Introduction to Science, Technology and Society (STS)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and thinkers from the lecture on Science, Technology, and Society (STS).

Science

A systematic, evidence-based approach to understanding the natural and social world through observation, experimentation, and logical reasoning.

Technology

The application of scientific knowledge to create tools, processes, or systems that solve practical problems and improve human life.

Scientific Method

The structured process of asking questions, forming hypotheses, collecting empirical data, and drawing conclusions.

Objective (Science)

Quality of being based on empirical evidence and free from personal bias.

Systematic (Science)

Characteristic of following an organized, step-by-step method of inquiry.

Explanatory (Science)

Aimed at revealing causes and natural laws behind observed phenomena.

Evolving (Science)

Capacity of scientific knowledge to change as new evidence emerges.

Applied Technology

Branch of technology focused on practical use and real-world implementation.

Innovative Technology

Technology that creates or improves tools, machines, or methods in novel ways.

Solution-Oriented Technology

Technological development designed expressly to meet needs or solve real-world problems.

Gravitational Acceleration

The constant 9.8 m/s² acceleration experienced by falling objects near Earth due to gravity.

Microscope

Instrument whose invention allowed observation of microorganisms, revolutionizing biology and medicine.

Science, Technology, and Society (STS)

Interdisciplinary field that studies how science and technology interact with social, political, economic, and cultural forces.

Francis Bacon

Early thinker who advocated using science to improve society.

Karl Marx

Philosopher who analyzed how industrial technology affects labor and economic systems.

Max Weber

Sociologist who explored links among science, rationality, and bureaucracy.

Nuclear Weapons

Technological products of nuclear physics whose devastation in Hiroshima and Nagasaki spurred ethical debates.

Space Race

Cold War competition driving rapid scientific and technological advancement between nations.

Civil Rights Movement (STS context)

Social movement that demanded more inclusive and ethical approaches to science and technology.

Thomas Kuhn

Author who argued science is shaped by paradigms in ‘The Structure of Scientific Revolutions.’

The Structure of Scientific Revolutions

1962 work asserting that scientific progress occurs through paradigm shifts influenced by social factors.

Rachel Carson

Author of ‘Silent Spring,’ which exposed environmental consequences of pesticide use.

Silent Spring

1962 book linking pesticide science to public-health and environmental concerns, fueling modern environmentalism.

Paradigm

Dominant framework of theories and practices guiding scientific research at a given time.

Dual Nature of Scientific Knowledge

Concept that science itself is neutral, yet its applications can yield both beneficial and harmful outcomes.

Beneficial Science

Applications such as vaccines, renewable energy, and agricultural innovations that improve human well-being.

Dangerous Applications of Science

Outcomes like atomic bombs, chemical weapons, and environmental degradation resulting from scientific advances.