STS Module B

☀ SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY, TECHNOLOGY, AND → “truth should not be accepted but be

IMPACT ON SOCIETY proved”
→ legend says that he believed that eating
beans is sinful and he drowned a student for
The “THEORETICAL WORLD” revealing the existence of irrational numbers to
THEORY
where theories, ideas, concepts, the world
etc exists
S
C 3. ARISTOTLE
I → 384 - 322 BC
→ founder of Science and Philosophy of
E
N
C Science
→ concepts of induction and deduction;
E

The “REAL WORLD” as we • induction - naturally led to generalization

REALITY
observe and experience • generalization - a key concept in knowledge
generation and gives Science the ability to
• Without understanding the philosophy behind the predict rather than simply report what is
scientific approach, there will be no originality. happening
Because there will be no independent, critical, and → promoted systematic observation and
creative thinking. thought in biology, physics, law, literature and
ethics.
☀ MILESTONES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF
SCIENCE 4. PTOLEMY
PRE-MODERN → Claudius Ptolemaeus
→ lived AD 127-145 in Alexandria
1. MILETUS/MILESIANS → Ancient Astronomer, Geographer, and
→ 600 BC Mathematician
→ “what is reality made up of?” → Excellent map maker (8000 locations on his
→ unwilling to rely on supernatural/religious world map) (His work has been an inspiration
for natural phenomenon (supernatural to cartographers of his time.)
explanations is unreliable) → The Earth is the center of the universe
(Ptolemaic System/Geocentric Model)
✔THALES OF MILETUS → nothing is known about his personal life
• most famous milesian philosopher
• 624 - 546 BC ✔Geocentric Model
• Aristotle regards him as the 1st - teaches that all planets including the Sun
Philosopher in the Greek tradition revolves around the Earth
• Aritstotle attributed to Thales one of the - became influential to the Roman
early hyposthesis about the nature of matter Catholic Church
that the originating principle of nature was a - In 1822, cardinals finally give in to the
single material substance called water. hard facts of Science (motions of the Earth,
stability of the Sun/Heliocentric Model is
2. PYTHAGORAS now permitted)
→ 571 - 491 BC
→ equation of a right triangle:
c2= a2+ b2

Ann Cuaresma I BSMT 1-C

 STS Module B

☀ MODEN PERIOD OF SCIENCE → in favor of the empirical falsification (a view

that a theory in the empirical sciences can
1. FRANCIS BACON ‘never’ be proven but it can be ‘falsified’)
→ 1561-1626 → realism or logical empiricism modified w/
→ Seminal figure at the Scientific Revolution the views of Popper is probably the most
receive view of Western Science in the moder
✔Scientific Revolution
period.
- emergence of modern Science during
→ “what then makes a scientific statement?”
the early modern period
→ “a true scientist should look to falsify theory
✔Novum Organum Scientiarum with observation that contradict them”
- or new instruments of Science (foundation behind the scientific method)
- published in 1620

→ physical causes and laws of nature ☀ FOR A STATEMENT TO BE SCIENTIFIC

→ outlined new system of logic to improve → ruling of U.S. Judge William Overton (laid the set
Cylogism of criteria as to what makes a scientific theory)
→ his method relied on experimental histories 1. It must be guided by natural law.
to eliminate alternative theories
→ finding essence of a thing is a simply 2. It has to be explanatory by reference to
process of reduction, and the use of inductive natural law.
reasoning
3. It is testable against the empirical world. (If it
2. RENE DESCARTES cannot be tested then it is not sicentific)
→ 1596-1650 4. Its conclusions are tentative. (No matter
→ “cogito, ergo sum” (means “I think, therefore how much evidence we’ve found for our
I am”) scientific theory, we must be open to the idea
→ Mathematician, Scientist, and Philosopher that it may be wrong and new evidence may
who promoted the scientific method that disapproved it.)
emphasized deducation.
→ The Discourse On The Method of rightly • It is a position of David Hume and
conducting one reason and of seeking truth is empiricist who argued that the scientific
both mathematical and auto-biographical finding based on ‘observation’ are true
treatise published in 1637. only in so much as they have not yet been
→ believes that all Science is based on proven false.
Mathematics
→ founder of “rationalism” 5. It is falsifiable. (theories should be stated in
→ observed data is inferior to pure reason such a way that we can find evidence against
(pure reason is superior to observation) them)

3. KARL POPPER ☀ SCIENTIFIC METHOD

→ Karl Raimund Popper • Scientific method is a process to construct a
→ Austrian-British professor in London School reliable, consistent, and non-arbitrary
of Economics representation of the world.
→ 1902 - 1994 • The methodology of Science is concerned
→ rejected the classical inductivist views on the not only w/ the discovery of knowledge but
scientific method also in justification of knowldege claims.

