INTERACTION AMONG SCIENCE,

TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY

Science, Technology and Society or
Science and Technology Studies (STS) refers
to the interaction between science and
technology and socio-cultural, political and
economic context which shape and are shaped
by them. (Aldea et.al, 2018) Understanding the
interaction among these three unveils how
social, political and cultural values affect
scientific research and technological
innovation and how these, in turn, affect the
society.
Image retrieved from
https://www.tech21stworld.blogspot.com

I. What is the relationship between Science and Technology?

A.

✓ Technology is also called APPLIED SCIENCE because it requires scientific information in

order to be formed/developed. This means that changes in the scientific body of knowledge
may lead to changes in their application. Thus, changes in Science lead to the evolution of
technology.
✓ Here are some examples of some pieces of information used to form Technology.

Information Technology
(Products/Processes)
Evaporation of water separates water from solutes such The process of desalination or the
as salt as well as organism such as microbes present in removal salt from sea water to
sea water. acquire drinkable water is done in
Osmosis is the spontaneous net movement of solvent
freshwater-lacking countries such
molecules through a selectively permeable membrane
as Saudi Arabia and UAE. In the
into a region of higher solute concentration, in the
plants, evaporation and reverse
direction that tends to equalize the solute
osmosis are required to achieve
concentrations on the two sides. (Campbell, 2011)
the goal of desalination.
Muscles of the heart function in a synchronized patterns The development of artificial heart
as the heart beats to deliver needed substances in the is based on the known properties
different parts of the body and collect waste products as of the human heart.
it does so through the blood.

SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 1

 B.

✓ Advancements in Technology can have a huge impact to the enhancement of Science. Some
products of technology are used as tools needed in the scientific method or scientific studies.
Instruments and tools are essential in acquiring required and sufficient data in order to prove a
hypothesis or to further strengthen a theory. Let us consider the succeeding instances:

- Galileo Galilei is often mistakenly credited

for the invention of the telescope. The first
telescope was actually invented by Hans
Lippershey. Galilei’s refinement of his
telescope and his systematic use of this
instrument made him observe several
celestial objects and phenomena and
record significant discoveries, some of
which were essential to the Scientific
Revolution of the 16th - 17th Century.
Image retrieved from https://biography.com

- Scientists position human-made satellites

around Earth or in a specific location in
space to gather scientific data and
information from their communication and
transmission signals. Their position is
precisely determined using scientific
principles like gravitational force and
planetary motion. Satellites are also
important tools for research in space
science, particularly in weather forecasting
and telecommunications.
Image retrieved from
https://www.geospatialworld.net/blogs

- The first computers were generally

culating. Computers nowadays are widely used as tools in researches in
study, from genetic engineering to ethnology, to physics and biology.
mportant roles for the research such as sampling,
orage and sorting of relevant literatures, data collection, analysis and
many more.
Image retrieved from
https://www.computerworld.com

SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 2

 ✓ In the given examples above, telescopes, computers and satellites, which are products of
technology, are used in studying certain fields of Science more specifically in the conduct of
research or scientific studies.
Your Thoughts!

In not more than 4 sentences, share your insights on this question.

A. In your field, course or major, what are examples of technology used in researches?

II. What is the relationship between Science and Society?

A.

✓ “Understanding basic concepts and principles of science and technology should precede active
debate about the economics, policies, politics, and ethics of various science- and
technologyrelated challenges.” (Retrieved from http://sciencenetlinks.com on August 2019)
✓ Science aims to improve the society through the determination of prevailing problems and
seeking solutions to these problems by means of scientific inquiry and the scientific method.
The present body of knowledge and the current state of science in a particular society affect
how people think of themselves,
other people and the environment.
✓ The amount of information a person
knows affects how he/she thinks, acts
and ultimately, lives. Societies with
more scientific progress tend to have
a different approach in terms of
problem solving and dealing with
social issues than those societies
with slower scientific progress. The
dynamism of scientific progress also
poses challenges and drawbacks to
the way humans live.
Image retrieved from https://www.barnesandnoble.com

B.

✓ Challenges and issues in the society often serve as inspiration in formulating questions for
scientific research, and social priorities often influence research priorities through the availability
of funding for research. The societal needs are prioritized in most research agencies in the
SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 3
 world. We could consider our current situation as an example. A large portion of each nation’s
budget is allocated to research agencies in order to fuel the quick development of an
AntiCOVID19 vaccine and drugs that could cure the viral infection.
✓ Ethical dilemmas arise with the introduction of controversial research ideas and methodologies.
The presence dilemmas vary from society to society and is dependent on societal factors such
as norms, culture, moral ideologies, beliefs and religion. Research methodologies, topics and
risks from the least to the most controversial include the use of animals for experimentation,
data privacy concerns, exposition of acquired sensitive data, involvement of human subjects in
experimental researches, the use of human DNA in genetic engineering studies, cloning and
many more. ✓ How sensitive or restrictive a society is with their definition of “acceptable and
allowable” scientific activities could affect their scientific progress. Therefore, the society, based
on their norms, beliefs, moral ideologies, culture and other societal factors, sets and determines
the boundaries that could be reached by their science affecting the body of knowledge they
could acquire and acknowledge.

III. What is the relationship between Technology and Society?

A.

✓ The continuous advancement of technology has affected the way of life of people all around the
world. Evaluation - Hidden Gem: (If you have found this, great! Write your answer to this item in
the space provided in Evaluation Sheet Part B.) To further explain this one is kind of cliché.
Give your insights about the influence and effects of technology (as a boon or bane) to society
and your reaction to the quotation from A. Huxley stated below.
✓ “Technological progress has merely provided us with the most efficient means for going
backwards.” (Aldous
Huxley). B.

✓ The technological advancements in a society is primarily affected by the needs of the people.
The main goal of the creation of technology is to provide practical solutions to the difficulties
and issues of varied scale faced by the society. For instance, the growing hype for the
development of cheaper electric cars is influenced by the current issues and challenges on
Global warming and air pollution. Different versions of electric vehicles are developed and
released each year and the demand is increasing with time due to the urgency of the concerns
related to them.
✓ Same as science, societal factors also influence the advancement of technology. Certain views
and attitude of the society towards particular
technologies may affect their development.
✓ How sensitive or restrictive a society is with their
definition of “acceptable and allowable” technology
could affect their technological progress. Therefore,
the society, based on their norms, beliefs, moral
ideologies, culture and other societal factors, sets
and determines the kinds of technology that could be

SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 4

 developed and used and the level of advancement they could reach. Image
retrieved from
https://www.interestingengineering.com
Lesson-2
Scientific Revolution
In the previous week, we talked Science being a dynamic body of knowledge which means that the
accepted body of knowledge can change with new discoveries. The new conclusions or theories may lead to
an intellectual revolution or a scientific revolution. In our lesson next week, we are going to examine different
individuals whose ideas, hypothesis and theories have shaken and dismantled the dominant theories during
their times and created a path to a clearer understanding of the world and the universe.

Notable Values of Scientists

Scientists and philosophers in all periods of time are driven by intellectual and moral virtues as they
explore or explored the physical and natural world. Their love for Science and knowledge itself is driven by
their deep passion to know and to discover. These virtues or values influence the development of scientific
ideas, discoveries and eventually technology through scientists, inventors and philosophers. Good scientists
share scientific attitudes, or habits of mind, that lead them to exploration and discovery.

The figure above shows the Impact of the Values of the Scientific Attitude to the Advancement of
Science and Technology

1. HONESTY

Scientists are not driven by clamor for honor and publicity. Thus, being honest is important in acquiring
knowledge as they fulfill their main goal. A scientist who gathers data from his or her work must reflect the
truth about his or her findings. Some misguided scientists have fallen into the practice of changing the
SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 5
information they gathered to support a theory or idea that they are
promoting. This practice of dishonesty defeats the purpose of science-to
understand our surroundings and contribute to a bigger body of knowledge.
A dishonest scientist provides wrong information that does not help in the
development of science and technology.
Intellectual honesty is also an important value. Nowadays, with the
age of computers and the internet and the so called “Googling Age”,
plagiarism is unfortunately rampant. The habit of copy-pasting and improper
or omitted citation are common among students and definitely existing in the
research and professional communities. A survey in 2019 by the Psychological Record shows that 36% of
undergraduates around the globe have admitted to plagiarizing written material. A national survey conducted
in the US published in Education Week 2019 found that 54% of students admitted to plagiarizing from the
Internet. (Retrieved from https://www.checkforplagiarism.net on August 2019)

2. CURIOSITY

Scientists are inquisitive people. They have the desire to learn thus, they constantly ask questions
about what can be observed, what they already know and what they do not know. Curiosity drives scientists to
clarify unclear and misunderstood concepts and uncover what is unknown and unidentified.

A researcher, for example, may go to a forest or a

shrub land and immediately ask, “What’s that plant? Why is it
growing here? Why are there differences in leaf coloration of
the leaves? What is the soil composition of the area?”

3. SKEPTICISM and CRITICAL MINDEDNESS

Good scientists are skeptics, which means that they

question existing ideas and hypotheses, and they refuse to accept
explanations without evidence. They do not easily believe in any
information unless it is backed up by valid evidences and by the
scientific method. These traits also help scientists determine what
could be wrong with a particular methodology, procedure, analysis
or interpretation as well as redesigning the process. Conclusions, theories and hypothesis become more valid
and reliable as they are continuously refined by questions and constructive criticism from the scientific
community.
Image retrieved
from https://www. Funbridlingyourbrilliance.com
4. CREATIVITY

Creative scientists come up original and relevant ideas that

could help in the scientific process. Creativity is often applied with
the identification of the research problem. The ability to use the
imagination in determining smaller questions and problems drives
the scientific process. Creativity is also important in designing the
research methodology that should be fit with the
locale and the time period among other factors.

5. PERSEVERANCE

A good scientist must never

give up. A good scientist must be bold
enough to do the impossible. Thomas
Edison once said, “Success is 1% inspiration
and 99% perspiration.” Discoveries do not
SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 6
 happen overnight. It takes lot of time, effort, sacrifice, and other resources. A string of failure should not
stop anyone from satisfying on his or her thirst of knowledge.

6. RESPONSIBILITY
True scientists hold themselves
accountable for the consequence of their study. As such, they must exercise caution to avoid negative effects
to living organisms and the environment as a whole. For example, medical practitioners study all the possible
effects of treatments before they try them on people. This will ensure that the treatment will be safe for the
patients who will receive them.

7. DISCIPLINE
Scientists follow the scientific method, which is made up of series of steps that was established to
ensure the quality of a scientific study. More so, when scientists conduct experiments, they follow a procedure
or methodology. A good scientist follow these steps as closely as they can. If things won’t work as expected,
that is the time to change it and try again. Making shortcuts or cutting corners to make things easier is not a
good idea because it will prevent from finding the mistake made if the process did not work. *** END of the
Lesson Proper***

REFERENCES

Textbooks

Aldea, K, Caronan H.P, and Candido, M.B. (2018). Science, Technology and Society (OBE Ready).
Mandaluyong City, Philippines: Book Atbp. Publishing Corp.

Serafica, J.P., Pawien, G., Caslib Jr., B.N., and Alata, E.J. (2018). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon
City, Philippines: Rex Book Store, Inc. (RBSI)

Quinto, E.J. and Nieva, A. (2019). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon City, Philippines: C & E
Publishing, Inc.

Online References

http://sciencenetlinks.com/resources/standards/205/290?model=resources

http://www.project2061.org/publications https://www.checkforplagiarism.net

https://www.iau.org https://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/whatisscience

Learning Materials

1. Worksheets (teacher-made)
2. Article: The Reilly Center Releases its 2018 Top 10 List of Ethical Dilemmas in Science and Technology by
Ryan Palczynski
(Retrieved from https://reilly.nd.edu on August 2019)
3. Video: TEDxTalk by Hannu Rajaniemi – The Big History of Modern Science
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcWsjlGPPFQ

Lesson-2
SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 7
 Scientific Revolution
In the previous week, we talked Science being a dynamic body of knowledge which means that the accepted
body of knowledge can change with new discoveries. The new conclusions or theories may lead to an
intellectual revolution or a scientific revolution. In our lesson next week, we are going to examine different
individuals whose ideas, hypothesis and theories have shaken and dismantled the dominant theories
during their times and created a path to a clearer understanding of the world and the universe.
Notable Values of Scientists

Scientists and philosophers in all periods of time are driven by intellectual and moral virtues as they explore or
explored the physical and natural world. Their love for Science and knowledge itself is driven by their deep
passion to know and to discover. These virtues or values influence the development of scientific ideas,
discoveries and eventually technology through scientists, inventors and philosophers. Good scientists
share scientific attitudes, or habits of mind, that lead them to exploration and discovery.

The figure above shows the Impact of the Values of the Scientific Attitude to the Advancement of
Science
and Technology

1. HONESTY

Scientists are not driven by clamor for honor and publicity. Thus, being honest is important in acquiring
knowledge as they fulfill their main goal. A scientist who gathers data from his or her work must reflect
the truth about his or her findings. Some misguided scientists have fallen into the practice of changing
the information they gathered to support a theory or idea that they are promoting. This practice of
dishonesty defeats the purpose of science-to understand our surroundings and contribute to a bigger
body of knowledge. A dishonest scientist provides wrong information that does not help in the
development of science and technology.
SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 8
Intellectual honesty is also an important value. Nowadays, with the age of
computers and the internet and the so called “Googling Age”, plagiarism
is unfortunately rampant. The habit of copy-pasting and improper or
omitted citation are common among students and definitely existing in
the
research and professional communities. A survey in 2019 by the
Psychological Record shows that 36% of undergraduates around the
globe have admitted to plagiarizing written material. A national survey
conducted in the US published in Education Week 2019 found that 54%
of students admitted to plagiarizing from the Internet. (Retrieved from
https://www.checkforplagiarism.net on August 2019)
2. CURIOSITY

Scientists are inquisitive people. They have the desire to learn thus, they constantly ask questions about what
can be observed, what they already know and what they do not know. Curiosity drives scientists to clarify
unclear and misunderstood concepts and uncover what is unknown and unidentified.
A researcher, for example, may go to a forest or a shrub land and
immediately ask, “What’s that plant? Why is it growing here?
Why are there differences in leaf coloration of the leaves?
What is the soil composition of the area?”
3. SKEPTICISM and CRITICAL MINDEDNESS

Good scientists are skeptics, which means that they question

existing ideas and hypotheses, and they refuse to accept
explanations without evidence. They do not easily believe in
any information unless it is backed up by valid evidences and
by the scientific method. These traits also help scientists
determine what could be wrong with a particular methodology,
procedure, analysis or interpretation as well as redesigning the process. Conclusions, theories and
hypothesis become more valid and reliable as they are continuously refined by questions and
constructive criticism from the scientific community.
Image retrieved
from https://www. Funbridlingyourbrilliance.com
4. CREATIVITY

Creative scientists come up original and relevant ideas that could

help in the scientific process. Creativity is often applied with the
identification of the research problem. The ability to use the
imagination in determining smaller questions and problems
drives the scientific process. Creativity is also important in
designing the research methodology that should be fit with the locale and the time period among other
factors.

5. PERSEVERANCE

A good scientist must never give up. A good

scientist must be bold enough to do the
impossible. Thomas Edison once said,
“Success is 1% inspiration and 99%
perspiration.” Discoveries do not happen
overnight. It takes lot of time, effort, sacrifice,
and other resources. A string of failure
should not stop anyone from satisfying on
his or her thirst of knowledge.
6. RESPONSIBILITY
SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 9
 True scientists hold themselves accountable for the consequence of their study. As such, they must exercise
caution to avoid negative effects to living organisms and the environment as a whole. For example,
medical practitioners study all the possible effects of treatments before they try them on people. This will
ensure that the treatment will be safe for the patients who will receive them.
7. DISCIPLINE
Scientists follow the scientific method, which is made up of series of steps that was established to ensure the
quality of a scientific study. More so, when scientists conduct experiments, they follow a procedure or
methodology. A good scientist follow these steps as closely as they can. If things won’t work as expected,
that is the time to change it and try again. Making shortcuts or cutting corners to make things easier is not
a good idea because it will prevent from finding the mistake made if the process did not work. *** END of
the Lesson Proper***
REFERENCES

Textbooks
Aldea, K, Caronan H.P, and Candido, M.B. (2018). Science, Technology and Society (OBE Ready).
Mandaluyong City, Philippines: Book Atbp. Publishing Corp.
Serafica, J.P., Pawien, G., Caslib Jr., B.N., and Alata, E.J. (2018). Science, Technology and Society.
Quezon City, Philippines: Rex Book Store, Inc. (RBSI)
Quinto, E.J. and Nieva, A. (2019). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon City, Philippines: C & E
Publishing, Inc.
Online References

http://sciencenetlinks.com/resources/standards/205/290?

model=resources http://www.project2061.org/publications

https://www.checkforplagiarism.net https://www.iau.org

https://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/whatisscience

Learning Materials

1. Worksheets (teacher-made)
2. Article: The Reilly Center Releases its 2018 Top 10 List of Ethical Dilemmas in Science and Technology by
Ryan Palczynski
(Retrieved from https://reilly.nd.edu on August 2019)
3. Video: TEDxTalk by Hannu Rajaniemi – The Big History of Modern Science
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcWsjlGPPFQ
ASSIGNMENT

- Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcWsjlGPPFQ - Video: TEDxTalk by Hannu

Rajaniemi – The Big History of Modern Science
- Advanced Reading: Copernican and Darwinian Revolution

LESSON 3: INTELLECTUAL REVOLUTIONS AND SOCIETY

Topic: A. Intellectual Revolutions and Society and
B. Cradles of Science

Learning Outcomes: At the end of this module, you are expected to:
SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 10
 1. Identify the intellectual revolutions that shaped society across time;
2. Explain how intellectual revolutions transformed the views of society about dominant scientific thought;
and
3. Discuss how scientific and technological developments affect society and the environment.

Date Topics Activities or Tasks

September 7-8 Intellectual Revolutions and Society Read Lessons
Copernican Revolution Complete Learning Task Sheet
September 10-11 Darwinian Revolution Complete Evaluation Sheet (Modified
Freudian Revolution True/False and Essay)
September 14- 16 Cradles of Science i Read Lessons
Developments of Science n Complete the Learning Task Sheet
Mesoamerica Complete Evaluation Sheet
September 17 Development of Science in Asia (Multiple
Development of Science in Africa Choice Question)
September 18 Assignment
Turning over of learning
September 21 task and
acquisition of new module

LEARNING CONTENT

Introduction:

In the study of history of science and technology, intellectual revolutions across time is an important area to
understand. Since science is contained from time to time changes, we need to know the highlights that led
science and technology a better society of today.
In this lesson, we are also going to appreciate various contributions and discoveries that had evolved to
the time we live nowadays. Some beliefs, theories and cultures have been retained in the entire world but only
few is existing. For us to better understand, let us go back in time and have the best picture on how it was
before, linking to our society where we are living. Aside from that, we will also be able to relate ourselves in the
development that science and technology took years to be known.
Therefore, I expect you to become not just informed students, but to be transformed students ready to
seek knowledge and to do more with the knowledge that you have! That maybe more challenging, especially
with this pandemic we are experiencing, but with the right motivation, we can still attain this goal. Let’s go!

Intellectual Revolutions in Society

Let’s remember! I know you have encountered them in your

history classes before so let’s review on their great
contributions in science.

SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 11

 1.) Nicolaus Copernicus was a Polish astronomer known
He was the first modern European scientist to propose that Earth and other planets revolve around the sun,
or the
. Prior to the publication of his major astronomical work, “Six Books Concerning the Revolutions of the
uropean astronomers argued that Earth lay at the center of the universe, the view also held by most ancient
writers. In addition to correctly postulating the order of the known planets, including Earth, from the sun,
al periods relatively accurately, Copernicus argued that Earth turned daily on its axis and that gradual shifts of this axis
accounted for the changing seasons.
( https://www.history.com/topics/inventions/nicol
aus-copernicus)

A. COPERNICAN REVOLUTION
Refers to the 16th century paradigm shift named after the Polish mathematician and
Commentariolus. He formalized his model in the publication of his treatise, De Revolutioibus Orbium
Coelestium (The Revolution of Celestial Spheres).
In his model, Copernicus repositioned the Earth from
the center of the Solar System and introduced the idea that
the Earth rotates on its own axis.

CONFLICT on HELIOCENTRIC MODEL:

The idea that the Sun is at the center of This image is the heliocentric model. The sun being the the
universe was in conflict with GEOCENTRISM center of the solar system.
(Ptolemy’s theory), as Earth being the center of the Solar System.

What happened to the heliocentric model?

One of the Renaissance men, particularly in the field of science, is Nicolas Copernicus. Knowledge
about the nature of the universe had been essentially unchanged since the great days of Ancient Greece
before Copernicus came on the scene. This continued up to the Renaissance period. In one important way,
Copernicus resembled the Greek ancient philosophers or thinkers- he did not do anything extensive such as
observing heavenly bodies or inviting people to test his ideas so it was just a thought experiment. Copernicus
was strongly influenced by a book entitled Epitome, Muller’s book which contains observations of heavens
and some commentary on earlier works especially that of Ptolemy.

astronomer,Nicolaus Copernicus.He formulated theHELIOCENTRIC MODEL

of the universe.

“The center of the solar system was not Earth but the Sun”
-Copernicus

Copernicus introduced the heliocentric

model in a 40-page outline entitled

SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 12

 Copernicus’ idea and model of the universe was essentially complete in 1510. Not long after that, he
circulated a summary of his ideas to his few close friends in a manuscript called
Commentariolus (Little Commentary).
In his book, he wanted a model of the universe in which everything moved
around a single center at unvarying rates. Copernicus placed the Sun to be the
centerpiece of the universe. The Earth and all the planets are surrounding or
orbiting the Sun each year. The
Moon, however, would still be seen orbiting the Earth. Copernicus’ model of the
Earth orbiting around the Sun automatically positioned the planets into a
logical sequence. In his model, Copernicus outlined two kinds of planetary
motion:
1. The orbits of Venus and Mercury lay inside the orbit of the Earth,
thus closer to the Sun.
2. The orbits of Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter lay outside the Earth’s orbit,
thus farther from the Sun.

From this model, he would work on the length of time it will take for each planet to orbit once around
the Sun. The result would form a sequence from Mercury, with a shortest year, through Venus, Earth, Mars,
Jupiter, and Saturn with the longest year. He placed the planets in

Charles Robert Darwin was an English naturalist, geologist and biologist, best known of his contributions to
the science of evolution. His proposition that all species have descended over time from common ancestors is
now widely accepted and considered a foundational concept in science. In a joint publication with Alfred
Russel Wallace, he introduced his scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a
process that he called natural selection. (www.localhistories.org/darwin.html)

DARWINIAN REVOLUTION

SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 13

 The concept of evolution is depicted in the previous pictures. Charles Darwin’s famous Natural
Selection is one of the limelight of science. It tells us that organisms including humans, inherit, develop, and
adapt traits that favor survival and reproduction. I’m sure that this theory had been discussed repeatedly in
your history and science subjects before and this is not new to you. Come to think of it, do we really come from
monkeys? Up to now there are still no strong evidences that will support that belief but I know some of you are
really confused. If that’s the case, then Darwin’s theory did not fail to prove the way how we see science. We
are then products of the great influence of what we so call Darwinian revolution.

What is Darwinian Revolution?

➢ The English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, Charles Darwin is credited for stirring another
important intellectual revolution in the mid-19th century. His treatise on the science of evolution, On the
Origin of Species, was published in 1859 and began a revolution that brought humanity to a new era of
intellectual discovery.

➢ This benefitted from earlier intellectual revolutions especially those in the 16 th and 17th centuries, such
that it was guided by confidence in human reason’s ability to explain phenomena in the universe.

➢ This theory of evolution was, of course, met with resistance and considered to be controversial. Critics
accused the theory of being either short in accounting for the broad and complex evolutionary process
or dismissive of the idea that the functional design of organisms was a manifestation of an omniscient
God.

What happened to the Darwinian theory?

Darwin published his book The Origin of Species in 1589. This book is considered to be one of the
most important works in scientific literature. Darwin collected many significant materials in order to present his
theory with overwhelming evidence. His book presented evidence on how species evolved over time and
adaptation that differentiate species. Like many other scholars, Darwin accumulated many pertinent materials
data that he could ever possibly need to substantiate his theory.

Darwin’s observational skills as scientist were extraordinary that moved beyond the realms of plants
and animals into the realms of humans. His book The Descent of Man was so impressive yet very
controversial. He introduced the idea of all organic life, including human beings, under the realm of
evolutionary thinking. This replaced the dominant views of a religious or biblical design that places human
beings in a privileged position of having been created by God. Darwin’s theory of evolution scientifically
questioned this view.

His accomplishments were so diverse that it is useful to distinguish two fields to which he made major
contributions: evolutionary biology and philosophy of science. More than these works, what made Darwin truly
remarkable was his courage to challenge religious and unscientific ideas that are deemed to be prominent
during those days. His unconventional way of pursuing science gave more value to evidence-based science.

Sigmund Freud was an Austrian neurologist who developed psychoanalysis, a method through
which an analyst unpacks unconscious conflicts based on the free associations, dreams and
fantasies of the patient. His theories on child sexuality, libido and the ego, among other topics,
SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 14
 were some of the most influential academic concepts of the 20th
century.

Since we already have a brief background of our three great contributors, can you imagine a world
without science as an avenue for intellect? Do you think we can still live the society even without these
revolutionary intellectuals? Perhaps no, because without them science will not bring us this far, into our own
perspectives.
Therefore, for this discussion, intellectual revolutions should not be confused with the Greeks pre-
Socratic speculations about the behavior of the universe. In science and technology, intellectual revolutions
refer to the series of events that led to the emergence of modern science and the progress of scientific thinking
across critical periods in history. Although there are many intellectual revolutions, this lesson focuses on three
of the most important ones that altered the way humans view science and its impacts on society: the
Copernican, Darwinian, and Freudian revolutions.
In understanding intellectual revolutions, it is worth noting that these revolutions are, in themselves, paradigm
shifts. These shifts resulted from a renewed and enlightened understanding of how the universe behaves and
functions. They challenged long-held views about the nature of the universe. Thus, these revolutions were
often met with huge resistance on controversy.
A. FREUDIAN REVOLUTION
➢ Austrian neurologist, Sigmund Freund, is credited for stirring a 20th- century intellectual revolution
named after him, the Freudian Revolution. Psychoanalysis as a school of thought in Psychology is at
the center of this revolution.

What is Psychoanalysis?
- A scientific method of understanding inner and unconscious conflicts embedded within one’s
personality, spring from free associations, dreams and fantasies of the individual.

- Psychoanalysis is part of a larger movement known as depth psychology, which argues that
the most important aspects of personality lie below the level of conscious introspection, and are
not visible to those who confine their observations to superficial features of social behavior. All
depth psychologies make use of the iceberg metaphor: just as only one-ninth of an iceberg is
visible above the surface of the ocean, so only a small portion of personality is apparent
in what people do, and think, in the ordinary course of everyday living. People are not aware of,
or at least cannot articulate, the reasons for their own behavior. For this reason, overt behavior
of the type assessed by trait psychologists is of little interest -- the more appropriate focus is on
what lies below.

SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 15

 Chart retrieved from: ( https://www.goconqr.com)

This flowchart summarizes the theory of Psychoanalysis. It has three psychoanalytic concepts which include
psychosexual development, libido and ego.

✓ Freud suggested that humans are inherently pleasure-seeking individuals.

✓ Scientists working on a biological approach in studying human behavior criticized

psychoanalysis for lack of vitality and bordering on being unscientific as a theory. Particularly,
the notion that all humans are destined to exhibit Oedipus and Electra complexes (Example:
Sexual desire towards the parent of the opposite sex and exclusion of the parent of the same
sex) did not seem to be supported
by empirical data. They call then Psychoanalysis as an ideological instance than a scientific
one.
What happened to Freud’s theory?

• Amidst controversy, Freud’s psychoanalysis is widely credited for dominating psychotherapeutic practice
in the early 20th century. Psychodynamic therapies that treat a myriad of psychological disorders still
remain largely informed by Freud’s work on psychoanalysis.

CRADLES OF EARLY SCIENCE

Since time immemorial, inventions in science and technology have contributed greatly to improve our
way of living. Can you imagine us today without these inventions? The world now will be miserable if these
were not invented. In order for us to better understand this, let us study three developments of science in
Mesoamerica, Asia, and Africa. At this point, let’s time travel and take a look in the progress of our society with
the help of our history.

DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE IN MESOAMERICA

Where is Mesoamerica?

- The term Mesoamerica is derived from the Greek

and means "Middle America." It refers to a
geographical and cultural area which extends from
SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 16
 central Mexico down through Central America,
including the territory which is now made up of the
countries of Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El
Salvador. It is therefore seen as partly in North
America, and encompassing a large part of Central
America

A. Maya Civilization
➢ It is one of the famous civilizations in Mesoamerica that lasted for approximately 2,000 years. These
people are known for their works in astronomy (Moon, planets, Milky Way, Sun, and astronomical phenomena
by the Pre-Columbian Maya Civilization of Mesoamerica)

Mayan knowledge and understanding about celestial

bodies were advanced for their time, as evidenced by
their knowledge of predicting eclipse and using
astrological cycles in planting and harvesting. They
are also known for measuring time using two
complicated calendar systems. These calendars were
very useful for their life especially in planning their
activities and in observing their religious rituals and
cultural celebrations.

➢ Mayans also developed the technology for growing different crops and building elaborate cities using
ordinary machineries and tools. They built hydraulics system with sophisticated waterways to supply

SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 17

water to different communities.

SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 18

 HYDRAULICS SYSTEM MICA

➢ Mayans also built looms for weaving cloth and devised a rainbow of glittery paints made from a mineral
mica.

➢ They are also believed to be one of the first people to produce rubber products 3,000 years before
Goodyear received its patent in 1844.

➢ Famous of using a writing system Mayan hieroglyphic. Mayans made use of a very well-developed
and advanced written language. Since the language comprised of symbols and images, resembling the
language of ancient Egypt, the Spanish conquistadors termed it hieroglyphics. The individual units in
the language, or its alphabets, were called glyphs. The use of Mayan hieroglyphics was limited to the
Mayan priestly class. The priests used the language to pen down books on a wide range of subjects,
including books related to astronomy, religion, mythology and mathematics. Mayan hieroglyphics were
also inscribed on monumental structures as part of stelas or carvings.

➢ Skilled in mathematics and created a number system based on the numeral 20

➢ Developed the concept of zero and positive value even before the Romans did.

B. Inca Civilization

The Inca first appeared in the Andes region during the 12th century A.D. and gradually built a massive
kingdom through the military strength of their emperors. Known as Tawantinsuyu, the Inca state spanned
the distance of northern Ecuador to central Chile and consisted of 12 million inhabitants from more than
100 different ethnic groups at its peak. Well-devised agricultural and roadway systems, along with a
centralized religion and language, helped maintain a cohesive state. Despite their power, the Inca were
quickly overwhelmed by the diseases and superior weaponry of Spanish invaders, the last bastion of their
immense empire overtaken in 1572. The Inca first appeared in what is today southeastern Peru during the
12th century A.D. According to some versions of their origin myths, they were created by the sun god, Inti,
who sent his son Manco Capac to Earth through the middle of three caves in the village of Paccari Tampu.
After killing his brothers, Manco Capac led his sisters and their followers through the wilderness before
settling in the fertile valley near Cusco circa 1200.
(https://www.history.com/topics/south-america/inca)

➢ The Incas made advanced scientific ideas considering their limitations as an old civilization. The following
were scientific ideas and tools that they developed to help them in everyday life:

SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 19

 1. Roads paved with stones
2. Stone buildings that surmounted
earthquakes and other disasters
3. Irrigation system and technique for storing
water for their crops to grow in all types of
lands
4. Calendar with 12 months to mark their
religious festivals and prepare them for
planting season
5. The first suspension bridge
6. Quipu, a system of knotted ropes to keep
records that only experts can interpret
7. Inca textiles since cloth was one of the
specialties prized artistic achievements.

