Science, Technology, and Society: An introduction

• This module introduces Science, Technology, and Society (STS), its general concepts, historical development and role in shaping society and Philippine nation-building.
• At the end of this module, students should demonstrate effective communication about the history/evolution of technology/intellectual revolutions and articulate major development programs/agenda of Science and Technology in the Philippines.

Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society

• It is a field of study that defines science and technology and traces its historical roots as an academic field.
• It enumerates emerging ethical dilemmas that reinforce the importance of study in an age of scientific/technological progress.
• Science is defined as a methodical way of acquiring knowledge, originating from the Latin word "scientia," meaning "knowledge."
• Science builds/organizes knowledge about how the universe behaves through observation, experimentation, and problem-solving using the scientific method.
• John Heilbron, an American science historian, viewed science as discovering regularity in nature, describable by principles and laws.
• Science requires invention to devise techniques, abstractions, apparatuses, and organizations to describe natural regularities and their law-like descriptions.
• Technology applies scientific knowledge, laws, and principles to produce services, materials, tools, and machines to solve real-world problems, originating from the Greek word "techne," meaning "art, skill, or cunning of hand."
• Technology fulfills needs/desires or performs functions, involving creating/inventing things.
• According to Mark Zuckerberg, a technological tool augments human ability and makes it more powerful.
• Reliable scientific knowledge lacks moral/ethical value, explaining nature/the universe and its applications. Science differs from technology.
• The nature of science makes predicting scientific discoveries and their applications impossible.
• STS draws from history, sociology, philosophy, economics, political science, international relations, and science policy.

Interdisciplinary Field (Science, Technology & Society)

• The emergence of STS arose from questions about science/technology's dynamic interaction with society and it is viewed as a socially embedded enterprise.
• STS bridges humanities (interpretative) and natural sciences (rational) to confront moral, ethical, and existential dilemmas from continued developments in science/technology.

How are science and technology related?

• A fertile source of novel scientific questions justifies the allocation of resources efficiently, extending science's agenda and the source of unavailable instrumentation/techniques needed to address novel/difficult scientific questions.

Top 10 Ethical Dilemmas (2020)

• Pseudoscience of skincare.
• AI and Gamification in Hiring.
• Predatory Journals.
• The HARPA SAFEHOME Proposal.
• Class Dojo and Classroom Surveillance.
• Grinch Bots.
• Project Nightingale.
• Student Tracking Software.
• The Corruption of Tech Ethics.
• Deep Fakes.

Historical Antecedents of Science and Technology

• This section explores how social contexts shaped and were shaped by science & technology across three historical periods – ancient period, middle ages, and modern ages.
• A historical context of the beginnings of science & technology through the ages, a brief history of science & technology in the Philippines, and important inventions/innovations by Filipino scientists are studied
• One of the key interests is history, as a strand, focusing focuses on how it changed across time and exploring impacts on social, cultural, political, and economic contexts.

Ancient Period

• Technological advancements allowed civilizations to communicate, transport, self-organize, and improve their way of life.
• The Ancient Times which are divided into three periods: Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic), Bronze Age, and Iron Age.
• Ancient inventions include the ancient wheel, paper, shadoof, Antikythera mechanism, and aeolipile.

Middle Ages

• From the 5th to 15th century AD, there were major advances in scientific/technological development.
• This includes steady new inventions, innovations in traditional production, and emerging scientific thinking/methods.
• Inventions include the heavy plough, gunpowder, paper money, the mechanical clock, and the spinning wheel.

Modern Ages

• World population increases led to the realization of the importance of increasing transportation, communication and production efficiency.
• Industrialization introduced risks in human health, food safety, and the environment needed to be addressed as scientific/technological progress unfolded

Modern inventions include

• Compound Microscope
• Telescope
• Jacquard Loom
• Engine-Powered Airplane
• Televisions

Filipino Inventions

• Filipinos prove to be innovative by making something out of simple things - necessity is the mother of Philippine inventions.
• The E-Jeepney is a recognized national symbol and a common mode of transportation. It converts scraps from American military jeeps left from World War 2.
• Traditional jeepneys were marked as the root of air pollution in urban areas, resulting in the creation of E-jeepneys that are environmental-friendly.
• Erythromycin is a well-known antibiotic invented by Abelardo Aguilar, though Eli Lilli Co., an American company, received credit for the discovery.
• Dr. Fe Del Mundo invented the bamboo incubator and jaundice removing device, comprised of two native laundry baskets and hot water bottles for warmth; used in areas without electricity.
• Rolando dela Cruz invented the mole remover (2000) made from cashew nut extracts.
• Maria Orosa invented banana ketchup as an alternative to tomato ketchup during World War 2.

Section 3: Intellectual Revolutions and Society

• This section reviews the intellectual revolutions that shaped society by means of science and technology, focusing on the Copernican, Darwinian, and Freudian Revolutions.
• Intellectual revolutions led to modern science and scientific thinking during the period of history.
• French astronomer Jean Sylvain Bailley suggests that scientific revolutions involved sweeping away the old and establishing the new.
• They resulted from a renewed understanding of how the universe behaves/functions and challenged views about its nature, receiving resistance and controversy.

Copernican Revolution

• Named after Nicolaus Copernicus, who formulated the heliocentric model in 1543 in De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium.
• Challenged geocentrism proposed by Claudius Ptolemy.

Darwinian Revolution

• The publication of Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species ushered in the intellectual history of humanity marking the beginning of the revolution.
• Charles Darwin introduced the theory of evolution, where populations pass through a process of natural selection in which only the fittest would survive.
• Organisms adapt to their environment and gradually change to be more competitive.

