A Narrative Report for Science, Technology & Society (Philippines)

**A NARRATIVE REPORT FOR** **SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY:** **LESSON 8: WHEN HUMANITY AND TECHNOLOGY CROSS** Submitted to: Prof. Jimp Israel **S**. **C**abuhat Submitted by: Abalos, Allysa S. Francisco, Rein Nicole Pagaduan, Kyla Rojas, Jhedalyn P. At the end of this lesson, the students...

**A NARRATIVE REPORT FOR** **SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY:** **LESSON 8: WHEN HUMANITY AND TECHNOLOGY CROSS** Submitted to: Prof. Jimp Israel **S**. **C**abuhat Submitted by: Abalos, Allysa S. Francisco, Rein Nicole Pagaduan, Kyla Rojas, Jhedalyn P. At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to: - Know the different technological advancements in society; - Discuss the development of science and technologies in the Philippines; - Discuss the effects of the interplay between technology and humanity through the dilemma(s) they face. The ever-growing society has made people see technology as some form of necessity. Tracing back its origins, the word ***"technology"*** came from the Greek words ***techne*** and ***logos*** which mean art and word, respectively. Taking the two words together, technology means a discourse on arts (Buchanan, 2010). It first appeared in the seventeenth century when the concept was only used to talk about the arts, especially applied arts. However, as technology progressed, the concept also started to have a wider range of meanings where art was no longer the only topic included. Concepts like machines and tools were also attached to the word "technology" which is the more popular sense of the concept nowadays. The roles played by technology these days are very crucial not only to a few but also to everyone. In one way or another, each person in society is directly or indirectly affected by technology whether he wills it or not. In fact, most people survive their everyday lives with great reliance on the different technological advancements already available to the masses. While there may be some who claim that their lives are not greatly affected by technology, the fact cannot be denied that technology is already an inevitable part of society. It is with great effort that people were able to achieve such great inventions. It makes life so much easier and more convenient than ever before. It can clearly be seen from the simplest tasks at home to the most complicated ones inside the office or laboratory. Technology these days enjoys such fame and glory because of the many different benefits it brings to mankind. Some would even say that it does not only bring convenience but also pleasure and happiness to people. This is because of the different leisure activities that technology can offer to people. For example, it allows people to listen to good music wherever they are. Another is, it allows them to communicate with their loved ones anywhere in the world; but most of all, it allows them to surf and play games anytime, anywhere. The act of pinpointing a single activity that does not in any way require the use of technology has become very hard because almost all activities that humans perform already require the assistance of some kind of technological advancement. But this is not all, for there are people who would even argue that technology has become a necessity and no longer a want. At present, people work very hard in order to save money to buy these \"necessities\" while in the past, people only used their money for the things that would help them survive like food, housing, and clothing. In effect, anything outside these categories was considered a luxury. However, that is no longer the case at present. In general, technology keeps on progressing due to not only the changing times and environment but also to the ever-progressing mind of mankind. It would not be possible for all these technological advancements to exist if it were not for the brilliance, creativeness, and power of the mind. However, it is also important to note that anything too much is bad. The same problem is faced by technology. Although it has been very helpful to people, it is still not immune to criticism and backlash. Various ethical dilemmas have been identified throughout time involving the use of different technological devices and its effects to humanity. Usually, different problems arise when either the technological device available is misused or if in the first place, it was invented to produce bad results. People who are aware of the possible dangers of the use or misuse of technology are not keeping still. They lay these dilemmas for the public to see and realize what they are in for. In this lesson, several technological devices will be properly introduced, the roles they play in society and their effects, particularly to the lives of the people will be identified, and the problems they face will also be examined thoroughly. ***[TELEVISION SETS, MOBILE PHONES, COMPUTERS AND HUMANITY]*** A number of technological devices can be easily found inside the home, the most accessible place to anyone. Having said that, it can also be easily inferred that these technological devices are some of the most popular and most commonly used types of devices across all age groups. Almost all households, if not all, own these types of devices. To be more specific, these "celebrities" in the field of technology are television sets, mobile phones, and computers. People all over the world use these technologies every day to accomplish different purposes.  