 The basic tenets of Aristotle’s view are that

an organism has both “matter” & “form”.

STS FINALS
 Describes life in terms of unity, a composite
of both “matter” & “form”.
WHEN TECHNOLOGY & HUMANITY
1. MATTER could be:
CROSS
a) Biological material

 One dream that is still yet to be fulfilled  Such as what plants, animals, &
by advancements in technology is the humans consist of.
development of human-like & self-aware
b) Mechanical & electronic components
robots, often referred to as androids.
 However, as technology continues to  Which make up modern-day robots

develop & evolve exponentially, many

believe it is only a matter of time. If and
2. FORM - simply means whatever it is that
when truly “living” robots were to come
makes a human a human, a plant a plant, & an
about, one could foresee a slew of ethical
animal an animal
dilemmas developing.
 The term “robot” which refers  SOUL - A functioning unity that is
specifically to androids, is actually how essential to organism for it to be just
the term was first applied. that, living.
 The commonly accepted first used of the  DR. ROBERT GREENE explains
word was in 1920 in the form of a play Aristotle’s teaching that “the self-
written by Karel Capek. organization of living matter is based on
 The play was titled R.U.R (Rossum’s a substantial unity called the psyche or
Universal Robots) & it involved the soul.
development of artificial people.

 Aristotle’s view are that an organism has

 The overarching question that results is both “matter” & “form”.
what exactly these robots are.  It is embraced by the various religions
 Are they simply piles of electronics (most notably Roman Catholic Church).
running advanced algorithms, or are  LIFE FORM is made up of biological
they a new form of life? components
 What is living organism consists of?
MATERIALISM  The third form of life is HUMANS

 New life form is made up of machinery. - Since androids would likely to be more
 Organisms are made simply of various intertwined with humans, it would be more
types of “matter” intuitive to equate them.
 What does this have to do with
robotics?
 Humans should have the power to ROBOTICS & HUMANITY

develop new forms of life.

 A ROBOT is an actuated mechanism
 Everything in the universe is simply
material & the material interactions, programmable with 2 or more axes with a

nothing should be stopping us from degree of autonomy, moving within its

creating androids & recognizing
environment, to perform intended task.
them as just as valid a life form as
humans.  A PERSONAL SERVICE ROBOT or a

SERVICE ROBOT or PERSONAL USE is

a service robot for a non-commercial

If we accept the idea that androids
should be considered a new form of life though task, usually by laypersons.
made up of machinery rather than biological
 A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE ROBOT or
components, to what life forms equate them?
A SERVICE ROBOT FOR

PROFESSIONAL USE is a service robot

There 3 primary forms of life that are
used for a commercial task, usually
accepted by the modern world.
operated by a properly trained operator.

 The first is PLANT LIFE.

- are living organisms; they have no mind & In 1942, ISAAC ASIMOV introduced the
should not be the form of life to which androids
“Three Laws of Robotics”
are compared.

 The second form is ANIMAL LIFE 1. A robot may not injure a human being or

- cover a wide array forms from insects to dogs through inaction, allow a human being to come
to dolphins. If we consider androids to be
harm.
animals, they would have to be of the highest
sort.
2. A robot must obey any orders given to it  Imagine an army made up of both androids

by human beings, except where such orders & humans.

would conflict with First Law.  Should the android always give its life to

save a human’s life?

3. A robot must protect its own existence as
 Would human soldiers be willing to die for
long as protection does not conflict with the
android?
First or Second Law.

 Asimov’s law presuppose the human life

is of greater value than that of the  SOUTH KOREA is considered one of the

androids being developed. most high-tech countries in the world, &

they are leading the way in the

development of a robot code of ethics.

 If we work under the assumption that
 Known officially as the ROBOT ETHICS
androids should be considered just
CHARTER, it is being drawn up “to
below humans, Asimov’s law may hold
prevent human abuse of robots—and
true.
vice versa”

 It aims to define how people are to

 If we hold to the conclusion materialism properly interact with robots, in Stefan

(androids should be placed at or above the Lovgren’s words, “human control over

level of humans) robots & humans becoming addicted to

 Then, Asimov’s law will not be able to be robot interaction.”

applied.  The primary one in the charter being what

 How can it be that android should give its & how information is collected &

life for a human if an android has a right to distributed by robots.

life equal to that of human?

