Science, Technology, and Society (Modules 1–8)

Comprehensive practice flashcards covering all eight modules of the Science, Technology, and Society (STS) curriculum, including historical antecedents, intellectual revolutions, Heidegger's philosophy of technology, de-development, Aristotelian ethics, and modern technological dilemmas.

From which Latin word is the word "science" derived, and what does it mean?

It comes from the Latin word scientia, which means "Knowledge".

How does the transcript distinguish the core purposes of science and technology in their interactions?

Science explores for the purpose of knowing, while technology explores for the purpose of making something useful from that knowledge.

From which four entirely new sectors are the technological revolutions of the 21st century emerging?

Micro-processors, tele-communications, biotechnology, and nanotechnology.

What is the definition of Science, Technology, and Society (STS)?

The study of how society, politics, and culture affect scientific research and technological innovation, and how these, in turn, affect society, politics, and culture.

What is a historical antecedent in science and technology?

A precursor or earlier discovery, invention, idea, or social condition that came before and paved the way for modern science and technology.

What was the initial application of the wheel in the ancient period before it was adapted for transportation?

It was first used as a potter's wheel to shape clay into pots.

What specific agricultural function did the heavy plow perform during the Middle Ages?

It cut deep into dense, damp, or clay-rich soils, turning over the earth to bury weeds and bring fresh nutrients to the surface.

What problem was the Filipino invention known as the Salamander Amphibious Tricycle specifically designed to address?

Transportation in flood-prone areas, as it was designed to travel through flooded streets and bodies of water.

How does the Filipino innovation called the Salt Lamp generate light, and for whom was it designed?

It uses saltwater as part of its lighting system and was designed as an alternative light source for communities without reliable electricity.

What model did Thomas Kuhn introduce in $1962$ to explain how scientific knowledge evolves?

Kuhn's Cycle, which outlines the stages through which paradigm shifts occur.

In Kuhn's Cycle, what is the stage called when unexplained observations (anomalies) that do not fit the existing paradigm begin to emerge?

Model Drift.

What were the titles of Nicolaus Copernicus's $40$-page outline and his formal $1543$ treatise introducing heliocentrism?

The $40$-page outline was entitled Commentariolus, and the formalized $1543$ treatise was De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium (The Revolution of Celestial Spheres).

Which cosmological paradigm is illustrated in this diagram, featuring the Earth at the center of the celestial orbits?

The Geocentric Model (introduced by Ptolemy).

Who is the Polish astronomer and mathematician shown here who initiated the Copernican Revolution?

Nicolaus Copernicus (Nicholaus Copernicus).

What major book did Charles Darwin publish in $1859$, and what core mechanism of evolution did it introduce?

On the Origin of Species; it introduced the theory of evolution via natural selection, where only the fittest survive.

Who is the Austrian neurologist pictured here who developed the theory of psychoanalysis?

Sigmund Freud.

According to Sigmund Freud, what three conflicting elements compose human personality?

The id, ego, and superego.

What were the old and new paradigms associated with the Copernican, Darwinian, and Freudian revolutions?

Copernican: Earth-centered universe changed to Sun-centered universe; Darwinian: Fixed species changed to species evolving through natural selection; Freudian: Mainly conscious behavior changed to behavior influenced by the unconscious mind.

What agricultural introductions and higher-education milestone characterized the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines?

The introduction of new crops (tobacco, corn, coffee), agricultural techniques (plowing and irrigation), and the founding of the University of Santo Tomas.

What specific Philippine science and research institutions were established in the post-colonial period following World War II?

The Philippine Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), the Philippine Science High School (PSHS), and PCARRD.

Which government department was established as a result of the Science and Technology National Development Plan (STNDP) created in the $1970\text{s}$ in the Philippines?

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

In The Question Concerning Technology ($1977$), what two widely embraced definitions of technology does Martin Heidegger examine?

The Instrumental Definition (technology is a means to an end) and the Anthropological Definition (technology is a human activity).

How does Martin Heidegger fundamentally define the essence of technology?

As "A way of Revealing" (Entbergen), which is the process through which truth or reality comes out of concealment and becomes present and apparent.

What does Martin Heidegger mean by "enframing" (Gestell) in modern technology?

The process where technology encourages people to view nature, objects, and even human activities merely as standing-reserves or raw materials that can be measured, organized, controlled, and used.

Why does Martin Heidegger consider modern technology the "highest danger"?

Because humans risk interpreting themselves as raw materials and being constrained into a single, locked worldview that prevents deeper interpretations of reality.

What German phrase does Heidegger use to describe the path to avoiding enslavement by modern technology?

"der Wille zur Nicht-wollen", meaning "The will not to will".

What is the ancient Greek concept of poiesis, and what are its two distinct forms?

Poiesis is the "bringing forth" of something into presence; its two forms are External Influence (bringing forth caused by an outside agent/craft) and Natural Occurrence (bringing forth that happens naturally on its own).

Who is the economic anthropologist and author of The Divide ($2017$) and Less is More ($2020$) pictured here?

Jason Hickel.

According to Jason Hickel, what is the sustainable annual consumption threshold per person in global hectares?

$1.8\,\text{global hectares}$ (gha) annually.

What evidence does Jason Hickel cite to demonstrate that global economic growth has failed to eradicate poverty since $1980$?

While the global economy grew by $380\%$, the number of people living in poverty on less than $\$5$ a day increased by more than $1.1\,\text{billion}$.

What alternative development paradigm does economist Peter Edward advocate regarding rich and poor countries?

Rather than pushing poor countries to "catch up" with rich countries, rich countries should "catch down" to more appropriate and sustainable levels of development.

How does Aristotle define eudaimonia in the Nicomachean Ethics?

As the supreme good, meaning human flourishing or living well through virtue and reason, representing lifelong fulfillment achieved by acting in accordance with excellence.

In Aristotelian philosophy, what is arete, and what are its two distinct types?

Arete is excellence or the fulfillment of one's proper function; its two types are Intellectual Virtue (acquired through education and learning) and Moral Virtue (achieved through training and practice).

What is Aristotle's doctrine of the Golden Mean?

The principle that virtue is the mean or moderate behavior positioned between two extremes: deficiency and excess.

What is Hedonism, and from which Greek root is it derived?

A philosophical belief system derived from the Greek word hēdonē (meaning "pleasure"), which asserts that pleasure is the highest good and ultimate goal of life, while pain is the intrinsic evil to avoid.

What core tenets define the Hellenistic philosophy of Stoicism?

Self-control, rational thinking, and focusing exclusively on what an individual has the power to change.

What Greek root words form the basis of the word "Technology"?

Techne (meaning "art" or "craft") and logos (meaning "word" or "discourse").

What major ethical questions arise concerning the advancement of robotics and artificial autonomy?

Determining accountability when a robot causes harm, managing high autonomy without human oversight, and determining appropriate human treatment if robots develop consciousness or emotions.

What overarching human-value principle should govern technological development according to Module 8?

Technology should serve humanity rather than control it, respecting human dignity, freedom, human relationships, and fundamental rights.