HISTORICAL
ANTECEDENTS IN THE
COURSE OF SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY
Jeford T. Apostol
Introduction


Science and technology are expected to sustain the
growth of the national economy and to improve its
efficiency.
In the past, technological progress made only a minor
contribution to the growth of national income, and this
should be changed. Nowadays, science and technology
have a profound effect on national and global economy.
Introduction



Also, difficult and complicated tasks are made easier and
people do more works with so little effort and time.
The developments in this field are brought about by
gradual improvements to earlier works from different time
periods.
The driving force behind this continuous progress is the
desire to raise the quality of life of the people.
Role of Science and Technology in a
Society

Science is knowledge about or study of the natural world
based on facts learned through experiments and observation.
 Technology is science or knowledge put into practical use to
solve problems or invent useful tools.
 Society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social
interaction, or a large social group sharing the same
geographical or social territory, typically subject to the same
political authority and dominant cultural expectations.
Role of Science and Technology in a
Society

Science is knowledge about or study of the natural world
based on facts learned through experiments and observation.
 Technology is science or knowledge put into practical use to
solve problems or invent useful tools.
 Society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social
interaction, or a large social group sharing the same
geographical or social territory, typically subject to the same
political authority and dominant cultural expectations.
Role of Science and Technology in a
Society

Science allows us to understand the world we live in and the
universe that surrounds us at a deeper level, whereas
technology improves our standard of living and opens up
new opportunities for exploration and communication that
we can take full advantage of.
 Science and technology can come together to help improve
our society - as can be seen with the creation of new
medicines and machines as a result of technical
developments based on scientific research.
Role of Science and Technology in a
Society

