SCEINCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY

Science and Technology and Society

- an interdisciplinary course designed to
examine the ways that science and
technology shape, and are shaped by,
our society, politics, and culture
- explores the conditions under which
production, distribution and utilization of
scientific knowledge and technological
systems occur, and the effects of these
processes upon the entire society

History and philosophy of science and

technology, sociology and anthropology are
greatly interconnected to the discussion of STS
Problems in modern society: (sits at the
because these are the very factors that
interface between the three field)
molded the development of science and
- human values
technology as we know it today.
- social organization, environmental
Science concerns, economic resources, political
- an evolving body of knowledge that is decisions, and a myriad of other factors
Can be resolved by:
based on theoretical expositions and
- application of scientific knowledge
experimental and empirical activities
- technical expertise, social
that generates universal truths
Technology understanding
- application of science and creation of - humane compassion
systems, processes and objects
In the Past:
designed to help humans in their daily
- science is learned as an independent
activities.
study from other fields
- focuses on the scientific methods,
development of science and technology has
natural processes and understanding
brought immense progress in society and men
nature.
In the current global scenario:
Society
- science is studied holistically,
- sum total of our interactions as humans,
- often in an interdisciplinary method,
including the interactions that we
emphasizing systems rather than
engage in to understand the nature of
processes
things and to create things
- synthesis more than analysis and
- group of individuals involved in
predicting nature’s behavior in order to
persistent social interaction, or a large
have useful application in solving
social group sharing the same
contemporary problems
geographical or social territory, typically
subject to the same political authority
The scientific data that have built up a
and dominant cultural expectations
considerable base of knowledge led to a vast
portfolio of useful technologies, especially in
STS is important to the public because it helps
the 21st century, to solve many of the
address issues and problems that are of
problems now facing humankind (UNESCO,
concern to the general population.
1999).
But scientific findings must be applied at the
right scales.
To solve our contemporary problems:
- science needs to become more
multidisciplinary and its practitioners
should continue to promote
cooperation and integration between
the social and natural sciences.
A holistic approach demands that science draw - Products are transforming business
on: practices across the economy, as well
- contributions of the humanities (such as as the lives of all who have access to
history and philosophy) their effects
- local knowledge systems - Most remarkable breakthroughs will
- aboriginal wisdom come from the interaction of insights
- wide variety of cultural values and applications arising when these
technologies converge.
influence of science and technology on people’s 4. Have the power to better the lives of poor
lives is expanding: people in developing countries
- impact has been harmful or the long-
term effects give causes for serious 5. Differentiators between countries that are
concerns. able to tackle poverty effectively by
- considerable measure of public mistrust growing and developing their economies, and
of science and fear of technology exists those that are not.
- stems from the belief by some
6. Engine of growth
individuals and communities that they
will be the ones to suffer the indirect 7. Interventions for cognitive enhancement,
negative consequences of technical proton cancer therapy and genetic
innovations introduced to benefit only a engineering
privileged minority
- power of science to bring about
change places a duty on scientists to
proceed with great caution both in
HISTORICAL ANTECEDENTS IN
what they do and what they say THE WORLD
Scientists should:
- reflect on the social consequences of From Ancient Times to 600 BC
the technological applications or - Science involved practical arts like
dissemination of partial information of healing practices and metal tradition.
their work and explain to the public and - 3,000 years before Christ - involved
policy makers alike the degree of practical arts like healing practices and
scientific uncertainty or incompleteness metal tradition
in their findings - around 2650 B.C., - Imhotep - renowned
- not hesitate to fully exploit the for his knowledge of medicine
predictive power of science, duly - heart of Egyptian medicine was trial
qualified and error – despite sounding primitive,
- help people cope with environmental the results were sometimes effective
change especially in cases of direct - Egyptian medicine was considered
threats like natural disasters or water advanced as compared with other
shortages ancient nations because of the
invention of Papyrus
role of science and technology - Papyrus - ancient form of paper, made
from the papyrus plant, a reed which
1. Alter the way people live, connect, grows in the marshy areas around the
communicate and transact Nile river. (As early as 3,000 years before
- with profound effects on economic Christ, Egyptians took thin slices of the
development stem of the papyrus plant, laid them
2. Key drivers to development
crosswise on top of each other,
- technological and scientific revolutions
moistened them, and then pressed and
underpin economic advances,
dried them. The result was a form of
improvements in health systems,
paper that was reasonably easy to write
education, and infrastructure
on and store.)
3. The technological revolutions of the 21st
century are emerging from entirely new - Invention of papyrus revolutionized the
sectors, based on micro-processors, tele- way information was transmitted from
communications, bio-technology and person to person and generation to
nano-technology. generation. Before papyrus, Egyptians,
Sumerians and other races write on clay
 tablets or smooth rocks which is time - awareness of the importance of certain
consuming and not easy to store or scientific problems, especially those
transport. Papyrus is easy to roll into related to the problem of change and
scrolls. its cause;
- Egyptian writings became easy to store - recognition of the methodological
and transport-- knowledge of one importance of applying mathematics to
scholar could be easily transferred to natural phenomena and of undertaking
other scholars; passed down from empirical research.
generation to generation. - scholars frequently employed the
- Egyptian medicine became the most principles developed in earlier Greek
respected form of medicine in the thought: the application of
known world mathematics and deliberate empirical
- Papyrus was used as a writing material research, in their scientific investigations.
as early as 3,000 BC in ancient Egypt, - passed on from ancient Greek
and continued to be used to some philosophers to medieval Muslim
extent until around 1100 AD. philosophers and scientists, to the
- Mesopotamians - making pottery using European Renaissance and
the first known potter’s wheel. Not long Enlightenment, to the secular sciences
after, horse-drawn chariots were being of the modern day.
used.