 (Conflict to Asimov’s law No.1 - A robot

 South Korea’s Robot Ethics Charter is
may not injure/harm a human being )
the beginning of a modern-day
 implementation of Asimov’s 3 Laws of  As these robots become more

Robotics. intelligent, it will become harder to

 MARK TILDEN, a robot designer, stating decide who is responsible if they injure

that the conundrums robots & humans face someone.

would result in more tragedy than  Is the designer to blame, or the user, or

utility. the robot itself?

 The root question around which all ethical

issues involving human-robot relations

The article “Is Google Making Us
revolve whether humans can peacefully
Stupid?” by Nicholas Carrs discusses the
exist with another intelligent species.
EFFECTS that the Internet:
 Society will never accept the idea that

androids are an equal or greater form of A. may be having effect on our ability to

life than humans. focus,

 HUMAN NATURE is prideful & human B. the difference in knowledge that we have
society as a whole could not handle not now &
being on top.
C. our reliance on the Internet

USING ROBOTS:
WHY DOES THE FUTURE NOT NEED US?
1. South Korea were drawing up a ethical
1. With the accelerating improvements of
code to prevent humans abusing robots, &
technology, computer scientists
vice versa
succeed in developing intelligent
2. Robot vacuum cleaners & lawn mowers machines that can do all things better
are already in many homes; than human beings.

3. Robotic toys are increasingly popular with 2. In that case presumably all work will be

children. done by machines

3. No human effort will be necessary

4. Human race might easily permit itself drift

into a position of such dependence on

5. No practical choice but to accept all of the

machine’s decisions.

6. As machines become more & more

intelligent, people will let machines make

more of decisions for them. Simply

because MACHINE-MADE DECISIONS

WILL BRING BETTER RESULTS

7. Machines will be in control of the ELITE

will have a greater control over the

masses

 “Superior robots would surely affect

humans”.

 A textbook on dystopia & Moravec,

discuss how our main job in the 21st

century will be “ensuring continued

cooperation from the robot industries” by

passing laws decreeing that they be

“nice”& describing how seriously

dangerous a human can be once

transformed into an unbounded super

intelligent robot.
 JOHANNES GUTENBERG

STS FINALS
 It was German craftsman by the name

of Johannes Gutenberg, who invented

INFORMATION AGE
the printing press.

 The information age started when

INFORMATION
the Gutenberg era was 1st
 Knowledge communicated or
obtained concerning a specific fact established by Johannes Gutenberg.

or circumstances (Webster’s  He was responsible for shaping the

Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary)
nature of society and its institutions
 Facts provided or learned about
something or someone throughout the period. This was

called the GUTENBERG PRINCIPLE.

INFORMATION AGE

 The information age is historical

THE PRE-GUTENBERG ERA
period that begin in the late 20th
century, characterized by a rapid  During the time when printing press was
epochal shift from the traditional
not yet available, information could be
industry to an economy based on
information computerization. processed in a tedious manner.

 The age of information is also known as  Books were written and produced by
the age of computer, the digital or
hand.
digitized age, and media age
 Before the rise of computer,  They were made in surfaces of clay, wax,

information was disseminated using papyrus and parchment.

print out materials.
 Information was only relayed to other
 MOVABLE TYPE PRINTING was
introduced in Europe and established through a word-of-mouth channels.

in Gutenberg Era, and the start of the  The hand-produced books and other
massive distribution of information.
reading materials were stricted only to

those people who can afford to buy

these materials, called as the ELITE

GROUP OF PEOPLE
 Most books in this era are handwritten.  Traditional media (newspaper, books,

Audio CD, Video CD, News channels,

personal banking etc.)

THE GUTENBERG REVOLUTION

 It begun with the introduction of printing,

THE POST-GUTENBERG WORLD
specifically the movable printing press,

by Gutenberg.  AGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

 Gutenberg principle existed in such a  Invention of computer and internet

way that the information could be passed  This era can be described as the

on to every individual, but the access emergence of the internet and the World

was expensive. Wide Web.

