Science, Technology and Society

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ANDSoCIETY

Daniel Josep@[cNamara, SJ Valverde Vida MiaBeleno Ramon III

G \, Inc. c&E Publlshing, 2(}18

of Contents

Chapter 1: Historical Antecedents in the Course

ofScienceandTechnology. . . . . . .2

AncientTimes MedievaL/Middle Ages ModernTimes Philippinelnventions:

Revolutions Copernican Revolution Darwinian Revolution FrzudianRevolution

E Publishing, Inc., Vida Mia

Chapter 2: Intellectual

S. Valverde,

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this publication

may

be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any

form, or by any means-electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise-without the prior written permission ofthe publisher.

J. -S.'V"1rr..do, Science, technology, and society Daniel B. and/Ramon McNamara, Vid" Mi^ Beleno III.-Qrezon City: C & E Publishiog, Inc., 02018.

xii,139 p. : ill.; cm. Includes bibliography and index.

ISBN: 978-971 -98-0935-7. 1. Science-Social aspects. 2. Technology-Social aspects. I. Valverde, Vida Mia S. II. Belleno, Ramon B.,

III. III.Title.

Book Design: Lynzel S. Naguit and Paul Andrew L. Pagunsan Cover Design: Ruth Anne D. Ellorin

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Chapter 3: Science,Technology, and Nation-building

Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

'Jl:s. :Y.T 2018

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43 46

Pre-colonial Period

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Colonial Period

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Post-Colonia1 Period

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2z Science,

Teehnology,

S

ociety,

andtheHumanCondition

Chapter 4: Human Flourishing in Science andTechnology

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Technology as a Mode of Revealing

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Technology as Paeisis: Applicable to ModernTechnology?

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QrestioningasthePietyofThought

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Enframing: Way of Revealing in ModernTechnology

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Human Person Swallowed byTechnology. . .

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Art as aWayOut of Enframing

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Chapter 5: Human Flourishing as Reflected in Progress

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andDevelopment

Forget'deaeloping'

loor

countries,

iti

deoelop'ricbcountries Chapter6:TheGoodlife. '

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Nicom.acbean Ethicsand

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time to'de-

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Modernponcepts

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Chapter 7: When Technology and Humanity Cross

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76

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

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Humans vs.

Robots

Why the Future Does Not Need Us

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82

Unit 3: SpecialTopics in Science,Technolory,

. .85 andSociety Chapter8:InformationSociety . . . . . 86 87 Information. ..... 87 TheRoleoflanguage 88 Mathematics as the Language of Nature . .....89 TechnologicalWorld

Beyond The World Wide Web The Printing Press and

90 9L

Chapter9:Biodiversity...

...96 The 2010InternationalYear of Dioersity 97 Biotechnolory....,.. 98 GeneticallyModified Organisms 99 GeneticModification. .. .. ..100 Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety . . .102 Genetically modfred golden ricefalls sbort

onlfesaoingpromises Chapter 10: The Nano World WhyNano?... Chapter 11: Gene

Therapy

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.109

Wbat we sbould knous about stent cell treatnent

inthePH Chapter 12: Climate Change.

....111 . .115

Sun . .1L6 MilankovitchParameters . . .179 Earth's Movement around the

GlobalWarming Greenhouse Gases FutureActions Bibliography Index AbouttheAuthors

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lntroduction ., , Science may be defined as the system of knowledge of the natural world gained through the scientific method.

It

,q1s originally called "philosophy of the natural world" since it dtemmed from the ancient Greeks'desire to know about nature. ''Thus, the first scientists were called "philosophers of nature."They sought to discover the truth behind material things and natural things. It was the task of the philosophers of nature to observe the world and beyond, and to discover what makes materials the $ame and what makes them different. How is a tree not a flower ' and a flower not a rock?

' In their quest for understanding the natural world, the ability to name and classify the objects found in nature was seen as the first step towards knowledge. Thus, the scientific search for truth early on recognized the usefulness of language and the ability  t gave to describe, classify, and explain the different objects of study.

Meanwhile, the term technology comes from Greek words tekhnE meaning "art or craft" rnd -logia, meaning a "subject or interest." Taken together, the term has come to mean "practLcal. applicaticlns of what we know about nature" using scientific principles for the betterment of the human situation.

As stated by CHED Memorandum Order No.20, Science, Technolog , and Society is an interdisciplinary course that engages the students to confront the realities brought about by science and technology in sociery with all its socio-political, cultural, economic, and philosophical underpinnings at play. These realities pervade the personal, the public, and the global aspects oflife and are integral 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 decisionmaking in both social and scientific dilemmas.

This course discusses how science has influenced human society and viceversa. It examines the interaction between the human quest to understand the natural world and how this urrderstarding has fashioned society and its development' The

relationship between the two aspects of human culture is spelled out in the very title of this book-science is linked to society through technology.This connection has had a profound influence on the development of human culture.

This textbook gives students a taste of interdisciplinaritythe weaving together-of two or more disciplines to come up with a deeper understanding of the course in particular and the world in general. Its three units contain discussions on history philosophy, and science. The first unit highlights significant iechnological developments throughout history that shaped human civilizations.The second engages the students in reflective and discursive thinking on the role of science aqd technology in the pursuit of the good life.The last unit deals with contemporary issues and scientific realities that we must all deal with as part of a

well-functioning societY.

is hoped that by the end of the course, students will appreciate the contributions of science and technology to the world in general, and the Philippine society in particular; appraise the impact of science and technology on their personal decisionand on living the good life; and make intelligent and -uki.rgdecisions that will affect society for the good of humanity. ethical

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UNIT

I

General ConcePts in Science' Technology, and SocietY