First, according to Kantar Media, one of the most trusted television audience measurement providers, in the Philippines, 92 percent of urban homes and 70 percent of rural homes own at least one television set. It is for this reason why television remains to be the ultimate medium for advertisement placements (The Manila Times, 2014). This survey simply shows that almost all Filipinos use this particular type of device. In fact, Filipinos are believed to have this big fascination for television. Most of the time, they watch television during their free time or any time of the day when they have nothing important to do. In addition to this, Kantar Media also reported that in the Philippines, the current count of households with television set already reached 15.135 million (Noda, 2012). This number signifies something, that is, television plays a great role in the lives of the people or in this case, the Filipinos. cathode ray tube in addition to the mechanical scanner system. This success story gave rise to two types of television systems, namely, mechanical and electronic television (Jezek, n.d.). These experiments inspired other scientists to improve the previous inventions, which led to the modern television people now have. However, it is important to remember that several scientists and several experiments were performed first before finally achieving the modern television at present. Second, Filipinos love to use their mobile phones anywhere, anytime. They use it for different purposes other than for communication. More than half of the Filipino population own at least one on regardless of type. In 2010, global research agency Synovate conducted a survey and declared 67 percent product ownership in the country. In. fact, it was also claimed that mobile phones are considered a must-have among young Filipinos (ABS-CBN News, 2010). To prove that Filipinos really love to use their mobile phones, the Ipsos Media Atlas Philippines Nationwide Urban 2011-2012 survey results showed that one in every three Filipinos cannot live without a mobile phone. In other words, 30 percent of the Philippine urban population nationwide said that mobile phones are necessities in life (Roa, 2012). Philippine streets are full of people using their mobile phones. Not only this, there are some Filipinos who even own more than one mobile phone. Lastly, computers and laptops have also become part of many of the Filipino households. There are some Filipino families who own more than one computer or laptop while some own at least one computer or laptop. However, the number of computers or laptops sold per year may not be as high as the number of mobile phones and television sets. This is because of the relatively higher cost of computers and laptops. While it is true that almost all Filipino families own at least one television set and a mobile phone, it is not possible for all Filipino families to own at least one computer or laptop. In fact, most of the profits gained by computer and laptop manufacturers come from offices, businesses, or schools where such devices have become part of their necessities. In 2010, 3.6 trillion was the estimated total value output of all manufacturing establishments. Semi-conductor devices and other electronic components took more than half of the total value output of all manufacturing establishments. To be more specific, 5.4 percent of the total value output came from computers and peripheral equipment and accessories (PSA, 2013). In line with the growing number of computer and laptop sales, there has also been a growing number of Internet users in the Philippines. Although there have been problems regarding the Internet providers, this never hindered Filipinos from continuously using the Internet.  Each generation of the computer was used for a certain period of time and each gave people a new and improved version of the previous one (Steitz, n.d.). It was believed that the transition from a personal computer to a laptop was only a matter of design, an improvement and a little deviation from the standard design of a personal computer. The first true portable computer was released in April 1981. It was called the Osborne 1 (Orfano, 2011). From that moment on, the evolution of laptops continued until the present time where various designs and models are already available. A typical household owns at least four of the following devices: a mobile phone (89%), smartphone (53%), tablet (14%), desktop (39%), laptop or netbooks (37%), and smart TV (4%) (Philstar, 2013). These data prove the deep-seated fascination of Filipinos to different technological devices. - Mobile phone subscription is at 199 million. - Filipinos spend approximately 3.2 hours on mobile and 5.2 hours on desktop daily. - Currently, the Philippines has one of the highest digital populations in the world. - There are now 47 million active Facebook accounts in the Philippines. - The Philippines is the fastest-growing application market in Southeast Asia. ***[ROLES PLAYED BY THESE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT]***  Television sets, mobile phones ad computers or laptops all have different functions and roles played in the lives of the people, although some may be a little similar. These roles have become so essential that people, more specifically Filipinos, developed a strong inclination toward technology and its products. For instance, television is mainly used as a platform for advertisement and information dissemination. In fact, television remains to be the most used venue by different advertising companies not only in the Philippines but also all over the world. Various advertising companies trust television is still one of the most used technological devices up until today. However, it is important to note that these are just some of the roles played by television. Aside from the ones mentioned above, it also serves as a recreational activity and a good stress reliever for most families, especially to Filipino families. Television is also a good platform for different propaganda and advocacies. Lastly, it can also be a good way to bond with one's family members. Mobile phones, on the other hand, also have their own roles in the lives of the people. They are primarily used for communication. Mobile phones offer services like texting and calling. In the past, these were the only functions of the mobile phone but as technology progressed, there have been many additional features included on mobile phones. For example, in the present, people use their mobile phones to surf the internet and to take pictures more than to text or to call people. This is the reason why more and more people all over the world prefer to buy smartphones over the old models where such features are not available. Other applications include music player, calendar, radio, television, and photo editor, among others. These are just some of the additional features of mobile phones in the present. These make this particular technological device very appealing to the masses. It is like all-in-one device. In addition, it is very portable and convenient because it can fit into any space, may it be inside the pocket or bag. Personal computers and laptops also have a useful set of functions and roles. Although most of the functions found in these technological devices are now also available in mobile phones, they