- 1,000 years before Christ – Chinese – use
compass for travels. Islamic Golden Age
- a period of cultural, economic and
The ancient world, then, was filled with scientific flourishing in the history of Islam
inventions that, although they sound - traditionally dated from 18th century to
commonplace today, revolutionized life during 14th century, with several contemporary
those times. These inventions are history’s first scholars dating the end of era to the
inklings of science. 15th or 16th century.
- is traditionally understood to have
begun during the reign of the Abbasid
The Advent of Science (600 BC to 500 AD) caliph Harun al-Rashid (786 to 809) with
- ancient Greeks were the early thinkers the inauguration of the House of
and first true scientists Wisdom in Baghdad
- collected facts and observations and - House of Wisdom in Baghdad - scholars
then used those observations to explain from various parts of the world with
the natural world different cultural backgrounds were
- Although many cultures like the ancient mandated to gather and translate all of
Egyptians, Mesopotamians, and the world's classical knowledge into the
Chinese had collected observations Arabic language and subsequently
and facts, they had not tried to use development in various fields of
those facts to develop explanations of sciences began.
the world around them - Science and Technology adopted and
- 6th Century BC (pre-Socratic Philosophy) preserved knowledge and technologies
– scientific thought in Classical Antiquity from contemporary and earlier
becomes tangible civilizations (Persia, Egypt, India, China,
- Circa 385 BC - Plato founded the and Greco-Roman antiquity) while
Academy making numerous improvements,
- 3rd to 2nd centuries - Plato's student innovations and inventions.
Aristotle begins the "scientific revolution" - Scientific achievements especially on:
of the Hellenistic period with scholars astronomy, mathematics, and medicine
such as Eratosthenes, Euclid, Aristarchus - Scientific Inquiry practiced on: alchemy
of Samos, Hipparchus and Archimedes. and chemistry, botany and agronomy,
- produced substantial advances in geography and cartography,
scientific knowledge: anatomy, ophthalmology, pharmacology, physics
zoology, botany, mineralogy, and zoology
geography, mathematics and - Islamic Science - having practical
astronomy; purposes as well as the goal of
understanding.
 - Astronomy - useful in determining the more sophisticated and had a greater
Qibla impact on Chinese civilization – the Four
- Qibla - direction in which to pray Great Inventions serve merely to
- Botany - applied in agriculture and highlight the technological interaction
geography that enabled scientists to between East and West.
make accurate maps. - Karl Marx - "Gunpowder, the compass,
- Mathematics – flourished with the works and the printing press were the three
of Al-Khwarizmi, Avicenna and Jamshid great inventions which ushered in
al Kashi that led to advance in algebra, bourgeois society. Gunpowder blew up
trigonometry, geometry and Arabic the knightly class, the compass
numerals. discovered the world market and found
- Al-Biruni, and Avicenna - produced the colonies, and the printing press was
books that contain descriptions of the the instrument of Protestantism and the
preparation of hundreds of drugs made regeneration of science in general; the
from medicinal plants and chemical most powerful lever for creating the
compounds. intellectual prerequisites.”
- Islamic Doctors – described diseases
(smallpox and measles), and
challenged classical Greek medical The Renaissance (1300 AD – 1600 AD)
knowledge - 14th century - beginning of the cultural
- Islamic physicists (such as Ibn Al- movement of the Renaissance
Haytham, Al-Biruni) - studied optics and - considered by many as the Golden Age
mechanics as well as astronomy, and of Science
criticized Aristotle’s view of motion. - Great advances on: geography,
- significance of medieval Islamic science astronomy, chemistry, physics,
has been debated by historians mathematics, anatomy, manufacturing,
- Traditionalist view: it lacked innovation, and engineering.
mainly important for handing on - rediscovery of ancient scientific texts
ancient knowledge to medieval Europe. was accelerated after the Fall of
- Revisionist View: it constituted a Constantinople in 1453
scientific revolution - Invention of printing - democratized
learning and allowed a faster
propagation of new ideas.
Science flourished across a wide area around - Marie Boas Hall - coined the term
the Mediterranean and further afield, for Scientific Renaissance to designate the
several centuries, in a wide range of early phase of the Scientific Revolution
institutions. (1450-1630)
Peter Dear - argued for a two-phase
Science and Technology in Ancient China model of early modern science:
- Ancient Chinese scientists and Scientific Renaissance of the 15th and
engineers - made significant scientific 16th centuries (focused on the
innovations, findings and technological restoration of the natural knowledge of
advances across various scientific the ancients) and, Scientific Revolution
disciplines (natural sciences, of the 17th century (scientists shifted
engineering, medicine, military from recovery to innovation)
technology, mathematics, geology and - initial period is usually seen as one of
astronomy) scientific backwardness: no new
- Four Great Inventions: compass, developments in physics or astronomy,
gunpowder, papermaking and printing. and the reverence for classical sources
- considered as among the most further enshrined the Aristotelian and
important technological advances and Ptolemaic views of the universe.
