Scientific Antirealism and Constructive Empiricism

Scientific Theories and Philosophies

• Scientific Antirealism: unobservable concepts, such as electrons and genes, are inherently unverified and require physical evidence to be accepted as real.
• Constructive Empiricism: science aims to give a true story of the Universe based on observable aspects.
• Instrumentalism: scientific theories are merely instruments for solving problems and making predictions.
• Social Constructivism: scientific knowledge is borne out of collective observations and verified by a particular group at a particular time.
• Reductionism: a thesis about ontologies, laws, theories, linguistic expressions, or some combination of these.
• Theoretical Pluralism: promotes a multidisciplinary approach to various fields of science rather than a succession of knowledge.

Hyperhistory and Philippine Science and Technology

• Hyperhistory: a new stage in human evolution, where advancements in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) play a significant role.
• Philippine Science and Technology: development rooted in both history and hyperhistory, with the progression of knowledge and mankind depending on them.

History of Philippine Science and Technology

• Precolonial Scientific Conditions: early Filipinos had a simple level of technological development, with skills in boatbuilding, metallurgy, weaving, agriculture, and pottery.
• Spanish Occupation: established gender-specific schools, with the Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas being the oldest university in the country.
• American Occupation: limited education to the elite and wealthy, with uneducated people employed in manual labor.

Psychology

• Freudian Slip: an action borne of the unconscious mind interfering with the conscious mind.
• Human Mind: has three aspects, namely the Id (basic instincts), ego (the conscious mind), and superego (the conscience).

Current Developments in Philippine Science and Technology

• Duterte's Support: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced a budget increase for the Department of Science and Technology to provide research and entrepreneurial opportunities.
• National Science and Technology Week (NSTW) 2017: theme was "Science for the People," with the goal of promoting entrepreneurship and benefiting the people.
• Philippine Space Technology Program: officially marked the Philippines' intention of joining the "space race."

Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022

• Overall Framework: anchored on the Ambisyon Natin 2040, aiming to enable Filipinos to attain a matatag, maginhawa, at panatag na buhay.
• Goal: acknowledges the accomplishments of previous administrations, adopts good practices, and considers lessons learned from past experiences.

Notable Filipino Scientists

• Ramon Barba: ranked third in the top 100 Asian scientists list for his work on horticulture, particularly on mango trees bearing flowers regardless of seasons.
• Angel Alcala: ranked seventh for his work on Philippine reptiles and amphibians.
• Edgardo Gomez: ranked ninth for his national-scale assessment of damages to coral reefs.
• Mahar Lagmay: ranked tenth for his work on disaster readiness and risk reduction app, Project NOAH.
• Gavino Cajulao Trono, Jr.: ranked twelfth for his study on tropical marine phycology.

Science for Change Program (S4CP)

• Target areas for R&D: agricultural and aquatic productivity, health, food and nutrition, human security, creative industries, tourism, and service industries, and nuclear science for health, agriculture, and energy.

Indigenous Filipino Materials and Methods

• Use of sustainable materials: advocated for the use of local materials in construction and daily living to reduce costs and promote eco-friendliness.
• Bahay kubo: an ideal home design for tropical locations, with features such as elevated structure, sawali weaving, and air circulation to keep the house cool and avoid floods.