World History of Science and Technology

What does STS stand for?

Science, Technology, and Society.

STS Defined as?

• An interdisciplinary field of academic teaching and research.

• It contains elements of a social movement.

• Its primary focus is the explication and analysis of science and technology as complex social constructs.

• These social constructs have attendant societal influences.

STS influences involved of:

• Epistemological questions

• Political questions

• Ethical questions

STS

science and technology as complex social constructs and examines their societal influences.

SCIENCE

The study of the natural world by systematic methods of observation and experiment.

TECHNOLOGY

The application of science to practical purposes.

SOCIETY

Uses those technologies.

History of Science and Technology in the World using three major categories:

1. Culture

2. Technology

3. Astronomy

Maya Civilization - Culture

• Religion structuring

• Mayans were known for measuring time using two complicated calendar systems.

• The calendar systems were very useful for their lives, particularly for:

  • planning activities

  • observing religious ritual

Maya Civilization - Technology

• Used tools and adapted them to innovation.

• Especially in the field of art.

Maya Civilization - Astronomy

• Advanced understanding of astronomy.

• They had an understanding of celestial bodies.

• The Mayan calendar was another important astronomical/cultural contribution.

The Mayan Calendar

consists of three separate corresponding calendars:

1. Long Count

2. Tzolkin

3. Haab

Tzolkin

Called the divine calendar

Haab

Called the civil calendar

Mayan Calendar

A certain number of days must occur before a new cycle can begin.

Inca Civilization - Culture

• Described as the “Navel of the world.”

• was a very advanced civilization.

• It was led by 13 Incas.

• The Incas were in charge of governing a people divided into social classes

Inca Civilization - Technology

• Made advanced scientific ideas considering limitations and old civilization.

• Roads paved with stone

• Stone buildings that surmounted earthquakes and other disasters.

• Irrigation system

• Techniques in storing water

• First suspension bridge

• Inca Textile

Quipu system - Inca

• system of knotted ropes

• used to keep records

• only experts could interpret them

Inca Civilization - Astronomy

• Calendar with 12 months

Aztec Civilization - Culture

• Mandatory education

• Invention of the canoe

Aztec Civilization - Techonology

Chinampa

Chinampa

A form of technology used for agricultural farming where the land was divided into rectangular areas surrounded by canals.

Aztec Civilization - Astronomy

Aztec Calendar

Olmec Civilization - Culture

They are called Rubber People

• Inhabited a small area about 125 by 50 kilometers.

• They developed the first written language and number system.

Olmec Civilization - Technology

• Made rubber balls for ritualistic ballgames.

• Built cities.

• Acquired great wealth.

• Produced artifacts such as:

  • jade masks

  • giant heads

Olmec Civilization - Astronomy

did not pay attention in astronomy.

China - Culture

One of the ancient civilizations with substantial contributions in many areas.

Areas of contribution

• Medicine

• Astronomy

• Science

• Mathematics

• Arts

• Philosophy

• Music

Confucianism

An ethical philosophical system developed from the teaching of early Chinese sage Confucius.

Confucianism

is an ancient Chinese belief system, which focuses on the importance of personal ethics and morality.

China — Technology

• Traditional medicine

• Tool and inventions (compass, papermaking, gunpowder, etc)

• Different models of bridges

• Seismological detector

• Dry dock facilities

China — Astronomy

They made significant records involving:

• Supernovas

• Lunar eclipses

• Solar eclipses

• Comets

They also used:

• Lunar calendar

• A seismo

India - Culture

• Tried to standardize the measurement of length to a high degree of accuracy.

• Designed a ruler called Mohenjodaro.

Aryabhata

as an astronomer and mathematician who introduced:

• Number of trigonometric functions

• Tables

• Techniques

• Algorithms of algebra

Brahmagupta

Gravity was a force of attraction.

INDIA - technology

• Manufacturing iron and metallurgical works.

• Their iron/steel was considered the best in the whole Roman Empire.

• India was also famous in medicine.

India — Astronomy

they developed theories concerning:

• Configuration of the universe

• The spherical supporting Earth

• A year of 360 days

• 12 equal parts

• 30 days each

Middle East - Culture

discusses the role of Arabic language and Muslim scientists.

• The common language is Arabic.

• They accessed texts from the Byzantine Empire.

• These helped create innovations and develop new ideas

Algebra - Middle East

is derived from al-jabr, the title of one of his publications, associated with what is known as the Arabic numerical system.

Middle East - Techonology

• Placed greater value on science experiments rather than plain thought experiments.

• Contributed to the development of scientific methods.

• Muslim chemists and alchemists played an important role in the foundation of chemistry.

