GAPAN CITY COLLEGE

City Hall Compound, Bayanihan, Gapan City,

Nueva Ecija, Philippines 3105
General Education Department
Week 7 Module in
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY

Name: ______________________________________ Score: ___________/

Course, Year & Sec.: ___________________________ Date: ____________

Lesson 7:
Why does the future not need us?

I. OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
a. Trace the stages of technological history on earth;
b. Discuss human displacement possibilities due to technological advancement; and
c. Explain how technology leads to human beings to extinction.

II. CONCEPT NOTES

The existence of human race and its role in this evolving world has been questioned as year
progresses and as human become more aggressive in developing technologies. These developments have
caused and adverse effect in the environment which could lead our own species in the brink of extinction. Too
much desire of having a technological world and automation may remove the roles.
To learn more about why the future does not need humanity, read and write the following concepts in
your Batang Gapan Notebook.

Brief History of Technology

1. Proto-technology – This focuses on the time when early tools were developed before civilization.
2. Classical Technology – This concentrates on the rise of agricultural technologies and the establishments
of communities and cites that enable the survival of civilization. It is also considered an act of supply means
for some pre-existing ends.
3. Modern Technology – This is fueled by science concepts and principles which date back about 500
years.
4. Postmodern Technology – this replaces naturally occurring products with technologically developed
ones. Some are even highly toxic, most especially petroleum and its derivatives. Some of the major
postmodern technologies include: gasoline-powered automobile including jet engines, synthetic fertilizers,
plastic (Bakelite), PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PCB’s (polychlorobiphenyl, banned 1979), chloroflourocarbons
(discontinued 1994), synthetic detergents, nylon, insecticides, plastics.
 Modern technology is willing to treat anything as a resource. Heidegger, a German philosopher
stated that it is an independent force in human existence which builds a new and incompatible order
on top of what was there. Being a potential resource, forest is regarded as a "timber resource" and
human as a "human resources" whether they become "consumers" or "supply" in certain facilities
Technology-Driven Extinction and Displacement
 Like any other species of this planet, human beings will have the tendency to become extinct either
gradually or suddenly.
 Two scenarios exist for the gradual extinction of humans. One is the usual course of life as
individuals age and replaced by other species more adapted to the changing world. The next
scenario is the disappearance of ecological niche due to the abrupt changes man has inflicted in the
ecosystem. For example, the capacity to reproduce might be hindered by the effect of pollution in the
Gapan City College
Week 7: Science Technology and Society
 environment until the entire population reaches zero reproductive rate. Sudden extinction may even
be greater due to some phenomena outside human control like the unprecedented volcanic eruption,
major earthquakes and tsunamis and possible collision with asteroids or comets.
 Human beings contribute to both kinds of extinction. The continuous development and
industrialization of nations lead to the accumulation of greenhouse gases that stay in the
atmosphere. These gases eventually affect the weather and climate pattern across region and may
have devastating effect to mankind as it results to super typhoons like "Pablo" in 2012, "Yolanda" in
2013 and "Lawin" in 2016. Another example was the use of knowledge and capacity of humans to
develop weapons of mass destruction like the atomic bomb dropped in Hiroshima, Japan which may
lead to the sudden extinction of our race.
 Modern technology has almost neglected the role of ecosystem in human survival. Understanding
whether its implementation poses a threat to human survival should always be considered. The
following are some of the modern technological advancement, the impact of its implementation and
the possible threats to extinction.
1. Ozone layer depletion through chloroflouro carbons
 According to Baum (2017), chlorofluorocarbons were considered to be safe for use, but
scientists were not able to predict their possible impact in the upper atmosphere. CFC
destroyed the ozone layer that protects the planet from the ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
Nations have come together and assured the public that the use of CFC will be banned as
stipulated in the Montreal Protocol. With this effort, the ozone layer is expected to recover
fully from all CFC damages by 2050. In 2012 however, the accumulation of other greenhouse
gases in the atmosphere was considered another threat to the recovery of the ozone layer.
Several ozone-destroying materials were deposited in the ozone layer during severe thunder
storms.
2. Usage of fossil fuel leading to global warming and climate change
 Top climate scientists have predicted and projected that an average increase of 2°C would be
felt by 2050. This will cause drastic weather and climate phenomenon across the regions of
the globe. The most recent extinction occurred during the Permian period which was caused
by the rapid increase of terrestrial and ocean surface temperature. In 2014, Kolbert clarified
that this scenario was caused by the presence of carbon based greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere originating from melting permafrost. In the recent years, permafrost in several
regions such as Arctic lakes in Alaska, Siberia, and Canada were slowly melting due to the
increasing global temperature. If this will not stop, human beings may be facing the same
extinction that happened during the Permian period.
3. Nuclear war and nuclear contamination
 Nuclear reactors have been used in different industries as a source of energy in spite of the
known threat of contamination when they malfunction. Accounts from the United States
Nuclear Energy Institute (2008) and Nuclear Regulatory Commission (2013) revealed that in
1986, the fourth major accident happened in Chernobyl nuclear power facility in Ukraine
causing death and leaving thousands of people exposed to harmful radiations. Human error
and some technical lapses caused the said event which resulted to about 7,000 cases of
thyroid cancer among individuals below 18 years old. In August 6, 1945, during World War II,
the world's first nuclear bomb was dropped in Hiroshima, Japan causing massive casualties
and devastation in the city immediately after explosion.
 Increased cancer rates among those who survived the explosion had also been noted
(Nishiwaki & Kamada, 2007). The last nuclear disaster happened in March 11, 2011, when
the "Great East Japan Earthquake" generated a Tsunami that later damaged the Fukushima
Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan. The impact of the nuclear meltdown may not be as
severe as the Chernobyl accident but exposing the radioactive isotopes have caused some
environmental and health impacts, these events may not be extinction by itself but
succeeding accidents of this kind may then be considered a road to the end of human
population (Sasakawa Peace Foundation.

