STS - Lecture notes 1

Science, Technology, and Society (Technological Institute of the Philippines)

PRELIMS ➢ Telescope to –see far & wide for them to navigate or to
avoid dangers at sea
Ancient Times – people were concerned with Transportation, ➢ War weapons – offensive & defensive instruments
CommunicationMass
, Production , and Weapons & Armors.
Modern Times
• Sumerian Civilization – Mesopotamia
➢ Cuneiform – the first writing system; word pictures & ➢ Pasteurization – Louis Pasteur ; the process of heating
triangular symbols dairy products to kill the harmful bacteria that allow them
➢ Uruk City – the first true city; made of mud or clay from to spoil faster
the river ➢ Petroleum Refinery – Samuel M. Kier ; kerosene to
➢ The Great Ziggurat of Ur – “mountain of god”; sacred provide lighting to homes; “ illuminating oil ”
place of their chief god, only priests are allowed to enter ➢ Telephone – Alexander Graham Bell ; to easily maintain
➢ Dikes & Irrigation – to produce water & control the connections & communicate with each other
flooding ➢ Calculator – a faster way to compute more complicated
➢ Sailboats – mode of transportation equations
➢ Wheel – for farm work & food processes; mass production
Philippine Inventions
was made easier
➢ The Plow – farm technology to dig the ground faster where ➢ Salamander Amphibious Tricycle – Dominic Chung,
seeds would be planted Lamberto Armada, Victor Llave ; an amphibious tricycle
➢ Roads – for faster & easier travel that can cross flooded streets, rivers, & lakes
• Babylonian Civilization – Tigris & Euphrates Rivers ➢ Salt Lamp – Aisa Mijeno ; Sustainable Alternative
➢ Hanging gardens of Babylon – one of the 7 wonders of Lighting (SALt) lam that runs on saltwater
the world; built by King Nebuchadnezzar for Queen ➢ Medical Incubator – Dr. Fe Del Mundo ; made from
Amytis indigenous & cheap materials which didn’t run on
• Egyptian Civilization – North Africa electricity; maintain conditions suitable for a newborn
➢ Paper/Papyrus – to make writing easier for the world ➢ Mosquito Ovicidal/Larvicidal Trap System – DOST-
➢ Ink – to be used in writing ITDI
➢ Hieroglyphics – a system of writing using symbols ➢ EJeepney – electric jeepney that utilizes electricity instead
➢ Cosmetics – for health & aesthetic reasons; Kohl for eyes of diesel
to prevent & cure diseases
➢ Wig – for health & wellness; to protect the shaved heads Intellectual Revolutions
from the harmful rays of the sun
• Copernican Revolution
➢ Water Clock/Clepsydra – time keeping device
➢ Geocentrism – Claudius Ptolemy ; the center of the Solar
• Greek Civilization – Greece, Europe
System is the Earth
➢ Alarm Clock – to tell an individual when to start/stop ➢ Heliocentrism – Nicolaus Copernicus ; the center of the
➢ Water Mill – used in milling of grains for food processing
Solar System is the Sun
• Roman Civilization – strongest political & social entity in the
• Darwinian Revolution – 1859, Charles Darwin ’s book “On
West
➢ Newspaper – gazettes ; contained announcements of the the Origin of Species” where he introduced the Theory of
Evolution – populations pass through a process of natural
Roman Empire to the people selection in which only the fittest would survive.
➢ Bound Books or Codex – started by Julius Caesar; for
• Freudian Revolution – Sigmund Freud, famous in the field
record-keeping, documenting historical events & new laws of psychology; Psychology was considered more of an art
➢ Roman Architecture
rather than a science.; psychoanalysis – the study that explains
➢ Roman Numerals – Romans’ own number system
human behavior.
• Chinese Civilization – middle“ kingdom ”; oldest civilization id – primitive & instinctual part of the mind that contains
in Asia to produce paper & clothing sexual & aggressive drives & hidden memories
➢ Silk – super-ego – moral conscience
➢ Tea Production – a machine used to shred tea leaves into ego – realistic part that mediates between the desires of the id
strips & the super-ego
➢ Great Wall of China – largest & most extensive
infrastructure to keep out foreign invaders Influences in the Development of Science & technology in the
➢ Gunpowder – to propel bullets from guns & cannons Philippines
Medieval/Middle Ages – wars, invasions, migrations • Internal Influences
➢ Printing Press – Johann Gutenberg ; a more reliable way ➢ Survival
of printing using a cast type ➢ Culture
➢ Microscope Zacharias Janssen ; to magnify things ➢ Economic Activities
– • External Influences
invisible to the eye to develop the proper medicines for ➢ Foreign Colonizers
illnesses & understand the sickness through an ➢ Trades with Foreign Countries
investigation
 ➢ International Economic Demands The Philippine-American Academy of Science & Engineering
(PAASE, 2008) programs
Government Policies on Science & Technology
• Establishment of national centers of excellence
DOST has sought the expertise of the National Research Council • Manpower & institutional development programs, such as
of the Philippines (NCRP) to consult various sectors in the society
the Engineering & Science Education Program (ESEP) to
to study how the Philippines can prepare itself in meeting the
produce more PhD graduates in science & engineering
ASEAN 2015 Goals. The NCRP recommended policies that will
• Establishment of regional centers
improve the competitiveness of the Ph.
1. Social Sciences, Humanities, Education, International • Establishment of science & technology business centers
• Strengthen science education at an early age through the
Policies & Governance Philippine Science Highschool System
• • •ASEAN awareness in basic education
Lately, the CHED launched its Philippine-California Advanced
• Teaching in the mother tongue
Developing school infrastructure & providing ICT Research Institutes (PICARI) Project to work on research &
broadband projects related to science, agriculture, engineering, health, &
technology.
Local food security Development of Science & Technology Policies in the
2. Physics, Engineering & Industrial research, Earth & Space Philippines
Sciences, and Mathematics
• Degrees, licenses, & employment opportunities • National Goals
• Peer monitoring • International Treaty
• Review of R.A. 9184 • Legal Frameworks
• Science & technology as an independent mover of • Social Needs, Issues, & Problems
development
3. Medical, Chemical, & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Filipino Scientists
• Ensuring compliance of drug manufacturing firms with
ASEAN-harmonized standards by full implementation of 1. Ramon – tissue culture on Philippine mangoes
the Food & Drug Administration 2. Josefino – observing the characteristics of Antarctica by using
• Creating an education council dedicated to standardization satellite images
3. Jose – known in electrical engineering
of pharmaceutical services & care
• Empowering food & drug agencies to conduct evidence- 4. Lourdes – sea snail venom
based research as pool of information 5. Fabian – herbal medicine
• Allocating 2% of the GDP to research 6. Rafael – tilapia culture
7. Enrique – meconium drugs testing
• Legislating a law supporting human genome project
4. Biological Sciences, Agriculture, & Forestry 8. Lilian – plant biotechnology
9. Mari-Jo – educator & graph theorist
• Protecting & conserving biodiversity by full
10. Gregory – communications technology
implementation of existing laws 11. Caesar –physicist
• Use of biosafety & standard model by ASEAN countries
12. Edgardo –marine science
• Promoting indigenous knowledge systems & indigenous 13. William – chemistry & president of NAST
• people’s conservation 14. Angel –marine science
Formulation of common food and safety standards
Factors that Influence the Development of Filipino Scientists
Other Existing Programs by DOST

