General Concepts in Science, Technology, and Society
Chapter 1: Historical Antecedents of Science and Technology (Week 4-6)
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)
At the end of the chapter, you are expected to:
1. to explain how science and technology affected the society
and environment and Vice Versa;
2. to identify the inventions and discoveries that changed the
world over the course of history; and
3. to develop the scientific and technological developments in
the Philippines.
Introduction
Science and Technology concerted human effort to understand, or to
understand better, the history of the natural world and how the natural
world works, with observable physical evidence as the basis of that
understanding. It is done through observation of natural phenomena, and/or
through experimentation that tries to simulate natural processes under
controlled conditions.
Please proceed immediately to the “Unlocking of Difficulties” part since
the first lesson is also definition of essential terms.
Unlocking of Difficulties
To attend the following intended learning outcomes for the first lesson
of the course, you need to fully understand the following essential
knowledge that will be laid down in the succeeding pages. Please note that
you are not limited to exclusively refer to these resources. Thus, you are
expected to utilize other books, research articles and other resources that
are available in the library in the internet
Key Terms
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▪ Ancient Times – ancient history as a term refers to the aggregate of
past events from the beginning of writing and recorded human history
and extending as far as post-classical history. The phrase may be used
either to refer to the period of time or the academic discipline.
▪ Sumerian Civilization – known as Sumer, it was an ancient civilization
founded in the Mesopotamia region of the Fertile Crescent situated
between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Known for their innovations
in language, governance, architecture and more, Sumerians are
considered the creators of civilization as modern humans understand
it. Their control of the region lasted for short of 2,000 years before the
Babylonians took charge in 2004 B.C.
▪ Babylonian Civilization – known as Babylonia, it was a state in ancient
Mesopotamia. The city of Babylon, whose ruins are located in present-
day Iraq, was founded more than 4,000 years ago as a small port town
on the Euphrates River. It grew into one of the largest cities of the
ancient world under the rule of Hammurabi. Several centuries later, a
new line of kings established a Neo-Babylonian Empire that spanned
from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea. During this period,
Babylon became a city of beautiful and lavish buildings. Biblical and
archaeological evidence point toward the forced exile of thousands of
Jews to Babylon around this time.
▪ Egyptian Civilization – a civilization in northeastern Africa that dates
from the 4th millennium BCE. Its many achievements, preserved in its
art and monuments, hold a fascination that continues to grow as
archaeological finds expose its secrets.
▪ Greek Civilization – the period following Mycenaean civilization,
which ended about 1200 BCE, to the death of Alexander the Great, in
323 BCE. It was a period of political, philosophical, artistic, and
scientific achievements that formed a legacy with unparalleled
influence on Western civilization.
▪ Roman Civilization – it was the most extensive political and social
structure in western civilization.
▪ Chinese Civilization – it began along the Yellow River in the Shang era,
and spread from there when Bronze Age culture reached its peak.
Then, traditional Chinese philosophies, such as Confucianism and
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Daoism, developed in the feudal Zhou era as China expanded in
territory and population.
▪ Medieval Times – in the history of Europe, the middle ages or
Medieval Period lasted from the 5th to the late 15th century. It began
with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and merged into the
Renaissance and the Age of Discovery.
▪ Modern Times – it is the circumstances and ideas of the present age;
"in modern times like these" contemporary world, modern world,
present times.
Lecture Notes
ANCIENT TIMES
• In the ancient times, people were concerned with transportation
and navigation, communication and record-keeping, mass
production, security and protections, as well as health, aesthetics,
and architecture.
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• TRANSPORTATION was significant during that time because
people were trying to go places and discover new horizons. They
travelled to search for food and find better location for better
locations for their settlements.
• 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 and prevent possible conflicts.
• WEAPONS & ARMORS were important as well in the discovery of
new places or 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.
• A primary challenge they faced was the CONSERVATION OF LIFE.
The early people might have been successful in harnessing the rich
resources that the world could provide, but their survival posed a
great problem.
• Moreover, in order to integrate their needs for better
transportation, establishment of structures for protection from
human attacks from natural disasters, and construction of bigger
& stronger infrastructures, people ventured into what is now
known as the field of ENGINEERING.
• The development in engineering also ushered in the introduction
of ARCHITECHTURE. Others might see this as a mere style, but
during the ancient times, elaborate architectural designs were
signs of technological advancement of a particular civilization.
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SUMERIAN CIVILIZATION
• Sumeria is located on the southernmost tip of ancient
Mesopotamia. Sumerian are known for their high degree of
cooperation with one another and their desire for great things.