When the powers that science and technology gift us with
are abused, however, the consequences can be very
severe - and not always in a good way.
Some of the Role of Science and
Technology in a Society
●
●
●
1. Alter the way people live, connect, communicate and
transact, with profound effects on economic development.
2. Key drivers to development, because technological and
scientific revolutions underpin economic advances,
improvement in health systems, education and
infrastructure
3. Have the power to better the lives of poor people in
developing countries
Some of the Role of Science and
Technology in a Society
●
●
●
4. Engine of growth
5. Interventions for cognitive enhancement, proton cancer
therapy and genetic engineering
6. Differentiators between countries that are able to tackle
poverty effectively by growing and developing their
economies, and those that are not
How Scientific and Technological Development
Affect Society and the Environment
●
1. Science and technology have had a major impact on society,
and their impact is growing.
● 2. by making life easier, science has given man the chance to
pursue societal concerns such as ethics, aesthetics, education,
and justice; to create cultures; and to improve human
conditions.
● 3. Scientific development influences the way many individuals
in society think about themselves, others, and the environment.
The effect is neither entirely beneficial nor entirely detrimental.
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY IN
THE ANCIENT, MIDDLE AND MODERN TIMES
●
●
ANCIENT TIMES
In the ancient times, people were concerned with
transportation and navigation, communication and recordkeeping, mass production, security and protection, as well
as health, aesthetics, and architecture.
Science and Technology
Science
is knowledge about or study of the
natural world based on facts learned
through
experiments
and
observation
Technology
is science or knowledge put into
practical use to solve problems or
invent useful tools.
Society
is a group of individuals involved in
persistent social interaction, or a large social
group sharing the same geographical or social
territory, typically subject to the same political
authority and dominant cultural expectations.
STS IN ANCIENT, MIDDLE AND MODERN TIMES
1. Transportation
it was significant during that time because
people were trying to go places and discover
new horizons.They travel to search for food and
find better locations for their settlements.
2. COMMUNICATION
Communication was also essential in
their endeavors to discover and occupy new
places. They needed a way to communicate
with the natives of the areas they visited so as
to facilitate trade and prevent possible conflicts.
3. Weapons and Armors
Weapons and armors were important as
well in the discovery of new places or the
establishment of new alliances with other
tribes. At that time, there was always a risk
of conflict when people met others with
different culture and orientations.
4. ENGINEERING
inorder to integrate their needs- for better
transportation, establishment of structures
for protection from human attacks and
natural disasters, and construction of bigger
and stronger infrastructures.
5. ARCHITECTURE
architecture would be considered a
status symbol among nations of how
advanced their technology is. It may also
establish the identity of a nation.
SUMERIAN
CIVILIZATION
.
1. CUNEIFORM
is
a
system
of writing first developed
by
the
ancient Sumerians of Me
sopotamia c. 3500-3000
BCE.
2. THE GREAT ZIGGURAT OF UR
As the Mesopotamian gods
were commonly linked to the
eastern mountains, the ziggurat
may have functioned as a
representation of their homes.
Thus, the people of Ur believed
that their ziggurat was the place
on earth where Nanna chose to
dwell.
3. IRRIGATION AND DIKES
Some groups had scarce
water supply, while others had
problems with flooding caused
by the river. As a solution to
this dilemma, the Sumerians
created dikes and irrigation
canals to bring water to
farmlands and at the same
time control the flooding of the
rivers.
4. SAILBOATS
Sailboats
were
essential
in
transportation
and
trading as well in
fostering
culture,
information,
and
technology.
5.WHEELS
The first wheels were not
made for transportation but
for farm work and food
processes. With the use of
wheel and axle, mass
production was made easier.
Farmers were able to mill
grains with less effort in less
time.
6. PLOW
As the plow breaks the
ground, the farmer would just
drop the seeds and farm work
would already be done. With
this tool, farmers could
cultivate larger parcels of
land faster, enabling them to
mass produce food without
taking so much effort and
time.
7. ROADS
They made the roads with the
same technology they used in
making the sun-baked bricks that
they laid down on the ground. They
later poured bitumen, a black sticky
substance similar to asphalt, to
smoothen the roads. The invention
of roads was very useful especially
during the rainy season when
travelling in soft and muddy roads
proved to be too difficult.
BABYLONIAN
CIVILIZATION
.
HANGING GARDENS OF
BABYLONS
It was said to be a
structure made up of layers
of upon layers of gardens
that
contained
several
species of plants, trees,
and vines. According to
legends,
the
great
Babylonian
king
Nebuchadnezzar II built the
gardens for his wife Queen
Amytis.
EGYPTIAN
CIVILIZATION
.
1. PAPER OF
PAPYRUS
Papyrus was a plant that
grew abundantly along the Nile
River in Egypt. They were able
to process the plant in order to
produce thin sheets on which
one could write down things.
This invention was a major
accomplishment in Egyptian
record-keeping
and
communication.
2. Hieroglyphics
Hieroglyphics IS a system
of writing using symbols. It was
the language that tells the
modern world of the history and
culture
of
the
ancient
Egyptians. Their records were
well-preserved since they were
carved at the walls of pyramids
and other important Egyptian
structures.
3. WIG
During the ancient Egyptian
times, wigs were worn for health
and wellness rather than for
aesthetic purposes. The wigs
were used to protect the shaved
heads of the wealthy Egyptians
from the harmful rays of the sun.
Wearing a wig was better than
putting on a scarf or any other
head cover since a wig allowed
heat to escape.
4. Water Clock/
Clepsydra
This device utilizes
gravity that affects the flow
of water from one vessel
to the other. The amount
of water (or its height,
depending on the method
used) remaining in the
device determines how
much time has elapsed
since it is full
GREEK
CIVILIZATION
.
1. ALARM CLOCK
They made use of water (or sometimes small
stones or sand) that dropped into drums which
sounded the alarm. Plato was believed to have
utilized an alarm clock to signal the start of his
lecture. His version used four water vessels lined up
vertically. The upper vessel supplied the water which
dropped to the vessel below it, which was set to be
filled in a given time. After it was full, water was
siphoned off at a faster rate into the third vessel
which caused the expulsion of contained air, creating
a whistling noise. Afterwards, this vessel would
empty towards the bottom vessel for storage and
reuse.
2. WATER MILL
The watermill is a mill that uses
moving water as its power source it is a
structure that uses a water wheel
turbine to drive a mechanical process