 Books printed using presses in the  This paved the way to the possible

beginning of Gutenberg era called uploading and downloading of all forms

INCUNABULA (meaning, “cradle or of media instruments such as video,

birthplace”) audio, and images.

 Later, the Gutenberg printing technology  It enabled people to publish or spread the

spreads in Italy, Paris and London. information

 Most of the books that was first printed  Broadband Internet access – made

were that of religious texts of the possible and the video presentation and

medieval period. researches became readily available

 At first, the book were written in Latin but

as the time passed by, books were written

THE INTERNET
in local language.

 Rise of information mediation THE INTERNET

institutions (news, bank, music  Created by Vinton Cerf and Robert

industries) Kahn in California, United State in the

late 1960’s.
  The INTERNET is the global system of  FACEBOOK is a social networking

interconnected computer networks and website where people could contact

devices. one another and meet on line to share

 Used by scientist to communicate with each other’s ideas, data, photos, &

other scientists. videos.

 It can also an avenue to transact

business & could be a source of games.

World Wide Web (WWW)

 Discovered by Sir Tim Berners-Lee

YOUTUBE
 Started in 1900s or commercial

purposes  YouTube is the latest online

destination & the third most visited

website.
E-MAIL
 Founded by Steve Chen, Chad

 The discovery of E-mail was Hurley, and Jawed Karim.

controversially claimed by V.A. Shiva  YouTube allow users to upload, view,

Ayyadurai, he started building the rate, share, report, and comment on

system in 1978 when he was 14 years videos, and subscribe to other users.

old.  YouTube offers extra income to all.

 The copyright for the team E-mail was Content creators/Youtubers get paid
granted to him in 1982. from Google AdSense, a program

which targets ads according to site

content & audience.

FACEBOOK

 Facebook by Mark Zuckerberg

together with his fellow students in GOOGLE

Harvard College & other roommates  Developed by Larry Page & Sergey

 It was launched in February 4, 2004. Brin as research project in September

 1996 while they were both PhD TWITTER

students in Stanford University.

 Created by Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass,
 The Domain google.com was
Biz Stone & Evan William in March
registered in September 15, 1997.
2006.
 Google indexes billions web pages to
 TWITTER is another networking
allow users to search for information
website for news, entertainment,
they desire using keywords and
sports, politics, & more.
operators
 Twitter different from other social media
 YAHOO from Japan is one of the great
sites because it has emphasis on real-
competitors
time information & for its 280 characters

to post long messages.

INSTAGRAM

 The Top 2 Social media sites in 2019 TIKTOK

next to Facebook & followed by

 With over 500 million users worldwide,
twitter.
Tiktok ranked 10th on the most
 Created by Kevin Systrom & Mike
popular social media sites in 2019.
Krieger in October 2010.
 Users can record videos up to 60
 It is a photo & video social media
seconds, edit them, & add music &
application that allows users to
special effect making them as the most
share a wide range of content such
downloaded app in the first quarter
as photos, videos, stories, & live
of 2018.
videos.
 It is a Chinese video-sharing social

networking service owned by

ByteDance.
INFORMATION ANXIETY can advertise your products and

services.
 Human cost of information overload

 In the words of RICHARD SAUL

WURMAN, the author of the book

3. The use of the internet stimulates education.
“Information Anxiety”, it is produced by
 Through videos, learning games, and
the ever-widening gap between what
images. Teachers can show students
we understand and what we think we
colorful and stimulating examples of the
should understand.
material they are trying to teach.
 It is the black hole between data and
Students can now access video
knowledge, and what happens when
tutorials and other resources through
information doesn’t tell us what we
the internet. It enables students to
want or need to know.
attend classes from any location with

the use of gadgets and internet.

INFORMATION AGE IMPACT

1. People learn new languages easier and

DISADVANTAGE OF TECHNOLOGY
many books has been translated into
1. TECHNOLOGICAL DIVIDE
different languages.
 It is the inability of all to have equal
Example: ELSA SPEAK (App)
access to technology in order to

experience learning.