• Providing funds for basic research & patents related to Individual

science & technology. Funding are also from Overseas Interests in
Development Aid (ODA) from diff. countries. Science SCHOOL
SCIENCE
• Providing scholarships for undergraduate & graduate SCIENCE
LABORAT
studies of students in the field of science & technology (TEACHERS ORIES
• Establishing more branches of the Philippine Science Family & (REAL-
Highschool System
LEARNING
• Creating science & technology parks LIFE
ENVIRON-
• Balik Scientist Program CONTEXT)
MENT)
• Developing science & technology parks in academic Natural
campuses Environment
• The establishment of the National science Complex & the
National engineering Complex within the UP campus in
Diliman
FILIPINO SCIENTIST
Science Education in the Philippines Our concept of human flourishing today is different from
Aristotle, humans of today are expected to become a “man of the
Science Schools in the Philippines world”. Competition as a means of survival has become passe;
• Philippine Science High School System (PSHSS) – coordination is the new trend.
government program for gifted students in the Philippines Western Civilizations tend to be more focused on the individual;
• Special Science Elementary Schools (SSES) Project – human flourishing is primarily more of a concern.
aims to develop Filipino children equipped with scientific The East are more community-centric; community takes the
&technological knowledge highest regard that the individual should sacrifice himself for the
• Quezon City Regional Science High School – for talented
sake of the society.
students in science & mathematics
• Manila Science High School (MSHS) – first science high Heidegger’s statement, technology is a human activity that we
school in the Philippines excel in as a result of achieving science. The end goals of both
• Central Visayan Institute Foundation – the home & science and technology and human flourishing are related; in that
pioneer of the prominent school-based innovation known the good is inherently related to the truth, are two concepts about
as the Dynamic Learning Program (DLP). science which ventures its claims on truth

