Science, Technology, and Society (STS) Lecture Review

Flashcards covering the social, philosophical, and scientific dimensions of science and technology, including sociological perspectives and Heidegger's philosophy.

Caste System

An economic and social discrimination in place for centuries in India.

Innovation

The result of improvements in technology.

Culture

The ways in which people in specific societies are expected and are taught to behave; it differentiates one community from another.

Material Aspect of Culture

Objects produced as a result of technology, such as artifacts and tools.

Non-Material Aspect of Culture

The knowledge, processes, and functions involved in producing technology and utilizing objects in society.

Chemical Change

A change in phase, shape, form, color, or taste where new substances are formed.

Physical Change

A change in phase, shape, form, color, or taste where no additional new substances are formed.

Exothermic Reaction

A reaction that releases heat and becomes hotter than its surroundings.

Endothermic Reaction

A reaction that absorbs heat and becomes colder than its surroundings.

Surfactant

A substance like liquid soap or detergent used for impurity removal, containing both hydrophilic and hydrophobic parts.

Hydrophilic

A detergent or powder component that has an affinity for water.

Hydrophobic

A hydrocarbon chain that has no affinity for aqueous solvents.

Material Cause ($\text{causa materialis}$)

One of Heidegger's four causes that answers the question: 'What is the thing made of?'

Formal Cause ($\text{causa formalis}$)

One of Heidegger's four causes that answers the question: 'What is the shape/form of the thing?'

Efficient Cause ($\text{causa efficiens}$)

One of Heidegger's four causes that identifies who made the thing-ness (e.g., the silversmith for a silver chalice).

Final Cause ($\text{causa finalis}$)

One of Heidegger's four causes that answers the question: 'What is the thing made for?'

Society

An autonomous group of people interacting with others in a distinct geographic area and sharing a common culture.

Autonomous

Refers to the freedom of movement and speech.

Multicultural Society

A society that can have two or more cultures; the Philippines (PH) is cited as an example.

Regionalism

A political ideology that favors a specific region over a greater power or separation.

Technology (Social Dimension)

The processes of harnessing resources in order to respond to society's needs.

Science (Social Dimension)

The knowledge utilized to harness resources to meet society's needs.

Information

Facts provided or learned about something or someone.

Communication

The process of stating, receiving, and interpreting information.

Misinformation

False or inaccurate information resulting from getting the facts wrong.

Disinformation

False and misleading information that is specifically intended to deceive people.

Propaganda

Biased or misleading information used to promote a particular cause or doctrine.

Animal Agriculture Environmental Impact

A major driver of climate change, contributing to $18\%$ of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Issue

A topic for debate, discussion, or a problem that one might hope to solve.

Concern

Something that consists of doubt, anxiety, or worry.

Sociology

The scientific study of human society, social behavior, and the interactions that shape daily lives.

Symbolic Interactionism (SI)

A sociological perspective where specific objects are used as symbols with different meanings across societies and cultures.

Structural Functionalism (SF)

A perspective viewing society as a system of subsystems where a dysfunction in one leads to social problems.

Conflict Perspective (CP)

A perspective where society consists of two or more opposing entities with unequal power or beliefs, such as rich vs. poor.

Technological Somnambulism

A concept by Langdon Winner suggesting people 'sleepwalk' with technology, viewing it as a neutral tool man uses for a purpose.

Technological Determinism

The theory by Thorsten Veblen that technology is the driving force of culture and the determinant of history.

Social Construction of Technology

The theory by Wiebe Bijker and Trevor Pinch that social processes involving social groups produce new technology (Social Change causes Technology).

Anthropology

The study of humanity and social beings, including micro-level studies of behavior, environment, and culture.

Enframing ($\text{Ge-Stell}$)

According to Heidegger, the 'challenging-forth' essence of modern technology where humans and nature are regulated as standing reserves.

Poiesis

The 'bringing-forth' from nothing to something, associated with craftsmanship ($\text{techne}$) and the arts.

Biosphere

The part of the world that includes the atmosphere (air), hydrosphere (water), and lithosphere (land).

Ecosystem Services

The benefits provided to humans through the transformation of environmental resources into goods like clean water and food.

Provisioning Services

Ecosystem services that provide essential goods like herbal medicine, food, and water.

Carbon

The 4th most abundant element in the universe; it bonds easily with oxygen to form $\text{CO}_2$, the dominant greenhouse gas.

Inclined Plane

A simple machine consisting of a flat surface higher on one end, used by Egyptians to build pyramids.

Screw

A simple machine consisting of an inclined plane wound around a central cylinder.

Wedge

A simple machine made of two inclined planes joined back to back, used to split things.

First Class Lever

A lever where the fulcrum is between the effort and the load, such as scissors or crowbars.

Second Class Lever

A lever where the load is between the fulcrum and the effort, such as wheelbarrows or nutcrackers.

Third Class Lever

A lever where the effort is between the fulcrum and the load, such as tweezers or hammers.

Principle of Causality

Also known as the Law of Cause and Effect; the philosophical idea attributed to Plato that for every effect there is a cause.