STONE BUILDINGS

SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 20

 INCA’S CALENDAR

INCA’S FIRST SUSPENSION BRIDGE

INCA’S IRRIGATION SYSTEM

C. Aztec Civilization
Aztec, self-name Culhua-Mexica, Nahuatl-speaking people who in the 15th and early 16th centuries ruled
a large empire in what is now central and southern Mexico. The Aztecs are so called from Aztlán (“White
Land”), an allusion to their origins, probably in northern Mexico. They were also called the Tenochca, from
an eponymous ancestor, Tenoch, and the Mexica, probably from Metzliapán (“Moon Lake”), the mystical
name for Lake Texcoco. From Tenochca was derived the name of their great city, Tenochtitlán, and from
Mexica came the name for the city that superseded the Aztecs capital and for the surrounding valley, which
was applied later to the whole Mexican nation. The Aztecs referred to themselves as CulhuaMexica, to link
themselves with Colhuacán, the center of the most-civilized people of the Valley of Mexico.See alsopre-
Columbian civilizations: Aztec culture to the time of theSpanish conquest.
(https://www.britannica.com/topic/Aztec)

➢ Following the Inca, the Aztec civilization has also made

substantial contributions to science and technology and to the
society as a whole. Some of their contributions are the
following:
1. Mandatory Education. The Aztec puts value on
education; that is why their children is mandated to
get education regardless of their social class,
gender, or age. It is an early form of universal or
inclusive education.

2. Chocolates. The Aztec in Mexico developed

chocolate during their time. in the Mayan culture
they used it as a currency. The Aztec valued the
cacao beans highly and made it as part of their
tribute to their gods.

3. Antispasmodic medication. They used a type of

antispasmodic medication that could prevent muscle spasms and relax muscles, which could
help during surgery.

4. Chinampa. It is a form of Aztec technology for agricultural farming in which the land was
divided into rectangular areas and surrounded by canals.

SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 21

 5. Aztec calendar. This enabled them to plan their activities, rituals and planting season.

6. Invention of the canoe. A light narrow boat used for traveling in water systems.

A. CHINAMPA B. AZTEC CALENDAR C. AZTEC’S CANOE

DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE IN ASIA

Asia is the biggest continent in the world and the home of many ancient civilizations. It is a host to
many cultural, economic, scientific, and political activities of all ages. In the field of science, technology,
and mathematics, great civilizations have stood out: India, China, and the Middle East Civilizations.
These civilizations were incomparable in terms of their contributions to the development of knowledge
during their time.

A. India

SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 22

 ➢ It is a huge peninsula surrounded by vast bodies of water and fortified by huge mountains in its
northern boarders. The Indians creatively developed various ideas and technologies useful in their
everyday lives.

➢ They are known of manufacturing iron and in metallurgical works. Their iron steel is considered to be
the best and held with high regard in the whole of Roman empire.

➢ Famous also of medicine. For example, Ayurveda, a system of traditional medicine that originated in
ancient India before 2500 BC, is still practiced as a form of alternative medicine. They discovered some
medicinal properties of plants that led them to develop medicines to cure various illnesses. Some
ancient texts like Susruta Samhita, describes different surgical and other medical procedures famous in
ancient India.

➢ Notable in the field of astronomy. They developed theories on the configuration of the universe, the
spherical self-supporting Earth, and the year of 360 days with 12 equal parts of 30 days each.

Siddhanta Shiromani – textbook of ancient India which covered topics such as: mean
longitudes of the planets; true longitudes of the planets; three problems of diurnal rotation;
syzygies; lunar eclipses; solar eclipses; latitudes of the planets; risings and settings; the moon’s
crescent; conjunctions of the planets with the fixed stars; and the paths of the Sun and Moon.
➢ Mohenjodaro ruler was designed by Indians in the Indus Valley Civilization to standardize
measurement of length to a high degree of accuracy.

➢ Aryabhatiya book made by Aryabhata (476-550) introduced a number of trigonometric functions,

tables, and techniques, as well as algorithms of algebra.

➢ Brahmagupta suggested that gravity was a force of attraction and lucidly explained the use of zero as
both a placeholder and a decimal digit along with Hindu-Arabic numeral system now used universally
throughout the world.

➢ Madhava of Sangamagrama is considered as the founder of mathematical analysis.

SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 23

Ancient India was an early leader in metallurgy, as evidenced by
the wrought iron Pillar of Delhi.
 Astrolabe- The Astrolabe is an ancient instrument
that measures the positions of stars and the solar
system.

B. China

➢ One of the ancient civilizations with

substantial contributions in many areas
of life like medicine, astronomy,
science, mathematics, arts,
philosophy, and music among others.
Its civilization greatly influenced many
of its neighbor countries like Korea,
Japan, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand,
Cambodia, Myanmar, and other
countries that belong to the old Silk
Road.

➢ Known for traditional medicines. They

discovered various medical properties

SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 24

 and uses of different plants and animals to cure human illness. Example is the practice of
acupuncture.

➢ Invented compass, papermaking, gunpowder, and printing tools.

➢ Invented also, tools like iron plough, wheelbarrow, and propeller.

➢ Developed design of different models of bridges, invented first seismological detector, and
developed a dry dock facility.

➢ Made significant records on supernovas, lunar and solar eclipses, and comets, which were carefully
recorded and preserved to understand better the heavenly bodies and their effects to our world.
China made substantial contributions in various fields. The list of their discoveries and inventions is
overwhelming. These contributions were made along with mathematics, logic, philosophy, and medicine.
However, cultural factors prevented these Chinese achievements from developing into modern science.

China’s Early Rockets China’s Ancient Compass

SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 25

 China’s Ancient Plow China’s Ancient Gunpowder

C. Middle East Countries

SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 26

 ➢ The Middle East countries are dominantly occupied by Muslims. With the spread of Islams in the 7 th
and 8th centuries, a period of Muslim scholarship, or what is called the Golden Age of Islam lasted
until the 13th century.

➢ Muslim scientist named Ibn al-Haytham is regarded as the Father of Optics in his empirical proof
of the intromission theory of light

➢ Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi gave his name to the concept of algorithm while the term
algebra is derived from al-jabr, the beginning of the title of one of his publications.

➢ Jabir ibn Hayyan a Muslim chemist who was considered as the Father of Chemistry.

➢ Ibn Sina pioneered the science of experimental medicine and was the first physician to conduct
clinical trials. His two most notable works in medicine, the Book of Healing and The Canon of
Medicine were used as a standard medicinal text in both the Muslim world and in Europe during the
17th century. Among his many contributions are the discovery of the contagious nature of infectious
diseases and the introduction of clinical pharmacology.

There are numerous Muslim scholars who made significant contributions in the field of science, astronomy,
philosophy, and even in the field of social sciences. The decline of this golden age of Islam started in the 11 th
to 13th century due to the conquest of the Mongols whereby libraries, observatories, and other learning
institutions were destroyed.

SCTS 10198 - Science, Technology and Society | 27

 Ibn al-Haytham Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi Jabir ibn Hayyan
(Father of Chemistry)
(Father of Optics)

DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE IN AFRICA

Africa is blessed with natural and mineral resources. Science also emerged in this part of the planet long
before the European colonized it. The history of science and mathematics show that similar to the other ancient
civilizations, the early civilizations in Africa are knowledge producers too.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 28

➢ The ancient Egyptian civilization has contributed immensely and made significant advances in the fields of
astronomy, mathematics, and medicine. For example, the development of geometry was a product of
necessity to preserve the layout and ownership of farmlands of the Egyptians living along the Nile River.

➢ Egypt was known to be the center of alchemy, which is known as the medieval forerunner of chemistry.
They tried to study human anatomy and pharmacology and applied important components such as
examination, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for the treatment of diseases. These components
displayed strong parallels to the basic empirical method of studying science.

➢ Astronomy was also famous in the African Region. For instance, documents show that Africans used three
types of calendars: lunar, solar, and stellar or a combination of three.

➢ Metallurgy was also known in the African regions during the ancient times. North Africa and the Nile Valley
imported iron technology from the Near East region that enabled them to benefit from the developments
during the Bronze Age until the Iron Age. They invented metal tools used in their homes, in agriculture, and
in building their magnificent architectures.

➢ Mathematics was also known to be prominent in the life of early people in the African continent. The
Lebombo Bone from the mountains between Swaziland and South Africa, which may have been a tool for
multiplication, division, and simple mathematical calculation or a six-month lunar calendar, is considered to
be the oldest known mathematical artifact dated from 35,000 BCE.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 29

➢ The Islamic regions in Africa during the medieval period was also benefiting from mathematical learning, which
is considered advanced during those times such as algebra, geometry, and trigonometry.

AFRICA’S ALCHEMY

AFRICA’S METALLURGY PRODUCT

*** END of the Lesson Proper***

REFERENCES

Textbooks

Aldea, K, Caronan H.P, and Candido, M.B. (2018). Science, Technology and Society (OBE Ready). Mandaluyong
City, Philippines: Book Atbp. Publishing Corp.

Serafica, J.P., Pawilen, G., Caslib Jr., B.N., and Alata, E.J. (2018). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon City,
Philippines: Rex Book Store, Inc. (RBSI)

Quinto, E.J. and Nieva, A. (2019). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon City, Philippines: C & E Publishing,
Inc.
Online References

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 30

 Nicolaus Copernicus Early Life. Retrieved from
https://www.history.com/topics/inventions/nicolaus-copernicus

Lambert, T. A Brief Biography of Charles Darwin. Retrieved from

www.localhistories.org/darwin.html

Psychoanalysis Theory of Freud. Retrieved from https://www.ocf.berkeley.edu

Psychoanalysis Flowchart Diagram. Retrieved from https://www.goconqr.com

Inca History. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/topics/south-america/inca

The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. Aztec History. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Aztec

Learning Materials

Worksheets (teacher-made)

UNIVERSITY OF SAINT LOUIS

Tuguegarao City

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, ARTS and SCIENCES

First Semester
A.Y. 2020-2021

CORRESPONDENCE LEARNING MODULE

SCTS 1013 – Science, Technology and Society

Prepared by:

NICKSON B. CAMMAYO
ANGELOU D. CAOLE
JOSEPHINE M. GUERRERO

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 31

 JEREMAE V. SAGARIO, MST
MARVIN B. BACCAY, MST
MARLY I. CANAPI Ph.D.
Course Instructor

Reviewed by:

RENZ MARION C. GAVINO, MP

General Education Area Head

Recommended by:

VENUS I. GUYOS, Ph.D.

Academic Dean

Approved by:

EMMANUEL JAMES P. PATTAGUAN, Ph.D.

Vice President for Academics

UNIVERSITY PRAYER

O God, wellspring of goodness and blessings, we give you thanks and praise as one Louisian community. The graces You
incessantly grant upon us and Your divine providence have sustained our beloved University throughout the years of
mission and excellence.

Having been founded by the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we pray that You keep us committed and
dedicated to our mission and identity to serve the Church and the society as we become living witnesses to the Gospel

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 32

 values proclaimed by Jesus. For if we are steadfast in our good and beautiful mission, our works will bring success not
only to ourselves but also to those whom we are bound to love and serve.

Inspired by St. Louis our Patron Saint, who was filled with a noble spirit that stirred him to love You above all things, may we
also live believing that we are born for a greater purpose and mission as we dwell in Your presence all the days of our
life.

Grant all these supplications through the intercession of Mother

Mary and through Christ our Lord. Amen.

CORRESPONDENCE LEARNING MODULE

SCTS 1013: Science, Technology and Society
AY 2020-2021

LESSON 4: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND NATION BUILDING

Topic: A. The Philippine Government Science & Technology Agenda
B. Major Development Programs and Personalities in Science
&Technology in the Philippines
C. Science Education in the Philippines
D. Indigenous Science and Technology in the Philippines

Learning Outcomes: At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. Discuss the role of science and technology in Philippine nation-building;

2. Evaluate government policies pertaining to science and technology in terms of their contributions to
nation building;
3. Identify actual science and technology policies of the government and appraise their impact on the
development of the Filipino nation;
4. Discuss the concept of science education;
5. Identify science schools established to promote science education in the Philippines;
6. Discuss the concept of indigenous science; and

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 33

 7. Discuss the contribution of indigenous science in the development of science and technology in the
Philippines

Date Topics Activities or Tasks

September 21-23 The Philippine Government Science & Read Lessons
Technology Agenda
Complete Learning Task Sheet (PART I &
September 24-25 Major Development Programs and II)
Personalities in Science & Technology
in the Philippines
September 28-30 Science Education in the Philippines Read Lessons
Complete the Learning Task Sheet (PART
October 1-2 Indigenous Science and Technology in III & IV)
the Philippines Assignment
Turning over of learning
October 5 task and
acquisition of new module

LEARNING CONTENT

Introduction:

Filipino scientists have contributed so much to the development of science and technology in the Philippines. Since
then, even when we were not born yet, science and technology had been part of sustaining the needs and quest of
mind of the Filipino people. Some inventions are known until now and it made a significant role in building us as
one nation. However, these developments would not be possible without the intervention and support of our
government.

In this lesson, we are going to understand the importance of the growth of Filipino inventions and how it
changed our daily lives. It initially surveys contributions of Filipino scientists to science and technology and
identifies government programs, projects, and policies geared toward boasting the science and technological
capacity of the country. Aside from that, this lesson also includes discussions on Philippine indigenous science and
Technology.

Therefore, I expect you to become not just informed students, but to be transformed students ready to seek
knowledge and to do more with the knowledge that you have! That maybe more challenging, especially with this
pandemic we are experiencing, but with the right motivation, we can still attain this goal. Let’s go!

Lesson Proper:

Science, Technology and Nation Building For us to understand how science

and technology began to thrive in our country, let’s know first about the brief history of science and technology in
the Philippines.

Brief Historical Background of Science and Technology in the Philippines

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 34

The history of science and technology in the Philippines started way back before the country gained its independence
from the American colonizers. Before the coming of the Spanish colonizers, the early inhabitants of the
archipelago had their own culture and traditions. They had their own belief system and indigenous knowledge
system that keeps them organized and sustained their lives and communities for many years.

Let’s time travel!

PHILIPPINES SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY DURING PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD

• People used herbal medicine to treat illnesses

• To facilitate trading, Filipinos made use of writing, numerical, measurement, and calendar systems
• Farming, fishing, mining, and weaving were the first livelihood skills developed by Filipinos
• Banaue Rice Terraces of Ifugao was developed for livelihood purposes
• Technology is used by people in building houses, irrigations, and in developing tools that they can use in
everyday life
• Developed tools for planting, hunting, cooking, and fishing; for fighting their enemies during war or tribal
conflicts; and for transportation, both on land and waterways

➢ 48,000 BC: Modern man from Asian mainland came overland to live in Batangas and Palawan
(Formed settlement in Sulu, Davao, Zamboanga, Samar, Negros, Batangas, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan
and Cagayan.)
➢ 40, 000 BC: simple tools and weapons for stone flakes were developed as a method of sawing and

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 35

 polishing stones

The image shows example of stoneflakes in the Philippinesduring the Pre-Colonial period

➢ 3,000 BC: Adzes, ornament of seashells and pottery were developed.

(Pottery flourished for the next 2000 years until completion with Chinese porcelain)
➢ Production of copper, bronze, iron and gold metal tools and ornaments
➢ Extraction, smelting and refining of iron from ores until the importation of cast iron from Sarawak and
later from China
➢ Cultivation of lowland rice, diking of terraced fields utilizing spring water in mountain regions

o They also learned to build boats for trading purposes (Spanish chronicles noted refined plankbuilt warships
called caracoa suited for inter-island trades)

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 36

 ➢ Spaniards later utilized Filipino expertise in boat-building and seamanship to fight the raiding Dutch,
Portuguese, Muslims and the Chinese pirate Limahong
➢ During the 10th-15th century AD Filipinos from the Butuan were trading with champa

PHILIPPINES SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY DURING SPANISH REGIME

• When Spaniards colonized the country, they brought with them their own culture and practices
• They established schools for boys and girls and introduced the concepts of subjects and disciplines which
was the beginning of formal science and technology in the country, known now as school of science and
technology
• Learning of science in school focuses on understanding different concepts related to the human body,
plants, animals, and heavenly bodies
• Technology focuses on using and developing house tools used in everyday life
• During this time, Philippines became modernized, adapting some Western technology and their ways of
life
• Medicine and advanced science were introduced in formal colleges and universities established by Catholic
orders
• Sanitation and more advanced methods of agriculture were taught to the natives
• Colleges and universities in the archipelago were established (University of Santo Tomas was built and
prioritized the study of medicine)

This is UST during the Spanish Regime

• The Galleon trade have accounted in the Philippine colonial economy (Trade was given more focus by the
Spaniard colonial authorities due to prospects of big profits and on the other hand, agriculture and industrial
development were neglected)
• The opening of Suez Canal saw the influx of European visitors to the Spanish colony (Filipinos were able to
study in Europe influenced by the rapid development of scientific ideals brought about by the Age of
Enlightenment)

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 37

Later part of the 16th century, schools were developed:
1. Colegio de San Ildefonso, Cebu (1595)

2. Colegio de San Ignacio, Manila (1595)

3. Colegio de Nuestra Senora del Rosario, Manila (1597)

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 38

 4. Colegio de San Jose, Manila (1601)

• During 17th-18th century, successive shipwrecks and attacks of pirates on the galleons led to the declining
profits from the trade
• In 1780, Real Sociedad Economica de los Amigos del Pais de Filipinas (Royal Economic Society of the
Friends of the Country of Philippines) was founded by Governador Jose Y Basco)
➢ Encouraged research in agriculture and industry
➢ Promoted cultivation of indigo, cotton, cinnamon, and silk industry
• In 1789, Manila was opened to Asian shipping which is the era of increase in export of rice, hemp, tobacco,
sugar, indigo and imported manufacturing goods
• In 19th century, world trade was expanded and commerce led to the rapid development of Manila as
cosmopolitan center
➢ Modern amenities such as stream tramways, waterworks, newspaper, electric lights and banking
system were introduced

• In 1865, Jesuits promoted meteorological studies founding Manila Observatory at the Ateneo Municipal
de Manila

PHILIPPINES SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY DURING AMERICAN REGIME

• The Americans have more influence in the development of science and technology in the Philippines
compared to the Spaniards
➢ Simultaneous government encouragement and support for an extensive public education system

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 39

 ➢ Granting of scholarships for higher education in science and engineering
➢ The organization of science research agencies and establishment of science-based public
services
• In 1901, Bureau of Public Works was created
• The Americans found out that there were no competent Filipino engineers and American engineers had to
be imported
➢ Special efforts were made to attract Filipinos to pursue advanced studies leading to careers as
engineers
➢ Upon achieving their professional qualifications, they were employed as junior engineers in the
Bureau of Public Works
• The establishment of the University of the Philippines satisfied the short-run needs for professionally
trained Filipinos which increased social demand for professional education

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 40

 This is the University of the Philippines during the American Regime

• The University of the Philippines remained the only publicly-supported institutions for higher education
• In 1901, the Bureau of Government Laboratories was established which was placed under the
Department of Interior
➢ Replaced the Laboratorio Municipal, which was established under the Spanish colonial era
➢ Dealt with the study of tropical diseases and laboratory projects (production of vaccine for virus,
serums and prophylactics)

• In 1993, the National Research Council of the Philippines was established

➢ The Bureau of Science became the primary research center of the Philippines in the World War
II
• Science was inclined towards agriculture, food processing, forestry, medicine and pharmacy
➢ Not much focus was given on the development of industrial technology due to free trade policy with the United States
• Researches were done to control malaria, cholera and tuberculosis and other tropical diseases
• Protestant church missions in different places in country brought hospitals and schools to far-flung areas

However, with these advances that Philippines had during pre-colonial, Spanish, and American regimes it became a turn down destabilizing the developments of the country in many ways.
Institutions and public facilities were turned into ashes, houses were burned, and many lives were destroyed. The country had a difficult time to rebuild itself from the ruins of the war.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 41

Through the help of Japan, reparation funds focused on building some institutions and public facilities like schools, hospitals, and transportation systems. Since the establishment of the
new republic, the whole nation has been focusing on using its limited resources in improving its science and technological capability. It has
explored the use of ODA or Overseas Development Allocations from different countries to help the country improve its scientific productivity
and technological capability.

This is Philippines during the World War II

Internal Influences
• Survival
• Culture
• Economic Activities

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 42

 External Influences
• Foreign Colonizers
• Trades with Foreign
Countries
• International Economic
Demands

DEVELOPMENT of SCIENCE and

TECHNOLOGY in the PHILIPPINES

This shows the influences in the development of Science and Technology in the Philippines

The development of science and technology in the Philippines, based on its brief history, is shaped by several factors and influences. Like in the history of science in other countries, it is
always shaped by human and social activities, both internal and external. Science and technology may have significant impact on lives of the people and in the development of the
Philippine society. However, improving the quality of science education still remains as a big challenge in the country. School science from basic education to graduate education is
improving slowly, and there are only few students enrolling in science and technology courses.

*** END of the Lesson Proper**

REFERENCES

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 43

 Textbooks
Aldea, K, Caronan H.P, and Candido, M.B. (2018). Science, Technology and Society (OBE Ready). Mandaluyong City, Philippines: Book Atbp.
Publishing Corp.

Serafica, J.P., Pawilen, G., Caslib Jr., B.N., and Alata, E.J. (2018). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon City, Philippines: Rex Book Store, Inc. (RBSI)

Quinto, E.J. and Nieva, A. (2019). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon City, Philippines: C & E Publishing, Inc.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 44

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UNIVERSITY OF SAINT LOUIS
Tuguegarao City

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, ARTS and SCIENCES

First Semester
A.Y. 2020-2021

SCTS 1013 – Science, Technology and Society

Prepared by:

NICKSON B. CAMMAYO
ANGELOU D. CAOLE
JOSEPHINE M. GUERRERO
JEREMAE V. SAGARIO, MST
MARVIN B. BACCAY, MST
MARLY I. CANAPI Ph.D.
Course Instructor

Reviewed by:

RENZ MARION C. GAVINO, MP

General Education Area Head

Recommended by:

VENUS I. GUYOS, Ph.D.

Academic Dean

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 63

 Approved by:

EMMANUEL JAMES P. PATTAGUAN, Ph.D.

Vice President for Academics

UNIVERSITY PRAYER

O God, wellspring of goodness and blessings, we give you thanks and praise as one Louisian community. The graces You
incessantly grant upon us and Your divine providence have sustained our beloved University throughout the years of
mission and excellence.

Having been founded by the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we pray that You keep us committed and
dedicated to our mission and identity to serve the Church and the society as we become living witnesses to the Gospel
values proclaimed by Jesus. For if we are steadfast in our good and beautiful mission, our works will bring success not
only to ourselves but also to those whom we are bound to love and serve.

Inspired by St. Louis our Patron Saint, who was filled with a noble spirit that stirred him to love You above all things, may we
also live believing that we are born for a greater purpose and mission as we dwell in Your presence all the days of our
life.

Grant all these supplications through the intercession of Mother

Mary and through Christ our Lord. Amen.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 64

 CORRESPONDENCE LEARNING MODULE
SCTS 1013: Science, Technology and Society
AY 2020-2021

LESSON 4: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND NATION BUILDING

Topic: A. The Philippine Government Science & Technology Agenda
B. Major Development Programs and Personalities in Science
&Technology in the Philippines
C. Science Education in the Philippines
D. Indigenous Science and Technology in the Philippines

Learning Outcomes: At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. Discuss the role of science and technology in Philippine nation-building;

2. Evaluate government policies pertaining to science and technology in terms of their contributions to
nation building;
3. Identify actual science and technology policies of the government and appraise their impact on the
development of the Filipino nation;
4. Discuss the concept of science education;
5. Identify science schools established to promote science education in the Philippines;
6. Discuss the concept of indigenous science; and
7. Discuss the contribution of indigenous science in the development of science and technology in the
Philippines

Date Topics Activities or Tasks

September 21-23 The Philippine Government Science & Read Lessons
Technology Agenda

Complete Learning Task Sheet (PART I &

September 24-25 Major Development Programs and
II)
Personalities in Science & Technology
in the Philippines
September 28-30 Science Education in the Philippines Read Lessons
Complete the Learning Task Sheet (PART
October 1-2 Indigenous Science and Technology in III & IV)
the Philippines Assignment
Turning over of learning
October 5 task and
acquisition of new module

LEARNING CONTENT

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 65

Introduction:

Filipino scientists have contributed so much to the development of science and technology in the Philippines. Since
then, even when we were not born yet, science and technology had been part of sustaining the needs and quest of
mind of the Filipino people. Some inventions are known until now and it made a significant role in building us as
one nation. However, these developments would not be possible without the intervention and support of our
government.

In this lesson, we are going to understand the importance of the growth of Filipino inventions and how it
changed our daily lives. It initially surveys contributions of Filipino scientists to science and technology and
identifies government programs, projects, and policies geared toward boasting the science and technological
capacity of the country. Aside from that, this lesson also includes discussions on Philippine indigenous science and
Technology.

Therefore, I expect you to become not just informed students, but to be transformed students ready to seek
knowledge and to do more with the knowledge that you have! That maybe more challenging, especially with this
pandemic we are experiencing, but with the right motivation, we can still attain this goal. Let’s go!

Lesson Proper:
A. The Philippine Government Science & Technology Agenda

“Advancing science and technology is the best option for Philippines growth”
-DOST

We are so lucky nowadays that our government is extending their support in developing science and technology to
create an avenue for researches and inventions that will help our country grow. Before, science and technology
has limited its resources of what is existing but now, science and technology had improved and it is expanding its
means for new studies and relevance. For us to have a better picture on how our government can help us with our
researches, this topic will make us be informed on government’s policies in science and technology.

What is the role of our government in science and technology?

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 66

 • The Philippine government introduced and implemented several programs, projects, and policies to boost
the area of science and technology. The goal is to prepare the whole country and its people to meet the
demands of a technologically driven world and capacitate the people to live in a world driven by science.
• Padilla-Concepcion reported that in 2015, in response to ASEAN 2015 Agenda, the government,
particularly the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), has sought the expertise of the
National Research Council of the Philippines (NCRP) to consult various sectors in the society to study
how the Philippines can prepare itself in meeting the ASEAN 2015 Goals. As a result of the consultation,
the NCRP is expected to recommend policies and programs that will improve the competitiveness of the
Philippines in the ASEAN Region.

The NCRP clustered policies into four, namely:

1. Social Sciences, Humanities, Education, International Policies and Governance

➢ Integrating ASEAN awareness in basic education without adding to the curriculum
➢ Emphasizing teaching in the mother tongue
➢ Developing school infrastructure and providing for ICT broadband
➢ Local food security

2. Physics, Engineering and Industrial Research, Earth and Space Sciences, and Mathematics
➢ Emphasizing degrees, licenses, and employment opportunities
➢ Outright grants for per mentoring
➢ Review of RA 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act)
➢ Harnessing science and technology as an independent mover of development

3. Medical, Chemical, and Pharmaceutical Sciences

➢ Ensuring compliance of drug-manufacturing firms with ASEAN-harmonized standards by full
implementation of the Food and Drug Administration
➢ Creating an education council dedicated to standardization of pharmaceutical services and care
➢ Empowering food and drug agencies to conduct evidence-based research as pool of information
➢ Allocating two percent of the GDP to research
➢ Legislating a law supporting human genome projects

4. Biological Sciences, Agriculture, and Forestry

➢ Protecting and conserving biodiversity by full implementation of existing laws
➢ Use of biosafety and standard model by ASEAN countries
➢ Promoting indigenous knowledge systems and indigenous people conservation
➢ Formulation of common food and safety standards

There are also other existing programs supported by the Philippine government through the DOST. Some of these
projects are the following:

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 67

 • Providing funds for basic research and patents related to science and technology. The government
funds basic and applied researches. Funding of these research and projects are also from the
Overseas Development Aid (ODA) from different countries.
• Providing scholarships for undergraduate and graduate studies of students in the field of science
and technology. Saloma (2015) pointed out that the country needs to produce more doctoral
graduates in the field of science and technology, and produce more research in these fields,
including engineering.
• Establishing more branches of the Philippine Science High School system for training young
Filipinos in the field of science and technology
• Creating science and technology parks to encourage academe and industry partnerships
• Balik Scientist Program to encourage Filipino scientists abroad to come home and work in the
Philippines or conduct research and projects in collaboration with Philippine-based scientists.
• Developing science and technology parks in academic campuses to encourage academe and
industry partnerships
• Establishment of National Science Complex and National Engineering Complex within the
University of the Philippines, Diliman.

The Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering (PAASE, 2008) identified several
capacitybuilding programs such as:

• Establishment of national centers of excellence

• Manpower and institutional development programs, such as the Engineering and Science Education
Program (ESEP) to produce more PhD graduates in science and engineering
• Establishment of regional centers to support specific industries that will lead the country in different
research and development areas
• Establishment of science and technology business centers to assist, advise, and incubate
technopreneurship ventures
• Strengthen science education at an early stage through the Philippine Science High School system

In the field of education, several science-related programs and projects were created to develop the scientific literacy
of the country. Special science classes were organized and special elementary schools were established in
different regions. Aside from this, science and mathematics in basic education were continuously improved.

There are many other areas and fields that the country is looking forward to embark various research and projects.
The following are some of them:
1. Use of alternative and safe energy
2. Harnessing mineral resources
3. Finding cure for various diseases and illness
4. Climate change and global warming
5. Increasing food production
6. Preservation of natural resources
7. Coping with natural disasters and calamities
8. Infrastructure development

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 68

 A. Major Development Programs and Personalities in Science &Technology in the Philippines

Now, we already have an idea of the policies and agenda of the Philippine government in science and technology. For
us to appreciate more of their contributions, let us know some Filipino presidents and scientists and the
developments in science and technology under their administration and inventions.

FERDINAND MARCOS
➢ Mandated the Department of Education and Culture (now DepEd) to promote science courses in public
high schools
➢ Additional budget for research projects in applied sciences and science education
➢ War damage fund donated to private universities to encourage them to create courses in science and
technology and to research

Establishment of:

Philippine Coconut Philippine Textile Philippine Atomic

Research Institute Research Institute Energy Commission

PAGASA Philippine Plant Breeding SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 69
International Rice Bureau of Plant
National Oil Institute
Research Institute Industry
Company
SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 70
 National Grains Philippine Council for
Authority Agricultural Research

CORAZON AQUINO
➢ NSTA was renamed to DOST to be represented in the cabinet and
play an integral role in the country’s sustainable economic recovery
and growth
➢ Science and Technology Master Plan- to update the production
sector, improve research activities, and develop infrastructures for
science and technology sector

FIDEL RAMOS
➢ In 1987, Philippines had approximately 3,000 competent scientists and engineers
➢ Doctors to the Barrio Program- made healthcare accessible in far-flung areas in the country
➢ National Program for Gifted Filipino Children in Science & Technology- created for high school
students who want to major in science and engineering college
➢ RA 8439: Magna Carta for Scientist Engineers, Researchers, and other Science and Technology in
the government
➢ RA 7459: Inventors and Inventions Incentive Act
➢ RA 8293: The Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines

JOSEPH ESTRADA
➢ RA 8749: The Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999
➢ RA 8792: Electronic Commerce Act of 2000
➢ Implementation of cost-effective irrigation technologies and providing basic health care services

GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
➢ Science and technology sector were developed to strengthen the education system and to address poverty
➢ Filipinnovation- coined to refer Philippines as an innovation hub in Asia
➢ RA 9367: Biofuels Act – to utilize indigenous materials as sources of energy
➢ Farmers were encouraged to use rice that can withstand environmental hazards
➢ RA 10601: Agriculture and Fisheries Mechanization (AFMech) Law- to modernize agricultural and
fisheries machinery and equipment

BENIGNO AQUINO III

➢ Under his administration, new national scientists were named:
• Gavino C. Trono- made extensive studies on seaweed species which helped families in the coastal
populations
• Angel C. Alcala- served as the pioneer scientist and advocate of coral reefs
• Ramon C. Barba- studied the induction of flowering of mango and micropropagation of important
crop species
• Edgardo D. Gomez- national-scale assessment of damaged coral reefs which led to a national
conservation program

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 71

RODRIGO DUTERTE
➢ Philippine Space Technology Program- launched Diwata-2 in 2018 after the launch of Diwata-1 in 2016
that displayed the Philippine flag in space
➢ RA 11305” An Act Institutionalizing the Balik Scientist Program” was signed into law by the president
on June 15, 2018. This law would give more incentives to returning Filipino experts, scientists, inventors,
and engineers who would share their expertise in the country.
➢ 271 new weather stations were installed by the Department of Science and Technology throughout the
country.