2. The information age stimulates business  The gap between those who have

thus, this period becomes the Age of access to the internet and related

Entrepreneurship technologies, and those who do not.

 In an online business you can sell

products at the affordable rate, and

doesn’t need a physical store. Also, you

2. CYBERBULLYING 7. ONLINE GAMBLING means a game

played over the Internet or mobile devices

 Includes sending posting, or sharing
characterized by players using real money to
negative, harmful, false, or mean
play virtual gambling games (e.g. bingo, slots
content about someone else.
& casino games) whereby players bet real

money.
3. HACKING

 Refers to the activities that seek to

8. CYBERSICKNESS
compromise digital devices such as
 It is a relatively common unwanted side
computer, smartphones, tablets, and
effect of immerse interfaces that
even entire networks.
causes a broad range of unpleasant

symptoms such as nausea, headaches,

4. Over-reliance on Technology and AI can disorientation, & tiredness.

make us lazy  More serious symptoms, such as

postural instability, although less

common, can also result from

5. PORNOGRAPHY
prolonged exposure to virtual
 PORNOGRAPHY is the representation
interfaces.
of sexual behavior in books, pictures,

statues, films, and other media that is

intended to cause sexual excitement.

(- Encyclopedia Britannica)

6. Technology changes the way children

think
 things, which is beginning to reduce at

a steady rate as we plan human

STS FINALS
activities that are reduced by habitat

destruction.
BIODIVERSITY & THE HEALTHY SOCIETY

BIODIVERSITY HAS A NUMBER OF

BIODIVERSITY
FUNCTIONS ON THE EARTH:
 BIO – means “LIFE”
1. MAINTAINING BALANCE OF THE
 DIVERSITY – means “VARIETY”
ECOSYSTEM:
 Number and variety of species living in

an area  recycling & storage of the nutrients

 Biodiversity or biological  Combating pollution

biodiversity is term that describes the  Stabilizing climate

variety of living beings on earth.  Protecting water resources

 It encompasses microorganisms,  Forming & protecting soil

plants, animals & ecosystems such  Maintaining ecobalance

as coral reefs, forests, rainforests,

deserts, etc.
THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY
 It also refers to the no. or abundance

of different species living within a  HABITAT LOSS AND DESTRUCTION --

particular region. usually as a direct result of human activity

 It represents the wealth of biological & population growth, is a major force in the

resources available to us. loss of species, populations, &

 It represents the wealth of biological ecosystems.

resources available to us.  NATURE IMBALANCE – any disruption in

 It is all about sustaining the natural the cycle (Example: another process that

area made up of the community of can be disrupted is the interaction within

plants, animals, & all other living the food web), Deforestation caused
 moving away of predators: PREY  But human use 40,000 species for

POPULATION INCREACE food, clothing & shelter.

B) BIODIVERSITY & HUMAN HEALTH

2. PROVISION OF BIOLOGICAL
 Biodiversity also plays an important
RESOURCES
role in drug discovery & medicinal
 Provision of medicines and
resources.
pharmaceuticals
 Medicines from nature account for
 Food for the human population and
usage by 80% of the world’s
animals
population.
 Ornamental plants

 Wood products

 Breed stock and diversity of species C) BIODIVERSITY & INDUSTRY

 Biological sources provide many

industrial materials.
3. SOCIAL BENEFITS
 These include fiber, oil, dyes, rubber,
 Recreation and tourism
water, timber, paper & food.
 Culture value

 Education and research

D) BIODIVERSITY & CULTURE

 Biodiversity enhances recreational

The role of biodiversity in the following areas:
activities, like bird watching, fishing,
A) BIODIVERSITY & FOOD
trekking

 80% of human food supply comes

from 20 kinds of plants.

Sudden & gradual changes to biodiversity

can have severe & unpredictable effects on

the health of all living things.

 For example: clearing land for agricultural also called genetic engineering (GE) or

or residential purposes genetic modification (GM).