such as milling, grinding, rolling or
hammering. Water mills use the flow of
water to turn a large waterwheel. A shaft
connected to the wheel axle is then
used to transmit the power from the
water through a system of gears and
cogs to work machinery, such as a
millstone to grind corn.
ROMAN
CIVILIZATION
.
1. Newspaper
One of the major contributions
of the Romans is the newspaper.
The first newspapers known as
gazettes, contained
announcements of the Roman
Empire to the people. Made
before the invention of paper,
these gazettes were engraved in
metal or stone tablets and then
publicly displayed.
1. Newspaper
When paper was invented, it
became easier for the Romans to
“publish” matters that needed
attention of the Roman citizens. In
fact, with the advent of paper,
minutes of the proceedings of the
Roman senate were done in
shorthand.
1. Newspaper
These documents were
edited and published on the
same day that they were
recorded. This way, the Romans
enjoyed easy access to
government information the
same way we benefit from
present-day newspapers.
2. Bound Books
or Codex
The first codices were made of
bound wax tablets, but these were
later replaced by animal skin
parchment that more clearly
resembled pages.
According to ancient historians
Julius Caesar created an early
version of a codex by stacking
pages of papyrus to form a
primitive notebook
3. ROMAN
ARCHITECTURE
The Romans were able to
adapt
new
building
and
engineering
technology
on
architectural
designs
established in the past. In this
manner, they were able to
preserve great and elaborate
architectural designs because
they could produce sturdier and
stronger infrastructures.
4. ROMAN
NUMERALS
The Romans devised their
own
number
system
specifically to address the
need for a standard counting
method that would meet their
increasing
communication
and trade concerns.
CHINESE
CIVILIZATION
.
1. SILK
Although silk is naturally
produced by silk worms, the
Chinese were the ones who
developed the technology to
harvest the silk and process
it to produce paper and
clothing.
Silk
production
resulted in the creation of a
product for trade.
2. TEA
PRODUCTION
Shen Nung named the
brew "ch'a", the Chinese
character meaning to check
or investigate.
2. TEA
PRODUCTION
The history of tea dates
back to ancient China,
almost 5,000 years ago.
According to legend, in 2732
B.C. Emperor Shen Nung
discovered tea when leaves
from a wild tree blew into his
pot of boiling water.
3. GREAT WALL
OF CHINA
The Great Wall was
originally conceived by
Emperor Qin Shi Huang
in the third century B.C.
as
a
means
of
preventing
incursions
from barbarian nomads.
3. GREAT WALL
OF CHINA
The Great Wall was
originally conceived by
Emperor Qin Shi Huang
in the third century B.C.
as
a
means
of
preventing
incursions
from barbarian nomads.
3. GREAT WALL
OF CHINA
The Great Wall of
China is an ancient
series of walls and
fortifications,
totaling
more than 13,000 miles
in length, located in
northern China.
3. GREAT WALL
OF CHINA
The best-known and
best-preserved section
of the Great Wall was
built in the 14th through
17th centuries A.D.,
during the Ming
dynasty.
3. GREAT WALL
OF CHINA
Though the Great Wall
never effectively
prevented invaders from
entering China, it came
to function as a
powerful symbol of
Chinese civilization’s
enduring strength.
4. GUNPOWDER
They mixed charcoal,
sulfur, and potassium
nitrate, but instead of
creating an elixir of life,
they accidentally invented
a black powder that could
actually generate large
amounts of heat and gas
in an instant.
4. GUNPOWDER
It was developed by
Chinese alchemists who
aimed to achieve
immortality.
Ironically, instead of
prolonging life, gunpowder
is widely used to propel
bullets from guns and
cannons which cause
countless deaths.
4. GUNPOWDER
On the other hand,
gunpowder is also used in
fireworks during important
celebrations in China.
MEDEIVAL/ MIDDLE
AGES
.
1. Printing
Press
Johann Gutenberg was
able to invent the printing press,
a more reliable way of printing
using a cast type. He utilized
wooden machines that extracted
juices from fruits, attached to
them a metal impression of the
letters, and pressed firmly the
cast metal into a piece of paper,
which then made an exact
impression on paper.
2. COMPOUND
MICROSCOPE
To develop the proper medicines
for
illnesses,
experts
must
understand the sickness through an
investigation. Thus, they needed a
device that could magnify things
invisible to the eye. Guided by the
principles used for the invention of
eyeglasses
in
earlier
years,
Zacharias Janssen was able to
develop
the
first
compound
microscope.
3.
TELESCOPE
The
invention
of
the
telescope, an optical instrument
that helps in the observation of
remote objects, was a great
help for navigators during this
time.
Together
with
the
telescope, the invention of the
compass, oars, and rudders
made sea travelling easier and
safer.
MODERN TIMES
.
1.
PASTEURIZATION
Louis
Pasteur,
a
French
biologist,
microbiologist,
and
chemist, found a way to
solve the problem. He
invented pasteurization,
the process of heating
dairy products to kill the
harmful bacteria that allow
them to spoil faster.
2. TELEPHONE
The more people get connected
by exploration, the more they
needed a way to easily maintain
these
connections
and
communicate with each other in
real time. Governments likewise
needed
some
kind
of
communication
system
which
would allow them to administer
their states well
3.
CALCULATOR
The creation of modern
calculators did not only
pave the way for easier
arithmetic calculations, but
also
resulted
in
the
development
of
more
complex
processing
machines
like
the
computer.
Philippine Inventions
.
1. Salamander
Amphibious Tricycle
Another
Filipino
innovation
is
the
addition of a sidecar to
a
motorcycle,
transforming it into a
tricycle
to
accommodate
more
passengers.
2. Salt Lamp
A young Filipina inventor
named Aisa Mijeno was able to
invent a lighting system that
utilizes a material abundant in the
Philippines-saltwater.
She
invented
the
Sustainable
Alternative Lighting (SALt) lamp,
an
environment-friendly
light
source that runs on saltwater. The
SALt lamp is safer as it poses no
risk of fire and emits no toxic
gases
3. Medical
Incubator
Dr. Fe del Mundo, a Filipino
pediatrician and the first Asian woman
admitted into Harvard Medical School,
devised a medical incubator made from
indigenous and cheap materials which did
not run on electricity. Dr.del Mundo’s
incubator was made by placing a native
laundry basket inside a bigger one. Hot
water bottles were inserted between the
baskets to provide warmth and a
makeshift hood to allow oxygen
circulation.
4. Mosquito Ovicidal/
Larvicidal Trap System
In 2010, the Department of
Science and Technology-Industrial
Technology
Department
Institute
(DOST-ITDI) was able to introduce
the Mosquito Ovicidal/Larvicidal Trap
System, also known as OL Trap. This
trap system is made of natural
ingredients that are lethal to
mosquitos but safe for humans and
the environment.
5. E-Jeepney
This modern type of
transportation
utilizes
electricity instead of the
more expensive diesel.
It
is
environmentfriendly since it does not
emit any smoke and
noise.
1. Give three other major scientific and technological
developments in the world (or in the Philippines) that
created a large impact on your daily life.
2. How did the developments in science and technology
shape human history?