still offer their own unique features that make them attractive. For example, personal computers and laptops can be used to surf the internet and communicate. Just like the mobile phones, these devices also have features like a calendar, calculator, music player, movie player, camera, and many more. However, for a lot of people, they prefer to do their job using either a personal computer or a laptop than a mobile phone. One reason is that a personal computer or a laptop has wide keyboard than using a mobile phone, especially when the mobile phone has a small screen. Contrary to mobile phones, personal computers or laptops have wide screens and separate keyboards, although some mobile phones can now be connected to a keyboard. Another reason is that the availability of a mouse or a touched pad made these two technological devices easier to maneuver than mobile phones. Lastly, for the youth and those who love to play different computer games, personal computers or laptops are really the better choice because these allow them to play with comfort and convenience. However, it cannot be denied that some would even prefer laptops over personal computers for the simple reason that personal computers are not portable and there are time when they need to bring such devices to different places. ***[ETHICAL DILEMMA FACED BY THESE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT]*** While it true that these technological devices are useful and beneficial, the fact remains that there are several dilemmas faced by these "necessities". First, most parents would argue that these devices make their children lazy and unhealthy. This is because of the fact that people who are fixated on these technological advancements start and end their day by using such devices. They have a great tendency to sit and chill all day long without doing anything productive in their homes., thus making them unhealthy because they do not just skip meals sometimes but also lack exercise or any bodily movement. Here, it can be inferred that these types of people are already overly dependent on these technological devices. For example, those who love to watch television shows stay in front of the television for more than six hours a day while those who love to surf the internet or play computer games on their laptops, computers, or mobile phones for more than half a day. These people have the tendency to be unaware of the time because they are so engrossed with the use of technological devices. In fact, if they get disturbed, there is a great chance that they will get mad or annoyed. Moreover, these are the same people who are likely to experience alienation because they no longer take time to get to get out of their houses and mingle with other people. Another dilemma faced by these technological devices is the moral dilemma. People, especially the children who are not capable yet of rationally deciding for themselves what is right or wrong, are freely exposed to different things on television, mobiles phones, laptops, or computers. Because of the availability and easy access to the Internet, they can just easily search the web and go to different websites without restrictions. This allows them to see, read, or hear things which are not suitable for their very young age. This makes them very vulnerable to character change and can greatly affect the way they view the world and the things around them. On the first dilemma, it is really concerning to know that there are people who develop different kinds of sickness because of too much use of technological devices. Not only this, it also causes them to become reclusive, alienating themselves from other people. Although some would argue that technology brings people together, it can also be argued that this is not always the case in the real world because it may bring them virtually closer but not physically or personally. In fact, there are people who are friends, for example, only on social media but not in real life. This just shows that there are things that technology claims to do but in reality, does not. It is for these reasons why there are people who call for the establishment of ethics of technology. This subcategory of ethics will in one way or another guide people on how technology ought to be used in order to prevent abuse and other unfortunate results. Digging deeper, it can be said that these reasons make such devices somewhat unethical because they bring undesirable consequences to people. However, it can also be argued that it is not the fault of the technological devices but the agents using them or the ones making them. The classic deontological and teleological approaches to ethics are already too old to be applied in such cases. This is because technology has become very complicated and dynamic over time. Having said this, it is true that there are problems that can no longer be addressed by using these theories only. This is why the ethics of responsibility is an appropriate theory that can be used in these dilemmas. The word \"responsibility\" in the sense of being accountable for and accountable to is very appropriate to the ethics of technology because it makes each and every person in the scientific-technological development a proxy with reference to one another. In other words, each person must indicate the priorities, values, norms, and principles that constitute the grounds for one\'s actions and define one\'s contribution to the scientific- technological event. The ethics of responsibility focuses on the positive rather than the negative. Instead of asking \"What ought not to be allowed?\" ask \"What ought to be allowed?