Week 1
Week 1
Week 1
Institute of Education
Sta. Maria, Romblon
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“Equal Opportunity of Quality Education for All through Flexible Learning Strategies.”
Romblon State University
Institute of Education
Sta. Maria, Romblon
Introduction
This lesson will give light to the development of science and scientific ideas in the
heart of the society. It is the goal of this lesson to articulate ways by which society is
transformed by science and technology.
Content Exploration
Scientific Revolution
Scientific is as old as the world itself. There is no individual that can exactly identify
when and where science began. From the genesis of time, science has existed. It is always
interwoven with the society. So, how can science be defined?
1. Science as an idea. It includes ideas, theories, and all available systematic
explanation and observations about the natural and physical world.
2. Science as an intellectual activity. It encompasses a systematic and practical study
of the natural and physical world. This process of study involves systematic
observation and experimentation.
3. Science as a body of knowledge. It is a subject or a discipline, a field of study, or a
body of knowledge that deals with the process of learning about the natural and
physical world. This is what we refer to as school science.
4. Science as a personal and social activity. This explains that science is both
knowledge and activities done by human beings. To develop better understanding of
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the world around them. It is a means to improve life and to survive in life. It is
interwoven with people’s lives.
Human beings have embarked in scientific activities in order to know and understand
everything around them. They have persistently observed and studied the natural and the
physical world in order to find meanings and seek answer to many questions. They have
developed noble ideas, later known as philosophy, to provide alternative or possible
explanations to certain phenomena. Humans also used religion to rationalize the origins of
life and all lifeless forms.
The idea of scientific revolution is claimed to have started in the early 16 th century up
to the 18th century in Europe. Why in Europe? The probable answer is the intervention of
printing machine and the blooming intellectual activities done in various places of learning,
and the growing number of scholars in various fields of human interests. This does not mean,
however, that science is a foreign idea transported from other areas of the globe. Anyone
who can examine the history of science, technology, medicine, and mathematics is aware
that all great civilizations of the ancient world had their own sophisticated traditions and
activities related to these disciplines.
Scientific revolution was the period of enlightenment when the developments in the
fields of mathematics, physics, astronomy, biology and chemistry transformed the views of
society about nature. It explained the emergence or birth of modern science as a result of
these developments from the disciplined mentioned. The ideas generated during these
period enabled the people to reflect, rethink, and reexamine their beliefs and their way of life.
There is no doubt that the ignited vast human interest to rethink how they do science and
view scientific processes.
Scientific revolution was the golden age for people committed to scholarly life in
science but it was also deeply trying moment to some scientific individuals that led to their
painful death or condemnation from the religious institution who tried to preserve their faith,
religion, and theological views. Some rulers and religious leaders did not accept many of the
early works of scientists. But these did not stop people especially scientist to satisfy their
curiosity of the natural and physical world.
Scientific revolution is very significant in the development of human beings,
transformation of the society, and in the formulation of scientific ideas. It significantly improve
the conduct of scientific investigations, experiments and observations. The scientific
revolution also led to the creation of new research fields in science and prompted the
establishment of a strong foundation for modern science. In many ways, scientific revolution
transformed the natural world and the world of ideas.
Some Intellectuals and Their Revolutionary Ideas
To further understand what exactly happened during the scientific revolution, it is
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important to examine the different individuals whose ideas have shaken and contested the
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Sta. Maria, Romblon
dominant theories and ideas during this period- the truths of their time. Scientist I all periods
of time are driven by their curiosity, critical thinking and creativity, to explore the physical and
natural world. Their love for science is driven by their deep passion to know and to discover.
Scientist are not driven by clamor for honor and publicity. They are ordinary people
doing extra ordinary things. Some scientist were never appreciated during their times, some
were sentenced to death, while others were condemned by the church during their time. In
spite of all the predicaments and challenges they experienced, they never stopped
experimenting, theorizing, and discovering new knowledge and ideas.