Middle East - Astronomy

lists of significant stars:

• Aldebaran

• Altair

• Deneb

It also identifies astronomical terms such as:

• Alidade

• Azimuth

• Nadir

Africa/Egypt - Culture

Egyptians were described as being good in:

• Four fundamental mathematical operations

• Other mathematical skills

• Basic concepts of:

  • algebra

  • geometry

Lebombo bone - 35,000 BCE

• A tool for:

  • multiplication

  • division

  • simple mathematical calculation

• Or a six-month lunar calendar

• Considered the oldest known mathematical artifact

Egypt — Technology

• Africa is blessed with natural and mineral resources.

• Early science activities in Egypt were developed to improve the quality of life.

• Particularly important in:

  • building homes

  • building cities

• Egypt was also known as a center of alchemy.

• Alchemy is described as a medieval forerunner of chemistry.

Egypt — Astronomy

included three types of calendar:

1. Lunar

2. Solar

3. Stellar

Egyptian pyramids

Their structure was based on the constellation Orion's Belt.

Water management

Dams were used to divert water in the Nile River.

PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD - Culture

• Had an alphabet.

• Had a system of writing.

• Used writing as a method of:

  • counting

  • weights

  • measures

• Learned to:

  • weave cotton

  • make glass ornaments

  • cultivate lowland rice

  • Rice fields of terraces

PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD - Technology

• Activities and practices related to science.

• Formation of primitive or first wave of technology.

• They had knowledge of:

  • Curative values

  • Extracting medicine from herbs

Caracoa - Pre-Colonial Period

boat used for trading purposes.

PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD -Astronomy

• Had no calendar.

• Counted the years by:

  • period of the moon

  • one harvest to another

It gives the term:

Baybayin buan

COLONIAL PERIOD - Culture

They introduced:

• Formal education

• Schools founded/established by scientific institutions.

• Education involving:

  • religion

  • reading

  • writing

    • arithmetic

The Spanish established:

• Colleges

• Universities

COLONIAL PERIOD - Technology

In 1871, the school of medicine and pharmacy were opened to UST.

Science was inclined toward:

• Agriculture

• Food processing

COLONIAL PERIOD - Astronomy

Accounts by Spanish friars in the 1580s showed that:

• Astronomy was already known.

• Astronomy was already practiced.

Moroporo

Local name for the Pleiades

Balatik

Local name for Ursa Major

1580s

Spanish friars' accounts showing astronomy was already known and practiced

1871

School of medicine and pharmacy opened to UST

MODERN PERIOD - Culture

• Education became stable.

• New curricula were established and used.

• Modern Filipino culture developed through influence from:

  • Chinese traders

  • Spanish conquistadors

  • American rulers

• Filipino people tend to be very hospitable, especially to western visitors.

MODERN PERIOD - Technology

Social innovations have played a central role in technological transformation.

• Technology can be applied to resolve social innovation challenges.

• The Philippines is looking to use this approach to solve urbanization challenges

MODERN PERIOD - Astronomy

• Accurate typhoon forecasts

• Scientific works in:

  • meteorology

  • geo-magnetism

  • astronomy

Paradigm Shift - Thomas Kuhn

not just a small modification to an existing scientific theory.

Instead, it:

• Wholly changes the scientific theory itself

• Radically modifies how the theory seeks to understand reality

THE THREE NOTABLE PARADIGM SHIFTS

• Copernican Revolution

• Darwinian Revolution

• Freudian Revolution

COPERNICAN REVOLUTION - 16th century

Key person: Nicolaus Copernicus

• the first time in the 16th century, Copernicus challenged the Ptolemaic model of the heavens

Old model: Geocentric

It described the cosmos as:

• Earth stationary

• Earth at the center of the universe

• Everything revolves around Earth

New model: Heliocentric

Copernicus proposed a model and It showed:

• The Sun as the center of the solar system

Reaction to Copernicus

• The Catholic Church was against him.

• His ideas did not prosper immediately.

• His books and Copernicus himself were denied by society.

Galileo Galilei

that centuries later the world began to acknowledge Copernicus's greatness through:

He is described as:

The man who picked up all Copernicus had left.

it concludes that:

The sun stands out in the center of the solar system.

DARWINIAN REVOLUTION

Key person: Charles Darwin

• According to the Bible, God created the world and everything on it.

• Existing animal and plant species were thought to have been created in their final form at the time of Creation.

Fossils

Interest in ____ increased scientific awareness during Darwin's time.

Darwin focused on:

• Geological change

• Development over millions of years

Transmutation

was an acceptable scientific explanation of the geological past.

an important qualification is given:

He had not necessarily persuaded them that natural selection was the cause of it.

FREUDIAN REVOLUTION

Key person: Sigmund Freud

• as discovering a way of locating in the mind objective entities that could be studied like material things.

The unconscious realm

the mind's mode of operation had previously been:

• A subject of confusion

• A subject of debate in the scientific community

Freud was mostly responsible for elevating interpretations of human behavior to the rational ideas of:

• Reason

• Science