GEC108: Science, Sci Method & Natural Science

• GEC108 covers the general concepts and historical developments concerning Science, Technology, and Society (STS).

Science

• It is a knowledge system covering general truths and laws, often obtained and tested via the scientific method.
• Natural science revolves around the physical world and its phenomena.

Scientific Method

• Principles and systematic procedures used to pursue knowledge.
• It includes problem recognition, data collection through observation and testing, formulation, and hypothesis testing.

Hypotheses

• Tentative assumptions are helpful to draw out and test logical or empirical consequences.

Scientific Concepts

• These are theories, principles, or laws explaining 'why' and 'how' natural events or processes occur.
• Scientific concepts include mathematical formulas to describe phenomena consistently.

Natural Science

• Sciences like physics, chemistry, and biology deal with matter, energy, interrelations, and transformations.

Applied Science

• Disciplines where existing scientific knowledge creates more technology or practical applications/ inventions.

Technology

• The knowledge branch deals with the technical means in interrelation with life, society, and the environment.
• It draws from industrial arts, engineering, applied and pure science.
• The application of knowledge for practical purposes.
• A "technology" can be the terminology of art/science, an industrial/scientific process, or invention/method
• The sum of ways social groups provide themselves with civilization's material objects

Discoveries

• Finding or uncovering previously unknown or unrecognized phenomena, principles, or knowledge
• Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines discovery as "The act or process of discovering.”
• Oxford English Dictionary defines discovery as "The discovery of something previously unknown or unrecognized."
• Gravity (Newton) is an example of a discovery

Innovations

• Introducing new or improved services, processes, methods, or products.
• Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines innovation as "The introduction of new or improved methods, products, or processes.”

Inventions

• The creation of new/improved processes, devices, systems or methods often involving innovative applications
• Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines invention as "The act or process of inventing."
• Oxford English Dictionary defines invention as "The creation of something new, especially a device or process."
• Mechanical and electrial inventions as examples

Key Difference Between Discovery, Innovation, and Invention

• Discovery uncovers existing knowledge
• Innovation applies existing knowledge to create something new
• Discovery often precedes innotation. Discovery recognizes existing entities for the first time, while invention creates entirely new entities.

Society

• A cooperating social group with organized relationship patterns through interaction
• Such as a community, nation, or a broad grouping of people with traditions, activities, and interests

Three Stages of Social Evolution (Lewis H. Morgan)

• Savagery is related to being fierce or cruel.
• Barbarism is related to its abscence of culture and civilization.
• Civilization is the stage where social and cultural organization is considered most advanced.
• In this lens, savagery includes events related to fire, and the creation of the bow and arrow
• Barbarism leads to events related to the domestication of animals, agriculture, and metalworking
• Civilization is the creation of the alphabet and writing

Five Stages of Human Development Leslie White Perspective

• First Stage: utilizes energy from the people's own muscles
• Second Stage: utilizes energy from domesticated animals
• Third stage: utilizes energy from plants (agricultural revolution).
• Fourth Stage: learn to use energy from natural resources (oil, coal, gas)
• Fifth stage: harneses nuclear energy

Gerhard Lenski Approach

• This focuses on advances in the history of communication.
• An increase of imformation in the given society makes it advanced
• First stage: information is transmitted in genes
• Second stage: humans gain sentience
• Third stage: Humans start using signs and develop logic
• Fourth stage: Humans create symbols and develop language and writing
• Communication technology advancements translate to: economics & politics, wealth distribution, inequality, and other life aspects.

Level of Technology Communication and Economy Society Types (Gerhard Lenski)

• Hunter-gatherer
• Simple Agricultural
• Advanced Agricultural
• Industrial
• Special (fishing societies)

Major Fields of Technology

• Applied Science includes Artificial Intelligence, Ceramic Engineering, Computing Technology, Electronics, and related subdivisions.
• Communications technology is a part of a larger group of topics regarding information.
• Industry includes construction, business, and financial technologies.
• Military includes armaments, bombs, and guns.
• Domestic include anything related to domestic tech, appliances, food, and education.
• Engineering includes architechtual, audio, broadcast, cermaic, electrical, transportion, and other subdivisions
• Health and safety includes medical technoligies and pharmaceutical fields.
• Transport includes aerospace, marine, and automotive technologies.

Technology Timeline

• 3.3 million YA: Sharp flakes of stone were created for use as knives.
• 1 million YA: Control of fire was established.
• 20,000-15,000 BCE: Creation of Pottery and Brick. Creation of clothing, plus the invention of the wheel.
• 6000 BCE: Irrigation methods were found.
• 4000 BCE: Sailing methods
• 1200 BCE: Iron smelting was found to be useful
• 850 CE: Gunpowder invention.
• 950 CE Windmill
• 1044 Compass
• 1250-1300 Mechanical clock
• 1455 Printing
• 1765 Steam Engine
• 1804 Railways
• 1807 Steamboat
• 1826/27 Photography
• 1831 Reaper
• 1844 Telegraph
• 1876 Telephone + Internal Combustion Engine
• 1885 Automobile
• 1901 Radio
• 1903 Airplane
• 1927 Television
• 1937 Computer.
• 1947 Nuclear Power - Transistor
• 1974 - Personal Computer and Internet
• 2012 - CRISPR-Cas9 - A gene-editing strategy that is under heavy debate. Gene editing has use cases for potentially eliminating many diseases.
• 2017 - Artificial Intelligence

Society and Culture

• Society involves its human beings and institutions by which they live together in culture.
• No culture without society and vice versa
• Culture is a social heritage transmitted from one generation to another commonly shared

Some Filipino Cultures

• Valuing family, respect, helping one another, respecting culture and traditions.
• Filipinos like to eat, party, and sing
• Filipinos are known for their long celebrations during Christmas

Ancient Civilizations Contributions

• Mesopotamia: Cuneiform, the earliest known writing used in record keeping
• Ancient Egypt: The pyramids showcase architecture from their advances in engineering and mathematics. Papyrus was one of their early forms of paper
• Indus Valley: Weights and Standardization were standard for trade
• Ancient China: Paper, revolutionizing communication + navigation
• Ancient Greece: Philosophy shape societal values and governance.