The Philippine Congress has also created various laws related to science and technology. These laws serve as a legal
framework for science and technology in the country. These laws vary according to different themes such as
conservation, health-related, technology building and supporting basic research among others. Some laws and
policies are in line with international treaties such as United Nations (UN), United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other international
agencies.

The development of policies in science and technology is shaped or influenced by several variables: policies need to
be aligned to national goals, consider international commitments based on legal frameworks, and respond to
various social needs, issues, and problems. Science and technology policies ensure that the whole country and all
people will experience the progress that science can bring.

Famous Filipinos in the Field of Science

School science is filled with names of foreign scientists: Einstein, Galileo Galilei, Newton, Faraday, Darwin, and many
other Western scientists. We rarely hear of Filipino scientists being discussed in science classes. Lee-Chua (2000)
identified 10 outstanding Filipino scientists who have made significant contributions in Philippine science. These
scientists are also famous abroad especially in different science disciplines: agriculture, mathematics, physics,
medicine, marine science, chemistry, engineering, and biology.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 72

These Filipino scientists are:

1. Ramon Cabanos Barba- for his outstanding research on tissue culture in Philippine mangoes
2. Josefino Cacas Comiso- for his works on observing the characteristics of Antarctica by using satellite
images
3. Jose Bejar Cruz Jr.- known internationally in the field of electrical engineering; was elected as officer of
the famous Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
4. Lourdes Jansuy Cruz- notable for her research on sea snail venom
5. Fabian Millar Dayrit- for his research on herbal medicine
6. Rafael Dineros Guerrero III- for his research on tilapia culture
7. Enrique Mapua Ostrea Jr.- for inventing the meconium drugs testing
8. Lilian Formalejo Patena- for doing research on plant biotechnology
9. Mari-Jo Panganiban Ruiz- for being an outstanding educator and graph theorist
10. Gregory Ligot Tangonan- for his research in the field of communications technology
11. Fe del Mundo - invented the incubator. An incubator is an apparatus used to maintain environmental
conditions suitable for newborn baby.

12. Gregorio Y. Zara - inventor of videophone. Videophone is a two-way television patented as a photo
signal separator network.

13. Agapito Flores - invented the fluorescent lamp which is the most widely used source of lighting in the
world today.

14. Daniel Dingel - inventor of the water - powered car in 1969. His hydrogen reactor uses electricity to
transform ordinary tap water with salt into deuterium oxide or heavy water.

15. Diosdado Banatao - most known for introducing the first single-chip graphical use interface (GUI)
accelerator that made computers work faster and for helping develop Ethernet controller chip that made
internet possible

16. Abelardo Aguilar- invented the antibiotic erythromycin from a strain of bacterium called Streptomyces
erythreus.

17. Rolando dela Cruz- invented mole remover that had the ability to easily remove moles and warts on
the skin without surgical procedures.

18. Maria Orosa- invented banana ketchup from the commonly known tomato ketchup

There are other outstanding Filipino scientists who are recognized here and abroad for their outstanding
contributions in science:
• Caesar A. Saloma- an internationally renowned physicist
• Edgardo Gomez- famous scientist in marine science
• William Padolina- chemistry and president of National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST)-
SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 73
 Philippines
• Angel Alcala- marine science
There are other scientists in the Philippines who were not identified in the list. Yet, the Philippines still need more
scientists and engineers, and there is a need to support scientific research in the country.

Many Filipino scientists, whether they are in the country or abroad, always excel in their job. The Filipino spirit in
their souls has never faded. They continue to bring honor to the country. They make ordinary things in an
extraordinary way. They are always at par with other scientists in spite of the limited facilities we have here in
the country.

B. Science Education in the Philippines

The Philippines is trying its best to improve the state of science education in the country. One of the strategies is to
establish science schools that will encourage students to pursue their career in science and technology and to
nurture their gifted potentials in science.

What is Science Education?

✓ Science education focuses on teaching, learning, and understanding science. Teaching science
involves developing ways on how to effectively teach science. This means exploring pedagogical
theories and models in helping teachers teach scientific concepts and processes effectively. Learning
science, on the other hand, includes both pedagogy and the most interesting aspect, which is helping
students understand and love science.
✓ Understanding science implies developing and applying science-processes skills and using science
literacy in understanding the natural world and activities in everyday life.
✓ Science education is justified by the vast amount of scientific knowledge developed in this area that
prepares citizens in a scientifically and technologically driven world.
✓ Science education will develop a strong foundation for studying science and for considering
sciencerelated careers in the future.
✓ Science education also develops positive attitude such as: the love for knowledge, passion for
innovative things, curiosity to study about nature and creativity.

In order to enhance science and technology education, schools play a vital role in bringing out the best in students
who wish to pursue science and technology in the future.

Science Education in Basic and Tertiary Education

• In basic education, science education helps students learn important concepts and facts that are related
to everyday life which includes process skills, critical thinking, and life skills that are needed in coping up
with daily life activities. • In tertiary education, science education deals with developing students’
understanding and appreciation of science ideas and scientific works. This is done through offering
basic science courses in the General Education curriculum.
• Science education in the tertiary level also focuses on the preparation of science teachers, scientists,
engineers, and other professionals in various science-related fields such as engineering, agriculture,
medicine, and health sciences.

Where to study science education?

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 74

 ➢ One outstanding program for science education supported by the government is the establishment of
science schools in various parts of the country. There are also several government programs
implemented by the Department of Education and few private schools for science education.

Science Schools in the Philippines:

1. Philippine Science High School System (PSHSS)

This is a government program for gifted students in the Philippines. It is a service institute of the
Department of Science and Technology (DOST) whose mandate is to offer free scholarship basis for
secondary course with special emphasis on subjects pertaining to the sciences, with the end-view of
preparing its students for a science career (RA 3661).

Since its inception, the PSHSS continues to pursue its vision to develop Filipino science scholars with
scientific minds and passion for excellence. PSHSS students have proven to be a beacon of excellence,
courage and hope for the country. They have brought honor to the Philippines through their exemplary
achievements in various international competitions and research circles. When the students graduate
from the school, they are expected to pursue degrees in science and technology at various colleges and
universities locally or abroad.

2. Special Science Elementary Schools (SSES) Project

The Special Science Elementary Schools (SSES) Project is in pursuance to DepEd Order No. 73 s. 2008,
and DepEd Order No. 51 s. 2010. This project started in June 2007 with 57 identified elementary
schools that participated or were identified as science elementary schools in the country. Since its
inception, the number have grown to more than 60 schools nationwide.
SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 75
 The SSES Project aims to develop Filipino children equipped with scientific and technological knowledge,
skills, values. Its mission is to:
• Provide learning environment to science-inclined children through a special curriculum that
recognizes the multiple intelligences of the learners;
• Promote the development of lifelong learning skills; and
• Foster the holistic development of the learners

The subject Science and Health is taught in Grade 1 with a longer time compared to other subjects: 70
minutes for Grades I to III and 80 minutes for Grades IV to VI. The curriculum also utilizes different
instructional approaches that address the learning styles and needs of the learners like the use of
investigatory projects.

3. Quezon City Regional Science High School

The school was established on September 17, 1967. Originally, it was named Quezon City Science High
School. It was turned into a regional science high school for the National Capital Region in 1999. The
school was a product of a dream to establish special science school for talented students in science
and mathematics. The focus of the curriculum is on science and technology. The school teaches the
basic education courses prescribed by the Department of Education (DepEd) for secondary education.
However, there are additional subjects in sciences and technology that students should take. The
school envisions to serve as a venue in providing maximum opportunities for science gifted students to
develop spirit of inquiry and creativity. The school is well-supported by the local government unit and by
the Parents and Teachers Association (PTA).

4. Manila Science High School

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 76

 The school was established on October 1, 1963 as the Manila Science High School (MSHS). It is the first
science high school in the Philippines. The organization and curriculum of the school puts more
emphasis on science and mathematics. MSHS aims to produce scientists with souls. In order to do this,
humanities courses and other electives are included in their curriculum. Students are also encouraged
to participate in various extracurricular activities. The school administers an entrance exam, the Manila
Science High School Admission Test (MSAT), for students who wish to enroll. The MSAT has five parts:
aptitude i science, aptitude test in mathematics, problem-solving test in science, problem- solving test in
mathematics, and proficiency in English. The school prides itself from producing outstanding alumni and
for winning various national competitions.

5. Central Visayan Institute Foundation

It is the home and pioneer of the prominent school-based innovation known as the Dynamic Learning
Program (DLP). The DLP is a synthesis of classical and modern pedagogical theories adapted to foster
the highest level of learning, creativity, and productivity. The school takes pride in its Research Center
for Theoretical Physics (RCTP) established in 1992, which organizes small international workshops to
foster the informal but intense exchange of ideas and perspectives on outstanding problems in physics
and mathematics.

C. Indigenous Science and Technology in the Philippines

Filipinos, especially during the early times, tried to invent tools that will help them in everyday life. They also
developed alternative ideas in explaining various phenomena and in explaining the world around them. This
system of knowledge is called indigenous knowledge, which is the foundation of indigenous science.

What is indigenous knowledge?

➢ Indigenous knowledge is embedded in the daily life experiences of young children as they grow up.
They live and grow in a society where the members of the community prominently practice indigenous
knowledge. Their parents and other older folks served as their first teachers and their methods of
teaching are very effective in transmitting cultural knowledge in their minds. The lessons they learned
are intimately interwoven with their culture and the environment. These lessons comprised of good
values and life stories of people on their daily life struggles. Their views about nature and their
reflections on their experiences in daily life are evident in their stories, poems and songs.

Some examples of indigenous knowledge that are taught and practiced by the indigenous people are:
• Predicting weather conditions and seasons using knowledge in observing animals’ behavior and
celestial bodies
• Using herbal medicine
• Preserving foods
• Classifying plants and animals into families and groups based on cultural properties
• Using indigenous technology in daily lives
• Building local irrigation systems
• Classifying different types of soil for planting based on cultural properties
SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 77
 • Producing wines and juices from tropical fruits
• Keeping the custom of growing plants and vegetables in the yard

What is Indigenous Science?

➢ It is part of the indigenous knowledge system practiced by different groups of people and early
civilizations.
➢ It includes complex arrays of knowledge, expertise, practices, and representations that guide human
societies in their enumerable interactions with the natural milieu: agriculture, medicine, naming and
explaining natural phenomena, and strategies for coping with changing environments.
➢ Includes everything, from metaphysics to philosophy and various practical technologies practiced by
indigenous peoples both past and present through science as part of culture and how science is done
largely depends on the cultural practices of the people.

INDIGENOUS SCIENCE

Traditional Knowledge
Science Process Skills uses
guided by
Community, Culture and composed of
Values
The diagram shows the concept of indigenous science

1. Indigenous science uses science process skills such as observing, comparing, classifying,
measuring, problem solving, inferring, communicating, and predicting.
2. Indigenous science is guided by culture and community values such as the following:
• The land is a source of life. It is a precious gift from the creator.
• The earth is revered as “Mother Earth”. It is their origin of identity as people.
• All living and nonliving things are interconnected and interdependent with each other
• Human beings are stewards or trustee of the land and other natural resources. They have a
responsibility to preserve it.
• Nature is a friend to human beings- it needs respect and proper care.
3. Indigenous science is composed of traditional knowledge practiced and valued by people and
communities such as ethno-biology, ethno-medicine, indigenous farming methods, and folk
astronomy.

Indigenous science is important in the development of science and technology in the Philippines. Like the ancient
civilizations, indigenous science gave birth to the development of science and technology as a field and
discipline.
Indigenous science helped the people in understanding the natural environment and in coping with everyday life.
*** END of the Lesson Proper**

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 78

After Independence

FERDINAND MARCOS
• mandated the (now DepEd) to
Department of Education and Culture

promote science courses

in public high schools
• additional budget for
research projects in
applied sciences and
science education
• war damage fund donated to private
universities to encourage them to create
courses in S&T and to research.
After Independence

FERDINAND MARCOS
Establishment of:

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 79

Philippine Coconut

Philippine Atomic
Philippine
Textile National Grains Philippine Council for
Research Institute Research Institute Energy Commission Authority
Agricultural Research

After Independence

FERDINAND MARCOS
Establishment of:

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 80

PAGASA Philippine National Plant Breeding International
Rice Bureau of Plant Industry
Oil Company Institute Research Institute

After Independence

CORAZON AQUINO
• NSTA was renamed DOST to be represented in the cabinet and

play an country’s
integral role in the

sustainable economic
recovery and growth.
SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 81
• Science and Technology Master Plan – to
update the production sector, improve
research activities, and develop
infrastructures for science and
technology sector.
After Independence

FIDEL RAMOS
• 1987: PH had approx. 3,000 competent scientists and engineers

• Doctors to the Barrio Program – made

healthcare accessible even in far-flung
areas in the country
• National Program for Gifted Filipino
Children in S&T– created for high school
students who wanted to major in
science and engineering college.
After Independence

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 82

FIDEL RAMOS
• RA 8439: Magna Carta for Scientist Engineers, Researchers, and other Science and Technology
Personnel in Government

• RA 7459: Inventors and Inventions

Incentives Act
• RA 8293: The Intellectual Property
Code of the Philippines
After Independence

JOSEPH ESTRADA
• RA 8749: The Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999

• RA 8792: Electronic Commerce Act of

2000
• implementation of cost-effective
irrigation technologies and providing
basic health care services.
After Independence
SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 83
GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
• Science and technology sector were developed to strengthen the education system and to address
poverty.

• Filipinnovation – coined to refer to PH as

an innovation hub in Asia
• RA 9367: Biofuels Act – to utilize
indigenous materials as sources of
energy.
• Farmers were encouraged to use rice
that can withstand environmental
hazards.
• RA 10601: Agriculture and Fisheries
Mechanization (AFMech) Law – to
modernize agricultural and fisheries
machinery and equipment.
After Independence

BENIGNO AQUINO III

New National Scientists were named:

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 84

• Gavino C. Trono – made extensive
studies on seaweed species which
helped families in the coastal
populations.
• Angel C. Alcala – served as the pioneer
scientist and advocate of coral reefs.
• Ramon C. Barba – studied the induction
of flowering of mango and
micropropagation of important crop
species.
• Edgardo D. Gomez – national-scale
assessment of damaged coral reefs
which led to a national conservation
program.
After Independence

RODRIGO DUTERTE
• Philippine Space Technology Program – launched Diwata-2 in 2018 after the launch of Diwata-1 in 2016
that displayed the Philippine flag in space.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 85

 BLENDED LEARNING MODULE
SCTS 1013: Science, Technology and Society
AY 2020-2021

LESSON 5: Human Flourishing

Topic: A. The Human Person Flourishing in terms of Science and Technology
B. Technology as a Way of Revealing

Learning Outcomes: At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. Identify different conceptions of human flourishing;

2. Explain the concept of human condition before science and technology;
3. Identify the factors that changed the human condition after science and technology 4. Name ways
on how technology aided in revealing the truth about the human being.

Date Topics Activities or Tasks

October 5-7 The Human Person Flourishing in Read Lessons
October 8-9 terms of Science and Technology Complete Learning Task Part I
October 12-14 Read Lessons
Technology as a Way of Revealing Complete Learning Task Part II
October 15-16
Accomplish Quiz Template
Turning over of learning task and acquisition of
October 19
new module

LEARNING CONTENT

Introduction:

Every living creature is meant to become what is meant to be. The caterpillar is meant to become a beautiful
butterfly; a small seed into a full-grown herb, bush or tree; and a human baby into a mature person, the
person “who is fully alive, the Glory of God” in the words of St. Irenaeus.
As we grow and develop there are different factors that affect us, there are different questions that need to be
answered and there are steps and actions that need to be undertaken. Flourishing is the highest good of
human attempt to achieve our goals. It is a success as a human being when we achieved it for the
betterment of our lives. The best life is one of excellent human activity. “Eudaimonia”, literally “good
spirited” is a term connected by renowned Greek Philosopher Aristotle to describe the peak of human’s
happiness that can be attained. The big question is “How?”. How will you achieve your flourishing?
Therefore, I expect you to become not just informed students, but to be transformed students ready to
seek knowledge and to do more with the knowledge that you have! That maybe more challenging, especially
with this pandemic we are experiencing, but with the right motivation, we can still attain this goal. Let’s go!

Lesson Proper:

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 86

 HUMAN FLOURISHING

Are you flourishing as a human?

Similar to the picture on the left portion is that we are like plants. We have our own right time when we
will bloom and eventually when we will be fully-grown. On the other hand, are we happy of growing? Some
maybe unlocking some questions in life but most of us are choosing happiness along with success. Look at the
picture on the right portion, do you consider yourself happy just like them? Then at this moment have some
realizations and try to connect these two images by simply answering this question: am I flourishing at the
expense of my happiness?
A. The Human Person Flourishing in terms of Science and Technology

• Science and technology continuously seep into the way people go about their daily lives. However, the
omnipresence of science and technology must not eclipse the basic tenets of ethics and morality.
Instead, it should allow the human person to flourish alongside scientific progress and technological
development.
As time passes by, elements that comprise human flourishing changed, which are subject to the dynamic
social history as written by humans. People found means to live more comfortably, explore more places,
develop more products, and make more money, and then repeating the process in full circle. In the beginning,
early people relied on simple machines to make hunting and gathering easier. This development allowed them
to make grander and more sophisticated machines to aid them in their endeavors that eventually led to space
explorations, medicine innovations, and ventures of life after death. Our concept of human flourishing today
proves to be different from what Aristotle originally perceived then- humans of today are expected to become a
“man of the world”. He is supposed to situate himself in a global neighborhood, working side by side among
institutions and the government to be able to reach a common goal.
EASTERN vs. WESTERN CONCEPT on Society and Human Flourishing

✓ In Western civilization, Human Flourishing is focused on the individual himself.

✓ In Eastern civilization, Human Flourishing pertains into community-centric view.
(According to them, community takes the highest regard that the individual should sacrifice himself for the
sake of society.)
This is apparent in the Chinese Confucian system or the Japanese Bushido, both of which view the
whole as greater than their components. The Chinese and Japanese encourage studies of literature,
sciences, and art, not entirely for oneself but in service of a greater cause.
However, human flourishing as an end then is primarily more concern for western civilizations over
eastern ones. The Greek Aristotelian view, on the other hand, aims for eudaimonia as the ultimate good;
there is no indication whatsoever that Aristotle entailed it instrumental to achieve some other goals. Perhaps, a
person who has achieved such state would want to serve the community, but that is brought upon through
deliberation based on his values rather than his belief that the state is greater than him, and thus is only
appropriate that he should recognize it as a higher entity worthy of service.
SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 87
 Why are Diversity and Collaboration in the Scientific Community important towards Human
Flourishing?

Science as a Social Endeavor

Here is an illustration of a Geeky Scientist, isolated in

the windowless basement lab, strictly following the rules of the
Scientific Method, until he finished a great discovery. In this
picture science works even all the steps in the scientific
method not followed. The process of science is flexible and
may take many possible paths. Science is done by unique
individuals without following a certain routine with motivation,
ambition, and creativity. Many of them are passionate about
their work and many of them are creative towards achieving
their goals. Scientists do spend time working alone in their own
lab, field, or at the computer but also in collaborating with other
scientists to widen their perspective as scientist. Most scientific
work also involves reviewing other scientists’ articles for
journals, teaching, mentoring graduate students and
younger scientists, speaking at conferences, and participating
in scientific societies. The job of a scientist involves lot
more than disappearing into a windowless lab and running an endless series of experiments. Scientists
from such diverse backgrounds bring many points of view that have bearing on scientific problems.
The following are the importance of diversity and collaboration in the scientific community towards
human flourishing:
1. Collaboration and diversity balance possible ideas

Scientist benefits from other scientists and practitioners with different sets of beliefs, cultural
backgrounds, and values to balance out the possible biases that might happen if science were practiced by a
small group of humanity. Scientists should not be impartial but be objective in their assessments of scientific
issues. In those occasional cases in which personal biases sneak in, they are kept in check by a diverse
scientific community.

2. Diversity and collaboration stimulate problem solving

Two heads are better than one. Science benefits greatly from a
community. Problems arise from different sectors of society. A diverse community is
better able to generate a new research methods, explanations and ideas, which can
help science over challenging obstacles and shed new light on problems for the
betterment of the society.

3. Diversity and collaboration facilitate specialization

Scientists have different strengths and different interests. Not

only do people from different backgrounds choose to investigate
different questions, but they may have different approaches in the
same question. They may have different questions on a certain
SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 88
 topic. They may have different respondents to validate their hypothesis. They have different methods that are
based on their interests.

4. Diversity and collaboration are inspiration and motivation

Interactions in society encourage

innovation and development of ideas about new lines of
evidence, new applications, new questions, and alternate
explanations about technology. Some people are driven by the
thrill of competition like the runners run faster, politicians’
campaign harder, and students’ study more for college exams
when they know that they are competing against others. Scientists
are not exempted. Some scientists are motivated by the sense of
competition offered by the community. Likewise, the community
offers scientists the prospect of recognition from the other well-
known scientists. In science, achievement is usually measured,
not in terms of money or titles, but in terms of respect and esteem
from colleagues.

5. Diversity and collaboration divide labor

Science is too wide for an individual on his or her own to handle. Collaborations and division of labor
are increasingly important today, as our scientific understanding, techniques, and technologies expand. There
is simply more to know than ever before and as we learn more about the world, more research is performed at
the intersections of different fields.

Scientific method gives a logical way on how to solve a problem and to improve our daily living, but
science does not work alone. There should be a collaboration among individuals and have different ideas,
drives, characteristics, motivations, culture and beliefs that help us to attain what
we call “human flourishing”.
Martin Heidegger (1889-1976)

“The essence of technology is by no means anything technological”

• German philosopher who was part of the Continental tradition of

philosophy
• Sternly opposes positivism and technological world domination
• Joined the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in 1933
• His membership to the Nazi Party made him controversial
• Focused on ontology or the study of being or dasein

More info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br1sGrA7XTU

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 89

 The Essence of Technology
“We shall be questioning concerning technology, and in so doing we should like to prepare a free
relationship to it. The relationship will be free if it opens our human existence to the essence of technology.”
One of Heidegger’s principal aims in his essay is to seek the true meaning of essence through or by
way of the “correct” meaning.
In his treatise, The Question Concerning Technology, Heidegger (1977) explains the two widely
embraced definitions of technology:
1. Instrumental definition: Technology is a means to an end.

• In this context, technology is viewed as a tool available to individuals, groups, and communities that
desire to make an impact on society.
• Technology is an instrument aimed at getting things done.

2. Anthropological definition: Technology is a human activity.

• To achieve an end and to produce and use a means to an end is, by itself, a human activity.
• The production or invention of technological equipment, tools and machines, the products and
inventions, and the purpose and functions they serve are what define technology. B.

*** END of the Lesson Proper*

REFERENCES

Textbooks
Aldea, K, Caronan H.P, and Candido, M.B. (2018). Science, Technology and Society (OBE Ready).
Mandaluyong City, Philippines: Book Atbp. Publishing Corp.
Serafica, J.P., Pawilen, G., Caslib Jr., B.N., and Alata, E.J. (2018). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon
City, Philippines: Rex Book Store, Inc. (RBSI)
Quinto, E.J. and Nieva, A. (2019). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon City, Philippines: C & E
Publishing, Inc.
Learning Materials
Worksheets (teacher-made)

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 90

 SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, ARTS AND SCIENCES General
Education Area

SCTS 1013 (Science, Technology and Society)

1ST SEMESTER S.Y 2020-2021
QUIZ

TRUE/FALSE. Write true on the space provided before the number when the statement is correct and false if
the statement is incorrect. (5 points)
__________ 1. There is calculative thinking when humans desire to put an order to nature to better understand
and control it.
__________ 2. Extraction of petroleum oil for storage or import is technology bringing forth to nature.
__________ 3. Technology is a form of Alethia or a way of revealing the truth.
__________ 4. Meditative thinking is human’s effort to allow nature to reveal itself to them without the use of
force or violence.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 91

 __________ 5. Due to technology, lesser women and children die during birth,
assuring robust population and strong workforce.

Essay. In not more than 5 sentences, answer the question below.

Criteria: Relevance and content- 3 points
Grammar- 1point
Neatness- 1point
Total: 5 points

What is meant by “enframing” as related to technology and how does it affect the real essence of technology?
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UNIVERSITY OF SAINT LOUIS

Tuguegarao City

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, ARTS and SCIENCES

First Semester
A.Y. 2020-2021

CORRESPONDENCE LEARNING MODULE

SCTS 1013 – Science, Technology and Society

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 92

 Prepared by:

MARVIN B. BACCAY, MST

NICKSON B. CAMMAYO
MARLY I. CANAPI Ph.D.
ANGELOU D. CAOLE
JOSEPHINE M. GUERRERO
JEREMAE V. SAGARIO, MST
Course Instructor

Reviewed by:

RENZ MARION C. GAVINO, MP

General Education Area Head

Recommended by:

VENUS I. GUYOS, Ph.D.

Academic Dean

Approved by:

EMMANUEL JAMES P. PATTAGUAN, Ph.D.

Vice President for Academics

UNIVERSITY PRAYER

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 93

 O God, wellspring of goodness and blessings, we give you thanks and praise as one Louisian community. The graces
You incessantly grant upon us and Your divine providence have sustained our beloved University throughout the
years of mission and excellence.

Having been founded by the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we pray that You keep us committed and
dedicated to our mission and identity to serve the Church and the society as we become living witnesses to the
Gospel values proclaimed by Jesus. For if we are steadfast in our good and beautiful mission, our works will bring
success not only to ourselves but also to those whom we are bound to love and serve.

Inspired by St. Louis our Patron Saint, who was filled with a noble spirit that stirred him to love You above all things, may
we also live believing that we are born for a greater purpose and mission as we dwell in Your presence all the days
of our life.

Grant all these supplications through the intercession of Mother

Mary and through Christ our Lord. Amen.

CORRESPONDENCE LEARNING MODULE

SCTS 1013: Science, Technology and Society
AY 2020-2021

LESSON 5: Human Flourishing

Topic: A. The Human Person Flourishing in terms of Science and Technology
B. Technology as a Way of Revealing

Learning Outcomes: At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. Identify different conceptions of human flourishing;

2. Explain the concept of human condition before science and technology;
3. Identify the factors that changed the human condition after science and technology 4. Name ways
on how technology aided in revealing the truth about the human being.

Date Topics Activities or Tasks

October 5-7 The Human Person Flourishing in Read Lessons

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 94

 October 8-9 terms of Science and Technology Complete Learning Task Part I
October 12-14 Read Lessons
Technology as a Way of Revealing Complete Learning Task Part II
October 15-16
Accomplish Quiz Template
Turning over of learning task and acquisition of
October 19
new module

B. Technology as a Way of Revealing

Humanity has indeed come a long way from our primitive ways, and as a general rule, it is said that we
are more “developed” than we were before. Modern humans are reliant on technology in their search for the
good life. We see ways and means from nature to utilize and achieve growth- a goal that we believe would
bring forth betterment.

In retrospect, this view of technology proves to be goal-oriented. It assumes that it is instrumental in

achieving a goal in mind, that it is a purposeful, deliberate craft humans steer in order to reach some greater
good. In the advent of postmodernism, however, the deterministic view appended to technology crumbled as
people began to question if anything is deterministic at all. Apart from its purpose, what is technology? Some
tried to redefine technology away from its purpose. Heidegger argued that its essence or purpose, and being
are different from each other. He was able to expound on this point upon identifying that technology can either
be perceived as first, a means to achieve man’s end and second, that which constitutes human activity. The
second perspective paints technology in such a way that each period reveals a particular character regarding
man’s being. A characteristic design, or flaw, unfolds based on the repercussions brought upon by immersing
ourselves with a piece of new technology. In effect, through technology, a myriad of new questions begins to
mount. Rather than thinking that humans have a clear idea of what to expect in a good life, it can be stated that
technology allows humans to confront the unknown and see how they would react. In that sense, technology is
a way of revealing.

Heidegger envisioned technology as a way of revealing – a mode of ‘bringing forth’.

Terminologies:

Poiesis – refers to the act of bringing something out of concealment.

• by bringing something out of concealment, the truth of that something is revealed.

Aletheia – translated as unclosedness, unconcealedness, disclosure, or truth.

Thus, for Heidegger, technology is a form of poiesis – a way of revealing that unconceals aletheia or the truth.

• This is seen in the way the term techne is understood in different contexts.
• In philosophy, techne resembles the term episteme that refers to the human ability to make and
perform.
• Techne also encompasses knowledge and understanding.
• In art, it refers to tangible and intangible aspects of life.
• The Greeks understood techne in the way that it encompasses not only craft, but other acts of the mind,
and poetry.

Technology as Poiesis: Does Modern Technology Bring Forth or Challenge Forth?

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 95

 ➢ Heidegger posited that both primitive crafts and modern technology are revealing.
➢ However, he explained that modern technology is revealing not in the sense of bringing forth or poiesis
➢ “The revealing that rules in modern technology is a challenging, which puts to nature the unreasonable
demand that it should supply energy which can be extracted and stored as such”.
➢ Modern technology challenges forth, because it makes people think to do things faster, more effectively,
and with less effort.
➢ It prompts people into dominating and enframing the earth’s natural resources.
➢ Challenging forth reduces objects as standing reserve or be disposed of by those who enframe them –
humans.

Does the idea that technology is poiesis apply to modern technology? Heidegger characterizes modern
technology as a challenging forth since it is very aggressive in its activity. Modern technology may also be a
mode of revealing but not as harmonious bringing forth that is described in his thesis of technology as
poiesis. Modern technology challenges nature and demands of its resources that are, most of the time,
forcibly extracted for human consumption and storage. It brings about a “setting upon” of the land. Mining is
an example of modern technology that challenges forth and brings about the setting upon of land. It extracts
minerals from the earth and forcefully assigns the land as a means to fulfill the never-ending demands of
people.
With modern technology, revealing never comes to an end. The revealing always happens on our own
terms as everything is on demand. Information at our fingertips, food harvested even out of season, gravity
defied to fly off to space-such is the capacity of the human person. We no longer need to work with the
rhythms of nature because we have learned to control it. We order nature, and extract, process, make
ready for consumption, and store what we have forced it to reveal.

Bringing Forth vs. Challenging Forth

• The field that the peasant formerly cultivated and set in order appears differently than it did when to set
in order still meant to take care of and maintain. The work of the peasant does not challenge the soil of
the field.
• Agriculture is now the mechanized food industry. Air is now set upon to yield nitrogen, the earth to yield
ore, ore to yield uranium, for example; uranium is set up to yield atomic energy, which can be unleashed
either for destructive or for peaceful purposes.

Enframing as Modern Technology’s Way of Revealing

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 ✓ Heidegger distinguished the way of revealing of modern technology by considering it as a process of
enframing.
✓ Humankind’s desire to control everything, including nature is captured in this process.
✓ By putting things, in this case nature, in a frame, it becomes much easier for humans to control it
according their desires.
✓ Enframing, according to Heidegger, is akin to two ways of looking at the world:
1. Calculative thinking – humans desire to put an order to nature to better understand and control
it.
2. Meditative thinking – humans allow nature to reveal itself to them without the use of force or
violence.
✓ Calculative thinking tends to be more commonly utilized, primarily because humans' desire to
control due to their fear of irregularity.
✓ Enframing, then, is a way of ordering (or framing) nature to better manipulate it.
✓ Enframing happens because of how humans desire for security, even if it puts all of nature as a
standing reserve ready for exploitation.
✓ Modern technology challenges humans to enframe nature.
• Thus, humans become part of the standing reserve and an instrument of technology, to be exploited in
the ordering of nature.
▪ The role humans take as instruments of technology through enframing is called destining.
▪ In destining, humans are challenged forth by enframing to reveal what is real.
▪ However, this destining of humans to reveal nature carries with it the danger of misconstruction or
misinterpretation.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 97

 The Dangers of Technology

✓ The dangers of technology lie in how humans let themselves be consumed by it.
✓ As mere tenants on Earth, people must not allow themselves to be consumed by technology lest they
lose the essence of who they are as human beings.
✓ In this sense, humans are in danger of becoming merely part of the standing reserve or, alternatively,
may find themselves in nature.
✓ Recognizing its dangers of technology requires critical and reflective thinking on its use.
Example: Social media
Pros: efficient and convenient way of communication
Cons: invasion of privacy, proliferation of fake news
✓ However, the real threat of technology comes from its essence, not its activities or products.
✓ The correct response to the danger of technology in the technology is not simply dismissing technology
altogether.
✓ Heidegger explained that people are delivered over to worst possible way when they regard it as
something neutral.
✓ “The essence of technology is by no means anything technological.” – M. Heidegger (1977).

