L1 INTRODUCTION TO SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY

Science

• Comes from the Latin word, ‘scientia’ meaning

‘knowledge’

a systematic and methodical

activity of building and organizing

knowledge about how the universe

behaves through either observation or

experimentation or both

Science

According to the

famous American

science historian John

Heilbron (2003, p.

vii), “modern

science is a

discovery as well

as an invention.”

Technology

• the application of scientific

  knowledge, laws, and principles

  to produce services, materials,

  tools, and machines aimed at

  solving real-world problems

• comes from the

  Greek root word,

  technē, meaning ‘art,

  skill, or cunning of

  hand’

Science and technology

have an interactive relationship

with each other. Difficult and complicated tasks are

made easier with science and technology

This allows people to do more with less effort and time.

The driving force behind this continuous progress is the

desire to raise the quality of life of the people.

MARK ZUCKERBERG’S

DEFINITION OF

TECHNOLOGY

“What defines a technological

tool — one historical

definition — is something that

takes a human’s sense or

ability and augments it and

makes it more powerful. So,

for example, I wear contact

lenses or glasses; that is a

technology that enhances my

human ability of vision and

makes it better.”

CHALLENGES AND DOWNSIDES OF

S&T

“We live in a society absolutely dependent on

science and technology and yet have cleverly

arranged things so that almost no one

understands science and technology. That’s a

clear prescription for disaster.” -popular

American scientist Carl Sagan quoted in Tom

Head’s (1994) book

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND

SOCIETY

traces its roots during the interwar period and into the start of the Cold War

resulted from a recognition that many schools today do not really prepare students to respond critically, reflectively, and proactively to the challenges of the contemporary

world, in this case S&T

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND

SOCIETY

result of questions about its dynamic interaction with various aspects of society and was thus viewed as a socially embedded enterprise

seeks to bridge the gap between two traditionally exclusive cultures of humanities

(interpretive) and natural sciences (rational)

LEWIS WOLPERT’S (2005) THE

MEDAWAR LECTURE 1998 IS

SCIENCE DANGEROUS?

“In contrast to technology, reliable scientific knowledge is

value-free and has no moral or ethical value” (p. 1254)

‘SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE SCIENCE’

IS MORE THAN ‘GOOD SCIENCE’

(BIRD, 2014).

• accurate and reliable research

• oppose misuse or abuse in the application

of research findings

• attend to both the limitations and the

foreseeable impacts of their work

• participate in discussions and decisions

regarding the appropriate use of science

in addressing societal issues and concerns

• bring their specialized knowledge and

expertise to activities and discussions that

promote the education of students and

fellow citizens

• enhance and facilitate informed decision

making and democracy

2020’s ten

emerging ethical

dilemmas and

policy issues in S&T

1. The Pseudoscience of

   Skincare

2. AI and Gamification

   in Hiring

3. . Predatory Journals

4. The HARPA

   SAFEHOME Proposal

5. Class Dojo and

   Classroom Surveillance

6. Grinch Bots

7. Project Nightingale

8. Student Tracking

   Software

9. The Corruption of

   Tech Ethics

10. Deep Fakes

these advancements come ethical dilemmas that challenge our

values and principles.

1. Artificial Intelligence and Automation

2. Genetic Engineering and CRISPR

3. Data Privacy and Surveillance

4. Biotechnology and Bioethics

5. Climate Change and Geoengineering

6. Cybersecurity and Ethical Hacking

7. Autonomous Weapons and Robotics

8. Quantum Computing and Cryptography

9. Brain-Computer Interfaces and Neuroethics

10. Space Exploration and Planetary Protection

TOP 10 ETHICAL

DILEMMAS IN SCIENCE

AND TECHNOLOGY 2025