Indigenous Science & Technology in the Philippines Ancient Greek Concepts

Examples of Indigenous Knowledge • Aletheia – unhiddenness or disclosure
• Predicting weather conditions & seasons using knowledge • Poiesis – bringing forth
in observing animals’ behavior & celestial bodies • Techne – skill, art, or craft
• Using herbal medicine
Enframing – way of revealing in modern technology
• Preserving food
• Classifying plants & animals into families & groups based Art – a way out of enframing
on cultural properties
• Preserving & selecting good seeds for planting Science as Method and Results
• Using indigenous technology in daily lives The scientific method:
• Building local irrigation systems
• Classifying different types of soil for planting based on 1 Observe
. Determine the Problem
• cultural properties
2 Formulate Hypothesis, Reject the null hypothesis and accept the
Producing wines & juices from tropical fruits . alternative hypothesis
•
Keeping the custom of growing plants & vegetables in the 3
4 Conduct experiment
. Gather and Analyze Results
yard 5 Formulate Conclusion and
. Recommendation
The Concept of Indigenous Science 6
Verification
. Theory
INDIGENOUS SCIENCE
- the earliest criterion that distinguishes philosophy and science

- a discipline is science if it can be confirmed or interpreted in the

Uses guided by composed of event of an alternative hypothesis being accepted.
- espoused by a movement called the Vienna Circle, a group of
Science Community Traditional scholars who believed that only those which can be observed
Process Culture & Knowledge should be regarded as meaningful & reject those which cannot be
Skills Values directly accessed as meaningless.
- initially proved to be attractive but later on proved to be as
MIDTERMS somewhat too risky.
Falsification Theory
Science, Technology & Human Flourishing

- Eudamonia“good spirited”
- Karl Popper
- coined by Aristotle
- Asserts that as long as an ideology is not proven to be false and
- describe the pinnacle of happiness that is attainable by humans; can best explain and phenomenon over alternative theories, we
- “human flourishing” should accept the said ideology.

- aims for eudamonia as the ultimate good - more accepted, but scientists are still not convinced that it
should be regarded as what makes a discipline scientific.
4 components:

phronesis, friendship, wealth, power

Science as a Social Endeavor Human Condition in the CE
A new school of thought on the proper demarcation of criterion of
science emerged Driven by primal need to survive, humans were quick to find
ways to drive off other megafaunas threatening a prospective
Explores social dimension of science and technology hunting spot.