4. Plastics
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Week 7: Science Technology and Society
Plastics were regarded as
one of the most versatile
and useful products in
history as
they were non-toxic to man.
Later, however, they were
found toxic to the
environment, as they do not
enter the natural process of
recycling. The great Pacific
Garbage Patch is an area in
the Northern Pacific Ocean
that contains the highest
level
of decomposed plastic on
Earth. Decomposition
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Week 7: Science Technology and Society
happens but at a very slow
pace and
before it happens, plastics in
the oceans have already
killed about 100,000 marine
animals as they have
mistakenly considered
plastics as food. On the
other hand,
researches have shown that
in spite its decomposition,
plastic components enter
the
food chain and accumulates
in higher order consumers
(Amaral, 2003).
 Plastics were regarded as one of the most versatile and useful products in history as they were non-
toxic to man. Later, however, they were found toxic to the environment, as they do not enter the
Gapan City College
Week 7: Science Technology and Society
 natural process of recycling. The great Pacific Garbage Patch is an area in the Northern Pacific
Ocean that contains the highest level of decomposed plastic on Earth. Decomposition happens but at
a very slow pace and before it happens, plastics in the oceans have already killed about 100,000
marine animals as they have mistakenly considered plastics as food. On the other hand, researches
have shown that in spite its decomposition, plastic components enter the food chain and
accumulates in higher order consumers (Amaral, 2003).
5. Petroleum-based fertilizer

Petroleum-based fertilizers
are non-toxic especially
when they are used solely to
increase crop yield and
income. Continuous use of
such fertilizers, however,
pollute
nearby rivers and other
bodies of water.
Accumulated amounts of
fertilizer
components such as
nitrogen and phosphorus
cause eutrophication where
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Week 7: Science Technology and Society
 algal
blooms result to oxygen
depletion, cloudiness and
foul smell of the bodies of
water.
This negative effect is
expected to have slow and
indirect extinction
consequences.
 Petroleum-based fertilizers are non-toxic especially when they are used solely to increase crop yield
and income. Continuous use of such fertilizers, however, pollute nearby rivers and other bodies of
water. Accumulated amounts of fertilizer components such as nitrogen and phosphorus cause
eutrophication where algal blooms result to oxygen depletion, cloudiness and foul smell of the bodies
of water. This negative effect is expected to have slow and indirect extinction consequences.
6. Habitat destruction
 According to Kolbert (2014), Anderson and. Wilson (2002), the interdependency of each life form
cannot be recreated once it is destroyed. Habitat destruction like land alteration, deforestation and
some agricultural practices contributed to global warming as these increase CO, level in the
atmosphere. These conditions are observable around the globe. Inadvertently disrupting the natural
way how the ecosystem functions or by eliminating the essential parts of the ecosystem affect human
survival

III. ACTIVITIES
Now that you know the concepts and theories of why the future does not need humanity, it is time for
you to apply what you have learned. Read carefully the directions of the following activities and write your
answer in your Batang Gapan Notebook.

Activity 1. Read each sentence carefully and write your answer on the space provided. (10 points)
________________ 1. This is regarded as one of the most versatile products created by humanity.
________________ 2. This mode of power production has a by-product which can cause cancer if not
contained correctly.
________________ 3. This mode of power production has a by-product which causes the ozone layer to thin
out.
________________ 4. The Continuous use of this product causes indirect extinction to animals and plants.
Gapan City College
Week 7: Science Technology and Society
________________ 5. This happens when massive amounts of forests are converted to human settlements.
________________ 6. This time period focuses on primitive tools made before civilizations.
________________ 7. Chernobyl and fukushima japan disaster.
________________8 This time period focuses on naturally occurring products are replaced by technologically
developed ones.
________________ 9. This time period focuses on the rise of agricultural advancements.
________________ 10. This time period focuses on advancements made through science from 500 years
ago.

Activity 2. See the pictures below and write whether each picture belongs to A. Proto-technology, B. Classical
technology, C. Modern Technology, D. Postmodern technology. (Left to right) (20 points)

(1) (2)
(3) (4)

(5) (6) (7) (8)

(9) (10)

________________ 1. ________________ 6.
________________ 2. ________________ 7.
________________ 3. ________________ 8.
________________ 4. ________________ 9.
________________ 5. ________________ 10.
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Week 7: Science Technology and Society
Activity 3. Now that you have learned why the future does not need humanity, in your opinion what can
humanity do to have a greater role in the future. (10 points)

REFERENCES

Allenby, B. (2015). Emerging technologies and the future of humanity. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 71(6),
29-38.

Bostrom, N. (2009). The future of humanity. In New waves in philosophy of technology (pp. 186-215). Palgrave
Macmillan, London.

Joy, B. (2000). Why the future doesn’t need us (Vol. 8, No. 4, pp. 238-262). San Francisco, CA: Wired.

Teich, A. H. (2008). Technology and the Future.

Prepared by:

JOHN RONALD T. POLICARPIO

Instructor

Gapan City College

Week 7: Science Technology and Society