\" To put it in another way, people who are part of the scientific development ought to let the public know the good in their respective technological contribution/s. In this way, the people will have an idea how the devices ought to be used in order to maximize their positive results. However, it is also important for the people in the scientific world to inform the masses of the dangers of their contribution/s to the world of technology. In this way, the people will be sufficiently aware of what to do and what not to do. In addition to this, the agents using the devices should also be accountable to and accountable for their use of their gadgets. Going back to the first dilemma, it can be said that the agents using the devices are the ones to be blamed for the undesirable consequences, namely, laziness and unhealthiness. However, it is the assumption that the people in the scientific-technological world have properly informed the public of the positive tenor of their action in technology and the possible dangers of the misuse of their technological contribution. Thus, the undesirable consequences are brought about by the misuse of the agent. Now, talking about alienation, it can be concluded that the people in the scientific-technological world are blameworthy because they tell the people something that seems positive but when examined closely, brings more bad than good. On the second dilemma, the people in the scientific world nor the children are blameworthy because first, the children are not yet capable of rationally deciding for themselves what is good and what is bad. Second, even if creators of these technologies went out of their way to inform children of the pros and cons of these technological contributions, it would still be useless because the children have no capacity to understand them yet. So in this dilemma, the ones to be blamed are the adults who allowed the children to have access to such devices in the first place without any supervision. It is the recklessness and overconfidence of the adults that cause the character change in children. ***[ROBOTICS AND HUMANITY]*** Another great product of the innovative minds of the people is the robot. Robots are now widely used. For example, there are the so-called service robots. These particular robots do specific tasks but focus mainly in assisting their masters in their everyday tasks. The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) and United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) made it their task to formulate a working definition for service robots. A preliminary extract of the relevant definition is (IFR, 2012): - A robot is an actuated mechanism programmable in two or more axes with a degree of autonomy, moving within its environment, to perform intended tasks. Autonomy in this context means the ability to perforni intended tasks based on current state and sensing without human intervention. - A *service robot* is a robot that performs useful tasks for humans or equipment excluding industrial automation application.A robot may be classified according to its intended application as an industrial robot or a service robot. - A *personal service robot* or a service robot for personal use is a service robot used for a noncommercial task, usually by laypersons. Examples are domestic servant robot, automated wheelchair, personal mobility assist robot, and pet exercising robot. - A *professional service robot* ot a service robot for professional use is a service robot used for a commercial task, usually operated by a properly trained operator. Examples are cleaning robot for public places, delivery robot in offices or hospitals, firefighting robot, rehabilitation robot, and surgery robot in hospitals. In this context, an operator is a person designated to start, monitor, and stop the intended operation of a robot or a robot system. [ ] [ ] - To promote the convergence of technologies through integration into a common technology platform - To conduct pre-competition research and development activities for new products and technology transfer in start-up enterprises in the field of service robotics Sorme of the expected work to be performed by DESIRE are the following: (1) \"Clear up the kitchen table\" all objects on top of the kitchen table will be inoved to where they belong; (2) \"Fill the dishwasher\" the dirty dishes will be sorted correctly into the dishwasher; and (3) \"Clear up this room\" all objects that are not in their proper places will be moved to where they belong (Mock, n.d.).  However, the earliest robots as people know them were created in the early 1950s by George Devol. \"Unimate\" was his first invention from the words \"Universal Automation.\" Unfortunately, his attempt to sell his product to the industry did not succeed. After Unimate, several robots were also invented which were better versions of the previous ones (Stanford, n.d.). Ever since, people never stopped their quest in the field of robotics. ***[ROLES PLAYED BY ROBOTICS]*** Robots play different roles not only in the lives of the people but also in the society as a whole. They are primarily used to ease the workload of mankind. They were invented to make life more efficient and less stressful. On one hand, they perform complicated activities which human beings are incapable of doing. On the other hand, they perform the simplest tasks at home so that their masters can perform the complex ones without stressing themselves over the simple tasks. There are also robots which are made for pleasure. To be more specific, these types of robots perform activities to entertain people. They can usually be found in amusement parks or exhibits. In addition, there are also some robots which were made to serve as toys. They also perform different activities but they are usually child- friendly. Other examples of robots are those which can be seen in movies. One of the reasons why robots are very famous is because of movies. A number of local and national movies were inspired by robots. This goes to show that people have developed a distinct fascination over robots. Just like people living in the society, robots also have their own set of rules and characteristics that define what a good robot is. These laws were formulated by Isaac Asimov back in the 1940s, when he was thinking of the ethical consequences of robots. These are the following (Stanford, n.d.): **Law One**: A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, \"low a human being to come to harm. **Law Two**: A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. **Law Three**: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law. ***[ETHICAL DILEMMA/S FACED BY ROBOTICS ]*** Just like any other technological advancements, robotics also faces different problems and dilemmas. Although the idea is to help people and make their lives a lot easier than before, it is still not immune to different ethical dilemmas and possible undesirable outcomes. One of the dilemmas faced by robots is safety. Who should be held accountable if someone\'s safety is compromised by a robot? Who should be blamed, the robot, the agent using the robot, or the maker/inventor of the robot? It is important to know who should be blamed and who should be held responsible if such thing happens. Another ethical dilemma faced by robots is the emotional component. This may seem a little absurd as of the moment, but looking at how fast technology progresses nowadays, it is not completely impossible for robots to develop emotions (Evans, 2007). So here, the questions become, \"What if robots become sentient? Should they be granted robot rights? Should they have their own set of rights to be upheld, respected, and protected by humans?