CHAPTER 1 – The Social Dimension knowledge behind harnessing these

of Science and Technology resources.

 All individuals belong to a society Material Aspect of Culture – objects

that practices culture. produces as a result of technology
 Societies and cultures are
Non-Material Aspect of Culture –
dynamic, changing over time in
how material aspects of culture were
structure, practices, beliefs,
produced and the processes and
worldviews, and economies.
functions involves.
 Present-day societies differ from
those of the past in various
aspects.
1.2 SCIENCE IN SOCIETY
 Technology is a major driver of
social and cultural change, as Science - is the body of knowledge
it modifies the physical used to understand natural and social
environment to meet human phenomena.
needs.
Natural Sciences - It encompasses
 As technology evolves, it
areas like biology, chemistry, physics,
influences and changes other
geology, etc., which focus on
aspects of society and culture.
understanding the natural world.

1.1 OVERVIEW OF SOCIETY AND Social Sciences - Early social thinkers

CULTURE applied natural science methods to
study society, leading to disciplines
Humans in Society - Individuals
like sociology, anthropology, economics,
belong to groups such as families,
political science, and psychology.
schools, work, churches, and peer
groups. Society refers to autonomous Role of Science - Science has been
groups of people sharing a pivotal in the development of
common culture within a technologies throughout history, from
geographic territory. early fire-making to modern gadgets.

Culture - It defines how people are Broad View of Science - Science

taught and expected to behave, which includes both formal sciences and
varies greatly across different societies. the local knowledge systems of
The sum of an individual’s way of various cultures in understanding the
life. natural and social world.

Diversity of Culture - Variations are

seen in child-rearing practices, family
1.3 TECHNOLOGY AS A
types, marriage customs, beliefs,
COMPONENT OF CULTURE
rituals, clothing, food, languages, and
symbols, depending on physical
environments and how people use
resources to meet their needs.

Technology and Culture - Technology

is the process of utilizing resources
to meet societal needs, which is a
crucial part of culture. Science is the
Technology - In sociology and  Technological Somnambulism
anthropology, technology is seen as the - Proposed by Langdon Winner,
process by which humans use their this view suggests that humans
environment to create artifacts or have a passive relationship with
material culture. It is not limited to technology, where it is seen as
modern devices like computers but neutral and its impact depends
includes any historical or cultural solely on how it is used.
technology.  Technological Determinism -
Coined by Thorstein Veblen, this
Examples: Early stone tools, irrigation
perspective holds that
systems, and plant-based healing
technology drives changes in
methods are all considered technologies
society, influencing social
in different cultural contexts.
structures and cultures.
Relation to Society - Technology is Historical examples include the
intertwined with social, economic, shift to industrial society due to
political, and belief systems, forming steam power and the modern
an integral part of culture from past information age ushered in by
to present. computers.
 Social Construction of
Technology (SCOT) - Developed
1.4 LINKING SCIENCE, by Wiebe Bijker and Trevor Pinch,
TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY this theory argues that social
context influences
Sociological Perspectives:
technological development.
 Symbolic Interactionism - Different societies negotiate and
Focuses on the meaning of modify technologies based on
symbols in social interactions. their specific needs, leading to
For example, a wooden cross varying technological progress, as
holds religious significance for seen between first-world and
Christians but may have no third-world countries.
meaning for others.
 Structural Functionalism -
Views society as interconnected
systems, where each part has
a function that contributes to
the stability of the whole. A
dysfunction in one system, like
the economy, affects other
institutions.
 Conflict Theory - Examines
inequality and power
dynamics, such as how poverty
results from exploitation by
powerful classes.

Technological Perspectives:
 ecosystems and urban
ecosystems.
 Ecosystems are diverse and
contain a wide range of
biodiversity, including
microorganisms, plants, and
animals.
 Ecosystem services are benefits
that ecosystems provide to
humans, including food
production, climate regulation,
nutrient cycling, and recreation.

Technology and Ecosystem

Services:

 The development of technology

allows humans to understand and
harness the benefits of nature,
creating products and services
that contribute to economic
growth.

