Part One: Foundations

Prof. Rain Tolentino

Why Study Science,

Technology and Society?
LECTURE 1
 The Importance of Science and Technology in
Contemporary Society
Military, Economic and Medical Significance
- Majority of military conflicts depended on
the advancement of technology.
- The manner of funding also reflects the
policies of government towards advancing
the technological superiority of their
military
- Ex. In 1988, almost $45 billion went to US
military spending.
Part One, Lecture 1
The Importance of Science and Technology in
Contemporary Society
Military, Economic and Medical Significance
- Technology has always played an
important role in productivity which is
important for long term economic growth.
- Most of the top companies today are into
or have businesses in the technology
sector
- A large portion of our exports and
industries are used in technology
products.

Part One, Lecture 1

The Importance of Science and Technology in
Contemporary Society
Military, Economic and Medical Significance
- Development in the economy and technology also paved the way for the
advancement of medicine and medical technologies
- These have substantial benefits on individual and public health albeit on a
steep price tag

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The Importance of Science and Technology in
Contemporary Society
Military, Economic and Medical Significance
- Some issues include:
- Accessibility of medical advancements
- Relation of military technology advancement and economic rise
- Political economical incentives to promote sustainability

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The Importance of Science and Technology in
Contemporary Society
Human Successes and Failures
- A number of episodes in human history has been considered as successes
(Moon landing, personal computer, discovery of the DNA etc.) and
failures (Chernobyl, Fukushima, Bhopal etc.) of science and technology
- Amazing at species level but has not benefitted or may have harmed
others at the individual level
- Worse, only certain groups may feel its benefits

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The Importance of Science and Technology in
Contemporary Society
Threats to Human Survival
- Development of the most potent of science and technology may have
serious threats to human survival and harm the viability of our ecosystem
- It is difficult to understand the conditions that leads to the creation and
irresponsible use of these substances.

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The Importance of Science and Technology in
Contemporary Society
Ethical Dilemmas
- Exploitation of advanced scientific knowledge and technical devices and
systems has on occasion given rise to situations in which these advances
seem to have turned upon their beneficiaries, creating ethical and legal
dilemmas.

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The Importance of Science and Technology in
Contemporary Society
Disparities in Human Well Being
- In both less and more developed
countries, millions of people have not
enjoyed the scientific advances and
sophisticated material goods used by
industrialized countries.
- These glaring disparities offer an
opportunity for science and technology
to diminish it and gain social and
intellectual importance.
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The Importance of Science and Technology in
Contemporary Society
Social Conflict
- Developments in technology and science has been sources of conflicts
for different sectors in society (RH Law, in vitro fertilization,
emergence of social media etc.)
- Struggles like this has often challenged societys capacity for conflict
resolution

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The Importance of Science and Technology in
Contemporary Society
Social and Cultural Roles of Science
- Combatting Irrationality
- Imbued with the task of weaning the
populace from myth, superstition, and
resultant irrational belief and behavior.
- Also, to deflate narcissism and combat
assorted noxious claims to inherent
superiority associated with various beliefs
including racism, sexism, ageism,
ethnocentrism, and anthropocentrism.

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The Importance of Science and Technology in
Contemporary Society
Social and Cultural Roles of Science
- Preeminent Source of Cognitive Authority
- Seen nowadays as a authoritative source of
information for issues seeking scientific clarity
- Previous a priori positions of religions are
challenged, thereby conducting business on
an intellectual playing field set by modern
science
- To divert from established scientific facts,
religion is at risk of losing its members

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 The Importance of Science and Technology in
Contemporary Society
Social and Cultural Roles of Technology
- Sustaining The Private Corporation
- Technology helps increase its profits and survive
- It is assumed to translate into substantial benefits to society at large.

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The Importance of Science and Technology in
Contemporary Society
Social and Cultural Roles of Technology
- Source of Personal Identity
- A socioeconomic role complemented by a
sociopsychological basis among consumers,
producers and owners
- In the absence of religion, race, class, sex,
nationality, work and position, the
possession of state of the art, high tech
technological artifacts become sources of
self esteem and identity

Part One, Lecture 1

The Importance of Science and Technology in
Contemporary Society
Social and Cultural Roles of Technology
- Social Integration and Stratification
- Used in various ways to counteract centrifugal
tendencies (weakened bonds of family and
community) due to the high mobility of modern
societies (by promoting awareness, commonly
shared values, consumption patterns, and
contact between distant parties)
- As a powerful social stratifier e.g. possession or
control of scarce technological artifacts and
activities
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 Definition of Science, Technology
and Society

- The study of science and technology in society the ways in which technical
and social phenomena interact and influence each other.
- (reverse) the ways in which science and technology are affected by social
factors such as ideology, political and economic forces, and cultural values.

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Activity!
1. Divide into 7 groups. Choose one of the major reasons why it is
important to study STS.
2. Cite a recent event within the last 10 years that can be categorized
among the aforementioned reasons
- Cite its brief history and why it is categorized as such.
- Prepare a 5 min. presentation for this
- Other groups should question the validity of your report
3. To be presented on Monday, July 3, 2017.

Part One, Lecture 1