The ongoing extinction of several species- both flora and fauna-

Science and Results due to human
People who do not understand science are won over when the
Began to hunt farm and produce things with prospect of profit
discipline is able to produce results
Science is not the only known disciple to produce results— They were able to find out that engaging in a peaceful negotiation
was also a possible & less bloody method. It is in this process that
religion, luck, and randomness are samples trade emerged.
For some communities, without access to science, they can turn to
divination and superstition and still get the same results People then had a new objective, gather as much products as
Science is not entirely foolproof such that it is correct 100% of the possible.
time When they could not sell products, they used their skills and got
Science as Education compensated for it- bringing forth a specialized group of artisans
A large distribution of science high schools can be found in the Physical strength was valued most, although there appeared to be
Philippines.
as many intellectually gifted figures just the same
As students are preconditioned that the field would later land Notable Comparisons then and now:
them high-paying jobs and a lucrative career after graduation.
1. Mortality Rate. Due to technology, lesser women and children
Simply mastering science and technology would be inadequate if die during birth.
we are to say socialize with people or ruminate on our inner self
2. Average Lifespan. Science is able to prolong lives by
A true eudaimon recognizes that flourishing requires one to excel
enhancing living status & discovering different remedies to most
in carious dimensions such as linguistic, kinetic, and artistic and diseases.
socio-civic. Thus, he understands that he should not focus on one
aspect alone. 3. Literacy Rate. Access to education provided to more
How Much Is Too Much? individuals creates a more informed public that could determine a
The primary goal to achieve growth for all might prove to be fatal in more just society.
the long run.
4. Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Higher country income is
Joseph/Jason Hickel suggesting that developed countries should
brought upon by high productivity, an indicator of presence in
not push forth more growth but instead adopt “de-development” technology.
policies or else, everybody loses. The rapid pace of technological
growth allows no room for nature to recuperate, resulting in The Essence of Technology
exploitation and irreversible damages to nature. If this continues in
Modern humans are reliant on technology in their search for the
its currently alarming rate, we might bring good life. Humans are reduced into the amount of productivity
about our own extinction. they are able to render during their lifetime.
The Human Condition BCE
Homo erectus have been using fire to cook with realizing the laws of Relying too much on technology, humans lose track of things that
friction and heat. matter, reducing their surroundings to their economic value.
Martin Heidegger argued that its essence or purpose and being are
Tools from stone and flints marked the era of the Stone Age,
different from each other
during the advent of our very own Homo sapiens
Technology can either be perceived as first, a means to achieve a
People discovered minerals and began forging metalwork
man’s end and second which constitutes human activity.
Fur clothing and animal skin and primarily use for comfort and The second perspective paints technology in such a way that each
cover themselves up out of necessity period reveals a particular character regarding man’s being
People hewed and wrought figures in honor of some deity; initial The Good Life
roster of primitive gods includes objects they encounter through
their day to day lives - “living well and doing well” – eudaimonia
eu means “good” & daimon means “spirit”
In Ancient Greece, the need to understand the world & reality was
bound with the need to understand the self and the good life.
In an attempt to understand reality & the external world, man See the end goal of life in acquiring pleasure
must seek to understand himself, too.
Life is about obtaining and indulging in pleasure because life is
It was Aristotle who gave a definitive distinction between the limited
theoretical and practical sciences. Whereas, “truth” is the aim of The mantra of this school of thought is the famous “Eat, drink,
the theoretical sciences, the “good” is the end goal of the practical
and be merry for tomorrow we die.”
ones. Stoicism
Aristotle and the Good Life
Plato and Aristotle embarked on a different approach in figuring - Epicurus
out reality
- To generate happiness, one must learn to distance oneself and be
For Plato, the world is not real and only copies of the real in the apathetic.
world of forms. Change is so perplexing that it can only make - apatheia means to be indifferent
sense if there are two realities: the world of forms and the world
of matter: - Happiness can only be attained by a careful practice of apathy
In the world of matter, things are changing and impermanent - We should adopt the fact that some things are not within our
In the world of forms, the entities are only copies of the idea and control. The sooner we realize this, the happier we become.
Theism
models and the forms are the only real entities
Most people find the meaning of their lives using God as a
Aristotle forwarded the idea that there is no reality over and above fulcrum of their existence.
what the sense can perceive, claiming that this world is all there is The ultimate basis of happiness for theists is the communion with
to it and that this world is the only reality we can all access.
God
Declared that even humans are potentialities who aspire for their The world where we are in is only just a temporary reality where
actualities we have to maneuver around while waiting for the ultimate return
Every action that emanates from a human person is a function of to the hands of God
the purpose (telos) that the person has. Humanism
Every human person aspires for an end. This end is happiness or The freedom of man to carve his own destiny and to legislate his
human flourishing own laws, free from the shackles of a God that monitors and
Claims that happiness is the be all and end all of everything that controls
we do Humanists see themselves not merely as stewards of the creation
Human flourishing a kind of contentment in knowing that one is but as individuals who are in control of themselves and the world
getting the best out life outside them
Happiness as the Goal of Good life When Technology & Humanity Cross
- “technology” came from Greek words techne & logos which
mean art & word; technology means a discourse on arts.
United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) on December 10, 1948.
- John Stuart Mill’s utilitarianism - declared the Greatest Happiness “Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and
Principle by saying that an inalienable rights of all members of the family is the foundation of
freedom, justice and peace in the world.” (UDHR Preamble)
action is right as far as it maximizes the attainment of happiness
for the greatest number of people. Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Materialism
- Democritus and Leucippus - the world is made up of & is

controlled by tiny indivisible units

in the world called atomos or seeds
For Democritus and his disciples, the world and humans are made
up of matter Article 1: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and
Only material entities matter. rights.
Article 2: Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms
In terms of human flourishing, matter is what makes us attain
without distinction of any kind.
happiness.
Hedonism Article 3: Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of
person.
Article 4:
- Epicurus No one shall be held in slavery or servitude.
Article 5: No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, 5.4% of the total value output came from computers &peripheral
inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. equipment accessories.
Article 6: Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a Charles Babbage designed the Analytical Engine which was used
person before the law. as the basic framework of computers.
Article 7: All are equal before the law and are entitled without The first design of computers was so big that it could occupy
any discrimination to equal protection of the law. whole floors of buildings.
Technology is already an inevitable part of the society. The first true portable computer was released in April 1981 which
was named Osborne 1.
Technology has become a necessity & no longer a want.
The evolution of laptops continued until present time where
However, anything too much is bad. various designs and models are already available.
Various ethical dilemmas have been identified throughout time
involving the use of different technological devices & its effects Facts about Filipinos & their use of gadgets & internet:
to humanity.
• Mobile phone subscription is at 119 million.
• Filipinos spend approximately 3.2 hours on mobile & 5.2
Television sets, Phones, and Computers hours on desktop daily.
Considered as the “celebrities” in the field of technology are TV •
The Ph has one of the highest digital populations in the world.
sets, mobile phones, and computers. •
There are now 47 million active Facebook accounts in the Ph.
•
The Ph is the fastest-growing application market in southeast
• Television sets Asia.
92% of urban home & 70% of rural homes own at least one Roles played by Technological Advancements
television set.
• Televisions are mainly used as a platform for advertisements
TV is the ultimate medium for advertisement placements.
and information dissemination.
The current count of households with television set is 15.135 • It also serves as a recreational activity & good stress reliever
million. to most families.
• Television is also a good platform for different propagandas
Television was a product of different experiments by various
and advocacies.
people; • It can be also a good way to bond with one’s family members.
Paul Gottlieb Nipkow’s invention was called the electric telescope
• Mobile phones are primarily for communication.
that had 18 lines of resolution; • People use mobile phones to surf the internet and to take
Alan Archibald Campbell-Swinton and Boris Rosing created a pictures more than to text or call people.
new system of television. Their experiment gave rise to two types • It is like an all-in-one device.
of television systems namely mechanical and electronic television • It is very portable & convenient.
• PC and laptops can be used to surf the internet and
communicate.
• Mobile Phone • The availability of a mouse or a touchpad made these two
technological devices easier to maneuver than mobile phones.
More than half of the Filipino population own at least one mobile
phone.
Mobile phones are considered a must-have among young Ethical Dilemmas
Filipinos.
One in every three Filipinos cannot live without a mobile phone. • Most parents would argue that these devices make their
children lazy & unhealthy.
30% of the Ph urban population said that mobile phones are • Moral dilemma – see, read, or hear things which are not
necessities in life. suitable for their very young age.
On April 3, 1973, Martin Cooper, a senior engineer at Motorola
Robotics and Humanity
made the world’s first mobile phone call
In 1983, Motorola made their first commercial mobile phone The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) & United
Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) made a
known as the Motorola DynaTAC 8000x. working definition for service robots:

