Historical Antecedents in Science and Technology PDF

Edzer Roger D. Antolin [email protected] Reflect on the interactions between S&T and society throughout history; Synthesized how scientific and technological developments affect society and the environment Identify, make and present by group the timeline of the paradigm shifts in his...

Edzer Roger D. Antolin [email protected] Reflect on the interactions between S&T and society throughout history; Synthesized how scientific and technological developments affect society and the environment Identify, make and present by group the timeline of the paradigm shifts in history. Sumer is located on the southernmost tip of ancient Mesopotamia between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in the area later became Babylonia. Sumerians are known for their high degree of cooperation with one another and their desire for great things. Cuneiform is a system that utilizes word pictures and triangular symbols which are carved on clay using wedge instruments and then left to dry. It allowed the Sumerians to keep records of things with great historical value of their everyday life. It is also one way of passing their traditions, cultures, and their legacy. Uruk City is a great wonder not only because it is considered to be the first true city in the world but also for the way it was erected. The Sumerians were able to build the city using only mud or clay from the river, which they mixed with reeds, producing sunbaked bricks. They used the bricks to make houses that protected them from the harsh weather and to build a wall around the city that prevented wild animals and neighboring raiders from entering. The Ziggurat, also called the mountain of god, was built in the same manner that they constructed the City of Uruk. The Great Ziggurat of Ur served as the sacred place of their chief god, where only priest was allowed to enter. It was difficult to get water form the rivers; thus, they could not maintain farmlands. Some groups had scarce water supply, while others had problems with flooding caused by the river. As a solution to this dilemma, the Sumerians created dikes and irrigation canals to bring water to farmlands and at the same time control the flooding of the rivers. This method was considered as one of the world’s most beneficial engineering works. Boats were used to carry large quantities of products and were able to cover large distances. However, they wanted to discover faraway lands to settle since the population was getting larger, and boats were not enough to accommodate more people and products. Some resources attribute to the Sumerians the invention of sailboats to address their increasing demands. Sailboats were essential in transportation and trading as well as in fostering culture, information, and technology. In the latter part of their history, the Sumerians were able to invent the wheel since the specialized tools needed to create it were already available. The first wheels were not made for transportation but for farm work and food process. With the use of the wheel and axle, mass production was made easier. Farmers were able to mill grains with less effort in less time. The plow was invented to dig the earth in a faster pace. As the plow beaks the ground, the farmer would just drop the seeds and farm work would already be done In order to facilitate faster and easier travel, the Sumerians developed the first roads. With this work, the flow of traffic became faster and more organized. They made the roads with the same technology they used in making sunbaked bricks that they laid down on the ground. Babylonia was a state in ancient Mesopotamia. The city of Babylon, whose ruins are located in present-day Iraq, was founded more than 4,000 years ago as a small port town on the Euphrates River. It grew into one of the largest cities of the ancient world under the rule of Hammurabi. The Babylonians were great builders, engineers, and architects. Babylonian civilization emerged near the Tigris and Euphrates river because water is one of their necessities. With the use of river, they are able to exchange their goods to other places and they can also use it to conquer and also to escape. One of their major contributions is the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It was said to be a structure made up of layers upon layers of gardens that contained several species of plants, trees, and vines. However, no physical evidence has been found to prove the existence of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Its exact location is unknown. Ancient Egypt in North Africa was one of the most powerful and influential civilizations in the region for over 3,000 years, from around 3100 B.C to 30 B.C. The civilization of Ancient Egypt was located along the Nile River in northeast Africa and they are known for its stupendous achievements in a whole range of fields, including art and architecture, engineering, medicine and statecraft. Hieroglyphics is not just an ordinary writing of text, but it also consists of many different symbols and illustrations that may lead the scientists’ misinterpretation of data or meaning. Hieroglyphics was the language that tells the history and culture of the ancient Egyptians. Their records were well-preserved since they were carved at the walls of pyramids and other important Egyptian structures. Before, they are using tablets made from clay tablets, but they find it fragile, heavy, and delicate to handle. Hence, the Egyptian invention of paper