Art as the saving Power

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 Necessary reflection upon and confrontation with technology are required in order to proactively
address the dangers of technology.

Friedrich Holderlin, a German poet quoted by Heidegger, said: “But where danger is, grows the
saving power also.”

Following this, the saving power can be traced exactly where the danger is – in the essence of technology.

➢ Heidegger proposed art as the saving power and the way out of enframing: “And art was simply
called techne. It was a single, manifold revealing”
➢ Heidegger saw art as an act of the mind, i.e., a techne, that protected and had great power over the
truth.
➢ Art encourages humans to think less from a calculative standpoint where nature is viewed as an
ordered system.
➢ It inspires meditative thinking where nature is seen as an art and that, in all of art, nature is most poetic.

The poetry that is found in nature can no longer be easily appreciated when nature is enframed. If the Earth has
just become a gas station for us, then we become enframed as well. In modern technology, the way of
revealing is no longer poietic; it is challenging. When instruments are observed linearly, its poetry can no longer
be found. For example, the watermill is a primitive structure compared to the hydropower plant; or the first
iPhone model is just an obsolete piece of machine. People no longer realize how the watermill is more in tune
with the rhythms of nature or how much genius went into building the first iPhone. Therefore, Heidegger
proposes that art is a saving power. It saves us from being unable to see the poetic side of the reality. This
leads us to the meditative way of thinking that we just need the nature to reveal itself without putting any force.
In other words, just like an art, let it portray its message for us without interventions from external sources, most
especially technology. How is this related then to us humans? What is art as a human face in the modern
technology? Art is just like us humans. It depends on how someone see us relative to the message we want to
convey. For example, even there are lots of advances that we have in technology with our modern world today,
let us go back on how we look at ourselves from the very start. If you wish to inspire other people by your story
then be it. Be the purpose you want to flourish as human. Afterall, it is not technology that will dictate us what to
do. It is you, yourself will help you build the ladder to your success. Yet, as an art having its various meanings,
humans too have his/her meaning in life. No matter what it is, relay your message and be free from any force.

This is the human face of the modern technology today. We may be coexisting with technology; this does not mean
that we depend much of it. As humans we have lots of areas to develop in order for us to flourish. We use
technology as one means of achieving our goal but may we not forget our essence as humans. Let us make
use of our own capabilities along with technological
advancements. As an open-ended question to you,
what is your human face in the modern technology of
today?

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 99

Questioning as the Piety of Thought

✓ Heidegger concluded his treatise on technology by saying:

“The closer we come to the danger, the more brightly do the ways into the saving power begin to
shine and the more questioning we become. For questioning is the piety of thought.”

For Heidegger, there is unparalleled wisdom gained only when humans are able to pause, think, and
question what is around them. Humans are consumed by technology when they are caught upon enframing.

Heidegger posited that it is through questioning that humans bear witness to the crises that a complete
preoccupation with technology brings, preventing them from experiencing the essence of technology. Thus,
humans need to take a step back and reassess who they were, who they are, and who they are becoming in
the midst of technology in this day and age.

Comparing the lives of the people before and now will make anyone realize the changes that happened in society
not just in terms of culture, language, or rights but more importantly, changes in people’s way of life due to the
existence of science and technology.

In this module, it was previously discussed that technology is a way of revealing and for us to understand how
technology took us to the common era, our modern world today, let us go back in time with the human
condition in terms of science and technology.

The term “generation gap” is attributed mainly to the changes brought about by technology. Although the original
idea is for technology to help everyone, it cannot be denied that until today, not everyone is comfortable in
using the different kinds of technologies. Mostly those who belong to the older generation think that these
technologies are too complicated to operate. They have been used to the simple living in the past and these
available technological devices, though very appealing, are a difficult puzzle to them.

However, this gap is not something to be worried about. This does not in any way make technology a villain, it is a
challenge for people in the field of science and technology to make these technological advancements more
accessible and less confusing for people who are not as young anymore. This is also a challenge for the
younger generation to take the older generation to an exciting journey in science and technology. In this way,
everyone can experience what it is like to live with ease and comfort because of the availability of modern
technology.

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The Human Condition Before Common Era ➢ Our early ancestors’ primal need to survive paved way for the
invention of several developments. Gifted with brains more advanced than other creatures, humans are
able to utilize abundant materials for their own ease and comfort. As it is difficult to pinpoint the particular
period where technology is said to have started, one can say that at the very least, the motivation to make
things easier has been around since humans are.
➢ Homo erectus have been using fire to cook, through chipping one flint over the other to produce a
spark, all the while without realizing the laws of friction and heat. Tools from stone and flints marked the
era of the Stone Age, during the advent of our very own Homo sapiens, and humans began to sharpen
stones as one would a knife; an example of this is the simple machine called wedge.
➢ This particular period proved to be difficult for our ancestors but in a remarkably distinct way. There is
little to no written accounts except for several cave drawings and unearthed artifacts from various parts
of the world that narrate how their culture came to be. For instance, there are several excavations in
different parts of Europe of miniature statues prevalent during the Paleolithic period, the so-called
“Venus” figure. It depicts a rudimentary carving of a voluptuous woman out of ivory or stone.
➢ Soon enough, people discovered minerals and began forging metalwork. They realized that these
substances are more durable, malleable, and have more luster than the previous material. On the other
hand, there are some indicators that humans in the past share the same concerns and interests,
suggesting that these inclinations persist through multitudes of generation over several millennia.
➢ Fur clothing and animal skin are primarily used for comfort against harsh winds- our ancestors are able
to draw the connection between their being naked and vulnerable due to some lack of fur or protective
covering which would otherwise allow them to withstand extreme weather conditions.
➢ Excavations on the latter half of the Stone Age include several figures thought to be ceremonial,
meaning, that perhaps people of the time had also painstakingly wrought and hewed said figures in
honor of some deity. This notion, as it was then and as it is now, is often people’s resort to make sense
of events happening outside their control.
➢ The initial roster of primitive gods includes objects they encounter through their day-to-day lives, so it is
not surprising that different tribes may have different gods. Those who might have lived alongside
majestic creatures, such as elephants and mammoths, might have been awed by their size and
worshiped them as the owner of the land, asking for blessings in their hunting ground.

Nevertheless, it can be positively inferred that like the people of today, our ancestors also found the
need to explain things in a way that makes sense to them. They quickly realized that there are events outside
of their control and attempted to justify things as being work of a supernatural being. Throughout the course of
history, religion remains to be the strongest contender to science arguably due to its being the most easily
grasped. Admittedly, once people stop connecting the dots between cause and effect, they turn to something
that could possibly explain their inadequacies in making sense of the world. The people of yesterday appeared

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 101

to have acknowledged early on they could only do and understand as much, that perhaps other powers at play also
existed alongside them.

The Human Condition in the Common Era

Earliest case of man-made extinction occurred over 12,000 years ago, possibly brought upon by hunting
and territorial disputes. The Holocene extinction, also called the sixth extinction or more aptly Anthropocene
extinction, occurred from as early as between 100,000 to 200,000 years up to the present. It pertains to the
ongoing extinction of several species-both flora and fauna- due to human activity.

➢ Growing population necessitated finding additional resources, leading to overhunting and overfishing
common prey, some of which were endemic to the area
➢ Hunting, coupled with a changing terrain that the humans began cultivating when agriculture emerged
some 9,000 years ago, caused several species to lose competition in territory and food resources.
➢ Formation of communities caused humans to expand more in territory and more people to feed; large,
separate communities hailing from the same ancestors and residing in the same large community paved
way for civilizations.
➢ Trade emerged, leading to cross-town and eventually cross-cultural interaction as more products were
exchanged and the initial needs extended to wants.
➢ Began to hunt, farm, and produce things with prospect of profit.
➢ Products of every kind were exchanged, ranging from necessary ones such as crops, cattle, poultry,
others of kind, and clothing materials, up to metals, accessories, weapons, spices, literature, and
entertainment.
➢ They were able to find and create niches for interests. When they could not sell products, they used
their skills and got compensated for it- bringing forth a specialized group of artisans.
➢ Humanity became more complex and the primary goal was not merely to survive, but to live the good
life.

Technology has been instrumental in all of these because in searching for the good life, people were
able to come up with creations that would make life easier, more comfortable, and more enriching. Although the
good life envisioned before might be pale in comparison to the multifariousness of today, it offered us the initial
intricacies of how today came to be. Such intricacies are also evident in the machines created and causes
endeavored by the people of long ago.

The humans of today are much better off compared to humans several centuries ago. Advancements
in medicine, technology, health, and education ushered in humanity’s best yet, and show no sign of stopping.
Below are some of the notable comparisons then and now:

1. Mortality Rate – Due to technology, lesser women and children die during birth, assuring robust
population and strong workforce. Medical care for premature infants allows them to survive and develop
normally, while proper maternal care ensures that mothers can fully recover and remain empowered.

2. Average Lifespan- Aside from the reason that people engage less in combat and are less likely to die
in treatable diseases now as opposed to then, science is able to prolong lives by enhancing living status and
discovering different remedies to most diseases. Distribution of medicines is also made easier and faster.

3. Literacy Rate- Access to education provided to more individuals generally creates a more informed
public that could determine a more just society.

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 SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society |
4. Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
determine the value of the country’s good and services produced within the
territory given a certain time period. Higher country income is brought upon by high
productivity, often an indicator of presence of technology.

Backtracking the Human Condition Technology’s initial promises proved to be true, regardless of its
ramifications. All in all, the human condition improved, only if by improving we measure the level of comfort,
various scientific breakthroughs, and improved lifestyles of those who had the luxury to afford to do so.
Different machineries aid in prolonging lives- assisting those with disabilities, honing efficiency in industrial
workplaces, and even exploring the universe for places we can thrive once all the Earth’s resources are
depleted.

As to the initial aims, it appears that things really did not much differ. Some places in the world are still
battling for their daily survival- diseases, tribe wars, lack of habitable territories, and competitions on resources
are several factors contributing to such. People still wage wars on the basis of races, belief, and abundance of
resources and/or territory; except that now, they are able to inflict such in a global scale. A lot of people still
subscribe to religion in explaining things that they do not know.

It seems that the human condition, although more sophisticated, is nothing but a rehashed version of its
former self. Nothing much has changed since then, and it appears that nothing will change in the times to come
if we fail to shift our view elsewhere. While it is true that technology offered us one compelling notion of the
truth and the good, we should be staunch in our resolve if we want to know the real one

*** END of the Lesson Proper*

REFERENCES

Textbooks

Aldea, K, Caronan H.P, and Candido, M.B. (2018). Science, Technology and Society (OBE Ready).
Mandaluyong City, Philippines: Book Atbp. Publishing Corp.

Serafica, J.P., Pawilen, G., Caslib Jr., B.N., and Alata, E.J. (2018). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon
City, Philippines: Rex Book Store, Inc. (RBSI)

Quinto, E.J. and Nieva, A. (2019). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon City, Philippines: C & E
Publishing, Inc.

Learning Materials

Worksheets (teacher-made)

UNIVERSITY OF SAINT LOUIS

Tuguegarao City

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, ARTS and SCIENCES

First Semester

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society Module 5 | 103

 A.Y. 2020-2021

SCTS 1013 – Science, Technology and Society

Prepared by:

MARVIN B. BACCAY, MST

NICKSON B. CAMMAYO
MARLY I. CANAPI Ph.D.
ANGELOU D. CAOLE
JOSEPHINE M. GUERRERO
JEREMAE V. SAGARIO, MST
Course Instructor

Reviewed by:

RENZ MARION C. GAVINO, MP

General Education Area Head

Recommended by:

VENUS I. GUYOS, Ph.D.

Academic Dean

Approved by:

EMMANUEL JAMES P. PATTAGUAN, Ph.D.

Vice President for Academics

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society Module 5 | 104

 UNIVERSITY PRAYER

O God, wellspring of goodness and blessings, we give you thanks and praise as one Louisian community. The
graces You incessantly grant upon us and Your divine providence have sustained our beloved University throughout
the years of mission and excellence.

Having been founded by the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we pray that You keep us committed
and dedicated to our mission and identity to serve the Church and the society as we become living witnesses to the
Gospel values proclaimed by Jesus. For if we are steadfast in our good and beautiful mission, our works will bring
success not only to ourselves but also to those whom we are bound to love and serve.

Inspired by St. Louis our Patron Saint, who was filled with a noble spirit that stirred him to love You above all things,
may we also live believing that we are born for a greater purpose and mission as we dwell in Your presence all the
days of our life.

Grant all these supplications through the intercession of

Mother Mary and through Christ our Lord. Amen.

CORRESPONDENCE LEARNING MODULE

SCTS 1013: Science, Technology and Society
AY 2020-2021

LESSON 6: Good Life

Topic: A. The Human Flourishing in Progress and De-development B.
The Good Life

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 Learning Outcomes: At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. Explain de-development as a progress and development framework;

2. Differentiate between traditional frameworks of progress and development and Hickel’s concept of
de-development;
3. Define the idea of good life;
4. Identify how humans attempt to attain what is deemed to be a good life; and
5. Recognize possibilities available to human being to attain the good life.

Date Topics Activities or Tasks

October 19-20 The Human Person Flourishing inRead Lessons
October 21 Progress and De-development Complete Participation Sheet
October 22-26 Read Lessons
The Good Life
October 27-30 Complete Learning Task Sheet
Turning over of learning task and acquisition of new
November 3
module

LEARNING CONTENT

Introduction:

In Ancient Greece, long before the word “science” has been coined, the need to understand the world and
reality was bound with the need to understand the self and the good life. For Plato, the task of understanding
the things in the world runs parallel with the job of truly getting into what will make the soul flourish. In an
attempt to understand reality and the external world, man must seek to understand himself, too. It was Aristotle
who gave a definitive distinction between the theoretical and practical sciences. Among the theoretical
disciplines, Aristotle included logic, biology, physics, and metaphysics, among others. Among the practical
ones, Aristotle counted ethics and politics. Whereas “truth” is the aim of the theoretical sciences, the “good” or
as said in the previous lesson, the attainment of human flourishing. Rightly so, one must find the truth about
what the good is before one can even try to locate that which is good.

In the previous lesson, we have seen how a misplaced or an erroneous idea of human flourishing can turn
tables for all of us, make the sciences work against us rather than for us, and draw a chasm between the
search for truth and for the good. In this lesson, we endeavor to go back a little and answer these questions:
What does it really mean to live a good life? What qualifies as a good existence? Granting this understanding,
we are assumed to be in a better position to reconcile our deepest existential needs as human beings and
science as tool to maneuver around the world.
Therefore, with our topics in this module, I expect you to become not just informed students, but to
be transformed students ready to seek knowledge and to do more with the knowledge that you have! That
maybe more challenging, especially with this pandemic we are experiencing, but with the right motivation,
we can still attain this goal. Let’s go!

Lesson Proper:

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 The Good Life

Before we proceed to the topic the good life, let us discuss the human flourishing in progress and
dedevelopment for us to understand on how we will attain a good life despite the challenges we face in our
modern world, particularly science and technology.

A. The Human Flourishing in Progress and De-development

Despite efforts to close out the gap between the rich and poor countries, in 2015 a report stated that
the gap in growth and development just keeps on widening. Although there is no standard measure of
inequality, the report claimed that most indicators suggest widening of the growth gap slowed during the
financial crisis of 2007 but is now growing again. The increasing inequality appears paradoxical having in
mind the efforts that had been poured onto the development programs designed to assist poor countries to
rise from absent to slow progress.

With this backdrop and the context of unprecedented scientific and technological advancement and
economic development, humans must ask themselves whether they are indeed flourishing, individually or
collectively. If development efforts to close out the gap between the rich and poor countries have failed, is it
possible to confront the challenges of development through a nonconformist framework?

To better understand this topic, here is an article by Jason Hickel, an anthropologist at the London
School of Economics, criticizes the failure of growth and development efforts to eradicating poverty seven
decades ago. More importantly, he offers a nonconformist perspective toward growth and development.

Forget ‘developing’ poor countries, it’s time to develop rich countries

By Jason Hickel

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This week, heads of state are gathering in New York to sign the UN’s new sustainable development goals
(SDGs). The main objective is to eradicate poverty by 2030. Beyoncé, One Direction and Malala are on board.
It’s set to be a monumental international celebration.

Given all the fanfare, one might think the SDGs are about to offer a fresh plan for how to save the world, but
beneath all the hype, it’s business as usual. The main strategy for eradicating poverty is the same: growth.

Growth has been the main object of development for the past 70 years, despite the fact that it’s not working.
Since 1980, the global economy has grown by 380%, but the number of people living in poverty on less than $5
(£3.20) a day has increased by more than 1.1 billion. That’s 17 times the population of Britain. So much for the
trickle-down effect.

Orthodox economists insist that all we need is yet more growth. More progressive types tell us that we need to
shift some of the yields of growth from the richer segments of the population to the poorer ones, evening things
out a bit. Neither approach is adequate. Why? Because even at current levels of average global consumption,
we’re overshooting our planet’s bio-capacity by more than 50% each year.

In other words, growth isn’t an option any more – we’ve already grown too much. Scientists are now telling us
that we’re blowing past planetary boundaries at breakneck speed. And the hard truth is that this global crisis is
due almost entirely to overconsumption in rich countries.

Right now, our planet only has enough resources for each of us to consume 1.8 “global hectares” annually – a
standardized unit that measures resource use and waste. This figure is roughly what the average person in
Ghana or Guatemala consumes. By contrast, people in the US and Canada consume about 8 hectares per
person, while Europeans consume 4.7 hectares – many times their fair share.

What does this mean for our theory of development? Economist Peter Edward argues that instead of pushing
poorer countries to “catch up” with rich ones, we should be thinking of ways to get rich countries to “catch
down” to more appropriate levels of development. We should look at societies where people live long and
happy lives at relatively low levels of income and consumption not as basket cases that need to be developed
towards western models, but as exemplars of efficient living.

How much do we really need to live long and happy lives? In the US, life expectancy is 79 years and GDP per
capita is $53,000. But many countries have achieved similar life expectancy with a mere fraction of this income.
Cuba has a comparable life expectancy to the US and one of the highest literacy rates in the world with GDP
per capita of only $6,000 and consumption of only 1.9 hectares – right at the threshold of ecological
sustainability. Similar claims can be made of Peru, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Tunisia.

Yes, some of the excess income and consumption we see in the rich world yields improvements in quality of life
that are not captured by life expectancy, or even literacy rates. But even if we look at measures of overall
happiness and wellbeing in addition to life expectancy, a number of low- and middle-income countries rank
SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society Module 5 | 108
highly. Costa Rica manages to sustain one of the highest happiness indicators and life expectancies in the
world with a per capita income one-fourth that of the US.
In light of this, perhaps we should regard such countries not as underdeveloped, but rather as appropriately
developed. And maybe we need to start calling on rich countries to justify their excesses.

The idea of “de-developing” rich countries might prove to be a strong rallying cry in the global south, but it will
be tricky to sell to westerners. Tricky, but not impossible. According to recent consumer research, 70% of
people in middle- and high-income countries believe overconsumption is putting our planet and society at risk.
A similar majority also believe we should strive to buy and own less, and that doing so would not compromise
our happiness. People sense there is something wrong with the dominant model of economic progress and
they are hungry for an alternative narrative.

The problem is that the pundits promoting this kind of transition are using the wrong language. They use terms
such as de-growth, zero growth or – worst of all – de-development, which are technically accurate but offputting
for anyone who’s not already on board. Such terms are repulsive because they run against the deepest frames
we use to think about human progress, and, indeed, the purpose of life itself. It’s like asking people to stop
moving positively thorough life, to stop learning, improving, growing.

Negative formulations won’t get us anywhere. The idea of “steady-state” economics is a step in the right
direction and is growing in popularity, but it still doesn’t get the framing right. We need to reorient ourselves
toward a positive future, a truer form of progress. One that is geared toward quality instead of quantity. One
that is more sophisticated than just accumulating ever increasing amounts of stuff, which doesn’t make anyone
happier anyway. What is certain is that GDP as a measure is not going to get us there and we need to get rid of
it.

Perhaps we might take a cue from Latin Americans, who are organizing alternative visions around the
indigenous concept of buen vivir, or good living. The west has its own tradition of reflection on the good life
and it’s time we revive it. Robert and Edward Skidelsky take us down this road in his book How Much is
Enough? where they lay out the possibility of interventions such as banning advertising, a shorter working week
and a basic income, all of which would improve our lives while reducing consumption.

Either we slow down voluntarily or climate change will do it for us. We can’t go on ignoring the laws of nature.
But rethinking our theory of progress is not only an ecological imperative, it is also a development one. If we do
not act soon, all our hard-won gains against poverty will evaporate, as food systems collapse and mass famine
re-emerges to an extent not seen since the 19th century.

This is not about giving anything up. And it’s certainly not about living a life of voluntary misery or imposing
harsh limits on human potential. On the contrary, it’s about reaching a higher level of understanding and
consciousness about what we’re doing here and why.

Source: Hickel, J. (2015, Sep 23). Forget ‘developing’ poor countries, it’s time to ‘de-develop’ rich countries.
The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/global-
developmentprofessionalsnetwork/2015/sep/23/developing-poor-countries-de-developrich-countries-sdgs.

To enhance your learning, watch these films which pertain to human flourishing in progress and
dedevelopment:
SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society Module 5 | 109
The Magician’s Twin: C.S. Lewis and the Case Against Scientism https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=gi5YJPWHQKo

Akiro Kurosawa’s Dreams “Village of the Watermills” https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=aK4mtPQ_THM&t=98s

B. The Good Life

Are we living the good life? This question is inarguably one universal human concern. Everyone
aims to lead a good life. Yet, what constitutes a happy and contented life varies from person to person.
Unique backgrounds, experiences, social contexts, and even preferences make it difficult to subscribe to a
unified standard on which to tease out the meaning of ‘good life’. Thus, the prospect of a standard good life-
one that resonates across unique human experiences- is inviting.

Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics and the Good Life

To answer the question, “Are we living the good life?”, necessary reflection must be made on two
things: first, what standard could be used to define “the good life”? Second, how can the standard serve as
a guide toward living the good life in the midst of scientific progress and technological advancement?

In the documentary film, The Magician’s Twin: C.S. Lewis and the Case Against Scientism, C.S.
Lewis posited that science must be guided by some ethical basis that is not indicated by science itself. One
such ethical basis is Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics.

Aristotle, who lived from 384 to 322 BC, is probably the most important ancient Greek philosopher
and scientist. He was a student of Plato, who was then a student of Socrates. Together, they were
considered the ‘Big Three of Greek Philosophy’.

What is Nichomachean Ethics?

➢ It is the fundamental basis of Aristotelian ethics consisting of ten books.

➢ Originally, they were lecture notes written on scrolls when he taught at the Lyceum.
➢ It is widely believed that the lecture notes were compiled by or were dedicated to one of Aristotle’s
sons, Nichomaus.
➢ Alternatively, it is believed that the work was dedicated to Aristotle’s father who was of the same name.
➢ This book is abbreviated as NE or sometimes EN based on Latin version of the name, is a treatise on
the nature of moral life and human happiness based on the unique essence of human nature. The NE
is particularly useful in defining what the good life is.
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 Everyone has a definition of what good is- getting a college degree, traveling across the world,
succeeding in a business venture, pursuing a healthy and active lifestyle, or being a responsible parent.
However, although everyone aims to achieve that which is good, Aristotle posited two types of good. In NE
Book 2 Chapter 2, Aristotle explained that every action aims at some good. However, some actions aim at
an instrumental good while some aim at an intrinsic good. He made it clear that the ultimate good is better
than the instrumental good for the latter is good as a means to achieving something else or some other end
while the former is good in itself.

Remember the following terms:

Ultimate/Intrinsic Good- the value is itself (Example: Happiness)
Instrumental/Extrinsic- in order to know the value, an action is needed to reveal it (Example:
Money, Justice)

Eudaimonia: The Ultimate Good

What then is the ultimate good? Based on the contrast between the two types of good, one could reflect on
some potential candidates for the ultimate good. These are situations to better understand the ultimate good.

Is pleasure an ultimate good

You might aim for pleasure in the food you eat or in the experiences you immerse yourselves into.
Yet, while pleasure is an important human need, it can’t be the ultimate good. Why? First, it is transitory-
it passes. You might have been pleased with the food you had for lunch, but you will be hungry again or will
want something else after a while. Second, pleasure does not encompass all aspects of life. You might
be pleased with an opportunity to travel but that may not make you feel good about leaving, say, your
studies or the pandemic we have been struggling now. So, is pleasure an ultimate good? It’s not.

Is wealth an ultimate good?

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 Others might think that wealth is a potential candidate for the ultimate good, but a critique of wealth
would prove otherwise. Indeed, many, if not most, aim to be financially stable, to be rich, or to be able to
afford a luxurious life. However, it is very common to hear people say that they aim to be wealthy insofar as
it would help them achieve some other goals. Elsewhere, it is also common to hear stories about people
who have become very wealthy but remain, by and large, unhappy with the lives they lead. In this sense,
wealth is just an intermediate good- that is, only instrumental. It is not the ultimate good because it is
not self-sufficient and does not stop one from aiming for some other ‘greater’ good.

Is fame and honor

an ultimate good?

Many people today seem motivated by a desire to be known

to be famous. Others strive for honor and
recognition. This is reflected by those people who use social media to acquire large virtual following on the
internet and wish to gain foothold on the benefits that fame brings. Many people act according to how they
think they will be admired and appreciated by other people. However, these cannot constitute the ultimate
good, simply because they are based on the perception of others. Fame and honor can never be good in
themselves. If one’s definition of the good life is being popular or respected, then the good life becomes
elusive since it is based on the subjective views of others.

Unlike pleasure, wealth, fame, and honor, happiness is the ultimate good. In Aristotelian sense, happiness is
“living well and doing well”. Among the Greeks, this is known as eudaimonia from the root words eu
meaning good and daimon meaning spirit. Combining the root words, eudaimonia means happiness or
welfare. More accurately, others translate it as human flourishing or prosperity. Aristotle proposed two
hallmarks of eudaimonia, namely virtue and excellence. Thus, happiness in the sense of eudaimonia has to
be distinguished from merely living good. Eudaimonia transcends all aspects of life for it is about living well in
whatever one does.

Eudaimonia: Uniquely Human?

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 Eudaimonia or happiness is unique to humans for it is a uniquely human function. It is achieved
only through a rationally directed life. Aristotle’s notion of a tripartite soul as summarized in the diagram
below nested hierarchy of the functions and activities of the soul. The degrees and functions of the soul
are nested, such that the one which has a higher degree of soul has all of the lower degrees. Thus,
on the nutritive degree, all living things for example plants, animals and humans require nourishment and
have the ability to reproduce. On the sensitive degree, only animals and humans have the ability to move
and perceive.Finally, on the rational degree, only humans are capable of theorethical and practical
functions. Following this, humans possess the nutritive, sensitive, and rational degrees of the soul. More
importantly, only humans are capable of a life guided by reason. Because this so, happiness too, is a
uniquely human function for it can only be achieved through a rationally directed life.

Aristotle’s Tripartite Soul

Arete and Human Happiness

Eudaimonia is what defines the good life. To live a good life is to live a happy life. For Aristotle, eudaimonia is
only possible by living a life of virtue.

What is Arete?

➢ It is a Greek term defined as “excellence of any kind” and can also mean “moral virtue”. A virtue is
what makes one function well. Aristotle suggested two types of virtue: intellectual virtue and moral
virtue.

Intellectual virtue- it is achieved through education, time, and

experience. Key intellectual virtues are wisdom,
which guides ethical behavior, and understanding,
which is gained from scientific endeavors and
contemplation. Wisdom and understanding are achieved
through formal and non-formal means. Intellectual virtues
are acquired through self-taught knowledge and skills as
much as those knowledge and skills taught and learned in formal institutions.

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 Moral Virtue- it is achieved through habitual practice. Some key moral virtues are
generosity, temperance, and courage. Aristotle explained that although the
capacity for intellectual virtue is innate, it is brought into completion by practice. It is
by repeatedly being unselfish that one develops the virtue of generosity. It is by
repeatedly resisting and foregoing every inviting opportunity that one develops the
virtue of temperance. It is by repeatedly exhibiting the proper action and
emotional response in the face of danger that one develops the virtue of courage.
By and large, moral virtue is like a skill. A skill is acquired only through repeated
practice. Everyone is capable of learning how to play the guitar because everyone
has an innate capacity for intellectual virtue, but not everyone acquires it because only those who devote time
and practice develop the skill of playing the instrument.

✓ If one learns that eating too much fatty foods is bad for the health, he or she has to make it a habit to
stay away from this type of food because health contributes to living well and doing well.
✓ If one believes that too much use of social media is detrimental to human relationships and
productivity, he or she must regulate his or her use of social media and deliberately spend more time
with friends, family, and work than in virtual platform.
✓ If one understands the enormous damage to the environment that plastic materials bring, he or she
must repeatedly forego the next plastic item he or she could do away with. Good relationship dynamics
and a healthy environment contribute to one’s wellness, in how he or she lives and what he or she
does.

With the given three situations above, both intellectual virtue and moral virtue should be in accordance with
reason to achieve eudaimonia. Indifference with these virtues, for reasons that are only for one’s convenience,
pleasure, or satisfaction, leads humans away from eudaimonia.

What then is the good life?

Putting everything in perspective, the good life in the sense of eudaimonia is the state of being happy,
healthy, and prosperous in the way one thinks, lives, and acts. The path to the good life consists of the virtues
of thought and character, which are relative mediators between the two extremes of excess and deficiency. In
his way, the good life is understood as happiness brought about by living a virtuous life.

One could draw parallels between moving toward the good life and moving toward further progress
and development in science and technology. In appraising the goodness, the next medical procedure, the
new social media trend, the latest mobile device, or the upcoming technology for food safety, one must be
guided by Aristotelian virtues. Science and technology can be ruined by under-or-over-appreciation of the
scope and function it plays in the pursuit of the uniquely human experience of happiness. Refusing science
and technology altogether to improve human life is as problematic as allowing it to entirely dictate reason
and action without any regard for ethical and moral standards. By imposing on science and technology an
ethical standard that is not dictated by itself, as C.S. Lewis proposed, not only will scientific advancement
and technological development flourish, but also the human person.

To enhance your learning, watch the documentary film entitled “That Sugar Film” (2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9gUjN9xELc

Happiness as the Goal of a Good Life

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 In 18th century, John Stuart Mill declared the Greatest Happiness Principle by saying that an
action is right as far as it maximizes the attainment of happiness for the greatest number of people. At a
time when people were skeptical about claims on metaphysical, people could not make sense of the
human flourishing that Aristotle talked about in the days of old. Mill said that individual happiness should
be prioritized and collectively dictates the kind of action that should be endorsed. Consider the
pronouncements against mining. When an action benefits the greatest number of people, said action is
deemed ethical. Does mining benefit than hurt the majority? Does it offer more benefits rather than
disadvantages? Does mining result in more people getting happy than sad? If the answers to the said
questions are in the affirmative, then the said action, mining, is deemed ethical.

Through the ages, man has constantly struggled with the external world in order to reach human
flourishing. History has given birth to different schools of thought which will be mentioned below, all of
which aim for the good and happy life.

1. Materialism

Do material things make you happy?

The first materialists were the atomists in Ancient Greece.

Democritus and Leucippus led a school whose primary belief is that the
world is made up of and is controlled by the tiny indivisible units in the
world called atomos or seeds. For Democritus and his disciples, the
world including human beings, is made up of matter. There is no need
to posit immaterial entities as sources of purpose. Atomos simply
comes together randomly to form the things in the world. As such, only
material entities matter. In terms of human flourishing, matter is what
makes us attain happiness. We see this at work with most people who
are clinging on to material wealth as the primary source of the meaning of their existence.

2. Hedonism

Are you the type of a happy-go-lucky person?

The hedonists, for their part, see the end goal of life in
acquiring pleasure. Pleasure has always been the priority of
hedonists. For them, life is about obtaining and indulging in
pleasure because life is limited. The mantra of this school of
thought is the famous, “Eat, drink, and be merry for
tomorrow we die”. Led by Epicurus, this school of thought
also does not buy any notion of afterlife just like the
materialists.

3. Stoicism

Have you encountered a certain point of your life that there are events which were surprisingly happened out
of your plans? It may be good or bad, Stoics discussed it as “not within our control” and acceptance is a key
for us to be happy.