Middle Ages (5th-15th Century)

• The Middle Ages/Medieval Period involved science and tech advancements.
• Islamic Golden Age (8th-14th century): Concept and use of algebra, the astrolabe, and astronomical timekeeping/measurements.
• The Canon of Medicine became one of the most influencial medical texts known. Combining India, Greek, and Roman culture together

China (7th - 13th)

• Tang + Song Dynasties
• Creation of Gunpowder, the printing press, and the compass.

Europe (5th-15th century)

• Scientific knowledge expanded by monatic scholars
• Medieval period had the first mechanical clocks
• Convex lenses were used in eyeglasses, then microscopes
• Windmills and watermills were known and a popular method of advancement in harnessing renewable energy.

India (Gupta empire 6th-12th century)

• Concept of zero, and the use of wootz for swords

Modern Ages

• Invented in 1595, the compound microscope was invented by two dutch spectacle makers
• In 1608, spectacle maker, Hans Lippershey, revealed an instrument that made distant objects apparent.
• Galileo Galilei found the four moons of Jupiter using his telescope
• The Jacquard Machine by Joseph Marie Jacquard was exhibited in France
• George Carley desiged the first successful man glider
• Prosthetics made of other materials were used
• Virology includes reproduction, interaction, detection + structures.
• Neurotech provides understanding and visualization of the brain.

Modern Revolution, Trade, and Globalization

• Tech advancements, the organization of productive processes and an increase in trade created an increase in influence related to Africa, Asia, and the Americas as well as other markets.
• Globalization caused a remarkable trade growth that improved transport/communication in democratization
• Cybersecurity was used with the use of social media to defend against online threats.

Philippines - Pre Colonial Period

• Agriculture uses rice terraces and slash and burn planting or "kaingin"
• Building "balangays" for trade (wood usage)
• Filipino made things like Karakoa for their warships
• Skilled in metalworking using gold, iron, and copper
• "albularyos" healers used plants from the lagundi to treat coughs
• Filipinos use the Lunar calender. based on the movement of starts for crops

Philippines - Spanish Colonial Period effects (1565-1898)

• Spanish colonization brought technological changes
• Western Education became popular during this colonization
• Schools were devoted to medicine, philosophy, science as per the Spanish
• Religious orgs made emphasis on classical education and limited scientific research.
• Farming methods were changed.
• Improvements in infrastructure and medicine became more readily available. The San Juan De Dios Hospital was one such hospital used to treat many disease.
• Architecture used brick and stone. Also, intamuros and spanish engineering developed.

Effects on Printing, Culture, and Science

• Spread of printing was pivotal because of the use of Spanish + Native languages to spread the Word.
• Government funding went to agriculture
• Industries were replaced from imports

In The Philippines - American Period

• Science + Tech improved with secular education
• Act No. 74 created the Department of Education, which led to school instructions
• University of the Philippines created
• US influenced the Philippines to estbalish public education, research and training programs

Science Research Institutions

• The Bureau of Government Laboratories was renamed the Bureau of Science (1905), It was the primary research facility
• The Philippine journal of science spread local and international research.
• Other scientific agencies were formed, especially regarding land and resource management.
• In 1933. The Philippine Legislation established research.

American Colonial Education Impact

• Educational and science policies didn't align with the country's economy which led to slower industry growth.
• Science research was also primarily for medicine and agriculture
• American influence made a transformative era in science and tech. Lack of industrial led to a lack of economic independence from the US.

Post-Common Wealth Era

• Commonwealth refers to a period when countries were independent with colonial power relations
• Article XV,Section1 of the 1973 Phillipines constitution mentioned government should be supporting research and invention.
• The time which Ferdinand Marcos showed science's importance in the 1970

Marcos Era Legislation

• Several Executive Orders were established relating to natural resource investigation, protection, and research
• Marcos placed a high value on scientific advancement for the country and its future.
• Mindanao and Visayas campuses of the Philippine Science High School were formed

Fifth Republic.

• The People Power Revolution, 1986 was influenced by the desire for democracy
• This led to Marcos dictatorship being overthrown and made Cory Aquino president
• The Department of Science and technology elevated importance of cabinet representation
• President FLdel Ramos increased focus on the importance of science

21st Century Philippines Tech

• President Estrada emphasized environmental sustainability
• President Arroyo promoted innovation in Philippines.
• President Aquino honored National Scientists in 2014. He also introduced the concept of communications technologies for development + promotion
• President duterte prioritized the development of the philipines space program
• President marcos jrs goals revolve around renewable energy and collaboration with international partners.

Copernican Revolution

• The term "Copernican" is used to describe similar paradigm shifts in other scientific fields.
• Before Copernicus; The prevailing view was geocentric, placing Earth at the center of the universe.
• Copernicus's Revolution: He proposed a heliocentric model, where the Sun is at the center and the Earth and other planets orbit around it.
• Impact: This was a radical shift in thinking that challenged long-held beliefs