were only known to Europe 1000 years - Renaissance Philosophy - lost much of
later or during the end of the Middle its rigour as the rules of logic and
ages; had a profound impact on the deduction were seen as secondary to
development of civilization throughout intuition and emotion.
the world. - Renaissance Humanism - stressed that
- Modern Chinese Scholars - opined that nature came to be viewed as an
other Chinese inventions were perhaps
 animate spiritual creation that was not John Locke his “Essay Concerning
governed by laws or mathematics. Human Understanding”(1689)-- (1689)—
- Science - would only be revived later by two works that provided the scientific,
such figures (Copernicus, Gerolamo mathematical and philosophical toolkit
Cardano, Francis Bacon, and for the Enlightenment’s major advances
Descartes) - dedicated to human progress -
- Most Important technological advance - advancement of the natural sciences is
development of printing with movable regarded as the main exemplification
metal type (mid-15th century, Germany) of, and fuel for, such progress.
- Johannes Gutenberg - usually called its - Newton’s Principia Mathematica -
inventor, but in fact many people and consists in the comprehension of a
many steps were involved: diversity of physical phenomena;
- Block Printing on wood – came to the motions of heavenly bodies, together
West from China (1250-1350) with the motions of sublunary bodies;
- Papermaking - came from China by few relatively simple, universally
way of the Arabs to 12th-century Spain applicable, mathematical laws, was a
- Flemish technique of oil painting - origin great stimulus to the intellectual activity
of the new printers’ ink of the eighteenth century and served as
- Three mean of Mainz (Gutenberg, a model and inspiration for the
Johann Fust and Peter Schöffer) - taken researches of a number of
the final steps, casting metal type and Enlightenment thinkers.
locking it into a wooden press. - Newton’s system strongly encourages
- Invention spread like wind : Italy(1467), the Enlightenment conception of nature
Hungary and Poland(1470s). as an orderly domain governed by strict
Scandinavia(1483) mathematical-dynamical laws and the
- 1500 - presses of Europe had produced conception of ourselves as capable of
some six million books. knowing those laws and of plumbing
the secrets of nature through the
development of printing amounted to a exercise of our unaided faculties.
communications revolution of the order of the
invention of writing; and, like that The conception of nature, and of how we
prehistoric discovery, it transformed the know it, changes significantly with the rise of
conditions of life. modern science. It belongs centrally to the
agenda of Enlightenment philosophy to
contribute to the new knowledge of nature,
The Enlightenment Period (1715 AD to 1789 AD) and to provide a metaphysical framework
- or Age of Reason - characterized by within which to place and interpret this new
radical reorientation in science, which knowledge.
emphasized reason over superstition
and science over blind faith.
- produced numerous books, essays, Industrial Revolution (1760 – 1840)
inventions, scientific discoveries, laws, - rise of modern science and the
wars and revolutions. Industrial Revolution were closely
- American and French Revolutions - connected
directly inspired by Enlightenment ideals - difficult to show any direct effect of
and respectively marked the peak of its scientific discoveries upon the rise of the
influence and the beginning of its textile or even the metallurgical industry
decline. in Great Britain - the home of the
- ultimately gave way to 19th-century Industrial Revolution
Romanticism. - Science offered in the 18th century:
- Enlightenment’s important 17th-century hope that careful observation and
precursors - included the key natural experimentation might improve
philosophers of the Scientific Revolution industrial production significantly.
(Galileo Galilei, Johannes Kepler and - Science of Metallurgy - permitted the
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz) tailoring of alloy steels to industrial
- roots are usually traced to 1680s specifications
England - Isaac Newton published his - Science of Chemistry - permitted the
“Principia Mathematica”(1686) and creation of new substances, like the
 aniline dyes, of fundamental industrial increased division of labor and
importance, and that electricity and specialization of function
magnetism were harnessed in the - important developments in
electric dynamo and motor. transportation and communication,
- Steam Engine – led to the discovery of including the steam locomotive,
thermodynamics steamship, automobile, airplane,
- Machine tool industry - developed to telegraph, and radio
provide it and, in the process, made - increasing application of science to
possible the construction of ever more industry
delicate and refined instruments for
science. these changes made possible a tremendously
increased use of natural resources and the
As science turned from the everyday world to mass production of manufactured goods.
the worlds of atoms and molecules, electric
currents and magnetic fields, microbes and
viruses, and nebulae and galaxies, instruments 20th Century Science: Physics and Information
increasingly provided the sole contact with Age
phenomena. - 20th century - an important century in
the history of the sciences
A large refracting telescope driven by intricate - generated entirely novel insights in all
clockwork to observe nebulae was as much a areas of research (thanks to the
product of 19th-century heavy industry as were introduction of novel research method
the steam locomotive and the steamship. - established an intimate connection
between science and technology
- One important effect on development of - Science: dealing now with the
modern science: The prospect of complexity of the real world
applying science to the problems of - Gave proof of the revolutionary
industry served to stimulate public changes in many areas of the sciences
support for science. (physics, biology, astronomy, chemistry,
- Governments, in varying degrees and at neurosciences and earth and
different rates, began supporting environmental sciences) and how they
science even more directly, by making contributed to these changes.
financial grants to scientists, by founding - epistemological and methodological
research institutes, and by bestowing questions as well as the interdisciplinary
honors and official posts on great aspects become ever more important
scientists in scientific research.