They are not contented with the basic things that lie can offer. This
desire pushed them to develop many things connected with
science and technology.
https://imageproxy.themaven.net//https%3A%2F%2Fwww.history.com%2F.image%2FMTY3NDczMzA1OT
c1MDA2ODMy%2Fsumer-gettyimages-122216938.jpg
• CUNEIFORM is a system that utilizes word pictures and triangular
symbols which are carved on clay using wedge instruments and
then left to dry.
• URUK CITY is a great wonder not only because it is considered to
be the first true city in the world but also for the way it was
erected.
• THE GREAT ZIGGURAT OF UR The ziggurat, also called the
mountain of God, was built in the same manner that they
constructed the city of Uruk.
• IRRIGATION AND DIKES is considered as one of the world’s most
beneficial engineering works.
• SAILBOATS At that time, the wheel is not yet invented; the main
mode of transportation was through waterways such as rivers and
seas.
• WHEEL The first wheels were not made for transportation but for
farm work and food processes.
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• THE PLOW Farmers needed a technology which would enable
them to dig the ground where seeds would be planted. The plow
was invented to dig the earth in a faster pace.
• ROADS In order to facilitate faster and easier travel, the Sumerians
developed the first roads. With this work, the flow of traffic
become faster and more organized.
BABYLONIAN CIVILIZATION
• Babylonian civilization near the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The
Babylonians were great builders, engineers, and architects. One of
their major contributions is the hanging gardens of Babylon, one
of the 7 wonders in the ancient world.
https://learnodo-newtonic.com/babylon-achievements
• HANGING GARDENS was said to be a structure made up of layers
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. However, no
physical evidence has been found to prove the existence of the
Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
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EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION
• Another early civilization famous for its legacy for its legacy is the
Egyptian civilization located in North Africa. Many stories tell
about engineering features of the Egyptians especially regarding
the infrastructures by the pharaohs. Aside from engineering and
technology, the Egyptians contributed other practical things that
the world now considers as essential. It is thus safe to say that the
pyramids are not only contribution of the Egyptian civilization to
the modern world.
https://www.britannica.com/place/ancient-Egypt
• PAPER (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.
• INK The ink must withstand the elements of nature since it was
used to record history, culture, and codified laws.
• HIEROGLYPHICS is the form of writing can still be seen today and
remains to be as famous as the pyramids where they found.
• Egyptians wore Kohl around the eyes to prevent and even cure eye
disease. Kohl was created by mixing soot or malachite with
mineral galena.
• WIGS were worn for health and wellness rather than aesthetic
purposes. They were used to protect the shaved heads of the
wealthy Egyptians from the harmful rays of the sun.
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• 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
• Greece is an archipelago in the southeastern part of Europe.
Known as the birthplace of western philosophy, some of the major
achievements of the Greeks included in-depth works on
philosophy and mathematics. More than coliseums and the
Olympics, the Greek civilization has contributed much to the world
especially in the fields of science and technology.
https://www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/ancient-greek-civilization
• ALARM CLOCK The ancient Greek’s alarm clock used large
complicated mechanism to time the alarm. They made use water
that dropped into drums which sounded the alarm.
• WATER MILL is commonly used in agricultural processes like
milling of grains which was necessary form of food processing
during that time.
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ROMAN CIVILIZATION
• The Roman Empire was perceived to be the strongest political and
social entity in the west. It was considered to be the cradle of
politics and governance during that period. Because the Roman
Empire was so large, other civilization looked up to it as is their
model in terms of legislation and codified laws. Aside from their
contributions in politics, a lot of discoveries and invention still
relevant today can be attributed to the Roman Empire.
https://www.lifeinitaly.com/history/ancient-civilization-rome/
• NEWSPAPERS 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.
• BOUND BOOKS (CODEX) Record-keeping was much easier since
paper did not easily break, was lightweight, and did not occupy
much space. Aside from Romans writing down information about
history and politics, literature also changed form from clay
tablets to parchment of papers. According to sources, Julius
Caesar started the tradition by stacking up papyrus to form pages
of a book. The early covers were made of wax but were later on
replaced by animal skin which proved to be stronger and longer-
lasting.
• ROMAN ARCHITECTURE One of the most visual contributions of
the ancient Roman Empire to the world. It was considered a
continuation of Greek architecture, hence, the resemblance.
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• 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
• The Chinese civilization is considered to be oldest civilization in
Asia, if not the world. Also known as the middle kingdom, China is
located on the far east of Asia. It was famous among ancient
civilizations because of its silk trade. Not a great amount was
written about ancient China partly due to his distance from other
civilizations. Despite its less popular status among the early
civilizations, one cannot discredit the significant contributions of
Chinese Civilization to the world.
http://www.china.org.cn/travel/2017-06/08/content_40988681_5.htm
• SILK Although it 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.