Examples of Technology Inspired by

CHAPTER 2 – Science and Nature:
technology in Everyday
 Velcro was inspired by burrs that
2.1 ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY cling to clothing. It was invented
by Georges de Mestral and is now
Human Interaction with
used in many products like
Environment:
fasteners for shoes, car
 Humans constantly interact with accessories, and clothing.
their environment to obtain
Examples of Technology
resources, such as food and raw
Complementing Ecosystem
materials, for survival.
Services:
 The environment provides life
support services such as oxygen, 1) Hydropower: The potential energy
food, and shelter, which are of waterfalls is used to operate
crucial for human existence. turbines, which generate
electricity, bringing convenience
Biosphere and Ecosystem Services:
to homes.
 The biosphere (also called the 2) Urban Forests and Green Spaces:
ecosphere) is the highest level of These areas provide free cleaning
biological organization, services by absorbing carbon
encompassing various dioxide and mitigating urban heat
ecosystems on Earth. islands. Technologies like LiDAR
 Types of ecosystems include help map and manage these
forest, grassland, tundra, desert, vegetation features.
freshwater, marine, and human-
dominated ecosystems like agro-
 3) Medicinal Properties from Plants: Early societies evolved from foraging
Plants with medicinal properties (hunting and gathering) to utilizing
are studied to identify compounds technologies for food production. This
and metabolites for drug evolution includes:
production. For example, the
 Foraging Societies: Relied on
herbal liniment used for
gathering plants and hunting
headaches may contain methyl
animals using simple tools. These
salicylate, a compound found in
societies were largely nomadic.
wintergreen plants.
 Horticultural Societies: Used
4) Coastal Ecosystem Protection:
simple gardening tools for
Coral reefs and mangroves
planting, practiced shifting
protect coastal areas from the
cultivation, and relied on
destructive impacts of storm
pastoralism (domestication of
surges, reducing disaster risks
animals for food and other
such as flooding and landslides,
products). These societies were
thereby saving lives and
semi-nomadic.
properties.
 Agricultural Societies: Used more
Importance of Environment to advanced tools and intensified
Human Survival: food production, leading to
private land ownership. Modern
 The natural world provides
agriculture remains crucial for
essential resources, such as air,
providing food needs.
food, and materials, without
which human survival would be Industrial and Post-Industrial
impossible. Societies:
 Human ingenuity and
 With an increasing population,
technological advancement have
advanced technologies were
allowed us to transform these
developed for mechanized and
resources to further enhance our
industrial food production.
quality of life.
 Urban societies now rely on
2.2 FOOD TECHNOLOGIES supermarkets for processed food
products such as baked goods,
Introduction to Food Technologies:
canned goods, and bottled juices.
This marks a shift from traditional
food production to consumer
 The natural environment provides
reliance on processed foods.
the basic need for human
societies: food. Food Preparation and Processing:
 In the past, early humans relied
 Humans need to pre-process food
on gathering and scavenging for
for biological, social, and safety
food. Over time, they developed
reasons.
tools and technologies for food
production, such as digging sticks, Examples include:
the plow, and tractors.
 Pasteurization: Used to kill
Evolution of Food Getting and bacteria in milk.
Production:  Blanching Vegetables: Maintains
their nutritional value.
  Food Preservation Techniques:  Future Kitchen Appliances:
Examples include freezing, freeze- Anticipated to be part of the
drying, and salting. These help Internet of Things (IoT), allowing
maintain the quality of food for remote programming and
transportation and market. operation.

Traditional Food Preservation: 2.3 HOUSEHOLD CHEMISTRY

 In the Philippines, methods like Introduction to Household

sun drying fish (locally called Chemistry:
"bulad") help preserve and
 The section focuses on
market traditional delicacies.
understanding the chemicals used
Changing Food Technologies in the in households, their properties,
Modern World: uses, and potential reactions. By
understanding the chemistry
Food production technologies are
behind everyday substances,
continuously evolving, including:
people can enhance their
 Use of Chemicals: Inorganic awareness of household safety
fertilizers, insecticides, and and take necessary precautions.
herbicides are used to boost
Chemicals in Our Households:
agricultural productivity.
 Genetically Modified Organisms Household substances involve
(GMOs): Technologies like Bt traits chemistry and chemical reactions,
for pest resistance or Golden Rice whether through tasting, touching, or
with Vitamin A enrichment have using them. The chemicals found in the
been developed. However, they household range from simple elements
have both benefits and potential to more complex compounds:
disadvantages.
Examples of simple chemicals
Comparison of Traditional and found in households include:
Modern Kitchens:
 Fluorine: Found in toothpaste.
 'Dirty' Kitchen: Traditionally,  Chlorine: Used as a disinfectant in
kitchens were basic, lacked drinking water.
appliances, and were usually  Silver: Material used in spoons
made of local materials like wood and forks.
and plywood. They relied on  Copper: Found in electric wires.
simple stoves with no electricity.
Mixing chemicals can lead to
 Modern Kitchen: Today’s kitchens
chemical changes, observable as:
are equipped with various
appliances (e.g., refrigerators,  Browning of an Apple: Due to
microwave ovens) and require exposure to oxygen.
electricity. They include advanced  Souring of Milk: A reaction caused
technologies for food preparation by bacterial activity.
and cooking, and often feature  Caramelization of Sugar: Sugar
safety systems like fire alarms. heated to turn into caramel.