In this part of the lesson, three notable scientist are discussed. For sure, there
were many scientists who worked before and after these individuals. However, it is important
to note that these men, particularly through their ideas, had shaken the world.
Nicolaus Copernicus
One of the Renaissance men, particularly in the field of science, is Nicolaus
Copernicus. Knowledge about the nature of the universe had been essentially unchanged
since the great days of Ancient Greece, some 1,500 years before Copernicus came on the
scene (Gribbin, 2003). This continued up to the Renaissance period. In one important way,
Copernicus resembled the Greek ancient philosophers or thinkers – he did not do anything
extensive such as observing heavenly bodies or inviting people to test his ideas. His ideas
were an example of what is presently called as thought experiment. By the time he finish his
doctorate degree, Copernicus had been appointed as caon at Frombork Cathedral in Poland.
Despite his duty as a canon, he had plenty of time to sustain his interest in astronomy.
Copernicus is strongly influenced by a book entitled Epitome published in 1946 by a German
author, Johannes Mueller. This book contains Mueller’s observation of the heavens and
some commentary on earlier works especially that of Ptolemy.
Copernicus idea and model of the universe was essentially complete in 1510. Not
long after that, he circulated a summary of his ideas to his few close friend s in a manuscripts
called Commentariolus (Little Commentary). There was no proof that Copernicus was
concerned about the risk of persecution by the church if he published his ideas formally.
Copernicus was a busy man. His duty as a canon and as a doctor affected his
time to formally publish his work and advance his career in astronomy his duty as a canon
and as a doctor affected his time to formally publish his work and advance his career in
astronomy. The publication of this book De revolutionibus orbium colestium (On the
revolution of the heavenly spheres) in 1543 is often cited as the start of the scientific
revolution.
In his book, he wanted a model of the universe in which everything move around
a single center at unvarying rates (Gribbin, 2003). Copernicus placed the sun to the
centerpiece of the universe. The earth and all the planet are surrounding or orbiting the sun
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each year. The moon, however, would still be seen orbiting the earth. Copernicu’s model of
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the earth orbiting around the sun automatically positioned the planet into a logical sequence.
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In his model, Copernicus outline two kind of planetary motion: (1) the orbits of Venus and
Mercury lay inside the orbits of the earth, thus, closer to the sun; and (2) the orbits of Mars,
Saturn, and Jupiter lay outside the Earth’s orbit, thus, farther from the sun. From this model.
He would work on the length of time it will take for each planet to orbit once around the sun.
The result would form a sequence from Mercury, with a shortest year, through Venus, Earth,
Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn with the longest year. He placed the planet in order of increasing
distance from the sun. One of the great problems in the Copernicus model, however, was
the position of the stars. The stars cannot be placed in a fixed position like crystals in a
distance sphere.
Copernicus is also a courageous man. Although Copernican model makes sense
now, during those times, it was judge to be heretic and therefore it was an unacceptable idea
to be taught to Catholics. The Catholic Church banned the Copernican model and was
ignored by Rome for the rest of the 16th century.
What is the contribution of Copernicus in the philosophy of science?
1. Output 1
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2. Do you think thought experiment is still useful in science in the present time?
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Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin is famous for his theory of evolution. He changed our concept of
the world’s creation and its evolution. Johnson (2012) described Darwin as a genius who
came from a line of intellectually gifted and wealthy family. He developed his interest in
natural history during his time as a student at Shrewsbury School. He would also spend time
taking long walks to observe his surroundings while collecting specimens and he pored over
books in his father’s library. According to Jonson, Darwin went to the best school but was
observed to be a mediocre student. He struggled in his study on medicine and ministry, which
his father was imposed to him. Darwin’s life soon changed when one of his professors
recommended him to join a five-year voyage through the HMS Beagle on the Islands of
Galapagos.