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 Another school of thought led by Epicurus, the stoics espoused
the idea that to generate happiness, one must learn to distance oneself
and be apathetic. The original term, apatheia, precisely means to be
indifferent. For the stoics, happiness can only be attained by a careful
practice of apathy. We should, in this worldview, adopt the fact that
some things are not within our control. The sooner we realize this, the
happier we can become.

4. Theism

Amidst the pandemic we are facing right now, we Filipinos have a strong
faith with God that this pandemic will end very soon. With that belief,
everything will be at ease by putting our trust unto Him.

Most people find their meaning of their lives using God as a

fulcrum of their existence. The Philippines, as a predominantly Catholic
country, is a witness to how people base their life goals and beliefs that
hinged on some form of supernatural reality called heaven. The ultimate
basis of happiness for theists is the communion with God. The world
where we are in is only just a temporary reality where we have to
maneuver around while waiting for the ultimate return to the hands of God.

5. Humanism

We are the ones making our own destiny. The question is, are you happy with the life you have?

Humanism as another school of thought espouses the freedom of man to

carve his own destiny and legislate his own laws, free from the shackles of a God
that monitors and controls. Inspired by the enlightenment in 17 th century,
humanists see themselves not merely as stewards of the creation but as
individuals who are in control of themselves and the world outside them. This is
the spirit of most scientists who thought that the world is a place and space for
freely unearthing the world in seeking for ways on how to improve the lives of its
inhabitants.

Scientists of today meanwhile are ready to confront more sophisticated attempts at altering the
world for the benefit of humanity. Some people now are willing to tamper with time and space in the name
of technology. Social media, as an example, has been so far a very effective way of employing technology
in purging time and space. Not very long ago, communication between two people from two continents in
the planet will involve months of waiting for a mail to arrive. Seeing each other real time while talking was
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 virtually impossible. Now, communication between two people wherever they are, is not just possible but
easy. The internet and smart phones made real-time communication possible not just between two people,
but even with multiple people simultaneously.

Whether or not we agree with these technological advancements, these are all undertaken in the
hopes of attaining the good life. The balance, however, between the good life, ethics, and technology has to
be attained.

To better understand what is meant by good life with these school of thoughts, read the article provided below.

What is the Good life?

The various meanings of “living well”
By Emrys Westacott

What is “the good life”? This is one of the oldest philosophical questions. It has been posed in different ways—
How should one live? What does it mean to “live well”? —but these are really just the same question. After all,
everyone wants to live well, and no one wants “the bad life.”

But the question isn’t as simple as it sounds. Philosophers specialize in unpacking hidden complexities, and
the concept of the good life is one of those that needs quite a bit of unpacking.

The Moral Life

One basic way we use the word “good” is to express moral approval. So, when we say someone is living well
or that they have lived a good life, we may simply mean that they are a good person, someone who is
courageous, honest, trustworthy, kind, selfless, generous, helpful, loyal, principled, and so on.

They possess and practice many of the most important virtues. And they don’t spend all their time merely
pursuing their own pleasure; they devote a certain amount of time to activities that benefit others, perhaps
through their engagement with family and friends, or through their work, or through various voluntary activities.

This moral conception of the good life has had plenty of champions. Socrates and Plato both gave absolute
priority to being a virtuous person over all other supposedly good things such as pleasure, wealth, or power.

In Plato’s dialogue Gorgias, Socrates takes this position to an extreme. He argues that it is much better to
suffer wrong than to do it; that a good man who has his eyes gouged out and is tortured to death is more
fortunate than a corrupt person who has used wealth and power dishonorably.

In his masterpiece, the Republic, Plato develops this argument in greater detail. The morally good person, he
claims, enjoys a sort of inner harmony, whereas the wicked person, no matter how rich and powerful he may
be or how many pleasures he enjoys, is disharmonious, fundamentally at odds with himself and the world.

It is worth noting, though, that in both the Gorgias and the Republic, Plato bolsters his argument with a
speculative account of an afterlife in which virtuous people are rewarded and wicked people are punished.

Many religions also conceive of the good life in moral terms as a life lived according to God’s laws. A person
who lives this way—obeying the commandments and performing the proper rituals—is pious. And in most
religions, such piety will be rewarded. Obviously, many people do not receive their reward in this life.

But devout believers are confident that their piety will not be in vain. Christian martyrs went singing to their
deaths confident that they would soon be in heaven. Hindus expect that the law of karma will ensure that their
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good deeds and intentions will be rewarded, while evil actions and desires will be punished, either in this life or
in future lives.

The Life of Pleasure

The ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus was one of the first to declare, bluntly, that what makes life worth
living is that we can experience pleasure. Pleasure is enjoyable, it’s fun, it’s...well...pleasant! The view that
pleasure is the good, or, to put I another way, that pleasure is what makes life worth living, is known as
hedonism.

The word “hedonist,” when applied to a person, has slightly negative connotations. It suggests that they are
devoted to what some have called the “lower” pleasures such as sex, food, drink, and sensual indulgence in
general.

Epicurus was thought by some of his contemporaries to be advocating and practicing this sort of lifestyle, and
even today an “epicure” is someone who is especially appreciative of food and drink. But this is a
misrepresentation of Epicureanism. Epicurus certainly praised all kinds of pleasures. But he didn’t advocate
that we lose ourselves in sensual debauchery for various reasons:

• Doing so will probably reduce our pleasures in the long run since over-indulgence tends to cause
health problems and limit the range of pleasure we enjoy.
• The so-called “higher” pleasures such as friendship and study are at least as important as “pleasures of
the flesh."
• The good life has to be virtuous. Although Epicurus disagreed with Plato about the value of pleasure,
he fully agreed with him on this point.

Today, this hedonistic conception of the good life is arguably dominant in Western culture. Even in everyday
speech, if we say someone is “living the good life,” we probably mean that they enjoying lots of recreational
pleasures: good food, good wine, skiing, scuba diving, lounging by the pool in the sun with a cocktail and a
beautiful partner.

What is key to this hedonistic conception of the good life is that it emphasizes subjective experiences. On this
view, to describe a person as “happy” means that they “feel good,” and a happy life is one that contains many
“feel good” experiences.

The Fulfilled Life

If Socrates emphasizes virtue and Epicurus emphasizes pleasure, another great Greek thinker, Aristotle, views
the good life in a more comprehensive way. According to Aristotle, we all want to be happy.

We value many things because they are a means to other things. For instance, we value money because it
enables us to buy things we want; we value leisure because it gives us time to pursue our interests. But
happiness is something we value not as a means to some other end but for its own sake. It has intrinsic value
rather than instrumental value.

So for Aristotle, the good life is a happy life. But what does that mean? Today, many people automatically think
of happiness in subjectivist terms: To them, a person is happy if they are enjoying a positive state of mind, and
their life is happy if this is true for them most of the time.

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There is a problem with this way of thinking about happiness in this way, though. Imagine a powerful sadist
who spends much of his time gratifying cruel desires. Or imagine a pot-smoking, beer-guzzling couch potato
who does nothing but sit around all day watching old TV shows and playing video games. These people may
have plenty of pleasurable subjective experiences. But should we really describe them as “living well”?
Aristotle would certainly say no. He agrees with Socrates that to live the good life one must be a morally good
person. And he agrees with Epicurus that a happy life will involve many and varied pleasurable experiences.
We can’t really say someone is living the good life if they are often miserable or constantly suffering.

But Aristotle’s idea of what it means to live well is objectivist rather than subjectivist. It isn’t just a matter of how
a person feels inside, although that does matter. It’s also important that certain objective conditions be
satisfied.

For instance:

• Virtue: They must be morally virtuous.

• Health: They should enjoy good health and reasonably long life.
• Prosperity: They should be comfortably off (for Aristotle this meant affluent enough so that they don’t
need to work for a living doing something that they would not freely choose to do.)
• Friendship: They must have good friends. According to Aristotle human beings are innately social; so
the good life can’t be that of a hermit, a recluse, or a misanthrope.
• Respect: They should enjoy the respect of others. Aristotle doesn’t think that fame or glory is
necessary; in fact, a craving for fame can lead people astray, just as the desire for excessive wealth
can. But ideally, a person’s qualities and achievements will be recognized by others.
• Luck: They need good luck. This is an example of Aristotle’s common sense. Any life can be rendered
unhappy by tragic loss or misfortune.
• Engagement: They must exercise their uniquely human abilities and capacities. This is why the couch
potato is not living well, even if they report that they are content. Aristotle argues that what separates
human beings from the other animals is the human reason. So, the good life is one in which a person
cultivates and exercises their rational faculties by, for instance, engaging in scientific inquiry,
philosophical discussion, artistic creation, or legislation. Was he alive today he might well include some
forms of technological innovation?

If at the end of your life you can check all these boxes then you could reasonably claim to have lived well, to
have achieved the good life. Of course, the great majority of people today do not belong to the leisure class as
Aristotle did. They have to work for a living.

But it’s still true that we think the ideal circumstance is to be doing for a living what you would choose to do
anyway. So, people who are able to pursue their calling are generally regarded as extremely fortunate.

The Meaningful Life

Recent research shows that people who have children are not necessarily happier than people who don’t have
children. Indeed, during the child-raising years, and especially when children have turned into teenagers,
parents typically have lower levels of happiness and higher levels of stress. But even though having children
may not make people happier, it does seem to give them the sense that their lives are more meaningful.

For many people, the well-being of their family, especially their children and grandchildren, is the main source
of meaning in life. This outlook goes back a very long way. In ancient times, the definition of good fortune was
to have lots of children who do well for themselves.

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But obviously, there can be other sources of meaning in a person’s life. They may, for instance, pursue a
particular kind of work with great dedication: e.g. scientific research, artistic creation, or scholarship. They may
devote themselves to a cause: e.g. fighting against racism or protecting the environment. Or they may be
thoroughly immersed in and engaged with some particular community: e.g. a church, a soccer team, or a
school.
The Finished Life

The Greeks had a saying: Call no man happy until he’s dead. There is wisdom in this. In fact, one might want
to amend it to: Call no man happy until he’s long dead. For sometimes a person can appear to live a fine life,
and be able to check all the boxes—virtue, prosperity, friendship, respect, meaning, etc.—yet eventually be
revealed as something other than what we thought they were.

A good example of this Jimmy Saville, the British TV personality who was much admired in his lifetime but
who, after he died, was exposed as a serial sexual predator.

Cases like this bring out the great advantage of an objectivist rather than a subjectivist notion of what it means
to live well. Jimmy Saville may have enjoyed his life. But surely, we would not want to say that he lived the
good life. A truly good life is one that is both enviable and admirable in all or most of the ways outlined above.

Source: Westacott, E. (2018). What is the good life? Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-
thegood-life-4038226

*** END of the Lesson Proper***

REFERENCES

Textbooks

Aldea, K, Caronan H.P, and Candido, M.B. (2018). Science, Technology and Society (OBE Ready).
Mandaluyong City, Philippines: Book Atbp. Publishing Corp.

Serafica, J.P., Pawilen, G., Caslib Jr., B.N., and Alata, E.J. (2018). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon
City, Philippines: Rex Book Store, Inc. (RBSI)

Quinto, E.J. and Nieva, A. (2019). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon City, Philippines: C & E
Publishing, Inc.

Online Hickel, J. (2015, Sep 23). Forget ‘developing’ poor countries, it’s time to ‘de-develop’ rich countries.
The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/global-developmentprofessionalsnetwork/2015/
sep/23/developing-poor-countries-de-developrich-countries-sdgs

Westacott, E. (2018). What is the good life? Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-the-good-

life4038226

Learning Materials

Worksheets (teacher-made)

The Magician’s Twin: C.S. Lewis and the Case Against Scientism https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=gi5YJPWHQKo

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society Module 5 | 120

Akiro Kurosawa’s Dreams “Village of the Watermills” https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=aK4mtPQ_THM&t=98s

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society Module 5 | 121

 UNIVERSITY OF SAINT LOUIS
Tuguegarao City

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, ARTS and SCIENCES

First Semester
A.Y. 2020-2021

SCTS 1013 – Science, Technology and Society

Prepared by:

MARVIN B. BACCAY, MST

NICKSON B. CAMMAYO
MARLY I. CANAPI Ph.D.
ANGELOU D. CAOLE
JOSEPHINE M. GUERRERO
JEREMAE V. SAGARIO, MST
Course Instructor

Reviewed by:

RENZ MARION C. GAVINO, MP

General Education Area Head

Recommended by:

VENUS I. GUYOS, Ph.D.

Academic Dean

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 Approved by:

EMMANUEL JAMES P. PATTAGUAN, Ph.D.

Vice President for Academics

UNIVERSITY PRAYER

O God, wellspring of goodness and blessings, we give you thanks and praise as one Louisian community. The graces
You incessantly grant upon us and Your divine providence have sustained our beloved University throughout the
years of mission and excellence.

Having been founded by the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we pray that You keep us committed
and dedicated to our mission and identity to serve the Church and the society as we become living witnesses to the
Gospel values proclaimed by Jesus. For if we are steadfast in our good and beautiful mission, our works will bring
success not only to ourselves but also to those whom we are bound to love and serve.

Inspired by St. Louis our Patron Saint, who was filled with a noble spirit that stirred him to love You above all things, may
we also live believing that we are born for a greater purpose and mission as we dwell in Your presence all the days
of our life.

Grant all these supplications through the intercession of Mother

Mary and through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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 CORRESPONDENCE LEARNING MODULE
SCTS 1013: Science, Technology and Society
AY 2020-2021

LESSON 6: Humanity and Technology

Topic: A. When Technology and Humanity Cross
B. Why the Future Does Not Need Us?

Learning Outcomes: At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. Enumerate various technological advancements in society;

2. Discuss the development of science and technology in the Philippines;
3. Discuss the effects of the interplay between technology and humanity through the dilemma(s) they
face;
4. Identify William Nelson Joy’s arguments as to why the future does not need us; and
5. Evaluate contemporary human experiences with science and technology;

Date Topics Activities or Tasks

November 9-11 When Technology and Humanity Cross Read Lessons
November 12-13 Complete Participation Task Sheet
November 16-18 Why the Future Does not Need Us? Read Lessons
November 19-20 Complete Learning Task Sheet
Turning over of learning task and acquisition
November 23
of new module

LEARNING CONTENT

Introduction:

Technology keeps on progressing due to the changing times and environment and also to the everprogressing
mind of mankind. It would not be possible for all these technological advancements to exist if it were not for
the brilliance, creativeness, and power of the mind. However, it is also important to note that anything too
much is bad. The same problem is faced by technology. Although it has been very helpful to people, it is
still not immune to criticisms and backlash. Various ethical dilemmas have been identified throughout time
involving the use of different technological devices and its effects to humanity. Usually, different problems
arise when either the technological device available is misused or if it was invented to produce bad results.
People who are aware of the possible dangers of the use and misuse of technology are not keeping still.
They lay these dilemmas for the public to see and realize what they are in for.
In this module, several technological devices will be introduced, the roles they play in society and their effects,
particularly on the lives of people.
Therefore, I expect you to become not just informed students, but to be transformed students ready to
seek knowledge and to do more with the knowledge that you have! That maybe more challenging, especially
with this pandemic we are experiencing, but with the right motivation, we can still attain this goal. Let’s go!

Lesson Proper:

WHEN TECHNOLOGY AND HUMANITY CROSS

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The worry begins when we question ourselves that what if we will be replaced by robots 10 years from
now? Where does humanity stand in the face of these technological advancements?

The roles played by technology these days are very crucial not only to a few but also to everyone. In
one way or another, each person in the society is directly or indirectly affected by technology whether he wills it
or not. In fact, most people survive their everyday lives with great reliance to the different technological
advancements already available to the masses. While there may be some who would claim that their lives are
not greatly affected by technology, the fact cannot be denied that technology is already an inevitable part of the
society.
It is with great effort that people were able to achieve such great inventions. It makes life so much
easier and more convenient than ever before. It can clearly be seen from the simplest task at home to the most
complicated ones inside the office or laboratory. Technology these days enjoys such fame and glory because
of the many different benefits it brings to mankind. Some would even say that it does not only bring
convenience but also pleasure and happiness to people. This is because of the different leisure activities that
technology can offer to people. For example, it allows people to listen to good music wherever they are.
Another is, it allows them to communicate with their loved ones anywhere in the world; but most of all, it allows
them to surf and play games anytime, anywhere.
The act of pinpointing a single activity that does not in any way require the use of technology has
become very hard because almost all activities that humans perform already require the assistance of some
kind of technological advancement. But this is not all, for there are people who would even argue that
technology has become a necessity and no longer a want. At present, people work very hard in order to save
money to buy these necessities while in the past, people only used their money for the things that would help
them survive like food, housing, and clothing. In effect, anything outside these categories was considered a
luxury. However, that is no longer the case at present.
In general, technology keeps on progressing due to not only the changing times and environment but
also to the ever-progressing mind of mankind. It would not be possible for all these technological
advancements to exist if it were not for the brilliance, creativeness, and power of the mind. However, it is also
important to note that anything too much is bad. The same problem is faced by technology. Although it has
been very helpful to people, it is still not immune to criticisms and backlash. Various ethical dilemmas have
been identified throughout time involving the use of different technological devices and its effects to humanity.
Usually, different problems arise when either the technological device available is misused or if in the first
place, it was invented to produce bad results. People who are aware of the possible dangers of the use or
misuse of technology are not keeping still. They lay these dilemmas for the public to see and realize what they
are in for.
There are lots of technological advancements that are available in our modern world today and in this
module, we mainly focus on the three most commonly used (Television, Mobile Phone, and
Computers/Laptops)

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 Television

➢ According to Kantar Media, one of the most trusted television audience measurement
providers, in the Philippines, 92 percent of urban homes and 70 percent or rural homes own at least
one television set that’s why television remains to be the ultimate medium for advertisement
placements.
➢ Filipinos have a big fascination with televisions because according to Kantar Media, the current
count of households with television set already reached 15.135 million and counting.
How were televisions invented?

• Paul Gottlieb Nipkow, a German Student, in the late 1800s was successful in his attempt to
send images through wires with the aid of a rotating metal disk. This invention was then called
the “electric telescope” that had 18 lines of resolution.

Paul Gottlieb Nipkow Electric Telescope

• In 1907, two inventors Alan Archibald Campbell-Swinton (left) who was an English scientist
and Boris Rosing (right) who was a Russian scientist, created a new system of television by

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 using the cathode ray tube in addition tomechanical scanner system.

Cathode ray tube with mechanical

scanner system

This success story gave rise to two types of television systems, namely, mechanical and electronic
television. These experiments inspired other scientists to improve the previous inventions, which led to
the modern television we have today. However, it is important to remember that several scientists and
several experiments were performed first before finally achieving the modern television at present.
Mobile Phones

➢ We Filipinos love to use our mobile phones anywhere, anytime. We use it for different purposes other
than communication. More than half of the Filipino population own at least one mobile phone
regardless of type.
➢ In 2010, global research agency Synovate conducted a survey and declared 67 percent product
ownership in the country. In fact, it was also claimed that mobile phones are considered a must-have
among young Filipinos.
➢ Ipsos Media Atlas Philippines Nationwide Urban 2011-2012 survey regarding the love of Filipino
people in using their mobile phones resulted that one in every three Filipinos cannot live without a
mobile phone. In other words, 30% of the Philippine urban population nationwide said that mobile
phones are necessities in life.
➢ Philippine streets are full of people using their mobile phones. Not only this, there are some Filipinos
who even own more than one mobile phone.

Brief Background of Mobile Phones

• On April 3, 1973, Martin Cooper, a senior engineer at Motorola, made the world’s first mobile
phone call.
• He called their rival telecommunications company and properly informed them that he was
making the call from a mobile phone.

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 • The mobile phone used by Cooper weighed 1.1 kilograms and this device was capable of a
30minute talk time. However, it took 10 hours to charge.
• In 1983, Motorola made their first commercial mobile phone available to the public. It was known
as the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X.

Martin Cooper
Computers/Laptops

➢ Some Filipino families own more than one computer or laptop while some own at least one computer or
laptop. However, the number of computers or laptops sold per year may not be as high as the number
of mobile phones and television sets because of the relative high cost of computers.
➢ In 2010, 3.6 trillion was the estimated total value output of all manufacturing establishments.
Semiconductor devices and other electronic components took more than half of the total value output of
all manufacturing establishments. 5.4 % of the total value output came from computers and peripheral
equipment and accessories.
➢ In line with growing number of computer and laptop sales, there has also
been a growing number of Internet users in the Philippines.

Charles Babbage- a 19th century English Mathematics professor, who designed the Analytical Engine which
was used as the basic framework of the computers even until the present time. In general, computers can
be classified into three generations. Each generation of the computer was used for a certain period of time
and each gave people a new and improved version of the previous one.

Note: Before, the first design of computer was so big that it could occupy whole floors of buildings. It was not
long before people started dreaming that they could bring their devices to any place they wished. Wish

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 granted because in April 1981, the first true portable computer was released. It was called the Osborne
1.

Osborne 1 Computer

Here are some facts about Filipinos and their use of gadgets and the Internet:
• Mobile phone subscription is at 119 million
• Filipinos spend approximately 3.2 hours on mobile and 5.2 hours on desktop daily.
• Currently, the Philippines has one of the highest digital populations in the world.
• There are now 47 million active Facebook accounts in the Philippines
• The Philippines is the fastest-growing application market in Southeast Asia.

Roles Played by Television, Mobile Phones, and Computers/Laptops

1. Television

➢ It is mainly used as a platform for advertisements and information dissemination. For example,
speeches of VIPs, important interview of politicians, and launching of rockets and space crafts,
which are directly telecast will make us feel as if the entire world has become our next-door
neighbor. Another example is the news that is daily broadcasted for us to be aware of the
happenings around us. As easy as that, we will be connected to the world at the comfort of our
homes.
➢ It is the most used avenue by different advertising companies not only in the Philippines but also
all over the world and it is still one of the most used technological devices up until today. This is
because television is able to attract the audiences of all age groups, literate and illiterate and of
all the strata of the society. It has been also able to influence the people living in remote areas of
our country as its outreach has covered the remotest villages and tribal pockets. Through this, it
would bring about awareness among the people of sociological problems and make them
conscious of national goals which will play a vital role in cultivating civic consciousness and
respect for law and public morality.
➢ It also serves as a recreational activity and good stress reliever to most families, specifically to
Filipino families. This has been one of our family bonding since then. Through viewing as one
family, we will be able to share thoughts with each other and can be considered as a leisure time
for everyone. Most Filipino families love to watch comedy movies in television that will make
them laugh and relieve stress from work. Some also watch educational movies which is suited
for all especially those families with kids. That is why television plays a big role in connecting

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 every Filipino family because through this technological advancement, it brings us closer to our
loved ones.
2. Mobile Phones

➢ Primarily used for communication and it can offer services like texting and calling and additional
features of mobile phones today.
➢ Some people use their mobile phones to surf the Internet and to take pictures more than to text
or call people that’s why people prefer smart phones for its additional features.
➢ It is like an all-in-one device. It is very portable and convenient because it can fit into any space,
may it be inside the pocket or bag. This is a good example that we can even use our mobile
phones in our work. It may help us access anytime the important things we want to search with
the aid of the Internet. Unlike televisions and computers/laptops, mobile phones are easy to
bring anywhere. The good thing about mobile phones is it’s almost similar with the features of
television and computers/laptops, however, has also its limitations that other gadgets can offer.
➢ In Japan, mobile phone companies provide immediate notification of earthquakes and other
natural disasters to their customers free of charge. In the event of an emergency, disaster
response crews can locate trapped or injured people using the signals from their mobile phones
or the small detonator of flare in the battery of every cell phone; an interactive menu accessible
through the phone's Internet browser notifies the company if the user is safe or in distress.
(Retrievedfrom:https://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/132870/cell_phones/importance_of
_mobile_phones.html)

3. Computers/Laptops

➢ It has a wide keyboard and screen compared to mobile phones that’s why it is easy to type. ➢
Mouse and a touchpad are made available to easily maneuver than mobile phones.
➢ For youth and those who love to play different computer games, personal computers or laptops
are really the better choice because these allow them to play with comfort and convenience.
➢ Laptops/computers can help students write papers more easily as well. Typing can make the
writing process go faster, and the tools in word processing software make it easier for students
to edit their work. By writing on laptops instead of a desktop computer, students can work at
home, in the library or during work time in class. A project to give students laptops in the
classroom in Maine resulted in an increase in student writing achievement, according to The
National Writing Project. Eighty percent of students in the project said they would rather use
their laptop to do their work and were more likely to edit their work using their laptop. In addition,
75 percent said that laptops helped them to be better organized, while 70 percent said laptops
helped them improve the quality of their work. (Retrieved from:
https://education.seattlepi.com/benefits-laptops-students-3053.html)
➢ Group work is integral to student success. Students who learn how to work in a team and benefit
from the strengths of other students in the group learn material in a new way. Laptops facilitate
group work by allowing students to meet at any location -- whether it's a library, school room or a
student's home -- and access all the materials they may need, including classroom notes,
journal articles, online research or software for creating videos, slide shows or other items they
may need for presentations. Wherever students have access to the Internet, they can also easily
share files with one another. (Retrieved from:
https://education.seattlepi.com/benefits-laptops-students-3053.html)

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society Module 6 | 130

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society Module 6 | 131
 ETHICAL DILEMMAS FACED BY THESE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS

While it’s true that these technological devices are useful and beneficial, the fact remains that there are
several dilemmas faced by these “necessities”. Here are the following ethical dilemmas that these technologies
may bring:
1. Children becoming unhealthy with the use of technology

Are you becoming dependent on technology just like these kids? What might you get from too
much use of gadgets?

Most parents would argue that these devices make their children addicted and unhealthy. This is
because of the fact that people who are fixated on these technological advancements start and end their day by
using such devices. They have a great tendency to sit and chill all day long without doing anything productive in
their homes, thus making them unhealthy because they do not just skip meals sometimes but also lack
exercise or any bodily movements.
For example, those who love to watch television shows stay in front of the television for more than six
hours a day while those who love to surf the Internet or play computer games stay on their laptops, computers
or mobile phones for more than a half day. These people have the tendency to be unaware of the time because
they are so engrossed with the use of technological device. In fact, if they get disturbed, there is a great chance
that they will get mad or annoyed. Moreover, these are the same people who are more likely to experience
alienation because they no longer take time to get out of their houses and mingle with other people.
On this first dilemma, it is really concerning to know that there are people who develop different kinds of
sickness because of too much use of technological devices. Not only this, it also causes them to become
reclusive, alienating themselves from other people. Although some would argue that technology brings people
together, it can also be argued that this is not always the case in real world because it may bring them virtually
closer but not physically or personally. In fact, there are people who are friends, for example, only on social
media but not in real life. This just shows that there are things that technology claims to do but in reality, does
not. It is for these reasons why there are people who call for the establishment of ethics of technology. This
subcategory of ethics will in one way or another guide people on how technology ought to be used in order to
prevent abuse and other unfortunate results.
The word “responsibility” in the sense of being accountable for and accountable to is very appropriate
to the ethics of technology because it makes each and every person in the scientific-technological development
a proxy with reference to one another. In other words, each person must indicate the priorities, values, norms,
and principles that constitute the grounds for one’s actions and define one’s contribution to the scientific-
technological event. The ethics of responsibility focuses on the positive rather than negative. Instead of asking
“What ought not to be allowed?” ask “What ought to be allowed?” To put it in another way, people who are part
of the scientific development ought to let the public know the good in their respective technological
contribution/s. in this way, the people will have an idea how the devices ought to be used in order to maximize
their positive results.
SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 132
 2. Moral dilemma

Technology is accessible to anyone. Can you imagine your brothers/sisters at an early age were
exposed already to the use of technology?

People, especially the children who are not capable yet of rationally deciding for themselves what is right or
wrong, are freely exposed to different things on television, mobile phones, laptops, or computers. Due to
the availability and easy access to the Internet, they can just easily search the web and go to different
websites without restrictions. This allows them to see, read, or hear things which are not suitable for their
very young age. This makes them very vulnerable to character change and can greatly affect the way they
view the world and the things around them.
In this sense, moral dilemma can be a danger to the children brought by technology. Why? Moral dilemma is
defined as a conflict between what is the right or wrong decision to be made in particular situations or
whether an action will have good or bad consequences. In the context that these children are not yet
capable to decide for themselves and determine what is right or wrong, they tend to acquire both good and
bad consequences. Good consequences like for example, at an early age, they will be corrected and
properly educated by their parents on how these technologies should be properly used and pose an
awareness the next time they encounter these gadgets. On the other hand, the children will also be prone
to bad consequences because at an early age, they are already exposed to these technological
advancements where in fact they should be more of interpersonal activities with the family and should be
developing their skills and talents at this age. The consequence is later on when they grow older, they
might be lacking in some parts of their developmental growth that will lead to misbehavior.
However, on this second dilemma, neither the people in the scientific world nor the children are blameworthy
because first, the children are not yet capable of rationally deciding for themselves what is good and what is
bad. Second, even if creators of these technologies went out of their way to inform children of the pros and
cons of these technological contributions, it would still be useless because the children have no capacity to
understand them yet. So, in this dilemma, the ones to be blamed are the adults who allowed the children to
have access to such devices in the first place without any supervision. It is the recklessness and
overconfidence of the adults that cause the character change in children. However, we should not be
putting blames into anyone else now, instead, we should always be there to supervise our youngsters and
assist them in any technological endeavor they might be in or better, limit them in using any gadgets.

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 ROBOTICS AND HUMANITY

The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) and United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
(UNECE) made it their task to formulate a working definition for service robots. A robot is an actuated
mechanism programmable in two or more axes with a degree of autonomy, moving within environment, to
perform intended tasks.
Autonomy is the ability to perform intended tasks based on current state and sensing without human
intervention.
➢ A service robot is a robot that performs useful tasks for humans or equipment excluding industrial
automation application.

At your service! Robots are now made today to aide and assist humans in the form of service.

Note: A robot may be classified according to its intended application as an industrial robot or a service
robot.

➢ A personal service robot or a service robot for personal use is a service robot used for a
noncommercial task, usually by laypersons.

Robots as humans’ friend? If not for service, robots are made to be one’s friend and will be there
anytime.

Examples are domestic servant robot, automated wheelchair, personal mobility assist robot, and pet
exercising robot.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 134

 ➢ A professional service robot or a service robot for professional use is a service robot used for a
commercial task, usually operated by a properly trained operator
Operator – a person designated to start, monitor, and stop the intended operation of a robot or a robot
system.

Look! Robots are on the go to be people’s customer representative. This is how they can professionally
act.

Other examples are cleaning robot for public places, delivery robot in offices or hospitals, firefighting robot,
rehabilitation robot, and surgery robot in hospitals

Germany was one of the first countries to develop service robots. As part of the German Federal
Ministry of Education and Research’s “Service Robotics Innovation Lead Initiative”, it sponsored a collaborative
project called DESIRE (Deutsche Servicerobotik Initiative- Germany Service Robotics Initiative)
which was launched on October 1, 2005.

The following are the DESIRE objectives:

• To achieve a technological edge toward attaining key functions and components that are suited
for everyday use.
• To create a reference architecture for mobile manipulation
• To promote the convergence of technologies through integration into a common technology
platform
• To conduct pre-competition research and development activities for new products and
technology transfer in start-up enterprises in the field of service robotics

Some of the expected work to be performed by DESIRE are the following:

1. “Clear up the kitchen table” – all objects on top of the kitchen table will be moved to where they
belong.

2. “Fill the dishwasher” – the dirty dishes will be sorted correctly into the dishwasher.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 135

 3. “Clear up this room” – all objects that are not in their proper places
will be moved to where they belong.

The earliest conception of robots can be traced around 3000 B.C. from the
physical task regularly. Egyptians. Their water clocks used human figurines to strike the hour bells.
This mechanical device was built to carry out specific

From that time on, different machines were already built that displayed
the same mechanism and characteristics as the robots in the present. For
example, there was a wooden pigeon that could fly, a talking doll,
steampowered robots, and hydraulically-operated statues that could speak and
gesture. However, the earliest robots as people know them were created in the
early 1950s by George Devol. “Unimate” was his first invention from the words
“Universal Automation”. Unfortunately, his attempt to sell his product to the
industry did not succeed. After Unimate, several robots were also invented
which were better versions of the previous ones. Ever since, people never stopped their quest in the field of
robotics.