- end of 19th century - natural philosopher - Common denominator of science:
following his private interests had given notion of discovery.
way to the professional scientist with a - Discovery: an organised mode of
public role observing nature.
- main features involved in industrial - 20th century cosmology – greatly
revolution: technological, improved our knowledge of the place
socioeconomic, and cultural. that man and his planet occupy in the
universe.
Technological changes:
- use of new basic materials, chiefly iron The “wonder” that Plato and Aristotle put at
and steel the origin of thought, today extends to science
- use of new energy sources, including itself. Questions now arise on the origin and on
both fuels and motive power, such as the whole, its history and its laws.
coal, the steam engine, electricity,
petroleum, and the internal-combustion - Start of 20th century - marked by
engine Einstein’s formulation of the theory of
- invention of new machines, such as the relativity (1905) including the unifying
spinning jenny and the power loom that concept of energy related to mass and
permitted increased production with a the speed of light: E = mc2; other
smaller expenditure of human energy contributions on statistical mechanics.
- new organization of work known as the - Second half on 20th century - several
factory system, which entailed branches of science continued to make
 great progress (physics, chemistry, Science and Technology in the Fourth
biology, geology and astronomy); industrial Revolution
development of the semi-conductor - a way of describing the blurring of
(transistor), developments in boundaries between the physical,
nanotechnology – led to great digital, and biological worlds
advances in information technology, - fusion of advances in artificial
discovery of sub-atomic particles intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of
- Modern Physics - grew in the 20th into a Things (IoT), 3D printing, genetic
primary discipline contributing to all engineering, quantum computing, and
today’s basic natural sciences, other technologies
astronomy, chemistry and biology. - collective force behind many products
- 1953 - an important landmark for and services that are fast becoming
biology with the description by Crick indispensable to modern life
and Watson of the structure of DNA-- - Think GPS systems that suggest the
the carrier of genetic information fastest route to a destination, voice-
- Physics - enabled us to understand the activated virtual assistants such as
basic components of matter and we Apple’s Siri, personalized Netflix
are well on the way to an ever more recommendations, and Facebook’s
consistent and unitary understanding of ability to recognize your face and tag
the entire structure of natural reality, you in a friend’s photo
which we discover as being made up - Fourth industrial revolution - paving the
not only of matter and energy but also way for transformative changes in the
of information and forms. way we live and radically disrupting
- Biology - discovery of DNA and the almost every business sector—all
development of genetics, allows us to happening at an unprecedented,
penetrate the fundamental processes whirlwind pace
of life and to intervene in the gene pool - Artificial intelligence (AI) - describes
of certain organisms by imitating some computers that can “think” like humans
of these natural mechanisms. — recognizing complex patterns,
- Information technology and digital processing information, drawing
processing - have transformed our conclusions, and making
lifestyle and our way of communicating recommendations. Used in many ways:
in the space of very few decades. spotting patterns in huge piles of
- Medicine - a cure for many life- unstructured data to powering the
threatening diseases and the beginning autocorrect on your phone.
of organ transplants. - New computational technologies –
makes computers smarter. Enable
Other progress: computers to process vast amounts of
- computational logic to the chemistry of data faster than ever before
materials - Cloud - allowed businesses to safely
- neurosciences to robotics store and access their information from
anywhere with internet access, at any
- scientific research - not only gives time.
expression to the strength of rationality - Quantum computing technologies – will
in explaining the world and the way in eventually make computers millions of
which this is done times more powerful
- application of scientific knowledge - - Computers - will have the potential to
can induce changes of environmental supercharge AI, create highly complex
and thus living conditions. data models in seconds, and speed up
the discovery of new materials
interrelations between scientific progress and - Virtual Reality (VR) - offers immersive
social development, which together with digital experiences (using a VR headset)
insights into the epistemological structure and that simulate the real world, while
the ethical implications of science play an augmented reality merges the digital
important role in the life and the work of and physical worlds. Examples: L’Oréal’s
scientists. makeup app - allows users to digitally
experiment with makeup products
before buying them, and Google
 Translate phone app - allows users to
scan and instantly translate street signs,
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF
menus, and other text. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN
- Biotechnology - harnesses cellular and
biomolecular processes to develop new THE PHILIPPINES
technologies and products for a range
of uses (developing new Pre-Spanish Era
pharmaceuticals and materials, more - first inhabitants in the archipelago who
efficient industrial manufacturing settled in Palawan and Batangas
processes, and cleaner, more efficient around 40 000 years ago have made
energy sources) Example: Researchers simple tools or weapons of stone which
in Stockholm - working on what is being eventually developed techniques for
touted as the strongest biomaterial ever sawing, drilling and polishing hard
produced. stones.