• A robot is an actuated mechanism programmable in two or

• Computers
more axes with a degree of autonomy, moving within its
3.6 trillion was the estimated total value output of all environment to perform intended tasks
manufacturing establishments.
• A service robot is a robot that performs useful tasks for Robots are ethical only if they strictly follow the laws specified.
humans or equipment excluding industrial automation FINALS
application
• A personal service robot or a service robot for personal use is I. The Information Age
a service robot used for a noncommercial task usually by
laypersons. - “period starting in the last quarter of the 20th century when
• A professional service robot or a service robot for information became effortlessly accessible through publications &
professional use is a service robot used for a commercial task through management of information by computers & computer
usually operated by a properly trained operator. networks”
James R. Messenger – proposed the Theory of Information Age
Germany was one of the first countries to develop service robots.
in 1982
German Federal Ministry of Education and Research sponsored “The Information Age is a true new age based upon the
a project called DESIRE (Deutsche Servicerobotik Initiative-
interconnection of computers via telecommunications, with theses
Germany Service Robotics Initiative) launched on October 1,
information systems operating on both a real-time a& as-needed
2005
basis. The primary factors driving this new age forward are
Objectives: convenience & user-friendliness which, in turn, will create user
dependence.”
• To achieve a technological edge Richard Wurman – “Information Anxiety”
• To create a reference architecture for mobile manipulation
• To promote the convergence of technologies Robert Harris – Truths of the Information Age
• To conduct pre-competition research and development
1. Information must compete.
activities
2. Newer is equated with truer.
3. Selection is a viewpoint.
Expected work to be performed: 4. The media sells what the culture buys.
5. The early word gets the perm.
1. Clear up the kitchen table 6. You are what you eat & so is your brain.
2. Fill the dishwasher 7. Anything in great demand will be counterfeited.
3. Clear up the room 8. Ideas are seen as controversial.
The earliest robots were created in the early 1950s by George 9. Undead information walks ever on.\
Devol. “Unimate” was his first invention from the word Computer
“Universal Automation”.
Roles played by Robotics Types of Computer

•They are primarily used to ease the workload of mankind 1.Personal Computer (PC) – single-user instrument; first
•Invented to make life more efficient and less stressful and to known as microcomputers.
perform activities to entertain people; made to serve as toys 2.Desktop Computer – not designed for portability; set up in a
Robots have their own set of rules and characteristics that define permanent spot; has a more powerful processor, additional
memory, & enhanced capabilities
what a good robot is formulated by Isaac Asimov:
3.Laptops – portable computers in a battery-powered package;
Law 1: A robot may not injure a human being or through inaction commonly called notebooks
allow a human being to come to harm 4.Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) – have no keyboards but
Law 2: A robot must obey the orders given by human beings rely on a touch screen for user input
except if it would conflict with law 1 5. Server – improved computer to provide network services to
Law 3: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such other computers;powerful processors, tons of memory, &
large hard drives
protection does not conflict with the first or second law
Ethical Dilemmas 6.Mainframes – huge computer systems that can fill up an
entire room; replaced by the term enterprise server
7.Wearable Computers – cellphones, watches, etc.