This production resulted in the creation of a product for trade.
• TEA PRODUCTION It is a beverage produced by pouring hot or
boiling water over crushed or shredded dried tea leaves. It was
believed that the first tea was drunk by a Chinese Emperor. Tea
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production was developed when an unknown Chinese inventor
created a machine that was able to shred tea leaves into strips.
• GREAT WALL OF CHINA It was constructed to keep out foreign
invaders and control the borders of China. Made with stone,
brick, wood, earth, and other materials, it showcased the extent
of Chinese engineering technology at that time.
• GUNPOWDER Originally it was developed by Chinese alchemists
who aimed to achieve immortality. They mixed charcoal, sulfur,
and potassium nitrate, but instead of creating an elixir of life,
they accidentally a black powder that could actually generate
large amounts of heat and gas in an instant.
MEDEVIAL/MIDDLE AGES
• The start of the middle ages was marred by massive invasions
and migrations. Wars were prevalent during this time. As such,
great technology was needed in the fields of weaponry,
navigation, mass food and farm production, and health. The wars
have resulted in the population decline, but during the latter part
of the period, there was a significant rise in population. Trade
and commerce among nations increased, which resulted in
greater demand for transportation technology. Some of the most
innovative minds came from this period.
https://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/rise-europe-middle-ages/
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• PRINTING PRES Johann Gutenberg was able to invent the
printing press, a more reliable way of printing using a cast type.
This general invention soon evolved to be the mechanical
printing press which was eventually used all over the world.
• MICROSCOPE Guided by the principles used for the inventions of
eyeglasses in earlier years, Zacharias Janssen was able to develop
the 1st compound microscope. With this device, people were
able to observe organism that were normally unseen by the
naked eye.
• TELESCOPE The invention of telescope, an optical instrument
that helps in the observation of remote objects, was a great help
or navigators during this time.
• WAR WEAPONS For open-area battles, people developed cross
bows and long bows so that they could attack the enemies at
long ranges, keeping them protection from walls and fortresses.
MODERN TIMES
• The booming world population during the 19th century onwards
demanded that more goods be produced at a faster rate. People
needed efficient means of transportation to trade more goods
and cover a larger distance. Machines that require animals to
operate must thus be upgraded. Faster and easier means to
communicate and compute should be developed to establish
connections between and among the nations. All these needs
resulted in the development of industries. However, due to
massive industrialization, the modern times again faced more
complicated problems. Food processing and medicine posed
some bigger challenges since health was a great concern.
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https://wallpapersafari.com/w/3wXJIL
• PASTEURIZATION Louis Pasteur, a French microbiologist, and
chemist, found a way to solve the problem. He invented
pasteurization, the process of heating dairy products to kill
harmful bacteria that allow them to spoil faster.
• PETROLEUM REFINERY Samuel M. Kier was able to invent
kerosene by refining petroleum. Kerosene was later on referred
to as “illuminating oil” because it was used at first to provide
lighting to homes.
• TELEPHONE Governments likewise needed some kind of
communication system which would allow to administer their
states well. Thus, the development of telephone by Alexander
Graham Bell was one of the most important inventions at that
time.
• CALCULATOR Computing devices must also be easy to carry since
they would utilized on a day-to-day basis. 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.
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PHILIPPINE INVENTIONS
• Despite being considered a developing country, the Philippines
also contributes to the global advancement of science and
technology. It is quite remarkable to note the ingenuity of the
Filipinos despite the lack in resources. The Philippines is known to
be one of the most vulnerable countries in terms of natural
disasters. Many of the discoveries and inventions made by the
Filipinos were therefore built from indigenous materials or
created to adapt to the harsh tropical environment.
https://vulcanpost.com/624595/ph-first-electric-jeepney-founder/
• SALAMANDER AMPHIBIOUS TRICYCLE Tricycles find it very
difficult to traverse the streets. To remedy the issue, H2O
Technologies headed by Dominic N. Chung and Lamberto
Armada, together with Chief Designer Victor “Atoy” Llave, was
able to invent the Salamander, an amphibious tricycle that can
cross not only flooded streets but also rivers and lakes.
It may also utilized to travel from island to island.
• SALT LAMP A young Filipina inventor named Aisa Mijeno was
able to invent a lighting system that utilizes a material abundant
in the Philippine saltwater. She invented Sustainable Alternative
Lighting (SALt), an environment-friendly light source that runs on
saltwater. The SALt is safer as it poses no risk of fire and emits no
toxic gases.
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• MEDICAL INCUBATOR Dr. Fe Del Mundo, a Filipino pediatrician
and the first Asian woman admitted into Harvard Medical School,
devised an incubator made from indigenous and cheap materials
which did not run on electricity. Her 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.
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