Freudian Revolution

• Sigmund Freud is credited for the 20th century Freudian Revolution.
• Psychoanalysis is the scientific study of inner, unconscious conflicts rooted within an individual's personality, emerging from free associations, dreams and fantasies.
• Psychoanalysis emphasizes the existence of the unconscious mind where feelings, thoughts, urges, emotions and memories are contained outside of one's conscious mind, dominating psychotherapeutic practice in the early 20th century.

Section 4: Science and Technology and Nation Building

• This section situates STS in the context of Philippine nation-building, reviewing contributions of Filipino scientists and tracing the historical impact of science & technology on Philippine society
• The aim is to engage students in a critical analysis of science and technology as a tool for nation-building.

Pre-Colonial Times

• Filipinos used herbal medicine, writing, numerical treatment, measurement and calendar systems for trading. Farming, fishing, mining, and weaving developed with structures, like the Banaue Rice Terraces.

Spanish Colonial Period

• Science/technology developed through formal education and scientific organizations teaching religion, reading, writing, music, arts, health and sanitation.
• Medicine/biology were taught, natives were trained in farming, and engineering was introduced.
• The rapid scientific development influenced by Western culture was short-changed, prioritizing trade over agriculture and prioritizing industrial development for large profits.

American Period

• Reorganized institutions for science and technology and renamed Laboratorio Municipal to Bureau of Government Laboratories (under US Department of Interior).
• The Bureau studied tropical diseases/research projects. It eventually became the Bureau of Science, the main research center.
• In 1933, the National Research Council was established and development focused on agriculture, medicine/pharmacy, food processing, and forestry.
• In 1946, the Bureau of Science became the Institute of Science.

Ferdinand E. Marcos Era

• During the the time of the former President, the role of science/technology in national development was emphasized.
• The Department of Education and Culture (now DepEd) promoted science courses in public high schools, provided additional funding for research and proclaimed Taguig as the Philippine Science Community (now the site of Department of Science and Technology - DOST) in 1968.
• The Philippine Coconut Institute (PHILCORIN) promoted modernization of the coconut industry.
• New institutions were also established. The following were:
  • Philippine Textile Research Center
  • Philippine Atomic Energy Commission/Philippine Nuclear Institute
  • National Grains Authority/National Food Authority
  • Philippine Council for Agricultural Research/Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD)
  • Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)
  • Philippine National Oil Company, Plant Breeding Institute
  • International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
  • Bureau of Plant Industry
  • Bureau of Forest Products
  • National Committee on Geological Sciences.
• The National Science Development Board was reorganized as the National Science and Technology Authority (NSTA).
• In 1976, the National Academy of Science (NAST) was established to be the reservoir of expertise in the country.

Corazon Aquino Era

• In 1986 the NSTA was renamed as DOST under President Corazon Aquino to represent the S&T within the cabinet.
• The Science and Technology Master Plan aimed to update the production sector, improve research activities, and develop infrastructure for S&T.

Fidel V. Ramos Era

• The Philippines had approximately 3000 scientists/engineers.
• Made health care accessible through the Doctors to the Barrio program and science/engineering degrees were prioritized by the National Program for Gifted Filipino Children in Science and Technology.
• Several laws and statutes were mandated like:
  • R.A. 8439 (Magna Carta for Scientist, Engineers, Researchers and other Science and Technology Personnel in Government)
  • R.A. 7687 (Science and Technology Scholarship Act of 1994)
  • R.A. 7559 (Inventors and Inventions Incentive Act)
  • R.A. 8293 (The Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines)

Joseph Ejercito Estrada Era

• Mandated and signed R.A. 8749 (Clean Air Act of 1999) and R.A. 8792 (Electronic Commerce Act of 2000).
• Implemented cost-effective irrigation technologies and providing health care services for those who could not afford them.

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Era

• Known as the "Filipinnovation," referring to the Philippines as an Asian innovation hub.
• R.A. 9367 (Biofuels Act) to utilize indigenous materials as energy sources was unsuccessful due to a lack of technology.
• R.A. 10601 (Agriculture and Fisheries Mechanization Law) to modernize agricultural and fisheries machinery/equipment was passed.

Benigno Aquino III Era

• Named Gavino C. Trono (Marine Biology), Angel C. Alcala (Biological Science), Ramon C. Barba (Horticulture), and Edgardo D. Gomez (Marine Biology) as recognized Scientists in 2014.

Rodrigo Duterte Era

• The Science & Technology sector's budget for research and Development grew by six times.
• DOST focused on commercializing R&D.
• The Philippine Space Technology Program launched Diwata-2 (2018) after Diwata-1 in 2016, displaying the Philippine flag in space.

Science and Technology in the Philippines and the Environment

• S&T contributed to the agricultural sector with mechanized farming, GMO crops and fertilizers.
• Tools such as pumps/sprinklers help in managing effects brought about by changing climate with crops grown faster with resistance to pests (GMO crops) through the increase of nutrients in the soil.

Negative Impacts of the Era

• Pesticides contain chemicals that aren't good for the environment.
• Long-term effects on the environment partly because it is still a relatively new technology.
• Advancements also come with adverse impacts including resource depletion.
• Increase in new and advanced technologies results in the depletion of the planet's natural resources with an increase in air, land, and water pollution through waste.

Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society (STS), its concepts and historical development. Explores its role in shaping society and Philippine nation-building. Covers ethical dilemmas and the importance of studying scientific and technological progress.