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Gec108 Chapter 1

This document defines science, technology, and society. Science is described as using observation and experiment to understand nature, while technology uses scientific understanding to modify the natural world to meet human needs. Science and technology are interdependent, with science enabling new discoveries and technology using science to solve practical problems. Society consists of groups of interacting individuals who share a common culture. Science, technology, and society studies how these three influence one another. The roles of science and technology include changing how people live and driving economic and social development, as well as improving health, education, and infrastructure.

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765 views4 pages

Gec108 Chapter 1

This document defines science, technology, and society. Science is described as using observation and experiment to understand nature, while technology uses scientific understanding to modify the natural world to meet human needs. Science and technology are interdependent, with science enabling new discoveries and technology using science to solve practical problems. Society consists of groups of interacting individuals who share a common culture. Science, technology, and society studies how these three influence one another. The roles of science and technology include changing how people live and driving economic and social development, as well as improving health, education, and infrastructure.

Uploaded by

Adjanie Shaina
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CHAPTER 1

Defining Science, Technology, and Society

Learning Objectives:
After reading this section, the student should be able to:
 define science, technology, and society;
 compare science and technology; and
 identify and enumerate the different roles of science and
technology.

What is Science?
Science is regarded as the most effective way to understand nature. From
discovering new things and learning new facts to finding solutions to
certain problems, science encompasses a wide range of subject areas.
Additionally, science is described as a systematic and organized body of
knowledge that utilizes observation and experiment to comprehend how
the physical and natural world behaves.

What is Technology?
Technology is considered as a way to manage and modify the natural
world. It includes creating and inventing new things or simply
manipulating and remaking things to fulfill one’s needs and desires or to
perform specific functions. Correspondingly, technology involves the
understanding of natural laws and its application to solve real-world
problems.

What is the Relationship between Science and Technology (S&T)?


Science is raw knowledge while technology is applied knowledge. Hence,
science and technology work hand in hand to help each other advance. In
particular, science utilizes technology to make new discoveries while

1 | Contributing Author: BARRA, H. M. D.


technology uses science to solve practical problems. According to H.
Brooks (1994), there are six (6) ways that science contributes to
technology. These are:
(1) Science can be a direct source of new technological
ideas;
(2) Science can be a source of engineering design tools
and techniques;
(3) Instrumentation, laboratory techniques, and
analytical methods used in basic research can
eventually find their way into design and industrial
practices;
(4) Development of human skills can eventually become
useful for advancing technology;
(5) Creation of a knowledge base that becomes
increasingly important in the assessment of
technology in terms of its wider social and
environmental impacts; and
(6) Science can be a source of development strategy to
refine new technologies.

Meanwhile, the following are the two (2) ways that technology contributes
to science (H. Brooks, 1994):
(1) Technology can be a source of new scientific
knowledge; and
(2) Technology can be a source of otherwise unavailable
instrumentation and techniques needed to address
novel and more difficult scientific questions more
efficiently.

What is Society?

2 | Contributing Author: BARRA, H. M. D.


Society is a group of individuals involved in continual social
interactions, and shares a common language, culture, and
geographical territory. Correspondingly, the members of a
society live together for mutual benefit, and their patterns of
behavior and action are based on their society’s identity and
culture.

What does Science, Technology, and Society (STS) mean?


Science, Technology, and Society is the study of how society
influences the development of science and technology, and
how scientific research and technological innovation affect
society. Consequently, STS deals with how science and
technology shape and are shaped by cultural, economic,
political, and social contexts.

What are the Roles of Science and Technology?


The following, as elaborated in the paper of Chetty, L. (2012),
are some of the important roles of science and technology in
our society:
(1) S&T change the way people live, communicate and
transact, with profound effects on economic
development;
(2) S&T are key drivers to development because scientific
and technological revolutions strengthen economic
advances, improvements in health, education, and
infrastructure;
(3) S&T have the ability to improve the lives of poor
people in developing countries through breakthroughs
in health services and education; and
(4) S&T are engine of growth and provide solutions to
many problems such as in health aspects, standard of

3 | Contributing Author: BARRA, H. M. D.


education, availability of healthy food and safe
drinking water, and infrastructure.

Reflection

What is the role of science and technology in your life?

References:

Bridgstack, M. & Burch, D. (2003). Science, Technology and


Society: An Introduction. UK: Cambridge University
Press.
Brooks, H. (1994). The relationship between science and
technology. Research Policy 23 (5) 477-486.
Chetty, L. (2012). The Role of Science and Technology in the
Developing World in the 21st Century. Ethical
Technology.

4 | Contributing Author: BARRA, H. M. D.

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