Science, Technology & Society 1st Semester 2021-2022 PDF

**SCIENCE ,TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY** **[MODULE 1:INTRODUCTION TO SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY]** **1^st^ Semester** **A.Y. 2021-2022** **Course Code**: SCITECH **Course Description:** The course deals with interactions between science and technology and social, cultural, political, and economi...

**SCIENCE ,TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY** **[MODULE 1:INTRODUCTION TO SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY]** **1^st^ Semester** **A.Y. 2021-2022** **Course Code**: SCITECH **Course Description:** The course deals with interactions between science and technology and social, cultural, political, and economic contexts that shape and are shaped by them. (CMO No. 20, series of 2013) This interdisciplinary course engages students to confront the realities brought about by science and technology in society. Such realities pervade the personal, the public, and the global aspects of our living and are integral to human development. Scientific knowledge and technological development happen in the context of society with all its socio-political, cultural, economic, and philosophical underpinnings at play. This course seeks to instill reflective knowledge in the students that they are able to live the good life and display ethical decision making in the face of scientific and technological advancement. Further, this course includes mandatory topics on climate change and environmental awareness. **INTRODUCTION** Welcome Asianista! This is the very first module in the Asianista Flexible Learning Modalities (**AFLM**) for this course. Since learning never ceases even in the time of a pandemic, ***ACT AFLM*** will ensure that Asianistas are given every opportunity to continue this pursuit in a modality that suits their realities. In this module, you will journey to the very heart of this course: science and technology in the context of the larger society we live in. Through the activities prepared, you will look into the various processes of society and culture that played a crucial role in societies' scientific and technological progress. Equally worthy to look into is the shaping power of scientific and technological advancement in societal processes. It is hoped that you take time to get acquainted with the concepts and terminologies which will help you navigate throughout the course **Learning Objectives:** 1. State the meaning of science and Technology. 2. Describe some notable development of science and technology and its significant to the society. 3. Describe some disadvantages of science and Technology. **[INTRODUCTION:]** ***Broadly speaking, we are in the middle of a race between human skill as means and human folly as an end.*** What are Science, Technology and society, and why should people want to study and learn it? Why should students, teachers, researchers and other professionals have interest in the subject? Primarily, we need some background and understanding of the significance of science and technology in the living past and their importance in the modern world (Mosteiro,2004) A. **[The Meaning of science and Technology]** - **Science, Technology and Society (STS),** also referred to as science and technology and the study of how social, political, and cultural values affect scientific research and technological innovation, and how these, in turn, affect society. STS scholars are interested in a variety of problems including the relationships between scientific and technological innovations and society, and the directions and risks science and technology. The field of STS is related to history and philosophy of science although with a much broader emphasis on social aspects of science and technology. - **Science, Technology and Society** refers to the interaction between science and technology and social cultural, political and economic contexts which shape and are shaped by them; specific examples throughout human history of scientific and technological development. **DEFINITIONS OF SCIENCE.** 1. **SCIENCE IS A PRODUCT** a. Systematized, organized body of knowledge based on facts or truths observations. b. A set of logical and empirical methods which provide for the systematic observation of empirical phenomena. c. Source of cognitive authority. d. Concerned with verifiable concepts e. A product of the mind f. It is the variety of knowledge, people, skills, organizations, facilities, techniques, physical resources, methods and technologies that taken together and in relation with one another **DEFINITIONS OF TECHNOLOGY**  **2. TECHNOLOGY AS A PRODUCT** a\. A system of know-how, skills, techniques and processes. b\. It is like a language, rituals, values, commerce and arts, it is an intrinsic part of a cultural system and it both shapes and reflects the system values. c\. It is the product of the scientific concept. d\. The complex combination of knowledge, materials and methods. e\. Material products of human making or fabrication. f\. Total societal enterprise**.** **Some of the notable human successes in the field of science and technology** Humans are ingenious species. Humans (Homo sapiens) have dreamed up and created some amazing and far-out things. From the moment someone bashed a rock on the ground to make the first sharp-edged tool, to the debut of the wheel to the development of Mars rovers and the internet, several key advancement stand outys as particularly revolutionary. Here are some of most important invention of all times, along with the science behind the invention and how they came about. A Guide To Upgrading Wheels and Tires \| The Best Wheels and Tires   **[Eco-Friendly Technologies/Advantages:]** These are sustainable technologies. This technology utilizes resources from the environment without causing negative effects to it. Some of these are: - Solar Energy - use of solar panels to provide electricity - Geothermal energy= Is the heat that comes from the sub-surface of the earth.use steam to produce electricity. - Wind power - wind mills as source of energy 1\. Threats to human survival - the invention of nuclear weapons in 1945, like the nuclear bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima that caused deaths of many people. This was a product of chemical and bio- logical warfare (bio-warfare); toxic wastes produced by manufacturing companies that threaten human survival and stability of the environment. 2\. Ethical dilemmas - exploitation of advanced scientific knowledge and technology devices and sys- tems gave rise to situations in which advances seem to have turned against their beneficiaries, creat- ing ethical dilemmas. The negative effects of technology are numerous. In our march to progress we have degraded the natural world. Forest are chopped down, topsoil is washed away, rivers are pollut- ed and our waste is dumped in the oceans. 3\. Disparities in Human well being - there are advanced countries enjoying Science and technology based successes and hold high esteem in contemporary society (Economic strength), versus millions of people in less developed countries who have not partaken in these benefits. 4\. Social and Cultural conflicts - Military power is vital for national security of many governments; Su- perior and highly technical weapons dictated the outcomes of some recent wars. 5\. Innovating technologies can have negative consequences for certain sectors or constituencies: - include pollution associated with production processes, - increased unemployment from labor-saving new technologies - conversion of agricultural land into urban areas - effect on humans psychologically and emotionally -the usage and addiction of new gadgets effect of overused technologies in medical industry that can cause fatal births and diseases. - global warming