Safety: Who should be held accountable if someone’s safety is The World Wide Web
compromised by a robot? Claude E. Shannon – Father of Information Theory
Emotional Component: What if robots become sentient should
Applications of Computers in Science & Research
they be granted robot rights? Should they have their own set of
rights to be upheld, respected, and protected by humans? • Bioinformatics – application of information technology to
store, organize, & analyze vast amount of biological data
Partial autonomy includes active human-robot interaction while
➢ Molecular modeling – has become faster due to the
full autonomy excludes active human-robot interaction.
advances in computer processors & its architecture
 ➢ Plant biotechnology –bioinformatics is found to be useful 6. GMOs in the medical field – it helps in the production of
in the areas of identifying diseases resistance genes & drugs, gene therapy, & laboratory researches
designing plants with high nutrition values
Benefits of GMOs
How to Check the Reliability of Web Sources
• Higher efficiency in farming – less use for
1. Who is the author of the article/site? herbicides/pesticides & lower cost for labor & cultivation
✓ Does the author provide his/her credentials? • Increase in harvest –GMO crops resistant to pests & diseases
✓ What type of expertise/experience does he/she have? means increase in potential growth & harvest
2. Who published the site? • Control in fertility – controlling the purity of the hybrid seeds
3. What is the main purpose of the site? (GMO seeds) ensures higher yield
4. Who is the intended audience? • Increase in food processing –altered characteristics of GMO
5. What is the quality of information provided on the
crops help ease food processing
website? • Improvement of desirable characteristics – longer shelf life,
✓ Date published? Is it regularly updated? enhanced color & taste, and enhanced production/reduction of
✓ Does the author cite sources? enzymes
• Nutritional & pharmaceutical enhancements – GMO crops
II. Biodiversity & the Healthy Society
like maize are fortified with lysine & Golden Rice fortified
- Vast variety of life forms in the entire Earth with vitamin A & iron. There are now edible vaccines for viral
- Source of essential goods and ecological services & diarrheal diseases.
• Reduce the use of fertilizers & pesticides
Threats to Biodiversity
* There are over 400 million acres of GMO farmlands in the world
1. Habitat loss & destruction
*Top 5 countries are: US, Brazil, Argentina, India, & Canada
2. Alterations in ecosystem composition
*GMO crops approved for public consumption: alfalfa, corn,
3. Over-exploitation
papaya, soya bean, sugar beets, & squash
4. Pollution & contamination
5. Global climate change Potential Risks of GMOs
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) • Opponents of GMO have the following major concerns:
- an organism created through genetic engineering 1. There are inadequate studies on the effects of GMOs to
- which the DNA has been altered in a way that does not occur humans & the environment
2. Genetic engineering promoted mutation in organisms
naturally by mating
which the long-term effect in still unknown
GMOs in Food & Agricultural Industries 3. Human consumption of GMOs might have the following
effects:
1. Pest resistance – genetically modified plants to resist certain
- More allergic reactions
pests - Gene mutation
2. Virus resistance – genetically modified plants to resist certain - Antibiotic resistance
viruses - Change in Nutritional value
3. Herbicide tolerance – genetically modified plants to tolerate
herbicide Potential Environmental Risks Caused by GMOs
4. Fortification – genetically modified plants fortified with
1. Risk in gene flow – potential risk of the modified gen to be
certain minerals
5. Cosmetic preservation – genetically modified plants resist transferred from the GMO crop to its wild relative or
organism in the soil and human intestine (when ingested)
natural discoloration 2. Emergence of new forms of resistance & secondary pests
6. Increase growth rate – a GMO that has higher yield in
& weed problems – GMO crops resistant to certain
growth than normal species
pesticides may trigger new form of new pest resistance;
GMOs in Non-Food Crops & Microorganisms GMO herbicide tolerant crops may lead to the overuse of the
herbicides which may trigger new form of weed resistance
1. Flower production – seen in modified color & extended vase 3. Recombination of virus & bacteria to produce new
life of flowers pathogens – the modified gene can be transferred &
2. Paper production – modified characteristics of trees for integrated in the viral or bacterial genes which may lead to
higher yield of paper production viral or bacterial gene mutation and cause new disease that
3. Pharmaceutical productions – modified plants to produce may affect living organisms
pharmaceutical products
4. Bioremediation – use of modified plants that can assist in the Potential Human Health Risks caused by GMOs
bioremediation of polluted sites
5. Enzyme & drug production – use of modified - It may have adverse effects since it is not naturally or
organically produced
microorganism that can produce enzymes for food processing - It may alter the balance of existing microorganisms in the
& medicines
human digestive system
- Production of toxins may be detrimental to human health ➢ Started in Dec. 29, 1959; Richard Feynman
- Production of allergens may have adverse effects on humans
How small is a nanoscale?
• Other potential risks that raise major concern are:
➢ Human Genome Project (HGP) – mapping of human genes to ➢ a billionth of a meter, or 10 raise to -9 of a meter.
provide framework for research & studies in the field of
medicine How to view nanomaterials?
➢ Mutation of genetically engineered microorganisms – GM
1. Electron Microscope – built by Ernst Ruska & Max Knoll;
bacteria & viruses may mutate and become more resistant or
utilizes a particle beam of electrons to light up a specimen &
virulent that may cause more dreadful diseases for humans
➢ Cloning – the asexual reproduction of an organism using develop a well-magnified image; Scanning Electron
Microscope (SEM) & Transmission Electron Microscope
parent cell through genetic engineering
(TEM)
Biosafety on GMOs 2. Atomic Force Microscope – developed by Gerd Binig,
Calvin Quate, & Cristoph Gerber; it makes use of a
International organizations developed principles & treaties that mechanical probe that gathers information from the surface of
somehow ensure biosafety on GMOs: a material
• The Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) – responsible 3. Scanning Tunneling Microscope – invented by Gerd Binig
& Heinrich Rohrer; won the Nobel Prize; it enables scientists
for the development of standards, codes of practices,
to view & manipulate nanoscale particles, atoms, & small
guidelines and recommendations on food safety; developed
molecules
principles for the human health risk analysis of GM food
products Nanomanufacturing
• Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety – regulates the
transboundary movements of Living Modified Organisms • Refers to scaled-up, reliable, & cost-effective manufacturing
(LMO); requires exporters to seek consent from the importers nanoscale materials, structures, devices, & systems; it leads to
before its shipment the development of new products & improved materials
• International Trade Agreement on labeling GM food &
2 fundamental approaches:
food products – requires exporters of GM food & food
products to label their products & give rights to importing 1. Bottom-up fabrication – It manufactures products by
parties to reject or accept the GM products. building them up from atomic- & molecular-scale
components; time-consuming
GMOs in Philippine Context 2. Top-down fabrication – It trims down large pieces of
• In 1998, National Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines materials into nanoscale; needs larger amounts of materials &
developed the guidelines on the planned release of GMOs and discards excess raw materials
potentially harmful exotic species.
There are new approaches to the assembly of nanomaterials:
• In 2002, the Department of Agriculture released the guideline
for the importation & release into the environment of GM • Dip-pen lithography – the tip of an atomic force is “dipped”
plants & plant products.
into a chemical fluid & then utilized to “write” on a surface
• In 2004, the Philippines was classified by the International • Self-assembly –a set of components joined together to mold
Service for acquisition of agri-biotech applications as one of an organized structure in the absence of an outside direction
the 14 biotech mega countries • Chemical Vapor deposition – chemicals act in response to
• In 2006, the Philippines became part of the Cartagena Protocol form very pure, high-performance films
on Biosafety. • Nanoimprint lithography – generating nanoscale attributes
• In 2010, the Organic Agriculture Act was issued, encouraging by “stamping” or “printing” them onto a surface
organic agriculture than GMO-related agriculture. • Molecular beam epitaxy – depositing extremely controlled
• In 2012, Rep. Teddy Casino, with other congressmen, filed a thin films
bill pushing for the mandatory labeling of GM food & food •
products. Roll-to-roll processing – constructing nanoscale devices on a
roll of ultrathin plastic or metal
In December 2015, the Supreme court ordered to put an end to •
• Atomic layer epitaxy – laying down one-atom-thick layers on
the field testing of GMO Bt eggplant.
a surface