Ann Cuaresma I BSMT 1-C

 STS Module B

• For knowledge to be termed scientific, a • Prediction should be able to distinguish the

method of inquiry must be based on empirical hypothesis from the alternatives .
and measurable evidence subject to specific • Making test of hypothesis - conducting an
principles of reasoning. experiment to investigate whether the real world
• A method of procedure that has behaves predicted by the hypothesis.
characterized natural science since the 17th • If observations do not agree, then the alternative
century consisting in systematic observation, hypothesis may be accepted or may be then the
measurement, experiment , the formualtion, subject of a test.
testing, and modification of hyposthesis
• If observations agree, confidence to the
(Oxford Dictionary).
hypothesis increase.
• Scientific method is the guide by which we
• If conclusion is consistently arrive at by various
find evidence to either accept or reject
investigators in various conditions, then it may be
knowledge claims.
elevated to a theory.
• Not all the steps should be necessarily be
followed nor the steps be always made in the ☀ SOCIAL SCIENCE AS SCIENCE
same order.
SOCIAL SCIENCE
☀ STEPS • concerned with the society and the
relationships among individuals within a
Observations and society.
Questions • Anthropology, Economics, Political Science,
I D Psychology, and Sociology (major
E sub-disciplines of SocSci)
N
D
• Archeology, History, Law, and Linguistics
D
U
U Make Make
• the “social world” is part of the “natural
C
C
Conclusion Hypothesis T
T
I I world”
• scientific naturalism : a philosophical
O
O
N N
approach using tools that are akin to those of
Collect & Analyze the natural sciences
Data/Evidence • interpretivist social scientists - use other
methods like symbolic interpretation
• Observation of the natural world are the triggers
towards knowing and understanding nature. ☀ SCIENTIFIC THEORY OR SCIENTIFIC LAW?
• Make Hypothesis (trying to understand what’s Similarities:
happening around - WHY, HOW, and WHAT
questions) 1. Both are based on tested hypotheses;

• Hyposthesis is a conjecture. It probable answer 2. Both are supported by a large body of empirical
the research question/explanation of the data;
phenomenon.
3. Both are widely accepted by the vast majority (if
• Statistical Hypothesis - conjecture about the not all) scientists within a discipline.
population
4. Both are falsifiable.
• Null Hypothesis
• Alternative Hypothesis
Differences:

Ann Cuaresma I BSMT 1-C

 STS Module B

SCIENTIFIC LAW ☀ TECHNOLOGY AND ITS IMPACT ON SOCIETY

→ “a well substantiated statement that describes a
“Technology is as much as for the benefit of society
natural phenomenon.”
as it is for the good of the individual”
→ will predict what will happen as long as those
conditions are met • SOCIETY
SCIENTIFIC THEORY → the aggregate of people living together in a
→ “a well substantiated statement that explains a more or less ordered community.
natural phenomenon”
• TECHNOLOGY
→ explains how or why natural phenomenon
→ Noun
happens under certain conditions
→ coined in the early 17th century
→ derived from 2 words:
EXAMPLE #1: IN PHYSICS → GRAVITY
✔Greek word - tekhne (means art/craft)
• If we hold an object above ground, release it at a ✔Greek word - logia (means
certain height, and, observe it fall down, then we logic/reason/plan)
say that the object falls down because of gravity. → “science or knowledge put into practical
• LAW → describes the object falling–its use”
acceleration as it falls, the time & speed at ground → “the branch of knowledge dealing with
impact engineering or applied sciences”

✔Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation ☀ ABRIGED HISTORY OF TECHNOLOGY

→ every point mass attracts every single point ➔ Stone Age - tools from wood or shards of rock
mass by force pointing along the line
and the discovery of fire
intersecting both of points. The force is directly
proportional to the product of the two masses ➔Bronze Age - work with metal
and inversely proportional to the square of ➔Iron Age - work with other kinds of metals
distance between the point masses. ➔ Modern technology - an advancement of old
→ gives us a mathematical formula to technology.
calculate how strong the gravitational pull is
between the Earth and the object you What we gained from technology use:
dropped. ➔Ease of access to information / communication ➔
→ If you know how strong the gravitational pull Ease of travelling; shelter; entertainment
is, then we describe the object as acceleration. ➔Ease of access to natural resources
• THEORY → explains why the object falls ➔Improved health and lifestyle

✔Albert Einstein’s General Relativity Theory What we sacrificed from technology use:
→ explain that the object falls (gravity’s effect) ➔Social isolation
is a consequence of the curvature of ➔Job loss
four-dimensional space-time.
➔increased dependency on technology/

Is a “law” higher than a “theory” in the level of decreased competency

“truthfulness”? ➔data security / privacy
➔a law is neither "better than" nor “worse ➔increased potential of destructive conflicts
than" a theory ➔environmental degradation
➔a theory is not a “law in waiting”

Ann Cuaresma I BSMT 1-C