Darwin published his books The Origin of Species in 1589. This book is considered
to be one of the most important works in scientific literature. Darwin collected many significant
materials in order to present his theory with overwhelming evidence. His book presented
evidence on how species evolved over time and presented traits and adaptation that
differentiate species. Like many other scholars, Darwin accumulated many pertinent
materials and data that he could ever possibly need to substantiate his theory.
Darwin’s observational skills as a scientist were extraordinary that move beyond
the realms of plants and animals into the realms of humans. His book the Descent of Man
was so impressive yet very controversial. He introduced the idea of all organic life, including
human beings, under the realm of evolutionary thinking. This replaced the dominant views of
a religious or biblical design that places human beings in a privileged position of having been
created by God. Darwin’s theory of evolution scientifically questioned this view.
Darwin’s accomplishment were so diverse that it is useful to distinguish two fields
to which he made major contributions: evolutionary biology and philosophy of science. More
than these works, what made Darwin truly remarkable was his courage to challenged
religious and unscientific ideas that are deemed to be prominent during those days. His
unorthodox way of pursuing science gave more value to evidence-based science. Darwin
provided different framework for doing scientific activities. It is a science marked by
observation and experiment.
1. What is Darwin’s contribution to Modern science?
2. How can Darwin’s evolutionary theory influence the following fields in modern times:
Economy
Agriculture
Political science
Religion
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Sta. Maria, Romblon
Sigmund Freud
Freud is a famous figure in the field of psychology. Rosenfels (1980) also
described him as a towering literary figure and every talented communicator who did his
share to raise the consciousness of the civilized world in the psychological matters.
However, apart from these, freud also made a significant contribution in the
scientific world through the development of an important observational method to gather
reliable data to study human’s inner life. The method is popularly known as the method of
psychoanalysis. The scientific hypothesis he formulated formed the essential fundamental
version of this method. For Freud this method, of psychoanalysis is a scientific way to study
the human mind and neurotic illness. It is no doubt that amidst all question on his works that
led to some sort of academic controversy, his method of psychoanalysis had great impact on
the scientific way of understanding human nature.
Freud is not a traditional thinker. According to Weiner (2016), his method of
psychoanalysis proven to be effective in understanding some neurological conditions that
were not understood by medicine at that time. His method was unorthodox focusing on
human sexuality and the evil nature of man. This posed immense challenges to scholars and
ordinary citizens of his time. To some, they found his ideas not easy specially in his
explanations of human sexuality.
Freud was born in a much later period from the scientific revolution but his
contribution to knowledge can be seen in many aspects of the human scene, including art,
literature, philosophy, politics and psychotherapy . whether he is more a psychologist or a
scientist is for people to decide. The fact remains that Freudian ideas and theories are still
considered nowadays as a great inspiration to examine human mind and behavior in a more
scientifically accepted way.
1. By looking for other sources and literatures, what are the controversies or questions
on Freud’s ideas?
2. How can you describe Freudian ideas as a scientist?
3. If Freud is still alive, what do you think are the major changes he would make to his
theory?
2,000 years. These people are known for their works in astronomy. They incorporated their
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advance understanding of astronomy into their temples and other religious structures. This
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allows them to use their temples for astronomical observation. For example, the pyramid at
Chichen Itza in Mexico is situated at the location of the Sun during the spring and fall
equinoxes.
Mayan knowledge and understanding about celestial bodies was advanced for
their time, as evidence by their knowledge of predicting eclipse and using astrological cycles
in planting and harvesting. The Mayans are also known for measuring time using two
complicated calendar systems. These calendars were very useful for their life especially in
planning their activities and in observing their religious rituals and cultural celebrations.
The Mayans also developed the technology for growing different crops and
building elaborate cities using ordinary machineries and tools. They built hydraulics systems
with sophisticated waterways to supply water to different communities.