or papyrus was a welcome development. They were able to process the plant in order to produce thin sheets on which one could write down things. When Egyptians invented the papyrus or the paper, engraving ceased to be used in writing. As a result, the Egyptians invented ink by combining soot with different chemicals to produce inks of different colors. Although cosmetics in the modern times are used to improve and highlight the facial features of a person, their function in ancient Egypt was for both health and aesthetic. For example, Egyptians wore kohl around the eyes to prevent and even cure eye diseases. Kohl was created by mixing soot or malachite with mineral galena. During the ancient Egyptian times, wigs were used for health and wellness rather than for aesthetic purposes. They used it to cover their head from the harmful rays of the sun. Another important ancient Egyptian contribution is the water clock or clepsydra. This device utilizes gravity that affects the flow of water from one vessel to another. This invention also leads to our modern-day clock through series of improvement done by the succeeding civilization. In the 8th century BC, Greece began to emerge from the Dark Ages which followed the fall of the Mycenaean civilization. Greece is an archipelago in the southeastern part of Europe. This makes their country difficult to conquer since it is an archipelago, they can hide or ambush the enemy from various island. Europe is known as the birth place of western philosophy. Some of the major achievements of the Greeks include in-depth works on philosophy and mathematics. Greek civilization has contributed much to the world especially in the fields of science and technology. The first proponents of an atomic theory were the Greek philosophers Leucippus and Democritus in the field of science. And on the field of math, they have Pythagoras who was perhaps the first to realize that a complete system of mathematics could be constructed and later called Pythagorean Theorem. The first alarm clock was created in Ancient Greece by Ctesibus, a Hellenistic engineer and inventor. This invention according to the scientist resembles that of the Egyptians but this is more complex but more accurate. Much to the dismay of all those who love to sleep in, Ctesibus cleverly developed an elaborate system of dropping pebbles onto a gong in order to make a sound. Watermills were commonly used in agricultural processes like milling of grains which is necessary form of food processing during that time. Mass production of rice, cereals, flours and the like became common with the help of watermills. Modern-day watermills also help for converting mechanical energy into electricity which also leads to invention of windmill and turbine. As legend has it, Rome was founded in 753 B.C. by Romulus and Remus, twin sons of Mars, the god of war. The Roman Empire was perceived to be the strongest political and social entity in the west. Because the Roman Empire was so large, other civilizations looked up to it as their model in terms of legislation and codified law. The first and only newspaper of the ancient world was founded by Julius Caesar in 59 BCE. It was called Acta Diurna – “Events of the Day”. They concerned information about the Senate’s debates, people’s assemblies, court trials, executions, marine and military news, and even weddings, births and obituaries. Roman architecture adopted the external language of classical Greek architecture for the purposes of the ancient Romans, but was different from Greek buildings, becoming a new architectural style. Ancient Roman architecture used new materials, particularly concrete, and newer technologies such as the arch and the dome to make buildings that were typically strong and well-engineered. Roman numerals originated in ancient Rome. There are seven basic symbols: I, V, X, L, C, D and M. The first usage of the symbols began showing up between 900 and 800 B.C. The numerals developed out of a need for a common method of counting, essential to communications and trade. Counting on one's fingers got out of hand or when you reached 10. So, a counting system was devised based on a person's hand  Single line one unit finger I One (1) Five fingers V-shape made by thumb and forefinger V Five (5) Equaled two hands X Ten (10) 𝚿 to T to L L 50 𝜽 to C “centum” C 100 IƆ half of CIƆ D 500 𝜱 or CIƆ “mille” M 1,000 China is one of the world's four ancient civilizations, and the written history of China dates back to the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC), over 3,000 years ago. Huang He Valley (Yellow River Valley) was the birthplace of ancient Chinese civilization. The valley surrounds the principal river of northern China and is at the center of thousands of years of Chinese history. Tea was originally consumed for its medicinal properties. Used as an herbal medicine the Chinese added the leaves to their food to provide nutrients or as an antidote for poison. Farmers began growing tea in the Szechwan district. During the Tang Dynasty 618 907 A.D tea drinking evolved into an art form. Silk is a fabric first produced in Neolithic China from the filaments of the cocoon of the silk worm. It became a staple source of income for small farmers and, as weaving techniques improved, the reputation of Chinese silk spread so that it became highly desired across the empires of the ancient world. Gunpowder is a mixture of saltpeter (potassium nitrate), sulfur, and charcoal. Together, these materials will burn rapidly and explode