
simply do not fall within the realm of science. These would include any belief
system, e.g., religious beliefs, philosophy, personal opinions or attitudes, a
sense of aesthetics, or ethics

• Pseudoscience on the other hand is a claim, belief, or


practice that which is presented is scientific, but in the
ultimate analysis does not adhere to a valid scientific
methodology, lacks supporting evidence or plausibility,
cannot be reliably tested, or lacks scientific status. It is
often characterized by the use of vague, exaggerated
or unprovable claims, an over-reliance on confirmation
rather than on rigorous attempts at refutation, or a lack
of openness to rationally develop theories.

Scientific Method and Inquiry


Fundamentally, the various scientific disciplines rely on evidence, use
of hypotheses and theories, and use of logic. However, scientists differ greatly
from one another in what phenomena they investigate and in how they go about
their work. They exchange techniques, information, and concepts. They share
understandings about what constitutes an investigation that is scientifically
valid. Scientists anchor their frame of mind on curiosity. They usually accept an
explanation based on evidence or proof. To prove their point, they usually
consider what is aptly called scientific method which consists of the following
steps:

1. stating the problem.


2. forming a hypothesis,
3. testing the hypothesis
4. recording and analyzing data,
5. forming a conclusion, and
6. replicating the work.

When a hypothesis is tested and confirmed again and again and is unlikely to be
disproved by future tests, it may become a theory. Scientifically, the word theory
means time-tested concept that makes useful and dependable prediction about
the natural world. Not all time an explanation should be always done through an
experiment like what the scientific method would assert. There are instances when
common sense and logic best explain how an event or phenomenon came about.

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Lesson 1.1. EXERCISE
I) Instruction: Using the Venn diagram below, distinguish science, non-
science and pseudoscience from each other.

Science Pseudoscience

Non-Science

II) Instruction: Answer the following questions briefly. (5 points)

1. How does science, technology and society interact together?


2. How do scientific and technological developments affect society and the environment?

Lesson 1.1. EVALUATION


 ONLINE QUIZ ON MODULE.

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