Distinct Features of Nanoscale

III. The Nano World 1. Scale at which much biology occurs
2. Scale at which quantum effects dominate properties of
➢ Nanotechnology –refers to the science, engineering, &
materials
technology conducted at the nanoscale, which is about 1 to 3. Nanoscale materials have far larger surface areas than similar
100 nanometers; coined by Professor Norio Taniguchi
masses of larger-scale materials
➢ Nanoscience & Nanotechnology employs the study &
application of exceptionally small things in other areas of Possible Applications of Nanotechnology in the Philippines
science
1. ICT & semiconductors • Replacement of mutated gene that causes disease with a
2. Health & medicine healthy copy of the gene
3. Energy • Inactivation of a mutated gene that is functioning improperly
4. Food & agriculture
• Introducing a new gene into the body to help fight a disease
5. Environment
Nanotech Roadmap for the Philippines A gene cannot be directly inserted into a human gene or cell. It is
1. ICT & semiconductors inserted into another gene using a carrier or vector.
2. Health & biomedical Two types of Gene Therapy
3. Energy
4. Environment • Somatic Gene Therapy –
involves the manipulation of genes
5. Agriculture & food
in ells that will be helpful to the patient but not inherited to the
6. Health & environmental risk
next generation.
7. Nano-metrology
• Germ-line Gene Therapy – involves the genetic modification
8. Education & public awareness
Benefits & Concerns of using Nanotechnology of germ cells or the origin cells that will pass the change on to
the next generation.
Stem Cell Gene Therapy