as a propellant. Chinese monks discovered the technology in the 9th century CE, during their quest for a life-extending elixir. The Middle Ages or the Dark Ages Johann Gutenberg was able to invent the printing press, a more reliable way of printing using a cast type. This general invention soon evolved to be the mechanical printing press which was eventually used all over the world. The printing press was invented to address the need for publishing books that would spread information to many people at a faster rate. The development of the microscope allowed scientists to make new insights into the body and disease. It's not clear who invented the first microscope, but the Dutch spectacle maker Zacharias Janssen (1585) is credited with making one of the earliest compound microscopes (ones that used two lenses) around 1600. While there is evidence that the principals of telescopes were known in the late 16th century, the first telescopes were created in the Netherlands in 1608. Spectacle makers Hans Lippershey & Zacharias Janssen and Jacob Metius independently created telescopes. Galileo Galilei did not invent the telescope but was the first to use it systematically to observe celestial objects and record his discoveries. Since wars were widespread during the Middle Ages, great development in the weaponry technology also occurred. Medieval weapons varied from simple tools, like arrows, to complex engines of emerging medieval warfare technology, like cannons. The most used weapons were daggers, axes, clubs and spears, while swords and their retainers were typically only used by knights or by men wealthy enough to afford them. 1590s- 19th Century CE Louise Pasture, a French biologist, microbiologist, and chemist, found a way to solve the problem in food contamination. He invented pasteurization, the process of heating dairy products to kill the harmful bacteria that allow the milk so spoil faster. Through this process, milk could be stored and consumed for a longer period. Samuel M. Kier was able to invent kerosene by refining petroleum. Kerosene was later on referred to as the “illuminating oil” because it was used at first to provide lighting to homes. After some time, it was applied for heating purpose. Nowadays, kerosene is still present as still used by many people for powering automobiles, factories, and power plants, among others. Pascaline, also called Arithmetic Machine, the first calculator or adding machine. The Pascaline was designed and built by the French mathematician- philosopher Blaise Pascal between 1642 and 1644. The creation of modern-day calculator did not only pave the way for easier arithmetic calculations, but also resulted in the development of more complex processing machines like computer. One of the Filipino innovations is the addition of a sidecar to a motorcycle, transforming it into a tricycle to accommodate more passengers. H2O Technologies headed by Dominic Chung and Lamberto Armada, together with Chief Designer Victor Llave, was able to invent the Salamander, an amphibious tricycle that can cross not only flooded streets but also rivers and lakes. It may also be utilized to travel from island to island. A young Filipina inventor named Aisa Mijeno was able to invent a lighting system that utilizes a material abundant in the Philippines – saltwater. She invented the Sustainable Alternative Lighting (SALt) lamp, an environment-friendly light source that runs on saltwater. The SALt lamp is safer as it poses no risk of fire and emits no toxic gases. Dr. Fe del Mundo, a Filipino pediatrician, devised a medical incubator made from indigenous and cheap materials which did not run on electricity. The incubator was made by placing a native laundry basket inside a bigger one. Hot water bottles were inserted between the baskets to provide warmth and a makeshift hood to allow oxygen circulation. Its main purpose was to maintain conditions suitable for a newborn. In 2010, the Department of Science and Technology – Industrial Technology Development Institute (DOST-ITDI) was able to introduce the Mosquito Ovicidal/Larvicidal Trap System, also known as the OL Trap. This trap system is made of natural ingredients that are lethal to mosquitos but safe for humans and the environment. The diesel-powered jeepney produces large quantities of black smoke, and is usually a major contributor of noise pollution due to its primitive exhaust system. To counter these disadvantages, the electric jeepney (eJeepney) was developed. This modern type of transportation utilizes electricity instead of the more expensive diesel. It is environment-friendly since it does not emit any smoke and noise.  Accepted as truth Pre- Science NORMAL Things we learned SCIENCE from experiences Becomes the new system Paradigm Shift Model Drift System failed and need change Model Revolution Model Crisis Fight between the The new wins at the end! old and new system ASSIGNMENT/ GROUP ACTIVITY Identify and create a detailed timeline of major paradigm shifts throughout history. Your presentation should include: ▪ Major events that led to the paradigm shift ▪ Key individuals who played a significant role in the shift ▪ Central ideas or theories that contributed to the change ▪ Impact on Science, Technology, and Society Do you have any questions or clarifications? Thank you for listening! Get in Touch With Us Send us a message or visit us City of Batac, Ilocos Norte, Philippines (63) 77-600-0459 [email protected] Follow us for updates facebook.com/MMSUofficial www.mmsu.edu.ph