Water clocks of Egyptians manipulated by

robots
Roles Played by Robotics

Robots play different roles not only in the lives of the people but also in the society as a whole. They
are primarily used to ease the workload of mankind and were invented to make life more efficient and less
stressful. Just like people living in the society, robots also have their own set of rules and characteristics that
define what a good robot is. These laws were formulated by Isaac Asimov back in the 1940s, when he was
thinking of the ethical consequences of robots.
LAW ONE: A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
LAW TWO: A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict
with the First Law.
LAW THREE: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First
or Second Law.

ETHICAL DILEMMA/S FACED BY ROBOTICS

1. SAFETY- Who should be held accountable if someone’s safety is compromised by a robot? Who
should be blamed, the robot, the agent using the robot, or the maker/inventor of the robot? It is important to
know who should be blamed and who should be held responsible if such thing happens.

2. EMOTIONAL COMPONENT- What if robots become sentient? Should they be granted robot rights?
Should they have their own set of rights to be upheld, respected, and protected by humans? This may seem a
little absurd as of the moment, but looking at how fast technology progress nowadays, it is not completely
SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 136
impossible for robots to develop emotions. It is interesting to know how people would react if the time comes
when robots can already feel pain and pleasure. Would they act differently or not at all? The question now is,
are you ready when that time comes?

In the field of robotics, there are the so-called partial autonomy and full autonomy. Partial autonomy includes
active human-robot interaction while full autonomy excludes active human robot interaction.in other words,
a robot with full autonomy can perform actions or activities without a master telling it what should be done
or what should be performed next.
Using Asimov’s laws for robots, it can be concluded that robots are ethical but only if they strictly follow the
laws formulated by Asimov ensure the safety of not only the users of the technology but also the people
around him. Remember that these service robots are already available to the public; thus, they can already
be found inside the homes. Having said that, the safety of not only the owner of the technology but also all
the people inside the house should be the priority more than anything else. In other words, the service
robots only follow what their masters tell them to do with great consideration to the laws formulated by
Asimov. However, if the agent using the technology misuses the robot to achieve personal agendas, then
without a doubt, the agent should be held accountable for any consequences it may bring. It is important to
note that this is under the assumption that the robot strictly followed the laws specified without any form of
deviation.
If the problems arise when the robot deviates from the laws specified, then the maker or the inventor of the
machine should be blameworthy. It just means that the robot was not programmed very well because it
violated the laws. Other problems may arise when the machine develops the ability to think for itself. In this
case, the one that should be blame can both be the maker or inventor and the robot itself. This is because,
in the first place, the maker gave the robot the capacity to think for itself so he should be very much aware
of its possible consequences. To put it in another way, the maker programmed the robot in such a way that
it can already think for itself without an active participation from a human being. In addition, since the robot
thinks for itself, whatever decision it makes and whatever consequence it may bring, the robot itself should
be held responsible.
For the second dilemma, it is just right for the robots to be given their own set of rights should they develop the
ability to feel different kinds of emotion. It can be argued that the same thing happened with animals.
Before, animals did not have their own set of rights because people believed that they were not capable of
having emotions. However, after years of testing and experimenting, it was concluded that animals are
indeed capable of emotions. It is for the reason that people decided to give them rights that are due to
them. The same should be done to robots without any reservations. Should that time come, they ought to
be treated differently and they ought to have new laws to follow in order to accommodate the new
characteristic they have developed.

Why the Future Does Not Need Us?

Can you imagine a future without the human race? Do you think that robots and machines can replace
humans? Do you believe that there will come a time when human existence will be at the mercy of robots
SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 137
 and machines? It is also possible that medical breakthroughs in the future may go terribly wrong that a
strain of drug-resistant viruses could wipe out the entire human race?
For some, imagining a future without humans is nearly synonymous to the end of the world. Many choose not
to speculate about a future where humans cease to exist while the world remains. However, a dystopian
society void of human presence is the subject of many works in literature and film. The possibility of such
society is also a constant topic of debates.
William Nelson Joy- an American computer scientist and chief scientist of Sun Microsystems, wrote an article
in April 2000 for Wired magazine entitled Why the Future doesn’t need us? In his article, Joy warned
against the rapid rise of new technologies. He explained that 21 st century technologies- genetics,
nanotechnology, and robotics (GNR)- are becoming very powerful that they can potentially bring about new
classes of accidents, threats, and abuses. He further warned that these dangers are even more pressing
because they do not require large facilities or even rare raw materials- knowledge alone will make them
potentially harmful to humans.
What are the arguments of Joy in his article?

➢ He argued that robotics, genetic engineering, and nanotechnology pose much greater threats than
technological developments that have come before.
➢ He particularly cited the ability of nanobots to self-replicate, which could quickly get out of control.
➢ He also cautioned humans against overdependence on machines that if machines are given the
capacity to decide on their own, it will be impossible to predict how they might behave in the future. In
this case, the fate of the human race would be at the mercy of machines.
➢ He voiced out his apprehension about the rapid increase of computer power which made him concern
about computers will eventually become more intelligent than humans, thus ushering societies in
dystopian visions, such as robot rebellions.
➢ His concern was drawn from Theodore Kaczynski’s book, Unabomber Manifesto, where Kaczynski
described that the unintended consequences of the design and use of technology are clearly related to
Murphy’s Law: “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong” Kaczynski argued further that
overreliance on antibiotics led to the great paradox of emerging antibiotic-resistant strains of dangerous
bacteria. The introduction of Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) to combat malarial mosquitoes,
for instance, only gave rise to malarial parasites with multi-drug resistant genes.

Joy’s arguments against 21st century technologies have received both criticisms and expression shared
concern. John Seeley Brown and Paul Duguid, in their article A Response to Bill Joy and the Doom-
andGloom Technofuturists, criticized Joy’s failure to consider social factors and only deliberately focused on
one part of the larger picture. Others go as far as accusing Joy of being a neo-Luddite, someone who
rejects new technologies and shows technophobic leanings.
As a material, Joy’s article tackles the unpleasant and uncomfortable possibilities that a senseless approach to
scientific and technological advancements may bring. Whether Joy’s propositions are a real possibility or an
absolute moonshot, it is unavoidable to think of a future that will no longer need the human race. It makes
thinking about the roles and obligations of every stakeholder a necessary
component of scientific and technological advancement. In this case, it is
preeminently necessary that the scientific community, governments, and
businesses engage in a discussion to determine the safeguards of humans
against the potential dangers of science and technology.
To enhance your learning watch this film: A.I Artificial Intelligence, 2001

Watch using this link: https://123moviesfree.net/movie/artificial-intelligence-ai-

5743/watching.html

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 138

 *** END of the Lesson Proper**

REFERENCES

Textbooks

Aldea, K, Caronan H.P, and Candido, M.B. (2018). Science, Technology and Society (OBE Ready).
Mandaluyong City, Philippines: Book Atbp. Publishing Corp.
Serafica, J.P., Pawilen, G., Caslib Jr., B.N., and Alata, E.J. (2018). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon
City, Philippines: Rex Book Store, Inc. (RBSI)
Quinto, E.J. and Nieva, A. (2019). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon City, Philippines: C & E
Publishing, Inc.
Online

Vats,A.ImportanceofMobilePhones.Retrievedfrom:https://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/132870/cell_p
hones/importance_of_mobile_phones.html
Magher, M. What are the Benefits of Laptops?
laptops-students-3053.html Retrieved from: https://education.seattlepi.com/benefits-
Learning Materials

Film: A.I: Artificial Intelligence (2001)

Worksheets (teacher-made)

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 139

UNIVERSITY OF SAINT LOUIS
Tuguegarao City

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, ARTS and SCIENCES

First Semester
A.Y. 2020-2021

SCTS 1013 – Science, Technology and Society

Prepared by:

MARVIN B. BACCAY, MST

NICKSON B. CAMMAYO
MARLY I. CANAPI Ph.D.
ANGELOU D. CAOLE
JOSEPHINE M. GUERRERO
JEREMAE V. SAGARIO, MST
Course Instructor

Reviewed by:

RENZ MARION C. GAVINO, MP

General Education Area Head

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 140

 Recommended by:

VENUS I. GUYOS, Ph.D.

Academic Dean

Approved by:

EMMANUEL JAMES P. PATTAGUAN, Ph.D.

Vice President for Academics

UNIVERSITY PRAYER

O God, wellspring of goodness and blessings, we give you thanks and praise as one Louisian community. The graces
You incessantly grant upon us and Your divine providence have sustained our beloved University throughout the
years of mission and excellence.

Having been founded by the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we pray that You keep us committed and
dedicated to our mission and identity to serve the Church and the society as we become living witnesses to the
Gospel values proclaimed by Jesus. For if we are steadfast in our good and beautiful mission, our works will bring
success not only to ourselves but also to those whom we are bound to love and serve.

Inspired by St. Louis our Patron Saint, who was filled with a noble spirit that stirred him to love You above all things,
may we also live believing that we are born for a greater purpose and mission as we dwell in Your presence all the
days of our life.

Grant all these supplications through the intercession of Mother

Mary and through Christ our Lord. Amen.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 141

CORRESPONDENCE LEARNING MODULE
SCTS 1013: Science, Technology and Society AY
2020-2021

LESSON 2: THE INFORMATION AGE

Topic: A. Timeline of Information Age
B. Biodiversity and a Health Society

Learning Outcomes: At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. Define Information Age

2. Discuss the history of Information Age
3. Trace the development of the information age from the introduction of Gutenberg’s press up to the
era of social media
4. Determine the impact of the information age to society
5. Analyze the ways in which the information age and social media influence human lives.
6. Identify the importance of biodiversity as a source of different biological resources; and
7. Discuss the adverse effects of resource depletion on society and the measures to mitigate them.

Date Topics Activities or Tasks

December 14 Timeline of Information Age Read Lessons
Biodiversity and a Healthy Society
December 15 Complete Learning Task Sheet
Read Lessons
December 16-17

December 18 Complete Quiz

Turning over of learning task and
December 21
acquisition of new module

LEARNING CONTENT

Introduction:
Highly modernized, automated, data-driven and technologically advanced- these best describe our society
nowadays, as evidenced by how information could be transferred or shared quickly. The different areas of
society have been influenced tremendously such as communications, economics, industry, health and the
environment. Despite our gains due to growing development of information technology, the rapid upgrade
of information also had disadvantages. This lesson will discuss the history and impact of technological
advancements to society.
Life is accompanied by endless transmission of information that takes place within and outside the body.
According to Webster’s Encyclopedia Unabridged Dictionary, information is “knowledge communicated or
obtained concerning a specific fact or circumstance.” Hence, information is a very important tool for
survival.
SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 142
 The Information Age is defined as a “period starting in the last quarter of the 20 th century when information
became effortlessly accessible through publications and through the management of information by
computers and computer networks” (Vocabulary.com. n.d.). The means of conveying symbolic information
(e.g., writing, math, other codes) among humans has evolved with increasing speed. The Information Age
is also called the Digital Age and the New Media Age because it was associated with the development of
computers.
According to James R. Messenger who proposed the Theory of Information Age in 1982, “the Information Age
is a true new age based upon the interconnection of computers via telecommunications, with these
information systems operating on both a real-time and as needed basis. Furthermore, the primary factors
driving this new age forward are convenience and user-friendliness which, in turn, will create user
dependence.

Lesson Proper:

What is Information Age? Information Age

• “period beginning in the last quarter of the 20th century when information became easily accessible
through publications and through the manipulation of information by computers and computer networks”
– WordNet
• also known as Digital Age and the New Media Age
• a true new age based upon the interconnection of computers via telecommunications, with these
information systems operating on both real-time and as-needed basis. Furthermore, the primary factors
driving this new age forward are convenience and user-friendliness, which, in turn, will create user
dependence.” – James R. Messenger

Do you happen to ask yourself one time, what is the origin of scripts and how it turned out into a valuable and
reliable information that we use today? Here is its history.
History
The table below traces the history and emergence of the Information Age.

Year Events
Sumerian writing system uses pictographs to represent words.
3000 B.C

2900 Beginnings of Egyptian hieroglyphic writing.

1300 Tortoise shell and oracle bone writing.
500 Papyrus roll.
220 Chinese small seal writing developed.
100 A.D. Book (parchment codex).
105 Wood-block printing and paper is invented by the Chinese.
1455 Johann Gutenberg invents printing press using movable metal type.
1755 Samuel Johnson's dictionary standardizes English spelling.
1802 • The Library of Congress is established.
• Invention of the carbon arc lamp.
1824 Research on persistence of vision published.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 143

1830s . • First viable design for a digital computer.
• Augusta Lady Byron writes world's first computer program
1837 Invention of telegraph in Great Britain and the United States.
1861 Motion pictures projected onto a screen.
1876 Dewey Decimal system introduced.
1877 Edweard Muybridge demonstrates high-speed photography.
1899 First magnetic recordings.
1902 Motion picture special effects.
1906 Lee DeForest invents electronic amplifying tube (triode).
1923 Television camera tube invented by Zvorkyn.
1926 First practical sound movie.
1939 Regularly scheduled television broadcasting begins in the U.S.
1940s Beginnings of information science as a discipline.
1945 Vannevar Bush foresees the invention of hypertext.
1946 ENIAC computer developed.
1948 Birth of field-of-information theory proposed by Claude E. Shannon.
1957 Planar transistor developed by Jean Hoerni
1958 First integrated circuit.
1960s Library of Congress develops LC MARC (machine readable code).
1969 UNIX operating system developed, which could handle multitasking.
1971 Intel introduces first microprocessor chip.
1972 Optical laserdisc developed by Philips and MCA.
1974 MCA and Philips agree on standard videodisc encoding format.
1975 Altair Microcomputer Kit: first personal computer for the public.
1977 RadioShack introduces first complete personal computer.
1984 Apple MacIntosh computer introduced.
Mid-'80s Artificial intelligence separates from information science.
1987 Hypercard developed by Bill Atkinson recipe box metaphor.
1991 Four hundred fifty complete works of literature on one CD-ROM.
Jan. 1997 RSA (Encryption and network security software) Internet security code cracked for a 48-bit
number.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 144

 https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=evolution+of+man+and+information&sxsrf=ALeKk00SUa9WULO-
cMIUdxCu8U6in2HumA:1606391681019&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj5n5Gsk6DtAhXBDaYKHS_fDToQ_AUoAXoECA0QAw&biw=1366&bih=657#imgrc=627GPNAUzzgzfM&imgdii=W9pz8WLgljHd-M

As man evolved, information and its dissemination has also evolved in many ways. Eventually, we no longer
kept them and manage them in different means. Information got ahead of us. It started to grow at a rate we
were unprepared to handle. Because of abundance of information, it was difficult to collect and manage
them starting in the 1960s and 1970s. during the 1980s, real angst set in, Richard Wurman called it
“Information Anxiety.” In the 1990s, information become the currency in the business world. Information
was the preferred medium or exchange and the information managers served as information officers. In the
present generation, there is no doubt that information has turned out to be a commodity, an overdeveloped
product, mass-produced and unspecified. Soon, we become overloaded with it.

Different authors have diverse, contrasting ideas on the evolution of the

Information Age. In spite of this, we can still say that information is a very
important tool that helps improve our way of life. On thins is for sure, the
Information Age will continue to move forward and far greater than our
minds could imagine.

Gutenberg’s Press up to the Era of Social Media

German goldsmith, Johannes Gutenberg, invented the printing press around

1440. This invention was a result of finding a way to improve the manual,
tedious and slow printing methods. A printing press is a device that applies
pressure to an inked surface lying on a print medium, such as cloth or
paper, to transfer ink. Gutenberg’s hand mold printing press led to the
creation of metal movable type. Later, the two inventions were combined to
make printing methods faster and they drastically reduced the costs of
printing documents.

https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=gutenberg+printing+press&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwiRrbHXnqDtAhURAKYKHVLWBnAQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=gute&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQARgBMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADoECAAQQzoHCAAQsQMQQzoFCAAQsQM6CAgAELEDEIMBUPaSP1i_oD9g-
74_aAFwAHgAgAG6AYgBtASSAQMyLjOYAQCgAQGqAQtnd3Mtd2l6LWltZ8ABAQ&sclient=img&ei=ZKO_X5HrHpGAmAXSrJuABw&bih=657&biw=1366&hl=en-GB#imgrc=SK84UmNdZVF38M

The beginnings of mass communication ca be traced back to the invention of the printing press. The
development of a fast and easy way of disseminating information in print permanently reformed the
structure of society. Political and religious authorities who took pride in being learned were threatened by
SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 145
 the sudden rise of literacy among people. When rise of the printing press, the printing revolution occurred
which illustrated the tremendous social change brought by the wide circulation of information. The printing
press made the mass production of books possible which made books accessible not only to the upper
class.

As years progressed, calculations become involved in communication due to the rapid developments in the
trade sector. Back then, people who complied actuarial tables and did engineering calculations served as
“computers.” During World War II, the Allies countries that opposed the Axis power were challenged with a
serious shortage of human computers for military calculations. When soldiers left for war, the shortage got
worse, so the US addressed the problem by creating the Harvard Mark 1, a general-purpose
electromechanical computer that was 50 feet long and capable of doing calculations in seconds that usually
look people hours. At the same time, Britain needed mathematician to crack the German Navy’s Enigma
code. The Enigma was an enciphering machine that the German armed forces used to securely send
messages.

https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=enigma&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjIj5PIoqDtAhUoHKYKHew1Cj8Q2-
cCegQIABAA&oq=eni&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQARgBMgcIABCxAxBDMgUIABCxAzICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADIFCAAQsQMyAggAOgQIABBDOgQIIxAnUO_dPViY5j1gzvk9aABwAHgAgAFgiAH5AZIBATOYAQCgAQGqAQtnd3Mtd2l6LWltZ8ABAQ&sclient=img&ei=dqe_X8j8Eai4mAXs66j4Aw&bih=657&biw=1366&hl=en-
GB#imgrc=KaR8d4Vtl3pGxM

Alan Turing, an English mathematician, was hired in 1936 by the British

top-secret Government Code and Cipher School at Bletchley Park to
break the Enigma code. His code-breaking methods became ab
industrial process having 12,000 people working 24/7.

To counteract this, the Nazis made the Enigma more complicated having
approximately 10114 possible permutations of every encrypted
message. Turing, working on the side of the Allies, invented Bombe,
an electromechanical machine that enabled the British to decipher
encrypted messages of the German Enigma machine. This
contribution of Turing along with the other cryptologist shortened the
war by two years (Munro, 2012).

In his paper, On Computable Numbers, with an Application to the Entscheidungsproblem, first published in
1937, Turing presented a theoretical machine called the Turing machine that can solve any problem from
simple instructions encoded on a paper tape. He also demonstrated the simulations of the Turing machine
to construct a single Universal Machine. This became the foundation of computer science and the
invention of a machine later called a computer, that can solve any problem by performing any task from a
written program (Dehaan, 2012).

In the 1970s, the generation who witnessed the dawn of the computer age was described as the generation
with "electronic brains." The people of this generation were the first to be introduced to personal computers
(PCs). Back then, the Homebrew Computer Club, an early computer hobbyist group, gathered regularly to
trade parts of computer hardware and talked about how to make computers more accessible to everyone.
Many members of the club ended up being high-profile entrepreneurs, including the founders of Apple Inc.
In 1976 Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Inc., developed the computer that made him famous: The
Apple I. Wozniak designed the operating system, hardware, and circuit board of the computer all by
SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 146
 himself. Steve Jobs, Wozniak's friend, suggested to sell the Apple I as a fully assembled printed circuit
board. This jumpstarted their career. Figure 27. Apple l, also called as founders of Apple Inc. Apple-I or
Apple Computer 1

From 1973 onward, social media platforms were introduced from variations of multi-user chat rooms; instant-
messaging applications (e.g. AOL, Yahoo messenger, MSN messenger, Windows messenger);
bulletinboard forum systems, game-based social networking sites (e.g. Facebook, Friendster, Myspace)
and businessoriented social networking websites (e.g., Xing); messaging, video and voice calling services
(e.g., Viber, Skype); blogging platform, image and video hosting websites (e.g., Flicker); discovery and
dating-oriented websites (e.g. Tagged, Tinder); video sharing services (e.g., YouTube); real social media
feed aggregator (e.g., FriendFeed); live-streaming (e.g.Justin.tv, Twitch.tv); photo-video sharing websites
(e.g., Pinterest Instagram, Snapchat, Keek, Vine); and question-and-answer platforms (e.g., Quora). To
date, these social media platforms enable information exchange at its most efficient level.

The information age, which progressed from the invention of the printing press to the development of
numerous social media platforms, has immensely influenced the lives of the people. The impact of these
innovations can be advantageous or disadvantageous depending on the use of these technologies. Examples
of these are the following:

COMPUTERS

➢ Are among the most important contributions of advances in the Information Age to society
➢ An electronic device that stores and processes data and runs on a program that contains the
exact, step-by-step directions to solve a problem

Types of Computers

A. Personal computer (PC)

➢ single-user instrument and first known as microcomputers because they were a complete
computer, but built on a smaller scale than the enormous systems operated by most businesses.

1. Desktop Computer

➢ a PC that is not designed for

portability and it is set up in a
permanent spot.
➢ Workstation – a desktop
computer that has a more powerful
processor, additional memory, and
enhanced capabilities for performing a special group of tasks (e.g. 3D
graphics) and offers more storage, power, and versatility than their portable
counterparts.

2. Laptops

➢ also known as notebooks or portables that integrate the essentials of a desktop in a battery-powered
package somewhat larger than a typical hardcover book.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 147

 3. Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs)

➢ tightly integrated computers that usually do not have keyboards but rely on a
touchscreen for user input and typically smaller than a paperback,
light- weight, and battery powered.

4. Wearable computers

➢ integrated into cell phones, watches, and other small objects or places and they perform such common
computer applications as databases, e-mail, multimedia, and schedulers.

B. Server

➢ a computer that has been improved to provide network services to

other computers that usually boast powerful processors, tons of
memory, and large hard drives.

C. Mainframes

➢ huge computer systems that could fill an entire room or even a

floor of rooms.
➢ the term mainframe has largely been replaced by enterprise
server and used especially by large firms, to process millions of
transactions every day. Most comprise multiple, high-
performance, parallel computers working as a single system.

Aside from computers, Internet has also been built up as a platform for information; hence, making our modern
world as Digital Age.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 148

INTERNET

➢ a worldwide system of interconnected networks that facilitate data transmission among

innumerable computers.
➢ developed during the 1970s by the Department of Defense and used mainly by scientists to
communicate with other scientists.

CLAUDE E. SHANNON
• considered as the "Father of Information Theory"
• he published a paper proposing that information can be quantitatively
encoded as a sequence of ones and zeroes.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 149

Since Internet is widely used, here are some tips in validating and verifying a credible web source.

Criteria to evaluate Web Source

1. Authority. Who is responsible for the website on which the web page resides? What is the website
author's background?
Here are ways on how to find out:
• Look for an “About” or “More About the Author” link at the top, bottom, or sidebar of the
webpage. Some pages will have a corporate author rather than a single person as an author. If
no information about the author(s) of the page is provided, be suspicious.
• Try searching on the Internet for information about the author. The following questions must be
answered: What kinds of websites are associated with the author’s name? Is he or she affiliated
with any educational attainment? Do the websites associated with the author give you any clue
to particular biases the author might have?
2. Link checking. Most search engines allow you to type the URL (entry code) of the page you’re
browsing to find out what other sites link to the one you’re examining. This can help you determine how
well thought of a site is.
Here are ways on how to find out:
• Look at the domain name of the website that will tell you who is hosting the site. For instance,
the Lee College Library website is http://www.lee.edu/library. The domain name is “lee.edu”.
This tells you that the library website is hosted by Lee College.
• Search the domain name at http://www.whois.sc/. The site provides information about the
owners of registered domain names.
• Do not ignore the suffix on the domain name (the three-letter part that comes after the “.”). the
suffix is usually (but not always) descriptive of what type of entity hosts the website. Keep in
mind that it is possible for site to obtain suffixes that are misleading. Here are some examples:
.edu = educational
.com = commercial
.mil = military
.gov = government
.org = nonprofit
3. Purpose and objectivity. Why has this information been posted, and how impartial is it? The following
listed below are some of the major purposes of the website.
• To sell a product
• As a personal hobby
• As public service
• To further scholarship on a topic
• To provide general information on a topic
• To persuade you of a particular point view

4. Content and coverage. How comprehensive is the web site? How accurate is the page content? Are
references or bibliographies posted on the page?
5. Currency. How up-to-date the information is? When was the website first published? Is it regularly
updated? Check for dates at the bottom of each page on the site. Does the author cite sources? Just as
in print sources, web sources that cite their sources are considered more reliable.
6. Types of web pages Advocacy; business; entertainment; informational; and personal

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 150

 BIODIVERSITY AND A HEALTHY SOCIETY
What is Biodiversity?

➢ Defined as the vast variety of life forms in the entire Earth.

➢ The variations of climatic and altitudinal conditions along with varied ecological habitats are the reasons
for the richness in biodiversity of a particular region on Earth.
➢ The variability among living organisms from all sources and the ecological complexes of which they are
part; this includes diversity within, between, and of ecosystems.
➢ Its definition is in the structural and functional perspective and not as individual species.

To further understand what comprises

the biodiversity, provided below is the
organizational structure of Biology.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 151

 (Retrieved from: https://schooltutoring.com/help/biology-levels-of-organisation/)
Biodiversity and Ecosystem

(Retrieved from: https://www.quora.com/How-do-biotic-factors-depend-on-abiotic-factors)

➢ Understanding biodiversity within the concept of ecosystem needs a thorough study on the relationship
of the biotic and the abiotic factors.
➢ Interdisciplinary approach is needed to study the ecosystem.

Example: Large number of golden snails in a rice field can help predict a low production of rice harvest.

Golden snail eggs are considered pest for rice plants

(Retrieved from: http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/training/fact-sheets/pest-management/item/golden-

applesnails-fact-sheet)

Note: The large number of different species in a certain area can be a predictor of sustainable life in that area.
Sustainability of the ecosystem ensures a better survival rate against any natural disaster. For example,
here in the Philippines, rice is one of the major food productions and the presence of pests like snail eggs
would help them determine if it will be a good harvest for the season.
SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 152
Importance of Biodiversity

(Retrieved from: https://www.sierraclub.ca/en/video-biodiversity-in-ontario)

Listed below are the importance of biodiversity in different sectors:

Society benefits greatly from the richness of biodiversity since humans can source from nature
biological resources such as food, medicine, energy, and more. Biodiversity in natural ecosystems can also
regulate climate, flood, pollination, water and air quality, water storage, decomposition of wastes, among
others.

1. Health and Medicine

Since 2600 BC, people have been using plants to treat illnesses, hence the practice of herbal medicine.
Cupressus sempervirens (Cypress) and Commiphora myrrha (myrrh), for instance, have been used to treat
coughs, colds, and inflammation since the ancient times. Herbal medicines were also used in healing rituals
and in the treatment of injuries resulting from wars or accidents. Various plant-based drugs such as gargles,
pills, infusions, and ointments were used in Ancient Egypt as well as in Ancient China. Beginning 100 BC to
300 BC, the Greeks recorded the collection, storage, and use of medicinal herbs. During the Dark and Middle
Ages, monasteries in England, Ireland, France, and Germany preserved the Western knowledge of treating
illnesses using herbal medicine. As such, the use of herbal medicine in ancient civilizations was dependent on
the biodiversity present in their respective environments.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 153

 https://www.google.com.ph/search?
q=Salvia+apiana+or+California+Sage&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwiX1625ja7tAhW1zIsBHdoRCsIQ2cCegQIABAA&oq=Salvia+apiana+or+California+Sage&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQA1DS6FtY0uhbYIftW2gAcAB4AIABzQGIAc0BkgEDMi0xmAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWfAAQE&sclient=img&ei=XujGX5ewHLW
Zr7wP2qOokAw&bih=657&biw=1366#imgrc=Y1VvcMQ11t4fzM

The following examples are the herbal plants used by ancient civilizations:

A. Salvia apiana (California sage)- was an herbal plant used by Indian tribes of Southern
California to aid in childbirth and was believed to protect the immune system from respiratory ailments.

B. Alhagi maurorum (camel thorn)- secretes a sweet and gummy substance from its stems and
leaves called manna during hot days. Manna from the camel thorn contains melezitose, and sucrose, an
invert sugar. It is believed to have diuretic, diaphoretic, laxative, expectorant, gastroprotective, antiseptic,
and anti-diarrheal properties. Israelis were known to use the roots of the plant to treat diarrhea. The
Konkani people smoked the plant to treat asthma, and Romans used the Plant to treat nasal polyps.

C. Ligusticum scoticum (Scottish lovage)- is believed to treat hysterical and uterine disorders.
Its seeds are used to relieve flatulence and to stimulate the senses.

Many medicinal products available in the market today are derived from natural substances from plants.
Salicylic acid, the active ingredient of the anti-inflammatory drug, aspirin, for example is derived from the bark
of a willow tree. Morphine, one of the most widely known painkillers which was first marketed and used in the
1800s, is derived from Papaver somniferum commonly known as opium poppy. Digitoxin, used in the
management of congestive heart failure, is derived from Digitalis purpurea (foxglove) which has already
been used to treat heart conditions since the 1700s.

The transmission of diseases due to the movement of organisms amplified the need to study the
environment in relation to human health. As time went by, information regarding different diseases and how to
treat them has been extensively documented to come up with more effective ways of treating them.

2. Food

Food is a basic need for human survival. During the Stone Age,
humans relied only on hunting and foraging to get food. They depended
on what the ecosystem could readily provide them. As the Earth's
population grew, the demand for food increased. Crops that can be
grown were discovered and cultivated and animals were domesticated.
Throughout history, agriculture and cultivation evolved from picking
desirable crops and breeding animals to maintaining stable supply of
food to last for long periods of time as preparation for the changing
seasons and the possibility of natural disasters. Ways to cultivate
desired species of crops and animals suitable for consumption also
evolved throughout time. The increasing demand for food as the world
population grew also resulted in the development of more lands for agriculture.

3. Energy

Humans rely on energy provided by ecosystems to do the

necessary activities in order to survive. In the Stone Age, heat energy
was used mainly for survival against harsh cold environments, for
cooking, and for communication with nearby tribes in the form of
smoke. In 1000 BC, coal as a source of energy was used by people in
Northeastern China for heating and cooking. It eventually became
popular in other civilizations, such as the Romans and Northern Native
Americans. In 400 BC, water energy or hydro power was used by the
Ancient Greeks and Romans and for irrigation. In 347 AD, the earliest

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 154

known oil wells were developed in China. They made use of extensive bamboo pipelines with depths of 800
feet for lighting and heating.

Wind energy was also used to navigate through bodies of water. During the 1700s to 1800s, at the time
of the Industrial Revolution, biomass as a primary source of
energy was replaced with coal and the British discovered that by
burning, coal is transformed into hot burning coke, a fuel with a
high carbon content and few impurities. With this, the use of
coal became widespread all over the world.

3. Water Storage and Flood Control

The earliest recorded civilizations were situated near

rivers or lakes which made their livelihoods dependent on water,
with increasing demand for potable and drinkable water along
with the discovery of groundwater 2,000 years ago, wells began
to be used in the Middle East. Water from rivers and lakes was also used for irrigation. Aqueduct floodways
were utilized to prevent flooding in nearby communities that usually result in damaged crops. Aqueducts were
invented and built by the Romans and the Greeks, to maintain stable water supplies to communities that were
far from bodies of water. Then, in the late
19th century, with the increasing demand for pot able water and irrigation of crops, dams were built to maintain
water supply in communities.

Biodiversity in forests plays an unquestionably crucial role in water resources. Forests provide natural
filtration and storage systems to provide freshwater. The roots and leaves of trees create conditions that
promote the infiltration of rainwater into the soil to fill up the aquifer systems with groundwater, while percolation
occurs allowing the movement of surface water into rivers and lakes. Forests also play a major role in the water
cycle by affecting rates of transpiration and evaporation and water storage in watersheds. There seems to be a
synchrony between indigenous forests and biodiversity so that, in various ways, they contribute and regulate
the quantity and quality of freshwater.

4. Air and Water Treatment

Nitrogen is the element most abundant in air. Excessive nitrogen stimulates the growth of nitrogen-
loving plant species but reduces the occurrence of plant species adapted to low nitrogen environment. Nitrogen
reduces the resilience of forests to other environmental stresses such as drought, frost, pests, and diseases.
The concentration limit of nitrate in drinking water is too high to protect natural ecosystems particularly the plant
species. Widespread exceedance of nitrogen critical concentrations will adversely affect the structure and
function of ecosystems.