\" It is interesting to know how people would react if the time comes when robots can already feel pain and pleasure. Would they act differently or not at all? In the field of robotics, there are the so-called partial autonomy and full zutonomy. Partial auconomy includes active human-robot interaction while full autonomy excludes active human-robot interaction. In other words, a robot with full autonomy can perform actions or activities even without a master telling it what should be done or what should be performed next (IFR, 2012). Using Asimov\'s laws for robots, it can be concluded that robots are ethical but only if they strictly follow the laws specified. They are ethical mostly because the laws formulated by Asimov ensure the safety of not only the users of the technology but also the people around him. Remember that these service robots are already available to the public; thus, they can already be found inside the homes. Having said that, the safety of not only the owner of the technology but also all the people inside the house should be the priority more than anything else. In other words, the service robots only follow what their masters tell them to do with great consideration to the laws formulated by Asimov. However, if the agent using the technology misuses the robot to achieve personal agendas, then without a doubt, the agent should be held accountable for any consequences it may bring. It is important to note that this is under the assumption that the robot strictly followed the laws specified without any form of deviation. If the problems arise when the robot deviates from the laws specified, then the maker or the inventor of the machine should be blameworthy. It just means that the robot was not programmed very well because it violated the laws. Other problems may arise when the machine develops the ability to think for itself. In this case, the one that should be blame can both be the maker or inventor and the robot itself. This is because, in the first place, the maker gave the robot the capacity to think for itself so he should be very much aware of its possible consequences. To put it in another way, the maker programined the robot in such a way that it can already think for itself even without an active participation from a human being. In addition, since the robot thinks for itself, whatever decision it makes and whatever consequence it may bring, the robot itself should be held responsible. For the second dilemma, it is just right for the robots to be given their own set of rights should they develop the ability to feel different kinds of emotion. It can be argued that the same thing happened with animals. Before, animals did not have their own set of rights because people believed that they were not capable of having emotions. However, after years of testing and experimenting, it was concluded that animals are indeed capable of emotions. It is for this reason that people decided to give them rights that are due to them. The same should be done to robots without any reservations. Should that time come, they ought to be treated differently and they ought to have new laws to follow in order to accommodate the new characteristic they have developed. In modern times, there are different technological advancements in all forms and sizes may it be inside the home, the workplace, the learning place, or simply on the streets. It is now very accessible to almost anyone in the world. It is not completely impossible to say that each person in the world owns at least one technological device. Besides, technology is not enclosed to expensive and high-end devices. Simple types of machines that can perform simple task regularly can already be considered a form of technology. However, despite its usefulness and beneficial characteristics, there are still some problems faced by the different technological advancements. To be more specific, these problems are ethical in nature that involve not only the machine but also mankind. It is now impossible for technology and humanity not to cross paths because as some would argue, technology has become a necessity for people. At the end of the dav, ethics should still be enforced in the field of technology so as to ensure the safety and morality of these devices to people. 1. Do people really need technology in their lives? Is it really a necessity? 2. How do you reconcile the \'need\' for technology and the dilemma/s it faces? 3. Should there be an ethics of technology? 1\. Philosophical Discussion. Discuss the different ethical dilemmas faced by technological advancements in the society through a philosophical discussion. Do this by forming three groups. The first group will serve as the facilitators of the discussion. The second group will be the supporting side and the third group will be the opposing side. A topic shall be chosen before the planned date of discussion. The facilitators should present a paper detailing the topic without choosing any side. The discussion will start. after the reading of the paper presented by the facilitators. Each side will lay their arguments and questions, and then in an orderly manner, each group will take turns answering the questions or rebutting the other side\'s arguments. The facilitators will make sure that the arguments and questions remain true to the topic. Suggested topics: a. Do technological devices bring more good than bad to people? b. Should there be more budget for technological researches despite the dilemmas they are currently facing? c. Should there be a limit to technological advancements? 2\. Group Skit. Form groups with equal number of members depending on the class size. Each group should choose a unique topic and its perceived effects and the dilemma it entails. Show your stand on a technological dilemma through a skit. Do not forget to show the role or roles played by the technological advancement in the lives of the people. Suggested topics: a. 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