Lesson 4:

Historical Developments in
Science and Technology
GEC 107 – Science, Technology & Society
Prior to the development of science, the pre-scientific worldview offered
human beings a basis for answers to questions. The following are some of
the basic tenets of this pre-scientific worldview:

1. Anthropocentrism – human beings are at the center of the universe

in both the physical and spiritual sense; the concept of the universe
was based on human imagination.
2. Geocentrism – the earth is at the center of this universe, With the
sun, the planets, and the stars revolving around the earth.
3. All beings on earth have their assigned places.
4. Human beings are above all other beings. They are special creations
of God, though lower in rank than angels. Each human being has a
specific place ordained by God.
Prior to the development of science, the pre-scientific worldview offered
human beings a basis for answers to questions. The following are some of
the basic tenets of this pre-scientific worldview:

5. Angels, spirits, and other supernatural beings exist in a

hierarchy, with each possessing magical and extraordinary
powers.
6. The holy is different from the secular, and religion has a strong
influence on the minds of human beings.
7. Study of the natural world is not that important. Qualities are
given more emphasis than quantities, and explanations of
phenomena are based on their causes as well as their effects.
• 16th century was the Age
of Reformation. In the first
place, this means that the
century witnessed the
Protestant Reformation,
that revolt from the Roman
Catholic Church led by
Martin Luther and others
which ended the
ecclesiastical unity of
western Christendom.
• The Age of Enlightenment
– the great ‘Age of Reason’ –
is defined as the period of
rigorous scientific, political,
and philosophical discourse
that characterized European
society during the ‘long’ 18th
century: from the late 17th
century to the ending of the
Napoleonic Wars in 1815.
 Sumerian
Civilization
Sumerian Civilization
• Sumeria is located on the
southernmost tip of ancient
Mesopotamia.
• Sumerians are known for
their high degree of
cooperation with one another
and their desire for great
things. They are not
contented with the basic
things that life can offer. This
desire pushed them to
develop many things
connected with science and
technology.
Sumerian Civilization
• Cuneiform – is the one of
the major contributions of
the Sumerians. It is the
first writing system that
utilizes words, pictures
and triangular symbols
which are carved on clay
using wedge instruments
and then left to dry.
Sumerian Civilization
• Uruk City – is
a great
wonder not
only because
it is
considered to
be the first
true city in the
world but also
the way it is
erected.
Sumerian Civilization
• The Great Ziggurat of Ur
– is another engineering
and architectural feat of the
Sumerians. Also called the
mountain of God, it was
built in the same manner
that they constructed the
City of Uruk. It served as
the sacred place of their
chief god, where only their
priests were allowed to
enter.
Sumerian Civilization
• Irrigation and Dikes – The
Sumerians created dikes and
irrigation canals to bring water
to farmlands and at the same
time control the flooding of the
rivers. This method was
considered as one of the
world`s most beneficial
engineering works.
Sumerian Civilization
• Sailboats – were essential in
transportation and trading as well as
in fostering culture, information, and
technology.
• Wheel – Sumerians were able to
invent the wheel since the specialized
tools needed to create it were already
available. The first wheels were not
made for transportation but for farm
work and food processes. With the
use of wheel and axle, mass
production was made easier.
Sumerian Civilization
• Plow – was invented to dig the soil in a
faster pace. With this tool, farmers could
cultivate larger parcels of land faster,
enabling them to mass produce food
without taking so much effect and time.
• Roads – in order to facilitate faster and
easier travel, the Sumerians developed
the first roads. With this work, the flow of
traffic became faster and more
organized. The invention of roads was
very useful especially during the rainy
season when traveling in soft and muddy
roads proved to be too difficult.
Babylonian
Civilization
Babylonian Civilization
• Babylonian civilization
emerged near the Tigris
and Euphrates Rivers.
• The Babylonians were
great builders, engineers,
and architects.
• Hanging Gardens of
Babylon – Today, people
can only marvel at the
beauty of the famous
Hanging Gardens of
Babylon from stories of
historians and paintings that
portray the place. It was said
to be a structure made up of
layers upon layers of
gardens that contained
several species of plants,
trees, and vines.
 Egyptian
Civilization
 Egyptian Civilization
• Another early civilization
famous for its legacy is the
Egyptian civilization
located in North Africa.
• Many stories tell about the
engineering feats of the
Egyptians especially
regarding the
infrastructures established
by the pharaohs.
Egyptian Civilization
• Paper or Papyrus – although Egypt
was not the first to develop a system
of writing, they were able to make
writing easier for the world. Papyrus
was a plant that grew abundantly
along the Nile River in Egypt.
• Ink – as a result of the invention of
the paper, the Egyptian invented ink
by combining soot with different
chemicals to produce inks of
different colors.
Egyptian Civilization
• Hieroglyphics – like the
Sumerians, the Egyptians also
developed a system of writing
using symbols.
• Cosmetics – although
cosmetics in the modern times
are used to improve and
highlight the facial features of a
person, their function in ancient
Egypt was for both health and
aesthetic reasons.
Egyptian Civilization
• Wig – at present, wigs are used to
enhance the appearance of people
who are balding or those who want
to try new hair trends. Meanwhile,
during the ancient Egyptian times,
wigs were worn for health and
wellness rather than for aesthetic
purposes.
• Water Clock/Clepsydra – utilizes
gravity that affects the flow of water
from one vessel to the other. In the
process, time is measured.
 Greek
Civilization
Greek Civilization
• Greece is an archipelago in
the southeastern part of
Europe.
• Known as the birthplace of
western philosophy, some of
the major achievements of the
Greeks include in-depth works
on philosophy and
mathematics.
Greek Civilization
• Alarm Clock – although the
alarm clock during that time did
not resemble the present-day
alarm clock, the purpose was
just the same – to tell an
individual when to stop or
when to start.
Greek Civilization