Furthermore they used various tools and adapt themselves to innovations
especially in the fields of arts. The Mayans built looms for weaving cloth and devised a
rainbow of glittery paints made from a mineral called mica. They are also believe to be one
of the most scientifically advance societies in Mesoamerica. They are also famous as one of
the world’s first civilizations to use a writing systems known as the Mayan Hieroglyphics.
They were also skilled in mathematics and created a number system based on the numerical
20. Moreover, they independently developed the concept of zero and positional value, even
before the romans did.
The Inca civilization is also famous in Mesoamerica. The Incas made advanced
scientific ideas considering their limitations as an old civilization. The following were scientific
ideas and tools they developed to help them in everyday life:
1. Roads paved with stone;
2. Stone buildings that surmounted earthquakes and other disasters;
3. Irrigation system and technique for storing water for their crops to grow in all types of
land;
4. Calendar with 12 months to mark their religious festivals and prepare them for planting
season;
5. The first suspension bridge;
6. Quipu, a sustem of knotted ropes to keeps records that only experts can interpret; and
7. Inca textiles since cloth was one of the specially prized artistic achievements.
Following the Inca, Aztec civilization has also made substantial contributions to
science and technology and to the society as whole. Some of their contributions are the
following:
1. Mandatory education. The Aztec puts value in education; that is why their children
are mandated to get education regardless of their social class, gender, or age. It is an
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2. Chocolates. The Aztec in Mexico developed chocolate during their time. In the Maya
culture, they used it as currency. The Aztec valued the cacao beans highly and made
it as part of their tribute to their gods.
3. Antispasmodic medication. They used a type of antispasmodic medication that
could prevent muscle spasms and relax muscles, which could help during surgery.
4. Chinampa. It is a form of Aztec technology for agricultural farming in which the land
was divided into rectangular areas and surrounded by canals.
5. Aztec calendar. This enabled them to plan their activities, rituals, and planting
season.
6. Invention of the canoe. A light narrow boat used for travelling in water systems.
Ancient India is also known for their mathematics. Bisth (1982) noted that the
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earliest traces of the mathematical knowledge in the Indian subcontinent appeared in the
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Indus Valley Civilization. The people of this civilization, tried to standardize measurement of
length to a high degree of accuracy and designed a ruler, the Mohenjodaro ruler.
Clifford (2008) and Bose (1998) pointed out that Indian astronomer and
mathematics Aryabhata (476-550), in his Aryabhatiya, introduced a number of trigonometric
functions, tablets, and techniques, as well as algorithm in algebra. In 628 AD, another Indian,
Bramagupta, also suggested that gravity was a force of attraction, and lucidly explain the use
of zero as both a placeholder and a decimal digit, along with the Hindu-Arabic numeral
system now used universally throughout the world.
China
China is one of the ancient civilization with the substantial contributions in many
areas of life like medicine, astronomy, science, mathematics, arts, philosophy, and music,
among others. Chinese civilizations have greatly influenced many of its neighbor countries
like Korea, Japan, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, and other countries
that belong to the old Silk Road.
The Chinese are known for traditional medicine, a product of centuries of
experiences and discovery of the Chinese people. They discovered various medical
properties and uses of different plants and animals to cure human illness. An example is the
practice of acupuncture.
In terms of technology, the Chinese are known to develop many tools. Among the
famous discoveries and inventions of the Chinese civilizations were compass, papermaking,
gunpowder, and printing tools that became known in the West only by the end of the middle
Ages. They also invented other tools like iron plough, wheelbarrow, and propeller, among
others. They developed a design of different models of bridges, (Zhongguo ke xue yuan,
1983), invented the first seismological detector, and developed a dry dock facility.
In the field of astronomy, the Chinese also made a significant records on
supernovas, lunar and solar eclipses, and comets, which were carefully recorded and
preserver to understand better the heavenly bodies and their effects to our world. They
observed the heavenly bodies to understand whether changes and seasons that may affect
their daily activities. They used lunar calendars, too. The Chinese are also known in
seismology. Thus made more prepared in times of natural calamities.