- Robotics - design, manufacture, and - primitive technology was brought by
use of robots for personal and primal needs of survival by hunting wild
commercial use. animals and gathering fruits and
- 3D Printing - allows manufacturing vegetables in the forest.
businesses to print their own parts, with - Learned that: by polishing hard stones,
less tooling, at a lower cost, and faster they can develop sharp objects that
than via traditional processes; designs are useful in their day to day activities.
can be customized to ensure a perfect - technology was developed because of
fit. a great necessity
- Innovative materials: plastics, metal - learning what can be harnessed from
alloys, and biomaterials, promise to the environment
shake up sectors including - (learned) when clay is mixed with 2
manufacturing, renewable energy, water and then shaped into something
construction, and healthcare. before sun drying, it hardens to an
- IoT - describes the idea of everyday object that can also be useful to them;
items-- medical wearables that monitor can be shaped into various objects
users’ physical condition to cars and - learned how to extract, smelt and refine
tracking devices inserted into parcels-- metals like copper, gold, bronze and
being connected to the internet and iron from nature and consequently
identifiable by other devices; farmers fashion them into tools and implements.
putting IoT sensors into fields to monitor - shifted from wandering from one place
soil attributes and inform decisions such to another and learned to settle in
as when to fertilize. areas near the water source, they also
learned how to weave cotton,
Energy capture, storage, and transmission engaged themselves in agriculture and
represent a growing market sector, spurred by are knowledgeable on building boats
the falling cost of renewable energy for coastal trade
technologies and improvements in battery - primitive Filipinos are practicing science
storage capacity. and technology in their everyday lives
- ancient crafts of stone carving, pottery
and smelting of metals involves a lot of
science, which is understanding the
nature of matter involved.
- ingenuity of the Ifugaos in building the
Banaue Rice Terraces
- smelting of metals exhibited the
primitive Filipino’s knowledge on the
composition of alloy and the optimum
temperature that will produce the metal
with acceptable tensile strength.
- primitive Filipinos were living in perfect
harmony with nature and they obtain
from it what is just needed in their
everyday life through a very simple
 science of understanding how mother - little is known about the
nature operates. accomplishments of scientific bodies
commissioned by the Spanish
government during this time
Spanish Colonial Era - The Philippines had evolved into a
- Caoili (1983) - beginnings of modern primary agricultural exporting
science and technology in the country economy, and this is not because of the
can be traced back to the Spanish researches undertaken on this field, but
regime—they established schools, was largely because of the influx of
hospitals and started scientific research foreign capital and technology which
that had important consequences in brought modernization of some sectors,
the development of the country notably sugar and hemp production.
- Schools (mostly run by Spanish Friars) - - Development of science and
formed the first Filipino professionals technology is very slow
- 3 highest institution pf learning: Royal
and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas
- Strict hold of the Church among citizens American Period
and its intervention and meddling to the - Philippines saw a rapid growth during
government propelled by fear of the American occupation and was
intellectual awakening among Filipinos made possible by the government’s
have greatly hindered the progress of extensive public education system from
these professionals to further enhance elementary to tertiary schools
their knowledge, conduct scientific - establishment of various public tertiary
investigations and contribute to the schools like the Philippine Normal
advancement of society. School and University of the Philippines
- Dr. Jose P. Rizal - the epitome of the provided the needs for professionally
Renaissance man in the Philippine trained Filipinos in building the
context; a scientist, a doctor, an government’s organization and
engineer (he designed and built a programs.
water system in Dapitan), a journalist, a - growth and application of science were
novelist, an urban planner and a hero; still concentrated on the health sector in
doctor and scientist – had extensive the form of biochemical analyses in
knowledge on medicine and was able hospitals.
to operate his mother’s blinding eye. - government supported basic and
- Charity hospitals - breeding ground for applied research in the medical,
scientific researches on pharmacy and agricultural and related sciences.
medicine, with great focus on problems - 1909 – UPLB opened the College of
of infectious diseases, their causes and Agriculture
possible remedies. - 1910 – UPD opened the Colleges of Arts,
- 1887 - Laboratorio Municipal de Ciudad Engineering, and Veterinary Medicine
de Manila was created—to conduct - 1914 – College of medicine is opened
biochemical analyses for public health - there were already quite a number of
and to undertake specimen qualified Filipino physicians who held
examinations for clinical and medico- teaching positions in the College of
legal cases. Medicine, whereas most of the early
- Cronica de Ciencias Medicas de instructors and professors in other
Filipinas – publication of LMdCdM, first colleges such as in the sciences and
scientific journal in the country-- showed engineering were Americans and
the studies undertaken during that time. foreigners.
- Spaniards started to exploit the - American colonial government sent
resources of the country (agriculture, Filipino youths to be educated as
mining, establishing industries to teachers, engineers, physicians and
promote economic growth)—thus, lawyers in American colleges to further
research on these fields is promoted by capacitate the Filipinos in various fields.
the government. - there was difficulty in recruiting students
- 19th Century – Manila become a for science and technology courses like
cosmopolitan center and modern veterinary medicine, engineering,
amenities were introduced to the city agriculture, applied sciences and
 industrial-vocational courses— - Made developments in science and
government has to offer scholarship to technology practically impossible.
attract students; unpopularity of these - World War II ended and left Manila, the
courses stemmed from the Filipinos’ country’s capital, in ruins.
disdain toward manual work that - government had to rebuild again and
developed from the 400 years under normalize the operations in the whole
Spanish colonization. country.