• Water Mill – were commonly

used in agricultural processes
like milling of grains which was
a necessary form of food
processing during that time.
 Roman
Civilization
Roman Civilization

• The Roman Empire was

perceived to be the strongest
political and social entity in the
west. It was considered to be
the cradle of politics and
governance during that period.
Roman Civilization

• Newspaper – the first newspaper,

known as gazettes, contained
announcements of the Roman
Empire to the people.
• Bound Books of Codex – with the
papyrus pages bound together and
covered by animal skin, the ancient
Roman Empire was able to
produce the first books or codex.
Roman Civilization
• Roman Architecture – is one of
the most visual contributions of the
ancient Roman Empire to the
world. It was considered a
continuation of Greek architecture,
hence, the resemblance. However,
Roman architecture was still
regarded as pioneering since the
Romans were able to adapt new
building and engineering
technology on architectural designs
established in the past.
Roman Civilization

• Roman Numerals –Romans

devised their own number system
specifically to address the need for
a standard counting method that
would meet their increasing
communication and trade
concerns.
 Chinese
Civilization
Chinese Civilization
• The Chinese civilization is
considered to be the oldest
civilization in Asia, if not the
world. Also knows as the
middle kingdom, China is
located on the far east of
Asia.
• It was famous among other
ancient civilizations because
of its silk trade. Not a greater
amount was written about
ancient China partly due to its
distance from the other
civilizations.
Chinese Civilization

Silk – although silk is

naturally produced by
silkworms, the Chinese were
the ones who developed the
technology to harvest the
silk and process it to
produce paper and clothing.
Chinese Civilization
Tea Production – was
developed when an
unknown Chinese inventor
created a machine that was
able to shred tea leaves into
strips. Because of this
invention, the Chinese were
able to increase their
production of tea and trade
with other nations.
Chinese Civilization

Great Wall of China – It was

constructed to keep out
foreign invaders and control
the borders of China. It
showcased the extent of
Chinese engineering technology
at that time. The structure was
so massive and strong that it
was said to have literally divided
China from the rest of the world.
Chinese Civilization
Gunpowder – was originally
developed by Chinese
alchemists who aimed to
achieve immortality. They
mixed charcoal, sulfur, and
potassium nitrate, but
instead of creating an elixir
of life, they accidentally
invented a black powder that
could generate large
amounts of heat and gas in
an instant.
 Medieval /
Middle Ages
Medieval / Middle Ages
• The start of the Middle
Ages was marred by
massive invasions and
migrations.
• Great technology was
needed in the fields of
weaponry, navigation,
mass food and farm
production, and health.
Medieval / Middle Ages
• Printing Press – after the Chinese
developed woodblock printing,
Johann Gutenberg was able to
invent the printing press, a more
reliable way of printing using a cast
type. This general invention soon
evolved to be the mechanical
printing press which was eventually
used all over the world.
• Microscope – guided by the
principles used for the invention of
eyeglasses in the earlier years,
Zacharias Janssen was able to
develop the first compound
microscope.
Medieval / Middle Ages
• Telescope – the invention of this, an
optical instrument that helps in the
observation of remote objects, was a
great help for navigators during this
time. Together with it, the invention of
the compass, oars, and rudders made
sea traveling easier and safer.
• War weapons – since wars were
widespread during the Middle Ages,
great developments in the weaponry
technology also occurred.