Science, Technology, and Society Concepts

Key Terms and Concepts in Science, Technology, and Society

• Biodiversity: Represents the collective richness and variety of all forms of life.

• Appropriate Technology: Advocates for technology design reflecting the social, economic, cultural, and ecological conditions of society, especially in less developed countries.

• Chain-Linked Model of Innovation: Emphasizes diverse starting points and feedback loops within the innovation process, relevant for low-energy and labor-intensive technologies.

• Autonomous Technology: Suggests that technology develops independently of human influence.

• Communication Technology: Facilitates the transmission of information over distance and time.

• Innovation/Invention: Refers to the creation or introduction of a new material, process, or concept aimed at practical use.

• IDUAR Model: Illustrates the relationship between technical change and social change, incorporating variables like innovation, diffusion, use, adaptation, and societal resistance.

• Indigenous Technology: Technologies that are native to specific regions or cultures.

• Industrial Revolution: Transformation from human and animal labor to inanimate energy sources in technology.

• Nano: Pertains to structures measured in nanometers (one billionth of a meter).

• Positivism: A philosophical stance linking social and natural sciences via a common logical framework.

• Product Liability Litigation: Legal processes where manufacturers are held accountable for product-related harm due to defects or misleading representations.

• Protein: Macromolecules made from 20 types of amino acids, essential for various cellular functions including metabolism and replication of genetic information.

• Social Constructivism: Proposes that scientific and technological phenomena are outcomes of complex social processes rather than purely objective truths.

• Sociotechnical System: A system that encompasses both social and technical elements interacting with each other.

• Stakeholders: Individuals or groups with an interest in particular issues within STS.

• Technological Determinism: The theory that society is shaped by its technology, with hard determinism asserting that technology dictates social structure, while soft determinism posits technology as a primary source of social change.

• STEM Cell: Specialized cells capable of self-regeneration and differentiation into various cell types.

• Technology Literacy: The ability to effectively use, manage, and understand technology.

• Technological Maximality: A quality characterized by striving to achieve the maximum effect of technological efforts.

• Technological Unemployment: The phenomenon where technological advancements lead to job losses in certain sectors.

• Technological Tool: Devices such as rulers, computer software, and CAD programs that assist humans in completing tasks.

• Theory: Generalized statements explaining relationships between phenomena, serving as a framework for understanding and research in various fields.