- Filipinos then prefer prestigious
professions at that time like priesthood,
law and medicine. Science and Technology since independence
- Bureau of Government Laboratories - 1946 - Bureau of Science was replaced
(later changed to Bureau of Science)— by the Institute of Science and was
created by the government to provide placed under the Office of the
more support for the development of President of the Philippines
science; composed of a biological - agency faced lack of financial support
laboratory, chemical laboratory, serum from the government and experienced
laboratory for the production of virus planning and coordination problems.
vaccine, serums and prophylactics, and - US Economic Survey to the Philippines
a library; initially managed by American (1950) - there is a lack of basic
senior scientists but as more Filipinos information which were necessities to
were trained and acquire the necessary the country's industries, lack of support
knowledge and skills, they eventually of experimental work and minimal
took over their positions. budget for scientific research and low
- Bureau of Science - served as the salaries of scientists employed by the
primary training ground for Filipino government.
scientists and paved the way for - 1958 (regime of President Carlos P.
pioneering scientific research, most Garcia) - the Philippine Congress
especially on the study of various passed the Science Act of 1958 which
tropical diseases that were prevalent established the National Science
during those times like leprosy, Development Board (NSDB).
tuberculosis, cholera, dengue fever, - PH Government focused on science
malaria and beri-beri. Contribution: and technology institutional capacity-
publication of the Philippine Journal of building which were undertaken by
Science; became the primary research establishing infrastructure-support
center of the Philippines until World War facilities such as new research agencies
II. and development trainings.
- Philippine Journal of Science - published - Projects produced insignificant effects
researches done in local laboratories because of lack of coordination and
and reported global scientific planning, specifically technology
developments that had relevance to planning, between concerned
the Philippine society. agencies which hindered them from
- December 8, 1933 - National Research performing their assigned functions
Council of the Philippines was effectively.
established - Researchers were instructed to look for
technologies and scientific studies with
good commercialization potential.
Commonwealth Period - Without clear research policy guidelines,
- Filipinos were busy in working towards researches were done for their own
economic reliance but acknowledge sake, leaving to chance the
the importance and vital role of science commercialization of the results.
and technology for the economic - rebuilding the country involved
development of the country by establishing more state funded manual
declaring that “The State shall promote and trading schools which would
scientific research and invention...” eventually become the current state
- short-lived Commonwealth Government universities and colleges.
was succeeded by the Japanese - trade schools produced craftsmen,
occupation when the Pacific war broke tradesmen and technicians that helped
out in 1941. in shaping a more technological
 Philippines while still being an - Institutes established under the National
agricultural based nation. Science Development Board (NSDB) -
- great disparity on the low proportion of Philippine Coconut Research Institute
those in agriculture, medical and and Philippine Textile Research Institute.
natural sciences with those from - Philippine Atomic Energy Commission -
teacher training and explored the uses of atomic energy for
commerce/business administration economic development.
courses which had higher number of - Pres. Marcos assisted 107 institutions in
graduates. undertaking nuclear energy work by
- increase in the number of graduates led sending scientists abroad to study
to the rise of professional organizations nuclear science and technology, and
of scientists and engineers—to promote providing basic training to 482 scientists,
professional interests and create and doctors, engineers and technicians.
monitor the standards of practice. - 1972 – (by virtue of Presidential Decree
No. 4)-- National Grains Authority was
“There has been little innovation in the created and it was tasked to improve
education and training of scientists and the rice and corn industry and thereby
engineers since independence in 1946. This is in help in the economic development of
part due to the conservative nature of self- the country.
regulation by the professional associations. - Philippine Council for Agricultural
Because of specialized training, vertical Research - support the progressive
organizations by disciplines and lack of liaison development of agriculture, forestry,
between professions, professional associations and fisheries in the country.
have been unable to perceive the dynamic - Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical
relationship between science, technology and and Astronomical Service
society and the relevance of their training to Administration (PAGASA) – under the
Philippine conditions.” (Caoili) Department of National Defense;
provide environmental protection and
to utilize scientific knowledge to ensure
Science and Technology in the 1960’s to 1990’s the safety of the people through
- government gave greater importance Presidential Decree No. 78, s. 1972.
to science and technology - 1973 - Philippine National Oil Company
- government declared in Section 9(1) of was created by virtue of Presidential
the 1973 Philippine Constitution that the Decree No. 334, s. 1973-- to promote
“advancement of science and industrial and economic development
technology shall have priority in the through effective and efficient use of
national development.” energy sources.
- April 6, 1968 - Pres. Ferdinand Marcos - National Academy of Science and
proclaimed the 35-hectare land in Technology - under Presidential Decree
Bicutan, Taguig as the site of the - No. 1003-A, s. 1976; composed of
Philippine Science Community. scientists with “innovative achievement
- 1969 – government provided funds to in the basic and applied sciences” who
private universities to encourage them will serve as the reservoir of scientific
to conduct research and create and technological expertise for the
courses in science and technology. country.
- government also conducted seminars - 1980s - science and technology was still
for public and private high school and focused on applied research
college science teachers, training - 1982 - NSDB was further reorganized into
programs and scholarships for graduate a National Science and Technology
and undergraduate science scholars, Authority (NSTA) composed of four
and workshops on fisheries and research and development Councils;
oceanography. Philippine Council for Agriculture and
- 1970s - focus on science and Resources Research and Development
technology was given to applied (PCARRD); Philippine Council for
research and the main objective was to Industry and Energy Research
generate products and processes that Development (PCIERD); Philippine
were supposed to have a greater Council for Health Research and
beneficial impact to the society. Development (PCHRD) and the National
 Research Council of the Philippines technology body in the country
(NRCP). charged with the twin mandate of
- NSTA - has also eight research and providing central direction, leadership
development institutes and support and coordination of all scientific and
agencies under it; are actually the technological activities, and of
former organic and attached agencies formulating policies, programs and
of NSDB which have themselves been projects to support national
reorganized. development.