 Because this process involves the transfer

of genes, GMOs are also known as

A) Can bring people into closer contact with
‘transgenic’ organisms.
wildlife that may transmit diseases to humans
 Agricultural plants are one of the most
& from humans to animals
frequently cited examples of genetically

B) It may also reduce populations of modified organisms (GMOs).

predators

C) Loss of plants & all other organisms useful

GENETIC ENGINEERING PRODUCTS
in medical research or that may contain
GENE FOR MAKING INSULIN
substances used as medicines

 People with diabetes no longer creates

insulin (hormone that process sugar) in

GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS,
the pancreas.
OR GMOs
 Inserting a human insulin genes to a

 Genetically modified organisms, or bacteria can make it produce the said

GMOs are any living thing that has had hormone for us.
its genetic material altered in some way

through human interference.

VACCINE PRODUCTION
 GMOs undergo a form of gene therapy

under laboratory conditions whereby  Vaccines are created by system taking

segments of DNA are spliced, a piece of genetic material of the

rearranged, or removed altogether. infection (fungi, virus, bacteria) so they

 It is a result of a laboratory process can be bought by our immune system.

where genes from the DNA of one genes  Recombinant engineered vaccines are

are extracted & artificially inserted into being extensively explored, especially

the genes of unrelated plant or animal

 to eradicate infectious diseases,  It has the genes of Bacillus thuringiensis

allergies, & cancers bacterium regarding resistance to different

pests & elements.

 BT produces crystal proteins which are

GENE THERAPY
toxic to crop pests such as horn worms

 An experimental technique by genetic

engineers & medical professionals to

D) Enhanced nutrient composition &
introduce genes to treat & prevent
quality
diseases

For example: Golden Rice

 Debated product, Golden rice is beta-

Genetically modified organisms, or GMOs
carotene (Vitamin A) enriched & was
Some benefits of genetic
used to promote vitamin deficiency to
engineering in agriculture are:
the children of the Philippines
A) Increased crops yields,  Genetic engineers’ isolated genes

B) Reduced need for pesticides, & (portion of the DNA) that encode

enzymes for beta-carotene from

C) Resistance to pests & disease,
daffodil flower added them to the rice.
greater food security,
In this way beta-carotene, a precursor
 BT eggplant is now available in the market
to Vitamin A has been synthesized.
& it is first GMO project of the Philippine

genetic engineers. It displayed high levels

of resistance to pests & can make farmers DELAYED RIPENING TOMATO

save money from pesticides & earn more  One of the first GMO’s in the country

from its higher yield. because of our large demand on

 A common GMO around the world, BT sauces & ketchup. These tomato

Corn is herbicide resistant & also insect varieties have extended shelf life.

resistant.
  They also contain a gene that slows

the softening process that

accompanies ripening, making them

flavorful & last longer in shipping

THE RISKS OF GENETIC ENGINEERING

POTENTIAL DISEASES
RISKS & CONTROVERSIES

SURROUNDING THE USE OF GMOs  One of the biggest concerns of protesters

is the idea of Gene Transfer in which the

 Despite the fact that the genes being
genes that are modified on the GMO’s will
transferred occur naturally in species,
absorbed & transferred to human genes,
there are unknown consequences to
altering their genetic make-up.
altering the natural state of an organism
 Although the probability of transfer is low,
through foreign gene expression.
the use of gene transfer technology that
 Alteration can change the organism’s
does not involve risky genes is
metabolism, growth rate, &/or response to
encouraged.
external environmental factors.

 Potential health risks to humans include

the possibility of exposure to new HE JIANKUI - the scientist modified a key in

allergens in genetically modified foods, as the embryo of twin baby girls ‘Lulu’ and ‘Nana’
well as the transfer of anti-biotic-
 He has FORGED ethical review
resistant genes to gut flora
documents
 Mycotoxins are carcinogens and they can

lead to liver cancer.

 BT in crops – thousands of times more THE RISKS OF GENETIC ENGINEERING

concentrated than the spray, designed to

ETHICAL CONCERNS
be more toxic, and has properties of a
 The ethical issues surrounding GMOs
known allergen.
include debate over our right to “play
 God,” as well as the introduction of

foreign material into foods that are

abstained for religious reasons.

 Also there has been a major arguments

whether or not GMO’s are a necessity

to sustain the food supply & contribute

to environmental impacts.