China made substantial contributions in various fields. The list of their discoveries
and inventions is overwhelming. These contributions were made along with mathematics,
logic, philosophy, and medicine. However, cultural factors prevented these Chinese
achievements from developing in modern science. According to Needham (1986), it may
have been the religious and philosophical framework of Chinese intellectuals that made them
unable to accept the ideas of laws of nature.
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advances in the field of astronomy, mathematics, and medicine. For example, the
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development of geometry was a product of necessity to preserve the layout and ownership
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of farmlands of the Egyptians living along the Nile River. The rules of geometry were
developed and used to build rectilinear structures, the post of lintel architecture of Egypt.
These early science activities in Egypt were developed to improve the quality of life of the
Egyptians especially in building their early homes and cities. The great structure of the
Egyptian pyramids and the early dams built to divert water from the Nile River are some
proofs of their advanced civilization.
Egypt was known to be the center of alchemy, which is known as the medieval
forerunner of chemistry. They tried to study human anatomy and pharmacology, and applied
important components such as examination, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for the
treatment of diseases. These components displayed strong parallels to the basic empirical
method of studying science.
Astronomy was also famous in the African region. For instance, document
shows that African used three types of calendars: lunar, solar and stellar, or a combination
of a three.
Metallurgy is also known in African regions during the ancient times. North
Africa and the Nile valley imported iron technology from the North East region that enabled
them to benefit from the developments during the Bronze Age until the Iron Age. They
invented metal tools used in their homes, in agriculture, and in building their magnificent
architectures.
Mathematics was also known to be prominent in the life of early people in the
African continent. The Lembombo bone from the mountains between Swaziland and South
Africa, which may have been a tool for multiplication, division and simple mathematical
calculation for a six month lunar calendar, is considered to be the oldest known mathematical
artifact dated from 35,000 BCE. Ancient Egyptians are good in the four fundamental
mathematical operations and other mathematical skills. They have knowledge of the basics
concepts of the algebra and geometry. The Islamic regions in Africa during the medieval
period was also benefiting from mathematical learning, which is considered advanced during
those times, such as algebra, geometry, and trigonometry.
Summary
Scientific revolution is the golden age in the history of science. It marked the
birth of science as a discipline and as a field of inquiry and gave birth to the development of
scientific method. It was a time in the history of science. Where many scientific ideas and
discoveries, which were considered innovative and useful, were developed. Some of these
ideas were also controversial in the scientific community and in the political arena. The
scientific revolution significantly changed how people study science and do scientific
activities. It inspired human creativity and critical thinking, moving away from thought
experiments to data-driven and experiment-based ideas.
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There were many intellectuals who made essential contribution in science during
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the period of scientific revolution. Nicolaus Copernicus developed a model of the universe in
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which everything moved around a single center of unvarying rates. He placed the sun in the
center of the universe and all the planets were surrounding or orbiting it. Copernicus’s model
of planets orbiting the sun automatically positioned the planets into a logical sequence.
Charles Darwin made a significant contribution in the field of evolutionary biology and
philosophy of science. His theory of evolution by natural selection is very useful in many fields
until now. Sigmund Freud developed the idea of psychoanalysis that help in understanding
human behavior especially neurological conditions.
Science also developed in different parts of the world: in Asia, Europe,
Mesoamerica, and Africa. Peoples in these continents invented tools to help them in
everyday life, discovered medicine to cure diseases, observed heavenly bodies, built
structures, discovered many things, and invented mathematics as a tool and as a discipline.
Science provided different ancient civilizations that means to survive and understand the
natural and physical world. It also enabled human beings to develop various technologies
that helped them in their everyday tasks.
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Output 2
1. How did the society shape science and did science shape society?
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3. How do political and cultural landscapes of the society affect the development of
scientific culture, science activities, and science literacy?
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4. Considering the current state of our society, do you think science literacy among
people has contributed to the growth of our economy?
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