- expanding number of science agencies - Science and Technology Master Plan -
has given rise to a demand for high aimed at the modernization of the
calibre scientists and engineers to production sector, upgrading research
undertake research and staff universities activities, and development of
and colleges. infrastructure for science and
- March 1983 – Executive Order No. 889 - technological purposes.
establishment of a national network of - Research and Development Plan - to
centers of excellence in basic examine and determine which areas of
sciences—six new institutes were research needed attention and must be
created: The National Institutes of given priority.
Physics, Geological Sciences, Natural - Criteria for identifying the program to be
Sciences Research, Chemistry, Biology pursued: development of local
and Mathematical Sciences. materials, probability of success,
- July 19, 1983 - establishment of a potential of product in the export
Scientific Career System in the Civil market, and its strategic nature.
Service (Presidential Decree No. 901)— - grants for the research and
designed to attract more qualified development programs was included in
scientists to work in government and the Omnibus Investment Law.
encourage young people to pursue
science degrees and careers. President Fidel Ramos’s Term:
- 1986 (Aquino Administration) - National - there was a significant increase in
Science and Technology Authority was personnel specializing in the science
replaced by the Department of Science and technology field.
and Technology, giving science and - 1998 - estimated 3,000 competent
technology a representation in the scientists and engineers in the
cabinet. Philippines—two newly built science
- Medium Term Philippine Development high school in Visayas and Mindanao
Plan for the years 1987-1992 - science which promotes further development of
and technology's role in economic young kids through advance S&T
recovery and sustained economic curriculum.
growth was highlighted; science and - The government provided 3,500
technology was one of the top three scholarships for students who were
priorities of the government towards taking up professions related to S&T.
economic recovery. - Magna Carta for Science and
- January 30, 1987 (Executive Order Technology Personnel (Republic Act No.
128)—functions and responsibilities of 8439) - Priority for S&T personnel
DOST expanded with the agency’s increased; give incentives and rewards
elevation to full cabinet stature: (1) for people who have been influential in
Pursue the declared state policy of the field of S&T.
supporting local scientific and - “Science and Technology Agenda for
technological effort; (2) Develop local National Development (STAND)” –
capability to achieve technological established by DOST; identified seven
self-reliance; (3) Encourage greater export products, 11 domestic needs,
private sector participation in research three other supporting industries, and
and development. the coconut industry as priority
- funding for the science and technology investment areas.
sector was tripled from 464 million in - Seven Export Products - computer
1986 to 1.7 billion in 1992. software; fashion accessories; gifts, toys,
- Department of Science and Technology and houseware; marine products; metal
(DOST) - premiere science and fabrications; furniture; and dried fruits.
- Eleven Domestic Needs - food, housing, other countries, and allows it to catch
health, clothing, transportation, up and even leap-frog obsolete
communication, disaster mitigation, technologies.
defense, environment, manpower
development, and energy.
- Three additional support industries - Hopes in Philippine Science and Technology
packaging, chemicals, and metals - Despite inadequacies there are science
(because of their linkages with the and technology-intensive research and
above sectors) capacity-building projects which
resulted in products which are currently
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Administration being used successfully and benefits the
- numerous laws and projects were society:
implemented which concerns both the - Micro Satellite – Diwata-1 (first micro
environment and science to push satellite) was launched into space on
technology as a tool to increase the April 2016.
country’s economic level. - Diwata 1 - designed, developed and
- help increase the productivity from assembled by Filipino researchers and
Science, Technology and Innovations engineers under the guidance of
(STI) and help benefit the poor people. Japanese experts.
- Filipinnovation - coined term used in - Diwata (deity in English) Satellite -
helping the Philippines to be an provides real-time, high-resolution and
innovation hub in Asia. multi-color infrared images for various
- STI was developed further by applications, including meteorological
strengthening the schools and imaging, crop and ocean productivity
education system such as the Philippine measurement and high-resolution
Science High School (PSHS) - focuses in imaging of natural and man-made
science, technology and mathematics features; enables a more precise
in their curriculum. estimate of the country’s agricultural
- Private Sector - encouraged to production, provides images of
participate in developing the schools watersheds and floodplains for a better
through organizing events and understanding of water available for
sponsorships irrigation, power and domestic
consumption; provides accurate
Recent: information on any disturbance and
- Philippines ranked 73rd out of 128 degradation of forest and upland areas.
economies in terms of Science and - Nationwide Operational Assessment
Technology and Innovation (STI) index, Hazards (NOAH) - uses the Lidar (light
citing the country’s strength in research detection and ranging) technology.
and commercialization of STI ideas - Project NOAH – initiated in June 2012 to
- study by the Philippine Institute for help manage risks associated with
Development Studies - highlighted the natural hazards and disasters; helps the
weak ties between innovation-driven government in providing timely warning
firms and the government, and it also with a lead time of at least six hours in
identified the country’s low expenditure the wake of impending floods.
in research and development (R&D). - The country is now training the
- government is now extending all its Cambodians on this technology, as part
efforts to reach out with the private of the partnerships among ASEAN
sector, explaining that STI plays an countries, just like in the case of Japan
important role in economic and social which assisted the country’s scientists
progress and is a key drive for a long- and engineers in building its first micro-
term growth of an economy satellite.
- Technology Adoption - allows a - Intelligent Operation Center Platform -
country’s firms and citizens to benefit Established through a collaboration
from innovations created in other between the local government of
countries, and allows it to catch up and Davao City and IBM Philippines Inc.;
even leap-frog obsolete technologies; resulted in the creation of a dashboard
allows a country’s firms and citizens to that allows authorized government
benefit from innovations created in agencies, such as police, fire and anti-
 terrorism task force, to use analytics
software for monitoring events and
PARADIGM SHIFT
operations in real time.
