MODULE 1
Course Code: GEC 6
Course Title: Science, Technology, and Society
Topic: GENERAL CONCEPTS AND HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS
Instructor: Divine Grace S. Batenga
I. LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon the completion of the course, the students are expected to:
a) Recall the different branches of science
b) Discuss the interactions between science, technology, and society.
c) Describe how different social considerations affect society and the environment.
II. DISCUSSION
A. Science and Its Branches
Science can be defined as a systematic body of knowledge based on careful observation
and experimentation. It was originally called “philosophy of the natural world” since it stemmed
from the ancient Greek’s desire to know about nature. Science is from the Latin word, Scientia,
which means “knowledge”.
2 Divisions of Science
1. Social Science – explore human society past and present and the way human beings
behave.
a. Economics – analyses the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and
services.
b. Anthropology – the study of man
c. Sociology – the study of the origin and constitution of society.
d. Psychology – deals with the individual behavior and mind.
e. History – is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of
information about past events.
2. Natural Science
i. Physical Science – deals with the predictable behavior of the world around us.
a. Astronomy - the science dealing with all celestial objects in the universe
(planets and their satellites, comets and meteors, the stars, and interstellar
matter, the galaxies and cluster of galaxies)
b. Mathematics - deals with abstractions rather than observables, (numbers,
shapes, logic, size, structure, order, and other relationships among
quantities)
c. Geology- deals with the study of earth
d. Mineralogy- identification of minerals, properties, origin and classification
e. Meteorology- study of weather
ii. Biological Science – those concerned with living things, their structure,
processes, and influencing factors.
a. Biology – study of life
b. Botany – focused on plant life
c. Zoology – study of animal life
d. Microbiology - a study dealing with the structure and existence of
microorganisms
- Bacteriology is the study of bacteria
- Mycology is the study of fungi
- Virology is the study of viruses
The goal of science is to learn how nature works by observing the physical world,
and to understand it through research and experimentation. The reliability of scientific
knowledge comes partly from the objectivity of scientific methods.
B. Science, Technology, and Society
We learned that science is an organized body of knowledge that is obtained by study and
experimentation. Now, what is technology? Technology alludes to the particular application of
the scientific knowledge. In other words, science means “gaining knowledge” and technology “is
the application of science”. Meanwhile, society is a group of individuals which is characterized
by common interest and may have distinctive culture and institutions.
Science, Technology, and Society is an interdisciplinary course that studies how society,
politics, and culture affect science research and technological innovation, and how these, in turn,
affect society, politics and culture. These realities pervade the personal, the public, and the global
aspects of life and are integrated to human development. This course also seeks to instill
reflective knowledge in the students so that they are able to live the good life and display ethical
decision-making in both social and scientific dilemmas.
C. Historical Antecedents in Which Social Considerations Changed in Course of Science
and Technology
In the ancient times, people were concerned with transportation and navigation,
communication and record-keeping, mass production, security and protection, health, aesthetics,
and architecture.
Transportation and Navigation
Transportation is significant during that time because people were trying to go places
and discover new horizons. They travelled to search for food and find better locations for their
settlements. They also travelled to trade their surplus goods in exchange for things that they
lacked.
Navigation assisted them in their journeys to unfamiliar and strange areas in the world. It
allowed them to return home after they discovered new places or completed an important trade
with another group of people.
Communication and Record-keeping
Communication was also essential in their endeavors to discover and occupy new
places. They needed a way to communicate with the natives of the areas they visited so as to
facilitate trade and prevent possible conflicts.
Record-keeping was also important since they needed to remember the places they had
been to and document the trades they made with each other. It was also vital to keep records of
their history and culture so they could establish their identities as they tried to relate with other
cultures and civilization.
Mass Production
The increase in size and number of nations connoted increased demand for food and
other basic necessities. This condition also implied that people must be able to produce food at
a given time and space since resources were getting unusual as more people struggled to share
the basic necessities. The people need a form of technology that would enable them to increase
food supplies and other survival needs without them travelling more or working harder.
Safety and Protection
Weapons and Armors were important as well in the discovery of new places or the
establishment of new alliances with other tribes. At the time, there was always a risk of conflict
when people met other with different culture and orientations. Conflicts were common especially
if different groups struggled to control vital resources. Stronger nations tended to invade weaker
ones so they could take much needed resources. As such, the development of weapons and
armors for security and protection was considered a major achievement.
Health
Conservation of life was one of the primary challenges encountered during ancient
times. The early people might have been successful in harnessing the rich resources that the
world could provide, but their survival posed a great problem. Different illnesses and diseases,
both natural and man-made hampered the full potential of a human being. Given predicament,
science and technology played a major role in the discovery of cures to, is not the prevention of,
illnesses.
Engineering
Moreover, in order to integrate their needs- for better transportation, establishment of
structures for protection from human attacks and natural disasters, and construction of bigger and
stronger infrastructures – people ventured into what is now know as the field of engineering. The
development in this field allowed humans to build structures that would address their specific
needs and wants. Some of the structures built during the ancient times still exist today and
continually awe people.
Architecture
The development in engineering also ushered in the introduction of Architecture.
Others might see architecture as a mere style, but during the ancient times, elaborate architectural
designs were signs of technological advancement of a particular civilization. In the generations
to come, architecture would be considered a status symbol among nations of how advanced their
technology is. It may also establish the identity of a nation.
Aesthetic
The people were not contented on beautifying only the infrastructures and surroundings.
Being able to prolong life with the mass production of food and advancement of medical
technology, as well as raise the quality of life by making complicated and difficult tasks easier,
humans later on developed the technology to improve how they look. They discovered that
people looked more visually presentable and appealing by adding some features and decorations
in their body.
Reference:
McNamara Daniel J, Valverde Vida Mia S, and Beleno III Ramon B. (2018). Science,
Technology, and Society. C & E Publishing, Inc.