The effects of excessive nitrogen in the environment may not be felt at once. It may take decades but
this will definitely weaken the resilience of soil and plants. From 1990 to 2006, there was an extensive
vegetation damage around the world due to ozone. Ozone can be good or bad, depending on where it is found
—the earth's upper atmosphere or at ground level. Ozone found at ground level is known as the bad ozone. It
is created by chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC)
under the presence of sunlight. High levels of ground level ozone promote early flowering, affecting the
synchronization of pollinators and flowers. Ground level ozone also damages the leaves of salad crops,
consequently reducing their market value. In 2000, ozone pollution reduced wheat yield by 14 percent and the
tomato yield by 9 percent which created a domino effect in the overall production and consumption of goods.
Negative impacts on vegetation reduce the sink capacity for carbon dioxide and ozone, enhancing their
atmospheric concentrations and affecting the global water cycle. The effects of global warming are harmful to
the environment and its inhabitants. Soils store air pollutants temporarily that affect water purification. Stored
pollutants have adverse effects on soil functioning (e.g., microbes and invertebrates) and create problems
when the retention capacity of soil is reached or disturbed. Worldwide efforts are being made to decrease
nitrogen deposition to the biosphere to enhance plant species diversity and relative species richness in
grasslands.
SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 155
However, with this importance of biodiversity enumerated above may sometimes lead to exploitation wherein
humans should be held responsible.

What are the threats to Biodiversity?

(Retrieved from: https://www.blendspace.com/lessons/zlL5vlITMhnPmQ/biodiversity-threats) Habitat

loss and destruction

➢ Major contributing factor is the inhabitation of human beings and the use of land for economic gains.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 156

Alterations in ecosystem composition

➢ Alterations and sudden changes, either within species groups or within the environment, could begin to
change entire ecosystems. ➢ Alterations in ecosystems are a critical factor contributing to species and habitat
loss.

Over-exploitation

➢ Over-hunting, overfishing, or over-collecting of species can quickly lead to its decline.

➢ Changing consumption patterns of humans is often cited as the
key reason for this unsustainable exploitation of natural resources.

Pollution and contamination

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 157

 ➢ Biological systems respond slowly to changes in their surrounding environment.
➢ Pollution and contamination cause irreversible damage to species and varieties.

Global climate change

➢ Both climate variability and climate change cause biodiversity loss.

➢ Species and populations may be lost permanently if they are not provided with enough time to adapt to
changing climatic conditions.

Additional impacts of biodiversity are noted as follows:

Nutritional Impact of Biodiversity

Biodiversity is a major factor that contributes to sustainable food production for human beings.

A society or a population must have access to a sufficient variety of nutritious food as it is a determinant
of their health as human beings. Nutritional composition between foods and among varieties/cultivars/breeds of
the same food can differ dramatically, affecting micronutrient availability in the diet. Healthy local diets
necessitate maintenance of high biodiversity levels.

Health, Biology, and Biodiversity

Almost all living organisms are dependent to their environment to live and reproduce.

➢ basic needs (air, water, food, and habitat) provided by the environment.
➢ Improved access to these basic needs may lead to evolution of human beings
➢ Advances in agriculture, sanitation, water treatment, and hygiene have had a far greater impact
on human health than medical technology. Although the environment sustains human life, it can
also cause diseases.
➢ Environmental hazards increase the risk of cancer, heart disease, asthma, and many other
illnesses. Physical (pollution, toxic chemicals, food contaminants, etc.) Social (dangerous work,
urban sprawl, poverty, etc.)
Example: Unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation and hygiene are responsible for various
infectious diseases such as schistosomiasis, diarrhea, cholera, meningitis, and gastritis.

*** END of the Lesson Proper**

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 158
 REFERENCES

Textbooks

Aldea, K, Caronan H.P, and Candido, M.B. (2018). Science, Technology and Society (OBE Ready).
Mandaluyong City, Philippines: Book Atbp. Publishing Corp.

Serafica, J.P., Pawilen, G., Caslib Jr., B.N., and Alata, E.J. (2018). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon
City, Philippines: Rex Book Store, Inc. (RBSI)
Quinto, E.J. and Nieva, A. (2019). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon City, Philippines: C & E
Publishing, Inc.

Online Resources

BJYU’s Learning App. What is biodiversity? Retrieved from https://byjus.com/biology/biodiversity/

School Tutoring Academy. Biology: Levels of Organization. Retrieved from

https://schooltutoring.com/help/biology-levels-of-organisation/

Quora (2012). Biotic vs. Abiotic. Retrieved from https://www.quora.com/How-do-biotic-factors-depend-onabiotic-

factors

Rice Knowledge Bank. Snails. Retrieved from

http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/training/fact-sheets/pestmanagement/item/golden-apple-snails-fact-sheet

Foundation Serra Club Canada. Importance of Biodiversity. Retrieved from

https://www.sierraclub.ca/en/videobiodiversity-in-ontario

Blendspace. Threats to Biodiversity. Retrieved from

https://www.blendspace.com/lessons/zlL5vlITMhnPmQ/biodiversity-threats

Learning Materials

Worksheets (teacher-made)

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 159

UNIVERSITY OF SAINT LOUIS
Tuguegarao City

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, ARTS and SCIENCES

First Semester
A.Y. 2020-2021

SCTS 1013 – Science, Technology and Society

Prepared by:

MARVIN B. BACCAY, MST

NICKSON B. CAMMAYO
MARLY I. CANAPI Ph.D.
ANGELOU D. CAOLE
JOSEPHINE M. GUERRERO
JEREMAE V. SAGARIO, MST
Course Instructor

Reviewed by:

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 160

 RENZ MARION C. GAVINO, MP
General Education Area Head

Recommended by:

VENUS I. GUYOS, Ph.D.

Academic Dean

Approved by:

EMMANUEL JAMES P. PATTAGUAN, Ph.D.

Vice President for Academics

UNIVERSITY PRAYER

O God, wellspring of goodness and blessings, we give you thanks and praise as one Louisian community. The graces
You incessantly grant upon us and Your divine providence have sustained our beloved University throughout the
years of mission and excellence.

Having been founded by the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we pray that You keep us committed and
dedicated to our mission and identity to serve the Church and the society as we become living witnesses to the
Gospel values proclaimed by Jesus. For if we are steadfast in our good and beautiful mission, our works will bring
success not only to ourselves but also to those whom we are bound to love and serve.

Inspired by St. Louis our Patron Saint, who was filled with a noble spirit that stirred him to love You above all things,
may we also live believing that we are born for a greater purpose and mission as we dwell in Your presence all the
days of our life.

Grant all these supplications through the intercession of Mother

Mary and through Christ our Lord. Amen.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 161

CORRESPONDENCE LEARNING MODULE
SCTS 1013: Science, Technology and Society AY
2020-2021

LESSON 2: THE INFORMATION AGE

Topic: A. Timeline of Information Age
B. Biodiversity and a Health Society

Learning Outcomes: At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. Define Information Age

2. Discuss the history of Information Age
3. Trace the development of the information age from the introduction of Gutenberg’s press up to the
era of social media
4. Determine the impact of the information age to society
5. Analyze the ways in which the information age and social media influence human lives.
6. Identify the importance of biodiversity as a source of different biological resources; and
7. Discuss the adverse effects of resource depletion on society and the measures to mitigate them.

Date Topics Activities or Tasks

December 14 Timeline of Information Age Read Lessons
Biodiversity and a Healthy Society
December 15 Complete Learning Task Sheet
Read Lessons
December 16-17

December 18 Complete Quiz

Turning over of learning task and
December 21
acquisition of new module

LEARNING CONTENT

Introduction:
Highly modernized, automated, data-driven and technologically advanced- these best describe our society
nowadays, as evidenced by how information could be transferred or shared quickly. The different areas of
society have been influenced tremendously such as communications, economics, industry, health and the
environment. Despite our gains due to growing development of information technology, the rapid upgrade

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 162

 of information also had disadvantages. This lesson will discuss the history and impact of technological
advancements to society.
Life is accompanied by endless transmission of information that takes place within and outside the body.
According to Webster’s Encyclopedia Unabridged Dictionary, information is “knowledge communicated or
obtained concerning a specific fact or circumstance.” Hence, information is a very important tool for
survival.
The Information Age is defined as a “period starting in the last quarter of the 20 th century when information
became effortlessly accessible through publications and through the management of information by
computers and computer networks” (Vocabulary.com. n.d.). The means of conveying symbolic information
(e.g., writing, math, other codes) among humans has evolved with increasing speed. The Information Age
is also called the Digital Age and the New Media Age because it was associated with the development of
computers.
According to James R. Messenger who proposed the Theory of Information Age in 1982, “the Information Age
is a true new age based upon the interconnection of computers via telecommunications, with these
information systems operating on both a real-time and as needed basis. Furthermore, the primary factors
driving this new age forward are convenience and user-friendliness which, in turn, will create user
dependence.

Lesson Proper:

What is Information Age? Information Age

• “period beginning in the last quarter of the 20th century when information became easily accessible
through publications and through the manipulation of information by computers and computer networks”
– WordNet
• also known as Digital Age and the New Media Age
• a true new age based upon the interconnection of computers via telecommunications, with these
information systems operating on both real-time and as-needed basis. Furthermore, the primary factors
driving this new age forward are convenience and user-friendliness, which, in turn, will create user
dependence.” – James R. Messenger

Do you happen to ask yourself one time, what is the origin of scripts and how it turned out into a valuable and
reliable information that we use today? Here is its history.
History
The table below traces the history and emergence of the Information Age.

Year Events
Sumerian writing system uses pictographs to represent words.
3000 B.C

2900 Beginnings of Egyptian hieroglyphic writing.

1300 Tortoise shell and oracle bone writing.
500 Papyrus roll.
220 Chinese small seal writing developed.
100 A.D. Book (parchment codex).
105 Wood-block printing and paper is invented by the Chinese.
1455 Johann Gutenberg invents printing press using movable metal type.
1755 Samuel Johnson's dictionary standardizes English spelling.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 163

1802 • The Library of Congress is established.
• Invention of the carbon arc lamp.
1824 Research on persistence of vision published.
1830s . • First viable design for a digital computer.
• Augusta Lady Byron writes world's first computer program
1837 Invention of telegraph in Great Britain and the United States.
1861 Motion pictures projected onto a screen.
1876 Dewey Decimal system introduced.
1877 Edweard Muybridge demonstrates high-speed photography.
1899 First magnetic recordings.
1902 Motion picture special effects.
1906 Lee DeForest invents electronic amplifying tube (triode).
1923 Television camera tube invented by Zvorkyn.
1926 First practical sound movie.
1939 Regularly scheduled television broadcasting begins in the U.S.
1940s Beginnings of information science as a discipline.
1945 Vannevar Bush foresees the invention of hypertext.
1946 ENIAC computer developed.
1948 Birth of field-of-information theory proposed by Claude E. Shannon.
1957 Planar transistor developed by Jean Hoerni
1958 First integrated circuit.
1960s Library of Congress develops LC MARC (machine readable code).
1969 UNIX operating system developed, which could handle multitasking.
1971 Intel introduces first microprocessor chip.
1972 Optical laserdisc developed by Philips and MCA.
1974 MCA and Philips agree on standard videodisc encoding format.
1975 Altair Microcomputer Kit: first personal computer for the public.
1977 RadioShack introduces first complete personal computer.
1984 Apple MacIntosh computer introduced.
Mid-'80s Artificial intelligence separates from information science.
1987 Hypercard developed by Bill Atkinson recipe box metaphor.
1991 Four hundred fifty complete works of literature on one CD-ROM.
Jan. 1997 RSA (Encryption and network security software) Internet security code cracked for a 48-bit
number.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 164

 https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=evolution+of+man+and+information&sxsrf=ALeKk00SUa9WULO-
cMIUdxCu8U6in2HumA:1606391681019&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj5n5Gsk6DtAhXBDaYKHS_fDToQ_AUoAXoECA0QAw&biw=1366&bih=657#imgrc=627GPNAUzzgzfM&imgdii=W9pz8WLgljHd-M

As man evolved, information and its dissemination has also evolved in many ways. Eventually, we no longer
kept them and manage them in different means. Information got ahead of us. It started to grow at a rate we
were unprepared to handle. Because of abundance of information, it was difficult to collect and manage
them starting in the 1960s and 1970s. during the 1980s, real angst set in, Richard Wurman called it
“Information Anxiety.” In the 1990s, information become the currency in the business world. Information
was the preferred medium or exchange and the information managers served as information officers. In the
present generation, there is no doubt that information has turned out to be a commodity, an overdeveloped
product, mass-produced and unspecified. Soon, we become overloaded with it.

Different authors have diverse, contrasting ideas on the evolution of the

Information Age. In spite of this, we can still say that information is a very
important tool that helps improve our way of life. On thins is for sure, the
Information Age will continue to move forward and far greater than our
minds could imagine.

Gutenberg’s Press up to the Era of Social Media

German goldsmith, Johannes Gutenberg, invented the printing press around

1440. This invention was a result of finding a way to improve the manual,
tedious and slow printing methods. A printing press is a device that applies
pressure to an inked surface lying on a print medium, such as cloth or
paper, to transfer ink. Gutenberg’s hand mold printing press led to the
creation of metal movable type. Later, the two inventions were combined to
make printing methods faster and they drastically reduced the costs of
printing documents.

https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=gutenberg+printing+press&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwiRrbHXnqDtAhURAKYKHVLWBnAQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=gute&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQARgBMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADoECAAQQzoHCAAQsQMQQzoFCAAQsQM6CAgAELEDEIMBUPaSP1i_oD9g-
74_aAFwAHgAgAG6AYgBtASSAQMyLjOYAQCgAQGqAQtnd3Mtd2l6LWltZ8ABAQ&sclient=img&ei=ZKO_X5HrHpGAmAXSrJuABw&bih=657&biw=1366&hl=en-GB#imgrc=SK84UmNdZVF38M

The beginnings of mass communication ca be traced back to the invention of the printing press. The
development of a fast and easy way of disseminating information in print permanently reformed the
structure of society. Political and religious authorities who took pride in being learned were threatened by
SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 165
 the sudden rise of literacy among people. When rise of the printing press, the printing revolution occurred
which illustrated the tremendous social change brought by the wide circulation of information. The printing
press made the mass production of books possible which made books accessible not only to the upper
class.

As years progressed, calculations become involved in communication due to the rapid developments in the
trade sector. Back then, people who complied actuarial tables and did engineering calculations served as
“computers.” During World War II, the Allies countries that opposed the Axis power were challenged with a
serious shortage of human computers for military calculations. When soldiers left for war, the shortage got
worse, so the US addressed the problem by creating the Harvard Mark 1, a general-purpose
electromechanical computer that was 50 feet long and capable of doing calculations in seconds that usually
look people hours. At the same time, Britain needed mathematician to crack the German Navy’s Enigma
code. The Enigma was an enciphering machine that the German armed forces used to securely send
messages.

https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=enigma&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjIj5PIoqDtAhUoHKYKHew1Cj8Q2-
cCegQIABAA&oq=eni&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQARgBMgcIABCxAxBDMgUIABCxAzICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADIFCAAQsQMyAggAOgQIABBDOgQIIxAnUO_dPViY5j1gzvk9aABwAHgAgAFgiAH5AZIBATOYAQCgAQGqAQtnd3Mtd2l6LWltZ8ABAQ&sclient=img&ei=dqe_X8j8Eai4mAXs66j4Aw&bih=657&biw=1366&hl=en-
GB#imgrc=KaR8d4Vtl3pGxM

Alan Turing, an English mathematician, was hired in 1936 by the British

top-secret Government Code and Cipher School at Bletchley Park to
break the Enigma code. His code-breaking methods became ab
industrial process having 12,000 people working 24/7.

To counteract this, the Nazis made the Enigma more complicated having
approximately 10114 possible permutations of every encrypted
message. Turing, working on the side of the Allies, invented Bombe,
an electromechanical machine that enabled the British to decipher
encrypted messages of the German Enigma machine. This
contribution of Turing along with the other cryptologist shortened the
war by two years (Munro, 2012).

In his paper, On Computable Numbers, with an Application to the Entscheidungsproblem, first published in
1937, Turing presented a theoretical machine called the Turing machine that can solve any problem from
simple instructions encoded on a paper tape. He also demonstrated the simulations of the Turing machine
to construct a single Universal Machine. This became the foundation of computer science and the
invention of a machine later called a computer, that can solve any problem by performing any task from a
written program (Dehaan, 2012).

In the 1970s, the generation who witnessed the dawn of the computer age was described as the generation
with "electronic brains." The people of this generation were the first to be introduced to personal computers
(PCs). Back then, the Homebrew Computer Club, an early computer hobbyist group, gathered regularly to
trade parts of computer hardware and talked about how to make computers more accessible to everyone.
Many members of the club ended up being high-profile entrepreneurs, including the founders of Apple Inc.
In 1976 Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Inc., developed the computer that made him famous: The
Apple I. Wozniak designed the operating system, hardware, and circuit board of the computer all by
SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 166
 himself. Steve Jobs, Wozniak's friend, suggested to sell the Apple I as a fully assembled printed circuit
board. This jumpstarted their career. Figure 27. Apple l, also called as founders of Apple Inc. Apple-I or
Apple Computer 1

From 1973 onward, social media platforms were introduced from variations of multi-user chat rooms; instant-
messaging applications (e.g. AOL, Yahoo messenger, MSN messenger, Windows messenger);
bulletinboard forum systems, game-based social networking sites (e.g. Facebook, Friendster, Myspace)
and businessoriented social networking websites (e.g., Xing); messaging, video and voice calling services
(e.g., Viber, Skype); blogging platform, image and video hosting websites (e.g., Flicker); discovery and
dating-oriented websites (e.g. Tagged, Tinder); video sharing services (e.g., YouTube); real social media
feed aggregator (e.g., FriendFeed); live-streaming (e.g.Justin.tv, Twitch.tv); photo-video sharing websites
(e.g., Pinterest Instagram, Snapchat, Keek, Vine); and question-and-answer platforms (e.g., Quora). To
date, these social media platforms enable information exchange at its most efficient level.

The information age, which progressed from the invention of the printing press to the development of
numerous social media platforms, has immensely influenced the lives of the people. The impact of these
innovations can be advantageous or disadvantageous depending on the use of these technologies. Examples
of these are the following:

COMPUTERS

➢ Are among the most important contributions of advances in the Information Age to society
➢ An electronic device that stores and processes data and runs on a program that contains the
exact, step-by-step directions to solve a problem

Types of Computers

A. Personal computer (PC)

➢ single-user instrument and first known as microcomputers because they were a complete
computer, but built on a smaller scale than the enormous systems operated by most businesses.

1. Desktop Computer

➢ a PC that is not designed for

portability and it is set up in a
permanent spot.
➢ Workstation – a desktop
computer that has a more powerful
processor, additional memory, and
enhanced capabilities for performing a special group of tasks (e.g. 3D
graphics) and offers more storage, power, and versatility than their portable
counterparts.

2. Laptops

➢ also known as notebooks or portables that integrate the essentials of a desktop in a battery-powered
package somewhat larger than a typical hardcover book.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 167

 3. Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs)

➢ tightly integrated computers that usually do not have keyboards but rely on a
touchscreen for user input and typically smaller than a paperback,
light- weight, and battery powered.

4. Wearable computers

➢ integrated into cell phones, watches, and other small objects or places and they perform such common
computer applications as databases, e-mail, multimedia, and schedulers.

B. Server

➢ a computer that has been improved to provide network services to

other computers that usually boast powerful processors, tons of
memory, and large hard drives.

C. Mainframes

➢ huge computer systems that could fill an entire room or even a

floor of rooms.
➢ the term mainframe has largely been replaced by enterprise
server and used especially by large firms, to process millions of
transactions every day. Most comprise multiple, high-
performance, parallel computers working as a single system.

Aside from computers, Internet has also been built up as a platform for information; hence, making our modern
world as Digital Age.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 168

INTERNET

➢ a worldwide system of interconnected networks that facilitate data transmission among

innumerable computers.
➢ developed during the 1970s by the Department of Defense and used mainly by scientists to
communicate with other scientists.

CLAUDE E. SHANNON
• considered as the "Father of Information Theory"
• he published a paper proposing that information can be quantitatively
encoded as a sequence of ones and zeroes.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 169

Since Internet is widely used, here are some tips in validating and verifying a credible web source.

Criteria to evaluate Web Source

1. Authority. Who is responsible for the website on which the web page resides? What is the website author's
background?
Here are ways on how to find out:
• Look for an “About” or “More About the Author” link at the top, bottom, or sidebar of the webpage.
Some pages will have a corporate author rather than a single person as an author. If no information
about the author(s) of the page is provided, be suspicious.
• Try searching on the Internet for information about the author. The following questions must be
answered: What kinds of websites are associated with the author’s name? Is he or she affiliated with
any educational attainment? Do the websites associated with the author give you any clue to
particular biases the author might have?
2. Link checking. Most search engines allow you to type the URL (entry code) of the page you’re browsing to
find out what other sites link to the one you’re examining. This can help you determine how well thought of a
site is.
Here are ways on how to find out:
• Look at the domain name of the website that will tell you who is hosting the site. For instance, the
Lee College Library website is http://www.lee.edu/library. The domain name is “lee.edu”. This tells
you that the library website is hosted by Lee College.
• Search the domain name at http://www.whois.sc/. The site provides information about the owners of
registered domain names.
• Do not ignore the suffix on the domain name (the three-letter part that comes after the “.”). the suffix
is usually (but not always) descriptive of what type of entity hosts the website. Keep in mind that it is
possible for site to obtain suffixes that are misleading. Here are some examples: .edu =
educational
.com = commercial
.mil = military
.gov = government
.org = nonprofit
3. Purpose and objectivity. Why has this information been posted, and how impartial is it? The following
listed below are some of the major purposes of the website.
• To sell a product
• As a personal hobby
• As public service
• To further scholarship on a topic
• To provide general information on a topic
• To persuade you of a particular point view

4. Content and coverage. How comprehensive is the web site? How accurate is the page content? Are
references or bibliographies posted on the page?
5. Currency. How up-to-date the information is? When was the website first published? Is it regularly
updated? Check for dates at the bottom of each page on the site. Does the author cite sources? Just as in
print sources, web sources that cite their sources are considered more reliable.
6. Types of web pages Advocacy; business; entertainment; informational; and personal

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 170

 BIODIVERSITY AND A HEALTHY SOCIETY
What is Biodiversity?

➢ Defined as the vast variety of life forms in the entire Earth.

➢ The variations of climatic and altitudinal conditions along with varied ecological habitats are the reasons for
the richness in biodiversity of a particular region on Earth.
➢ The variability among living organisms from all sources and the ecological complexes of which they are
part; this includes diversity within, between, and of ecosystems.
➢ Its definition is in the structural and functional perspective and not as individual species.

To further understand what comprises

the biodiversity, provided below is the
organizational structure of Biology.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 171

 (Retrieved from: https://schooltutoring.com/help/biology-levels-of-organisation/)
Biodiversity and Ecosystem

(Retrieved from: https://www.quora.com/How-do-biotic-factors-depend-on-abiotic-factors)

➢ Understanding biodiversity within the concept of ecosystem needs a thorough study on the relationship of
the biotic and the abiotic factors.
➢ Interdisciplinary approach is needed to study the ecosystem.

Example: Large number of golden snails in a rice field can help predict a low production of rice harvest.

Golden snail eggs are considered pest for rice plants

(Retrieved from: http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/training/fact-sheets/pest-management/item/golden-applesnails-

fact-sheet)

Note: The large number of different species in a certain area can be a predictor of sustainable life in that area.
Sustainability of the ecosystem ensures a better survival rate against any natural disaster. For example, here in
the Philippines, rice is one of the major food productions and the presence of pests like snail eggs would help
them determine if it will be a good harvest for the season.
SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 172
Importance of Biodiversity

(Retrieved from: https://www.sierraclub.ca/en/video-biodiversity-in-ontario)

Listed below are the importance of biodiversity in different sectors:

Society benefits greatly from the richness of biodiversity since humans can source from nature biological
resources such as food, medicine, energy, and more. Biodiversity in natural ecosystems can also regulate climate,
flood, pollination, water and air quality, water storage, decomposition of wastes, among others.

1. Health and Medicine

Since 2600 BC, people have been using plants to treat illnesses, hence the practice of herbal medicine.
Cupressus sempervirens (Cypress) and Commiphora myrrha (myrrh), for instance, have been used to treat coughs,
colds, and inflammation since the ancient times. Herbal medicines were also used in healing rituals and in the
treatment of injuries resulting from wars or accidents. Various plant-based drugs such as gargles, pills, infusions,
and ointments were used in Ancient Egypt as well as in Ancient China. Beginning 100 BC to 300 BC, the Greeks
recorded the collection, storage, and use of medicinal herbs. During the Dark and Middle Ages, monasteries in
England, Ireland, France, and Germany preserved the Western knowledge of treating illnesses using herbal
medicine. As such, the use of herbal medicine in ancient civilizations was dependent on the biodiversity present in
their respective environments.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 173

 https://www.google.com.ph/search?
q=Salvia+apiana+or+California+Sage&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwiX1625ja7tAhW1zIsBHdoRCsIQ2cCegQIABAA&oq=Salvia+apiana+or+California+Sage&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQA1DS6FtY0uhbYIftW2gAcAB4AIABzQGIAc0BkgEDMi0xmAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWfAAQE&sclient=img&ei=XujGX5ewHLWZr7wP2qO
okAw&bih=657&biw=1366#imgrc=Y1VvcMQ11t4fzM

The following examples are the herbal plants used by ancient civilizations:

A. Salvia apiana (California sage)- was an herbal plant used by Indian tribes of Southern California to
aid in childbirth and was believed to protect the immune system from respiratory ailments.

B. Alhagi maurorum (camel thorn)- secretes a sweet and gummy substance from its stems and
leaves called manna during hot days. Manna from the camel thorn contains melezitose, and sucrose, an invert
sugar. It is believed to have diuretic, diaphoretic, laxative, expectorant, gastroprotective, antiseptic, and anti-
diarrheal properties. Israelis were known to use the roots of the plant to treat diarrhea. The Konkani people
smoked the plant to treat asthma, and Romans used the Plant to treat nasal polyps.

C. Ligusticum scoticum (Scottish lovage)- is believed to treat hysterical and uterine disorders. Its
seeds are used to relieve flatulence and to stimulate the senses.

Many medicinal products available in the market today are derived from natural substances from plants.
Salicylic acid, the active ingredient of the anti-inflammatory drug, aspirin, for example is derived from the bark of a
willow tree. Morphine, one of the most widely known painkillers which was first marketed and used in the
1800s, is derived from Papaver somniferum commonly known as opium poppy. Digitoxin, used in the
management of congestive heart failure, is derived from Digitalis purpurea (foxglove) which has already been
used to treat heart conditions since the 1700s.

The transmission of diseases due to the movement of organisms amplified the need to study the
environment in relation to human health. As time went by, information regarding different diseases and how to treat
them has been extensively documented to come up with more effective ways of treating them.

2. Food

Food is a basic need for human survival. During the Stone Age,
humans relied only on hunting and foraging to get food. They depended on
what the ecosystem could readily provide them. As the Earth's
population grew, the demand for food increased. Crops that can be
grown were discovered and cultivated and animals were domesticated.
Throughout history, agriculture and cultivation evolved from picking
desirable crops and breeding animals to maintaining stable supply of
food to last for long periods of time as preparation for the changing
seasons and the possibility of natural disasters. Ways to cultivate
desired species of crops and animals suitable for consumption also
evolved throughout time. The increasing demand for food as the world
population grew also resulted in the development of more lands for agriculture.

3. Energy

Humans rely on energy provided by ecosystems to do the

necessary activities in order to survive. In the Stone Age, heat energy
was used mainly for survival against harsh cold environments, for
cooking, and for communication with nearby tribes in the form of
smoke. In 1000 BC, coal as a source of energy was used by people in
Northeastern China for heating and cooking. It eventually became
popular in other civilizations, such as the Romans and Northern Native
Americans. In 400 BC, water energy or hydro power was used by the
Ancient Greeks and Romans and for irrigation. In 347 AD, the earliest

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 174

known oil wells were developed in China. They made use of extensive bamboo pipelines with depths of 800 feet for
lighting and heating.

Wind energy was also used to navigate through bodies of water. During the 1700s to 1800s, at the time of
the Industrial Revolution, biomass as a primary source of
energy was replaced with coal and the British discovered that by
burning, coal is transformed into hot burning coke, a fuel with a
high carbon content and few impurities. With this, the use of
coal became widespread all over the world.

3. Water Storage and Flood Control

The earliest recorded civilizations were situated near

rivers or lakes which made their livelihoods dependent on water,
with increasing demand for potable and drinkable water along
with the discovery of groundwater 2,000 years ago, wells began to
be used in the Middle East. Water from rivers and lakes was also used for irrigation. Aqueduct floodways were
utilized to prevent flooding in nearby communities that usually result in damaged crops. Aqueducts were invented
and built by the Romans and the Greeks, to maintain stable water supplies to communities that were far from
bodies of water. Then, in the late
19th century, with the increasing demand for pot able water and irrigation of crops, dams were built to maintain
water supply in communities.

Biodiversity in forests plays an unquestionably crucial role in water resources. Forests provide natural
filtration and storage systems to provide freshwater. The roots and leaves of trees create conditions that promote
the infiltration of rainwater into the soil to fill up the aquifer systems with groundwater, while percolation occurs
allowing the movement of surface water into rivers and lakes. Forests also play a major role in the water cycle by
affecting rates of transpiration and evaporation and water storage in watersheds. There seems to be a synchrony
between indigenous forests and biodiversity so that, in various ways, they contribute and regulate the quantity and
quality of freshwater.

4. Air and Water Treatment

Nitrogen is the element most abundant in air. Excessive nitrogen stimulates the growth of nitrogen-loving
plant species but reduces the occurrence of plant species adapted to low nitrogen environment. Nitrogen reduces
the resilience of forests to other environmental stresses such as drought, frost, pests, and diseases. The
concentration limit of nitrate in drinking water is too high to protect natural ecosystems particularly the plant
species. Widespread exceedance of nitrogen critical concentrations will adversely affect the structure and function
of ecosystems.

The effects of excessive nitrogen in the environment may not be felt at once. It may take decades but this
will definitely weaken the resilience of soil and plants. From 1990 to 2006, there was an extensive vegetation
damage around the world due to ozone. Ozone can be good or bad, depending on where it is found—the earth's
upper atmosphere or at ground level. Ozone found at ground level is known as the bad ozone. It is created by
chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) under the presence of
sunlight. High levels of ground level ozone promote early flowering, affecting the synchronization of pollinators and
flowers. Ground level ozone also damages the leaves of salad crops, consequently reducing their market value. In
2000, ozone pollution reduced wheat yield by 14 percent and the tomato yield by 9 percent which created a domino
effect in the overall production and consumption of goods.
Negative impacts on vegetation reduce the sink capacity for carbon dioxide and ozone, enhancing their
atmospheric concentrations and affecting the global water cycle. The effects of global warming are harmful to the
environment and its inhabitants. Soils store air pollutants temporarily that affect water purification. Stored pollutants
have adverse effects on soil functioning (e.g., microbes and invertebrates) and create problems when the retention
capacity of soil is reached or disturbed. Worldwide efforts are being made to decrease nitrogen deposition to the
biosphere to enhance plant species diversity and relative species richness in grasslands.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 175

 However, with this importance of biodiversity enumerated above may sometimes lead to exploitation wherein
humans should be held responsible.

What are the threats to Biodiversity?

(Retrieved from: https://www.blendspace.com/lessons/zlL5vlITMhnPmQ/biodiversity-threats) Habitat

loss and destruction

➢ Major contributing factor is the inhabitation of human beings and the use of land for economic gains.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 176

Alterations in ecosystem composition

➢ Alterations and sudden changes, either within species groups or within the environment, could begin to
change entire ecosystems. ➢ Alterations in ecosystems are a critical factor contributing to species and habitat
loss.

Over-exploitation

➢ Over-hunting, overfishing, or over-collecting of species can quickly lead to its decline.

➢ Changing consumption patterns of humans is often cited as the key
reason for this unsustainable exploitation of natural resources.

