Introduction to Science, Technology and Society (STS)
Science
• From the Latin word scientia, meaning knowledge.
• The framework of knowledge of the natural world learned through the scientific method.
• It leads to the creation of concepts, methods, principles, theories, laws and procedures which
seek to describe and explain nature and its phenomena.
• It can be defined as
✓ idea – includes idea theories and all available systematic explanations and observations about
the natural and physical world
✓ intellectual activity – involves systematic observation and experimentation
✓ body of knowledge – subject, discipline, the field of study that deals with the process of
learning about the natural and physical world
✓ personal and social activity – done by human beings to develop a better understanding of the
world around them.
Technology
• From the Greek word techne, meaning art, skill or cunning hand.
• It is the application of scientific expertise, laws and principles to the development of services,
products, instruments and machines built to solve real problems.
• It is a material product, the result of a scientific investigation.
• A complex system of expertise, skills, personnel, techniques, equipment, materials and
resources that are used and allocated to the production operation and manufacture of a new or
enhanced product, process or service.
Society
• Derived from the Latin word societas, it typically refers to individuals belonging to a
particular group.
• A community of people engaging with each other through persistent relationships, or a broad
social grouping occupying the same geographical or social territory, normally subject to the same
political authority and dominant cultural expectations.
• A complex of mutual relationship classes, communicating with each other, allowing human
organisms to carry on their life activities and helping each person, in association with their
fellows, to fulfil their wishes and fulfil their interests.
The Meaning of Science, Technology and Society
• The study of how social, political and cultural principles influence scientific research and
technological progress, and how they, in turn, impact society.
• Refers to the relationship of science and technology with the socio-cultural, political and
economic environments that form and shape them; concrete examples of scientific and
technological advances throughout human history.
• A relatively young field which brings together previously independent and older disciplines,
such as science history, science philosophy of science and sociology.
• As an academic field, STS according to Harvard University’s Kennedy School (2018), traces
its root to the interwar period and the start of the Cold War.
• The growth of STS as an academic field resulted from the realization that many schools today
do not really prepare students to respond to the challenges raised by science and technology in
the current term objectively, reflectively and proactively.
• As an interdisciplinary field, the advent of STS was the product of concerns about the
complex relationship of science and technology with different facets of society, which was seen
as a socially embedded community.
The Interactions Between Science, Technology and Society
Science is characterized as the systematic study of nature, of the material and physical world,
based on observation, experimentation and measurement, as well as the formulation of laws to
explain these facts in general terms. The analysis of information can be turned into a method,
which typically relies on the observation and checking of facts. The term science is used by
scientists, the curious seeker of answers to the unknown in a methodical and orderly manner.
Technology, on the other hand, refers to the body of structured science, instruments and devices
used by man to control his environment for the sake of his general good. It includes the adoption
of scientific knowledge or innovations to create and manufacture products and services that are
useful to man, thereby solving daily problems or promoting tiresome human activities. It is a
realistic problem-solving enterprise that is motivated by scientific discovery or social needs.
There is no question that our needs are numerous, and we must be motivated by the same scale.
Technology can be traced back historically to the beginning of time to be a man's journey to
better his way of life and quality of life.
Ten Emerging Ethical Dilemmas and Policy Issues in Science and
Technology (2020)
For the ninth consecutive year, Dr Jessica Baron, in collaboration with the John J. Reilly Center
for Science, Technology and Values at the University of Notre Dame, has released the annual list
of emerging ethical dilemmas and policy issues in science and technology for 2021
1. Battle for the Arctic -the race to create new technologies to explore commercial gains in the
Arctic.
2. Your Digital Twin -a virtual copy of the person that can be analyzed without his or her
presence.
3. MIT’s Version of “Inception” -a sleep-tracking device that can alter dreams by tracking
hypnagogia and then delivering audio cues based on incoming physiological data, at precise
times in the sleep cycle, to make dream direction possible.
4. Robot Abuse -humans all over the world have been caught mercilessly harming robots “for
fun.”
5. Stalkerware” Apps – commercially available software used to spy on another person via their
device and without their consent.
6. The Data Void Left by Search Engines -search engines spit out a small amount of information
during searching
7. Telemedicine -use of electronic information and telecommunication technology to get the
health care you need while practicing social distancing.
8. App Profits off Foreclosures -a “gig economy” app company developed Civil, a service that
contracts eviction crews to secure foreclosed residential properties.
9. Doom scrolling -the act of constantly consuming negative online content (or content that
makes you feel bad).
10. Facebook -Facebook has 2.45 billion monthly active users, has been involved in dozens of
ethics violations, and shows no signs of stopping in the foreseeable future.
References:
Aldea, K. I., Caronan, H. P., & Candido, B. (2018). Science, Technology and Society (OBE
Ready) (First). Books Atpb. Publishing Corp.
Quinto, E. M., & Nieva, A. D. (2019). Science, Technology and Society Outcome-Based Module
(1st ed.). B. C. Ofalia (Ed.). C&E Publishing.
Foundations of STI policy for sustainable and inclusive development. (2018). Technology and
Innovation Report 2018 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
Technology and Innovation Report (TIR), 53–82. https://doi.org/10.18356/3abd3198-en
ScienceDaily. Society. ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/society.htm.
Top 10 scientific technology challenges in 2021. (2020, December 15). News | Discovery &
Design in the Lab. https://www.laboratoryequipment.com/571215-Top-10-Scientific
Technology-Challenges-in-2021/
What is telemedicine? (2021, January 20). VSee. https://vsee.com/what-is-telemedicine/