Physical vs. Chemical Changes:

Physical changes include changes of
state, such as:
2.4 SIMPLE MACHINES
 Melting: Solid ice turning into
Work and Machines
liquid water.
 Boiling and Evaporation: Liquid  Scientifically, work is done when a
water changing into gas. force is exerted on an object,
causing it to move a certain
Chemical changes involve the
distance.
transformation of substances into
 Simple machines, such as can
entirely new products.
openers, scissors, shovels, ramps,
Uses of Household Chemicals: and hammers, help people
perform work more efficiently,
Household chemicals are classified as
reducing the effort needed. These
non-food chemicals, which are
machines are essential in daily
commonly used for cleaning, pest
activities and make tasks easier
control, and hygiene purposes. These
chemicals can be used alone or Simple Machines:
combined with other reagents.
 Lever: The simplest machine,
Soap vs. Detergent: consisting of a bar that lifts a load
when a force is applied. Examples
Although soap and detergent are used
include see-saws, shovels,
interchangeably for cleaning purposes,
scissors, wheelbarrows, and bottle
they differ chemically:
openers. The human body also
 Both contain a head and a tail, has levers, like the biceps, elbow,
which contribute to their cleaning and forearm.
action.  Inclined Plane: A sloping surface
 Detergent: Has a hydrophilic head used to move heavy objects
(water-loving) and a hydrophobic between two levels. Examples are
tail (oil/dirt-loving), making it ramps, stairs, slides, wheelchair
more effective in cleaning as it ramps, and skateboard ramps.
interacts less with hard water.  Wedge: A triangular machine that
 Soap: Acts as a bridge between pushes objects apart. It consists
water and oil/dirt, allowing the of two inclined planes put
removal of grime when rinsed. together. Examples include an
axe, knife, nail, and stiletto heels.
Household Cleaning Products:
 Wheel and Axle: Consists of a
 Cleaning products have specific wheel with a rod (axle) through its
chemical properties and pH levels center. When one turns, so does
that determine their effectiveness the other. Examples include
on different surfaces. doorknobs, mechanical pencil
 Surfactants in dishwashing sharpeners, and electric mixers.
detergents facilitate the  Screw: A variation of an inclined
interaction between water and plane twisted into a spiral. It is
grease or food particles, reducing used to move objects up and
surface tension and making it down or hold them together. An
easier to rinse away the example is a water bottle with
substances from surfaces. grooves that secure the cap.
  Pulley: A wheel and axle with a have become widely accessible,
rope or chain that helps lift leading to increased dependency.
objects. Examples include Cellphones and computers have
flagpoles, mini-blinds, cranes, and become integral to daily life,
tow trucks. allowing for online transactions,
social interactions, and remote
Impact of Simple Machines:
work.
 Simple machines are integrated
into everyday life, making human
activities easier and serving as Impact on Society:
the foundation for more complex
 Increased Accessibility: Cellular
machines. They illustrate the
phones have reached even the
development of technology and
most remote communities,
its impact on society.
enhancing access to
communication.
2.5 INFORMATION AND  Dependence and Literacy: Many
COMMUNICATION young people today rely heavily
on technology, with activities like
Human Interactions and Social
gaming, shopping, and dating
Structure:
done online. Computer literacy is
 Social interactions form the crucial for participation in modern
foundation of societies and society, but some groups, such as
cultures. People interact with those in isolated areas, still lack
each other daily, designing rules, access.
institutions, and systems to be  Philippines Context: As of July
passed on to future generations. 2016, the Philippines had an
Information exchange takes place internet penetration rate of 43.5%
during these interactions, whether and was the second largest
face-to-face or virtual. Facebook market in Southeast
Asia. Information and
Evolution of Information and
communication technology is
Communication Technologies:
growing and reshaping society,
 Early Communication: Initially, with more jobs now found in the
communication and information service sector compared to
exchange were limited to face-to- factories due to automation.
face interactions.
 Technological Advancements: The
invention of the telegraph,
telephone, and two-way radio
improved communication over
long distances. The computer and
internet brought about an
information revolution, connecting
people across the world and
allowing work from anywhere.
 Modern Technologies: Information
and communication technologies