Scientific Paradigm
- framework containing all the commonly
Current Initiatives in Science and Technology accepted views about a subject,
in the Country conventions about what direction
- DOST (in cooperation with HEIs and research should take and how it should
research institutions) - established be performed.
advanced facilities that seek to spur Thomas Kuhn
R&D activities and provide MSMEs - philosopher; suggested that a paradigm
access to testing services needed to includes “the practices that define a
increase their productivity and scientific discipline at a certain point in
competitive advantage. time."
Paradigms
- Advanced Device and Materials Testing
- contain all the distinct, established
Laboratories - houses advanced
patterns, theories, common methods
equipment for failure analysis and
and standards that allow us to
materials characterization to address
recognize an experimental result as
advanced analytical needs for quality
belonging to a field or not.
control, materials identification and
- Historically and culturally bound
R&D.
- Example: a modern Chinese medical
- Electronics Products Development
researcher with a background in
Center - used to design, develop and
eastern medicine, will operate within a
test hardware and software for
different paradigm than a western
electronic products.
doctor from the 1800s.
- High-performance computing facilities -
Science
perform tests and run computationally
- proceeds by accumulating support for
intensive applications for numerical
hypotheses which in time become
weather prediction, climate modeling,
models and theories.
as well as analytics and data modeling
- those models and theories themselves
and archiving.
exist within a larger theoretical
- Genome Center - a core facility that
framework.
combines basic and applied research Scientific “open resources”
for the development of health - scientists have adopted and which now
diagnostics, therapeutics, DNA forensics form part of the scientific paradigm.
and preventive products, and improved - Example: vocabulary and concepts in
crop varieties. Newton’s three laws or the central
- Drug-discovery facilities - address the dogma in biology
requirements for producing high-quality
and globally acceptable drug A paradigm dictates:
candidates. - what is observed and measured
- Nanotechnology Centers - provide - the questions we ask about those
technical services and enabling observations
environment for interdisciplinary and - how the questions are formulated
collaborative R&D in various - how the results are interpreted
nanotechnology applications. - how research is carried out
- Radiation processing facilities - used to - what equipment is appropriate
degrade, graft, or crosslink polymers,
monomers, or chemical compounds for Many students who opt to study science do so
industrial, agricultural, environmental with the belief that they are undertaking the
and medical applications. most rational path to learning about objective
- Die and Mold Solutions Center - reality. But science is subject to ideological
enhances the competitiveness of the idiosyncrasies, preconceptions and hidden
local tool and die sector through the assumptions.
localization of currently imported dies
and molds. Kuhn strongly suggested that research in a
deeply entrenched paradigm invariably ends
up reinforcing that paradigm, since anything
 that contradicts it is ignored or else pressed more or less a question of refinement. When
through the preset methods until it conforms to Einstein published his theories on General
already established dogma. Relativity, it was not just another idea that
could fit comfortably into the existing
The body of pre-existing evidence in a field paradigm. Instead, Newtonian Physics itself
conditions and shapes the collection and was relegated to being a special subclass of
interpretation of all subsequent evidence. The the greater paradigm ushered in by General
certainty that the current paradigm is reality Relativity. Newton’s three laws are still faithfully
itself is precisely what makes it so difficult to taught in schools, however we now operate
accept alternatives. within a paradigm that puts those laws into a
much broader context.
Paradigm Shift
- "The successive transition from one Interestingly, Kuhn’s theory itself was
paradigm to another via revolution is something of a game changer at the time,
the usual developmental pattern of since scientists were not accustomed to
mature science" (Kuhn, The Structure of thinking of what they were doing in such
Scientific Revolutions) metaphysical terms. Kuhn’s theories are today
understood to be part of a greater paradigm
The shift from one paradigm to another occurs shift in the social sciences, and have also been
when enough anomalies to the current modified since their original publication.
paradigm build up, causing scientists to
question the foundational principles upon Kuhn later conceded that the process
which their worldview rests. During “normal of scientific advancement might be more
science,” when the current paradigm is in gradual. For example, Relativity did not
place, these anomalies are discounted as completely prove Newton wrong, but merely
acceptable levels of error. However, during reframed his theory. Even the Copernican
“revolutionary science” or a paradigm shift, revolution was a little more gradual in
these anomalies become the center of replacing Ptolemy's beliefs.
attention as scientists attempt to construct a
new world view that incorporates and explains The concept of paradigm is closely
them. This period of intense focus on explaining related to the Platonic and Aristotelian views of
anomalies and developing a new paradigm is knowledge. Aristotle believed that knowledge
considered “revolutionary science,” and it is could only be based upon what is already
sparked by a “crisis” where the old paradigm known, the basis of the scientific method. Plato
fails explain key anomalies or outliers. Once a believed that knowledge should be judged by
new paradigm is developed, however, there is what something could become, the end result,
a return to “normal science” under the new or final purpose. Plato's philosophy is more like
worldview. the intuitive leaps that cause scientific
revolution; Aristotle's the patient gathering of
data.

An Example of Paradigm Shift

Many physicists in the 19th century were
convinced that the Newtonian paradigm that
had reigned for 200 years was the pinnacle of
discovery and that scientific progress was