• Nanotechnology is not a single technology; it may become Stem Cells

pervasive.
• are mother cells that have the potential to become any type of
• Nanotechnology seeks to develop new materials with specific
cell in the body
properties.
• have the ability to self-renew or multiply while maintaining
• Nanotechnology may introduce new efficiencies & paradigms
the potential to develop into other types of cells
which may make some natural resources & current practices
• can become cells of the blood, heart, bones, skin, muscles,
uncompetitive or obsolete.
brain among others
• It may be complicated to detect its presence unless one has the • are derived from different sources:
specialist tools of nanotechnology. ➢ the embryonic stem cells, derived from a four- or five-day-
Example of Areas Possible Benefits Concerns old human embryo that is in the blastocyst phase of
Affected by development
Nanotechnology ➢ the somatic stem cells, cells that exist throughout the body
Environment • Improved • High reactivity & after embryonic development & are found inside of
detection & toxicity different types of tissue
removal of • Pervasive
contaminants distribution in the The Bioethics of Gene Therapy
• Development of environment
1. How can “good” & “bad” uses of gene therapy be
benign industrial • No nano-specific
processes & EPA regulation distinguished?
materials Ability to cross 2. Who decides which traits are normal & which constitute a
Health • Improved • cell membranes disability or disorder?
translocate in the 3. Will the high costs of gene therapy make it available only to
medicine
body the wealthy?
4. Could the widespread use of gene therapy make society less
• No FDA accepting of people who are different?
approval needed 5. Should people be allowed to use gene therapy to enhance basic
for cosmetics or human traits such as height, intelligence, or athletic ability?
supplements
Economy • Better products • Redistribution of
• New jobs wealth
• Potential cost of V. Climate Change
cleanups & • Statistically significant changes in climate for continuous
healthcare period of time.
• Accessibility to
all income levels Causes of Climate Change
IV. The Aspects of Gene Therapy
• Natural Causes
Gene therapy – insertion foreign DNA into patient’s tissue that
➢ Volcanic Eruptions
hope to successfully eradicate the targeted disease; to most -When volcanoes erupt, it emits different natural aerosols like
promising yet possibly unfavorable medical field being studied
carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxides, salt crystals, volcanic ashes or
The Basic Process dust, & even microorganism like bacteria & viruses.
- Can cause a cooling effect to the lithosphere because its emitted
Several approaches to gene therapy: aerosol can block a certain percentage of solar radiation
Downloaded by Joshua Bumatay (joshuabumatay93@gmail.com)
- Volcanoes located near the equator are more likely to cause
global cooling because of the wind pattern
- Volcanoes located near to north or south poles are less likely to
cause cooling
➢ Orbital Changes
- Earth’s orbit can also cause climate change, propose by
Milankovitch theory
- As the earth travels through space around the sun, cyclical
variations in 3 elements of earth-sun geometry combine to
produce geometry in the amount of solar energy that reaches
earth
3 elements that have cyclic variations:
o Eccentricity – term used to describe the shape of earth’s
orbit around the sun
o Obliquity – variation of the tilt of earth’s axis away from the
orbital plane
o change in orientation of earth’s rotational axis
Precession –
The Carbon Dioxide Theory
- Carbon dioxide absorbs part of the infrared radiation in the air
& returns it to the ground keeping the air near the surface
warmer than it would be if the carbon dioxide did not act like a
blanket. Doubling the carbon dioxide raises the temperature to
2C to 3C.
• Human Activities
- the largest known contribution comes from the burning of fossil
fuels, which releases carbon dioxide gas to the atmosphere
- human activities result in emissions of 4 principle greenhouse
gases:
o Deforestation releases carbon dioxide & reduces its uptake
by plants
o High methaneemission is related to agriculture, natural gas
distribution, & landfills
o Halocarbons released by human activities destroy the ozone
in the stratosphere & have caused the ozone hole over
Antarctica

Effects of Climate Change on Society

• It directly affects the basic elements of people’s lives like water,

food, health, use of land and the environment.
• Declining crop yields due to drought, especially in Africa, are
likely to leave hundreds of millions without the ability to
produce or purchase sufficient food.
• It will increase worldwide deaths from malnutrition & heat
stress.
• Ecosystems will be particularly vulnerable to climate change.
• Ocean edification will have major effects on marine
• ecosystems, with possible adverse consequences on fish stocks.
Melting or collapse of ice sheets would raise sea levels.
•
It will increase flood risks during the wet season and it will
strongly reduce dry-season water supplies.