Pollution and contamination

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 177

 ➢ Biological systems respond slowly to changes in their surrounding environment.
➢ Pollution and contamination cause irreversible damage to species and varieties.

Global climate change

➢ Both climate variability and climate change cause biodiversity loss.

➢ Species and populations may be lost permanently if they are not provided with enough time to adapt to
changing climatic conditions.

Additional impacts of biodiversity are noted as follows:

Nutritional Impact of Biodiversity

Biodiversity is a major factor that contributes to sustainable food production for human beings.

A society or a population must have access to a sufficient variety of nutritious food as it is a determinant of
their health as human beings. Nutritional composition between foods and among varieties/cultivars/breeds of the
same food can differ dramatically, affecting micronutrient availability in the diet. Healthy local diets necessitate
maintenance of high biodiversity levels.

Health, Biology, and Biodiversity

Almost all living organisms are dependent to their environment to live and reproduce.

➢ basic needs (air, water, food, and habitat) provided by the environment.
➢ Improved access to these basic needs may lead to evolution of human beings
➢ Advances in agriculture, sanitation, water treatment, and hygiene have had a far greater impact on
human health than medical technology. Although the environment sustains human life, it can also
cause diseases.
➢ Environmental hazards increase the risk of cancer, heart disease, asthma, and many other illnesses.
Physical (pollution, toxic chemicals, food contaminants, etc.) Social (dangerous work, urban sprawl,
poverty, etc.)
Example: Unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation and hygiene are responsible for various infectious
diseases such as schistosomiasis, diarrhea, cholera, meningitis, and gastritis.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 178

 *** END of the Lesson Proper**

REFERENCES

Textbooks

Aldea, K, Caronan H.P, and Candido, M.B. (2018). Science, Technology and Society (OBE Ready). Mandaluyong
City, Philippines: Book Atbp. Publishing Corp.

Serafica, J.P., Pawilen, G., Caslib Jr., B.N., and Alata, E.J. (2018). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon City,
Philippines: Rex Book Store, Inc. (RBSI)
Quinto, E.J. and Nieva, A. (2019). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon City, Philippines: C & E Publishing,
Inc.

Online Resources

BJYU’s Learning App. What is biodiversity? Retrieved from https://byjus.com/biology/biodiversity/

School Tutoring Academy. Biology: Levels of Organization. Retrieved from

https://schooltutoring.com/help/biology-levels-of-organisation/

Quora (2012). Biotic vs. Abiotic. Retrieved from https://www.quora.com/How-do-biotic-factors-depend-onabiotic-factors

Rice Knowledge Bank. Snails. Retrieved from http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/training/fact-sheets/pestmanagement/

item/golden-apple-snails-fact-sheet

Foundation Serra Club Canada. Importance of Biodiversity. Retrieved from

https://www.sierraclub.ca/en/videobiodiversity-in-ontario

Blendspace. Threats to Biodiversity. Retrieved from

https://www.blendspace.com/lessons/zlL5vlITMhnPmQ/biodiversity-threats

Learning Materials

Worksheets (teacher-made)

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 179

 LESSON: INFORMATION AGE
Topic: A. The Nano World
B. Gene Therapy (stem cells)
C. Climate Change and the Energy Crisis
D. Environmental Awareness

Learning Outcomes: At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. Discuss the major impacts (both potential and realized} of nanotechnology on society
2. Analyze the issue through the conceptual STS lenses
3. Critique the issue on its costs and benefits to society
4. Describe gene therapy and its various forms
5. Assess the issue’s potential benefits and detriments to global health
6. Identify the causes of climate change
7. Assess the various impacts of climate change including economic, geopolitical, biological, meteorological, etc
8. Apply STS concepts to the issue of climate change
Date Topics Activities or Tasks
December 21-22, The Nano World and Gene Therapy Read Lessons
2020
December 23,
Complete Learning Task
2020
Climate Change and the Energy Crisis and
January 4-5, 2021 Read Lessons
Environmental Awareness
January 6-8, 2021 Complete Learning Task

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 180

LEARNING CONTENT

Introduction:
From the steam engines of the First Industrial Revolution, we had found ways to make all of those
technological advancements more efficient and more portable. Electrical sources have been greatly shrunk
to our familiar triple A- batteries. This undertaking of the technological age from the beginning, catalyzed by
the World Wars and the Space Race, has moved into making technological devices portable yet multi-
tasking. Communication, health and medicine, industry, and others benefitted from these improvements. In
that sense, tube-powered computers of the first part of the 20 th century quickly evolved into our mobile
phones and watches that can do things beyond our imagination. But, technology seems to be unsatisfied
yet with this concentration. With that said, scientists and engineers delved into the world of
nanotechnology. With this branch of applied science, humankind reached a new height capacitating itself to
make wonders smaller than cells themselves. With all of these said, we are going to journey in the Nano
World in this topic.
As with health, we all know we have been through a lot to get to the health care of today. Many diseases are
now perceived to be treatable and preventable at the very least. Yet, the deadliest of these diseases source
deeply from our very own fundamental instruction book, the DNA and other genetic materials. But with the
continuous research of our biotechnologists and geneticists, it seems a solution is at hand and that is gene
therapy. Yet, ethical concerns are raised especially of the development of the infamous Human Genome
Project. What are the ethical and moral issues that must be settled in this debate?

Lesson Proper:

The NANO WORLD

The prefix “nano-” has been ingrained in our minds to mean something diminutive. But can we imagine how
tiny a nanometer is? According to the National Nanotechnology Initiative (2020), to imagine the size of a
nanometer here are some examples.
• A sheet of paper is about 100,000 nanometers thick
• A strand of human DNA is 2.5 nanometers in diameter
• There are 25,400,000 nanometers in one inch
• A human hair is approximately 80,000- 100,000
nanometers wide
• A single gold atom is about a third of a nanometer in
diameter
• On a comparative scale, if the diameter of a marble was
one nanometer, the diameter of the Earth would be about
one meter
• One nanometer is about as long as your fingernail grows
in one second
• To introduce the topic of Nanotechnology, we must first
define nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is manipulation
of matter with at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100
nanometers (National Nanotechnology Initiative, n.d.).

Implications of this are broad and extensive; from pure

sciences like Physics to the greater direct and obvious
connection to mankind like health and communication. But
what could be the ethical, moral, and ecological problems
that could occur as we continue to use this technology?

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 181

 https://www.nano.gov/sites/default/files/nanoscale7_0.jpg

I. Potential and Realized Major Impacts of Nanotechnology in the Society

As stated nanotechnology has

many uses and could be used in our
society. With its direct uses to society,
health seems to be the number one to
be given substantial support from this
science, for example, surgical
nanobots. Communication and
engineering seem to follow in benefit
after health. Transfer of information
through nanotubes is being looked into
and strong nanomaterials are
continuously developed.

A. Medicine
The application of nanotechnology to medicine is called nanomedicine (Freitas,1999). The
medical field has been intrusive to one’s body but nanotechnology is changing the game of medicine.
Nanomaterials called nanoparticles are being used to deliver medicine and RNA vaccine to fundamental parts
of the body. These same nanoparticles are being utilized to diagnose diseases that require extensive
examination and they can even be used in surgery where the standard procedures will be deemed too
dangerous. Yet the use for nanomedicine has not yet peaked.
Many potential ailments are being looked into to be treated like brain tumors (Lalatsa et.al., 2018).
These innovations in medicine have moved the area of nanomedicine to the forefront for the new generation of
practice. The increasing

funding and interest in this method have opened a

https://thumbnails-visually.netdna-ssl.com/15-usages-of-nanotechnologynew
dilemma, are there any bad consequences of in-medicine_56b18834c405a_w900_h800.png the use of nanotechnology
in the body?

B. Environment

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 182

 https://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/3-s2.0-B978012813351400050X-f48-01-9780128133514.jpg

The environment has been one of the main points of the international agreements in the past few years.
The world is beginning to capacitate itself with the dream of using nanotechnology to fix the problem they have
started. More sustainable energy sources and utilization has been developed and continuously improved upon
which lessens the production of air pollutants and to a greater extent, greenhouse gases. Substances that
toxify our rivers and oceans can be remediated now with new nanomaterials. But are all these sustainable to
heal our ailing world?

C. Industry

https://www.foodsafetymagazine.com/fsm/assets/Image/2317NanotechnologyFig1.jpg

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 183

 https://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-B9780128135860000043-f04-01-9780128135860.jpg

Nanotechnology is seen as a major driving force to the upgrade of industry. Foods, textiles, cosmetics,
sports, aerospace and vehicle manufacturers, construction, and even the military are starting to look into
nanotechnology as its source of a new and improved market. But do all of these benefits enable only good
things to the society, or darker sides of the technology loom ahead?

II. Issues in the Technology

https://nanotechinfuture.weebly.com/uploads/5/4/1/5/54154865/2360035_orig.png

GENE THERAPY

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 Many inherited ailments are suffered by millions of people. Even animals cannot escape gene-based
diseases. In the early 20th century, under the foundation of evolution and genetics, DNA has been discovered
by Rosalind Franklin but credited largely to Watson and Crick. This changed the understanding of humans to
their make-up. It has been pointed out that many of the ailments we suffer result from the mutation of these
genetic materials. As such, our scientists focused on these nanoscopic bio compounds to find the cure for
many diseases. The answer they found is Gene Therapy. At this topic, we are going to learn what gene therapy
is and what are its implications to our social and moral upbringing?

I. What is Gene Therapy?

Gene Therapy is a medical field that focuses on the utilization of the therapeutic delivery of nucleic
acids into a patient's cells as a drug to treat disease (Kaji,2001). It was first developed in 1972 but still with
limited success to humans.
TYPES OF GENE THERAPY
1. Somatic gene therapy: transfer of a section of DNA to any cell of the body that doesn’t produce sperm or eggs.
Effects of gene therapy will not be passed onto the patient’s children.
2. Germline gene therapy: transfer of a section of DNA to cells that produce eggs or sperm. Effects of gene
therapy will be passed onto the patient’s children and subsequent generations.

GENE THERAPY TECHNIQUES

1. Gene Augmentation Therapy

This is used to treat diseases caused by a mutation that stops a gene from producing a functioning product,
such as a protein. This therapy adds DNA containing a functional version of the lost gene back into the cell.
The new gene produces a functioning product at sufficient levels to replace the protein that was originally
missing. This is only successful if the effects of the disease are reversible or have not resulted in lasting
damage to the body. For example, this can be used to treat loss of functional disorders such as cystic
fibrosis by introducing a functional copy of the gene to correct the disease.

2. Gene Inhibition Therapy

Suitable for the treatment of infectious diseases, cancer, and inherited disease caused by inappropriate gene
activity. The aim is to introduce a gene whose product either: inhibits the expression of another gene or
interferes with the activity of the product of another gene. The basis of this therapy is to eliminate the
activity of a gene that encourages the growth of disease-related cells. For example, cancer is sometimes
the result of the over-activation of an oncogene (a gene that stimulates cell growth). So, by eliminating the
activity of that oncogene through gene inhibition therapy, it is possible to prevent further cell growth and
stop cancer in its tracks.

3. The killing of Specific Cells

Suitable for diseases such as cancer that can be treated by destroying certain groups of cells. The aim is to
insert DNA into a diseased cell that causes that cell to die. This can be achieved in one of two ways:first,
the inserted DNA contains a “suicide” gene that produces a highly toxic product that kills the diseased cell.
Second, the inserted DNA causes the expression of a protein that marks the cells so that the diseased cells
are attacked by the body’s natural immune system. And lastly, It is essential with this method that the
inserted DNA is targeted appropriately to avoid the death of cells that are functioning normally.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 185

 https://www.yourgenome.org/facts/what -is-gene -therapy

II. Challenges of gene therapy

1. Delivering the gene to the right place and switching it on:

➢ the new gene must reach the right cell
➢ delivering a gene into the wrong cell would be inefficient and could also cause health problems for the
patient
➢ even once the right cell has been targeted the gene has to be turned on
➢ cells sometimes obstruct this process by shutting down genes that are showing unusual activity.
2. Avoiding the immune response:
➢ The role of the immune system is to fight off intruders.
➢ Sometimes new genes introduced by gene therapy are considered potentially-harmful intruders.
➢ This can spark an immune response in the patient, that could be harmful to them.
➢ Scientists, therefore, have the challenge of finding a way to deliver genes without the immune system
‘noticing’.
➢ This is usually by using vectors that are less likely to trigger an immune response.
3. Making sure the new gene doesn’t disrupt the function of other genes:
➢ Ideally, a new gene introduced by gene therapy will integrate itself into the genome of the patient and
continue working for the rest of their lives.
➢ There is a risk that the new gene will insert itself into the path of another gene, disrupting its activity.
➢ This could have damaging effects, for example, if it interferes with an important gene involved in
regulating cell division, it could result in cancer.
4. The cost of gene therapy:
➢ Many genetic disorders that can be targeted with gene therapy are extremely rare.
➢ Gene therapy therefore often requires an individual, case-by-case approach. This may be effective, but
may also be very expensive.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 186

III. Ethical Debate on Gene Therapy

Chance to cure inherited diseases Can affect the future generation

(Germline Therapy) (Germline Therapy) without their
consent

Remove the need of physically

and mentally exhausting therapies High cost
like radiation and chemotherapy

Finally cure deadliest of diseases Blurry line between good and bad
like cancer gene editing

IV. Gene Therapy in the current events o Gene Therapy in the Philippines offers genetic diagnoses,
management, and genetic counseling to families. Clinical genetics services are rendered at the
Philippine General Hospital (PGH) Department of Pediatrics.
o The new method for deploying the genetic snipping tool directly into target cells is a big step
towards more effective, safer and cheaper gene therapy with treatment potential for multiple
genetic disorders.
o Lead researcher, Associate Professor Ravi Shukla, said MOFs, which are versatile and
biocompatible nanomaterials, were a promising alternative to existing viral methods for
delivering the gene editing tool CRISPR/Cas9.
o Awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, CRISPR/Cas9, is widely acknowledged as a
breakthrough in genetic editing for its ability to remove and replace defective DNA, however
the biggest challenge remains effectively delivering it to cells.
o There are currently just 13 approved methods in trial globally and all rely on viral therapies,
an approach which is both extremely costly and has associated health risks.
o The latest findings build on previous work by the team who developed a proof of concept for
the delivery model late last year. o As of now, they will work to further test this technology for
its application in targeting several other disease-causing genes.

Climate and Environment

All biomes are universally affected by global conditions, such as climate, that ultimately shape each
biome’s environment. Scientists who study climate have noted a series of marked changes that have gradually
become increasingly evident during the last sixty years. Global climate change is the term used to describe
altered global weather patterns, including a worldwide increase in temperature, due largely to rising levels of
atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Greenhouse gases occur naturally and are essential to the survival of humans and millions of other
living things, by keeping some of the sun’s warmth from reflecting into space and making Earth livable. But after
more than a century and a half of industrialization, deforestation, and large-scale agriculture, quantities of

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 187

greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have risen to record levels not seen in three million years. As
populations, economies, and standards of living grow, so does the cumulative level of greenhouse gas (GHGs)
emissions.

Climate Change is the defining issue of our time and we are at a defining moment. From shifting
weather patterns that threaten food production to rising sea levels that increase the risk of catastrophic
flooding, the impacts of climate change are global in scope and unprecedented in scale. Without drastic action
today, adapting to these impacts in the future will be more difficult and costly.

*** END of the Lesson Proper**

REFERENCES

Textbooks

Aldea, K, Caronan H.P, and Candido, M.B. (2018). Science, Technology and Society (OBE Ready). Mandaluyong
City, Philippines: Book Atbp. Publishing Corp.

Serafica, J.P., Pawilen, G., Caslib Jr., B.N., and Alata, E.J. (2018). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon City,
Philippines: Rex Book Store, Inc. (RBSI)

Quinto, E.J. and Nieva, A. (2019). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon City, Philippines: C & E Publishing,
Inc.

Online Resources

Robert A. Freitas Jr., Nanomedicine, Volume I: Basic Capabilities, Landes Bioscience, Georgetown, TX, 1999;
http://www.nanomedicine.com/NMI.htm

What is gene therapy? Retrieved from https://www.yourgenome.org/facts/what-is-gene-therapy Current

Events of Gene Therapy. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedaily.com/

https://www.eesi.org/topics/energyefficiency/description#:~:text=Energy%20efficiency%20simply%20means
%20using,household%20and%20eco nomy%2Dwide%20level.

https://www.pachamama.org/environmental-awareness https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?

article=1013&context=art_sci_etds https://www.iucn.org/downloads/pm16_section_1.pdf

https://chem.libretexts.org/Courses/Lumen_Learning/[email protected]/Book%3A_Biology_for_Non_Majors_II
_(Lumen)/19%3A_Module_15%3A_Ecology_and_the_Environment/19.12%3A_Introduction_to_Climate_Ch
an ge
SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 188
Learning Materials

Worksheets (teacher-made)

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 189

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 190
 SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society |

CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY CRISIS

https://www.businessfast.co.uk/china-will-dominate-high-tech-unless-the-united-states-takes-off-the-gloves-the-national-interest-online/

The global warming debate is interesting in several respects. First off it is not even much of a debate as
many of its major players actively acknowledge the facts behind climate change if only passively; after all, it is
hard to argue with a thermometer. Second, the outcome of the global warming issue is also known. By the
22nd Century, the majority of the world’s energy supply will move beyond fossil fuels since there will simply be
fewer fossil fuels left and mostly in harder to reach places. Furthermore, dramatic moves away from fossil fuels
will probably occur even before the last barrel of oil is burned as the true costs of climate change become
more visible. And therein lies the paradox. If fossil fuel consumption has negative effects on the wellbeing of
people and if humanity must move to sustainable energy eventually then why delay.
Climate change will have negative impacts on the political, economic, and demographic structures of
society. These include a rise in ethnic tensions in the Indian Sub Continent, massive immigration to Europe,
regional economic collapse and political destabilization in Africa, the inundation of island nations, and
economic losses in the Americas among many other changes that will combine to destabilize humanity for
generations. Archipelagos face crises in agriculture due to frequently changing weather conditions and even
the danger of being wiped out due to intense flooding. The Philippines, being an archipelago near the pacific
ring of fire is one among them.
International affairs have failed to come up with a solution because global warming is a universal
prevention-focused problem that trades short term gains for long term losses. Global warming will be solved by
the onset of grid parity within the next few decades, but it will be too late to avert drastic consequences.
Humanity has developed a resilient attitude towards these extreme weather conditions for now, but will
ultimately find a way to cope in an age of global warming. The Filipinos, for example, display positive resilience
towards typhoons and flooding but this is somewhat negative. Resilience should be coupled with a sense of
readiness which is coupled with responsible usage of energy and resources.
Forty-six nations and 2.6 billion people are now at risk of being overwhelmed by armed conflict and
war-related to climate change. A further fifty-six countries face political destabilization, affecting another 1.2
billion individuals.1 Climate change is today’s biggest threat to international security and will intensify
NorthSouth tensions. The world has to end growth in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within seven years (by
SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 191
 2015) and reduce emissions by
about 80 percent by 2050. At least
two-thirds of energy demand over
the next twenty-five years will come
from developing countries. The world
must reduce annual carbon
emissions from today’s 8 billion tons
down to about 2 billion tons to
balance the assimilation capacity of
the world’s carbon sinks (such as
oceans, forests, and other biomass).
The Energy Sector
The Energy Sector The energy industry calculates that several thousand billion tons of coal remain in
the ground - 150 years’ worth at current extraction rates. It is therefore clear that most of the remaining coal
has to stay in the

https://www.solarschools.net/knowledge-bank/energy/efficiency/become -efficient https://www.pulspower.com/applications/energy/

ground if we are to avoid climate catastrophe. Threequarters of coal reserves are in five nations: The United
States, Russia, China, India, and Australia. Canada should be added to the list of critical nations because of
the scale of its deposit of extremely heavy crude known as Athabasca tar sands, and its boreal peat deposits.
The boreal peats accumulate a mass of decayed organic materials which store a large amount of carbon
dioxide. Thus, the fate of human civilization probably centers on the coal decisions of six nations and on
preventing extensive forest fires in three others (Brazil, Indonesia, and Congo).
Energy efficiency

Energy efficiency simply means using less energy to perform the same task – that is, eliminating
energy waste. Energy efficiency brings a variety of benefits: reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing
demand for energy imports, and lowering our costs on a household and economy-wide level. While renewable
energy technologies also help accomplish these objectives, improving energy efficiency is the cheapest – and
often the most immediate – way to reduce the use of fossil fuels. There are enormous opportunities for
efficiency improvements in every sector of the economy, whether it is buildings, transportation, industry, or
energy generation.

Building designers are looking to optimize building efficiency and then incorporate renewable energy
technologies, leading to the creation of zero-energy buildings. Changes in existing buildings can also be made

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 192

to reduce energy usage and costs. These may include small steps, such as choosing LED light bulbs and
energy-efficient appliances, or larger efforts like small-scale using solar panels to power some appliances.
Many things can improve energy efficiency primarily through technology and design. However, the way
people use these technologies will significantly impact their effectiveness. What impact can a highly efficient
technology have if households and businesses are not motivated to buy, install, and/or activate it? How do
driving behavior and unnecessary idling impact gas mileage? How many people will use public transportation if
there is a cultural stigma against it? Research has shown that 30 percent of the potential energy savings of
high-efficiency technologies are lost due to a variety of social, cultural, and economic factors. Addressing
these factors is also an important component of making our economy more energy-efficient.
1. Coal. There are 28 coal-fired power plants currently operating throughout the Philippines, with a total
installed capacity of 9.88 gigawatts. Twenty-two proposed plants have been approved by the energy
department; adding them into the energy mix would increase coal's share to 53% by 2030 Care must
be taken to ensure that all former coal industry employees are retrained for sustainable jobs or fully
compensated. Boosting efficiency by retrofitting existing coal power plants should be accelerated, as
should phase-out of the dirtiest coal plants.

2. Clean Coal. Clean coal usually means capturing carbon emissions from burning coal and storing them
under Earth. No reliance should be placed on “clean coal” because it does not yet exist. It could
become available after 2020, too late for the climate crisis. In any event, if clean coal is achieved, it will
be about 25 percent more expensive and nearly impossible to monitor. Carbon capture and
sequestration (CCS) technology is being experimented with, but on 30 January 2008, the US
government canceled its first pilot CCS project (FutureGen in Matoon, Illinois) after five years of costly
delays. No replacement plans have been announced.

3. Carbon sequestration. Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric
carbon dioxide. There is scope for carbon sequestration by reducing deforestation, planting trees, and
managing land on a global scale. However, extreme caution is needed to ensure that such plantation
schemes do not undermine the rights or livelihoods of poor people living in what is sometimes viewed
as “degraded” forest environments, but which comprise occupied subsistence farmland. Also,
microalgae have been demonstrated to sequester more than 80 percent of daytime CO2 emissions
from power plants and can be used to produce up to 10,000 gallons of liquid fuel per acre per year.

4. Oil. It seems likely that the world cannot afford to burn its remaining oil. The era of cheap oil is already
over; exploration for new deposits should be discouraged. Canadian tar sands should be left in place
and re-vegetated.

5. Natural Gas. Natural gas is ‘cleaner’ than coal: It contains 70 percent less carbon per unit of energy
than coal. As the transition to renewables will be wrenching, natural gas will have a role as a bridging
fuel. But gas leaks are inevitable, it (methane) is 21 times more climate forcing than CO2, and
liquefaction, transport, and regasification emit substantial quantities of GHG, so the gains are limited
and temporary.

6. Nuclear Energy. Nuclear energy is not a panacea. Full environmental and social costing, including the
risk of terrorism and accidents and the diversion of radioactive materials to weaponry, must be
mandated. The industry must pay for the permanent storage of nuclear wastes. All waste storage and
insurance against accidents must be the responsibility of the nuclear industry from now on. All
subsidies to the nuclear industry must cease and preferably be reallocated to renewable forms of
energy.

SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 193

 7. Hydro projects. Reservoirs are the largest single source of anthropogenic methane emissions,
contributing around a quarter of these emissions, or more than 4 percent of global GHG emissions. The
recommendations of the World Commission on Dams should be followed. In particular, hydroelectric
projects likely to emit substantial amounts of GHG should be banned. Carbon emissions from any dam
should be subject to the proposed global carbon tax.

8. Hydrogen. Generating hydrogen from fully renewable energy systems (such as solar and wind) by
electrolyzing water (even seawater) seems hopeful. This is one of the main technologies for research.
Hydrogen fuel cells to promote the “hydrogen economy” may prove to be among the best bets for
temporary subsidies.

Environmental Awareness

https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2558415/images/rainforest/forrest/Kapawi-5759-1-1.jpg

Environmental awareness is to understand the fragility of our environment and the importance of its
protection. Promoting environmental awareness is an easy way to become an environmental steward and
participate in creating a brighter future for our children.
What is Environmental Awareness?
To define environmental awareness we must first understand the environmentalist movement.
Environmentalism is an ideology that evokes the necessity and responsibility of humans to respect, protect,
and preserve the natural world from its anthropogenic (caused by humans) afflictions. Environmental
awareness is an integral part of the movement’s success. By teaching our friends and family that the physical
environment is fragile and indispensable, we can begin fixing the problems that threaten it.
How to Promote Environmental Awareness
Before you can begin promoting environmental awareness in your community, you must first make sure
that you have a thorough understanding of environmental issues. Stay up to date on environmental news, read
books and other resources, and learn about the issues affecting your community. It’s much easier to talk to
others about the environment if you’ve already taken the time to educate yourself.
Numerous resources are available to promote environmental awareness and education: group learning
(inside or outside of the classroom), informational and inspirational seminars, online courses, books, articles,
videos, and brochures are just a few of the tools that can get you involved in promoting the environment.
A good course of action that ensures your continued participation is to pick an environmental issue that
strikes you like the most urgent. The amount of environmental issues seems limitless, and while they are all
SCTS 1013 - Science, Technology and Society | 194
important, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Try choosing one issue to focus on at a time. You will soon see that
all environmental issues are intertwined and will find your niche of interest.

https://sites.google.com/site/environmentawarenesscookery/

Examples of Environmental Issues

Here are several cause-and-effect problems that harm our environment:
• Oil Drilling- This issue is one that causes a great deal of environmental destruction. Our dependence on
fossil fuels is a global addiction that affects every aspect of the world. Oil spills and offshore drilling poison
marine life, oil drilling (on land) suffocates the earth, and the combustion of fossil fuels adds to the
increased atmospheric CO , which in turn causes the progression of global warming and ocean
acidification. This is a multifaceted issue and is a good cause to get involved with because it covers such a
broad spectrum of issues.

• Deforestation- Millions of acres of forest are cut down for industrial benefits, such as large scale farming,
oil mining, and the production of paper goods. Deforestation causes wildlife and biodiversity extinction
because the loss of habitat threatens many species’ existence. The International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN) has a Red List of environmentally threatened species with up-to-date information.

• Production of Plastic Goods- Currently our society creates a great deal of waste and much of that waste
consists of plastic. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2010 alone 31 million tons
of plastic waste was created. This waste ends up all over the globe in both land and water, a good
example is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Not only is plastic waste an issue, but the production of
plastic is also dependent on fossil fuel combustion.

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 Make a Difference!!! Once you’re well versed in environmental
issues, you can use that knowledge to start beneficial projects in your home and/or in your community.
Possible Project Ideas

• Instead of driving to work or school, take the bus, carpool, walk, or ride your bike to cut down on
greenhouse gas emissions. According to the EPA transportation adds to 33% of the total atmospheric CO .
• Consider investing in appropriate technology like clean power (solar or wind), if not for your home then
maybe for a community center. This supports a transition to clean and renewable energy.
• Buy reusable products such as glass bottles, reusable bags, and reusable cups. Avoid buying disposable
goods such as paper towels, plastic bottles, and plastic bags.
• Start composting and recycling, which will help cut down our waste production.
• Support local businesses and farmers, and buy organic and pesticide-free food when you can. Or, start
your community garden.

https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2558415/images/science-in-hd-yqEJ8HQ8y2o-unsplash-1%20(1).jpg https://www.avera.org/balance/wellness-and-preventive-care/try-it-tuesday-bike-to-work-day/

Once you have chosen your cause and have started a personal or community project, share it with the
world! Get your coworkers, neighbors, friends, family, or even your local government involved. It’s much easier
and more effective to spread environmental awareness and start a local project if you collaborate with others in
your community. Promoting environmental awareness is a crucial part of being an environmental steward.
Start participating in the change and teach your community what is needed to create a sustainable future.
Alternative Energy Resources

1. Solar Energy - Sunlight is one of our planet’s most abundant and freely available energy resources. The
amount of solar energy that reaches the earth’s surface in one hour is more than the planet’s total energy
requirements for a whole year. Although it sounds like a perfect renewable energy source, the amount of
solar energy we can use varies according to the time of day and the season of the year as well as
geographical location.
https://www.edfenergy.com/sites/default/files/solar_energy.jpg

2. Wind Energy - Wind is a plentiful source of

clean energy. Wind farms are an increasingly
familiar sight in the UK with wind power making
an ever-increasing contribution to the National
Grid. To harness electricity from wind energy,
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 turbines are used to drive generators which then feed electricity into the National Grid. Although domestic
or ‘off-grid’ generation systems are available, not every property is suitable for a domestic wind turbine.

3. Hydro Energy - As a renewable energy resource,

hydro power is one of the most commercially
developed. By building a dam or barrier, a large
reservoir can be used to create a controlled flow of
water that will drive a turbine, generating electricity.
This energy source can often be more reliable than
solar or wind power (especially if it's tidal rather than
river) and also allows electricity to be stored for use
when demand reaches a peak. Like wind energy, in
certain situations hydro can be more viable as a
commercial energy source (dependant on type and
compared to other sources of energy) but depending
very much on the type of property, it can be used for domestic, ‘off-grid’ generation.
https://www.edfenergy.com/sites/default/files/hydro_energy.jpg

4. Tidal Energy - This is another form of hydro energy that uses twice-daily tidal currents to drive turbine
generators. Although tidal flow unlike some other hydro energy sources isn’t constant, it is highly
predictable and can therefore compensate for the periods when the tide current is low.

5. Geothermal Energy - By harnessing the natural heat below the earth’s surface, geothermal energy can be
used to heat homes directly or to generate electricity. Although it harnesses a power directly below our
feet, geothermal energy is of negligible importance in the UK compared to countries such as Iceland,
where geothermal heat is much more freely available.

https://www.edfenergy.com/sites/default/files/geothermal_energy.jpg

6. Biomass Energy - This is the conversion of solid fuel

made from plant materials into electricity. Although
fundamentally, biomass involves burning organic
materials to produce electricity, and nowadays this is
a much cleaner, more energy-efficient process. By
converting agricultural, industrial and domestic waste
into solid, liquid and gas fuel, biomass generates
power at a much lower economic and environmental
cost. https://www.edfenergy.com/sites/default/files/biomass_energy.jpg
*** END of the Lesson Proper***

REFERENCES

Textbooks
Aldea, K, Caronan H.P, and Candido, M.B. (2018).
Science, Technology and Society (OBE Ready).
Mandaluyong City, Philippines: Book Atbp. Publishing
Corp.

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Serafica, J.P., Pawilen, G., Caslib Jr., B.N., and Alata, E.J. (2018). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon
City, Philippines: Rex Book Store, Inc. (RBSI)
Quinto, E.J. and Nieva, A. (2019). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon City, Philippines: C & E
Publishing, Inc.

Online Resources
Robert A. Freitas Jr., Nanomedicine, Volume I: Basic Capabilities, Landes Bioscience, Georgetown, TX, 1999;
http://www.nanomedicine.com/NMI.htm
What is gene therapy? Retrieved from https://www.yourgenome.org/facts/what-is-gene-therapy Current

Events of Gene Therapy. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedaily.com/

https://www.eesi.org/topics/energyefficiency/description#:~:text=Energy%20efficiency%20simply%20means
%20using,household%20and%20eco nomy%2Dwide%20level.

https://www.pachamama.org/environmental-awareness https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?

article=1013&context=art_sci_etds https://www.iucn.org/downloads/pm16_section_1.pdf

https://chem.libretexts.org/Courses/Lumen_Learning/[email protected]/Book%3A_Biology_for_Non_Majors_II
_(Lumen)/19%3A_Module_15%3A_Ecology_and_the_Environment/19.12%3A_Introduction_to_Climate_Chan
ge

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