Lesson 1: Science, Technology, and its Significance to Society in the Contemporary World Flashcards
What is Science, Technology, and Society also referred to as?
Science Technology Studies
What is Science, Technology, and Society (or STS)?
the study of how social, political, and cultural values affect scientific research and technological innovation, which shape and are shaped by these factors.
What are the two things STS scholars are interested in?
(1) the relationship between scientific and technological innovations and society, and (2) the directions and
risks of science and technology.
What is science?
any system of knowledge that is concerned by the physical world and its phenomena.
What does science entail?
unbiased observations and systematic experimentation.
What is technology according to IGI Global, n.d.?
the creation, usage, and knowledge of tools, techniques, crafts, systems, or methods of organization, to solve a problem or serve some purpose or end
What is technology, in other words?
the advanced tool and system that can make users feel comfortable.
What are seven examples of successes in the field of science and technology?
(1) The Wheel, (2) The Compass, (3) The Printing Press, (4) The Internal Combustion Engine, (5) The Telephone, (6) Penicillin, and (7) The Internet
When was the wheel created?
3500 BC
What was the original mechanism of the wheel?
a non-moving platform connected to a rolling cylinder
How did the wheel, specifically wheeled carts help society?
Wheeled carts facilitated agriculture and commerce by enabling the transportation of goods to and from markets
In what way does the wheel help everyday people?
easing the burden of people traveling great distances
Who invented the compass?
the Chinese
When was the compass invented?
between the 9th and 11th century
What were the two main reasons the compass was beneficial?
(1) the compass enabled mariners to navigate safely far from land, increasing sea trade and (2) contributing to the Age of Discovery.
What was the first compass made of?
lodestone, a naturally-magnetized iron ore
When was the printing press invented?
Around 1436 / 1430’s - 1440’s
Who invented the printing press?
Johannes Gutenburg
In what way was the printing press beneficial?
exponentially increased the speed of making book copies, leading to the rapid dissemination of knowledge for the first time in history.
What was the ink in the printing press made of?
linseed oil and soot
When was the internal combustion engine developed?
the 19th century
In what way was the internal combustion engine beneficial?
the engine helped steer civilization into the Industrial Age, enabling the invention of machines like modern cars and aircrafts
How did the internal combustion engine work?
the combustion of fuel releases high-temperature gas, which, as it expands, applies force to a piston moving it
in other words, combustion engines convert chemical energy into mechanical work.
When was the telephone invented?
1876
Who invented the telephone?
Alexander Graham Bell
In what way was the telephone beneficial?
the telephone revolutionized global business and communication
When was penicillin discovered?
1928, although only advertised and mass-produced by 1944
Who discovered penicillin?
Alexander Fleming
How was penicillin beneficial to society?
Penicillin fights a huge number of bacterial infections in humans without harming the humans themselves.
How was penicillin discovered?
Fleming noticed a bacteria-filled Petri dish in his laboratory, the sample had become contaminated with a mold, and everywhere the mold was, the bacteria was dead. That antibiotic mold turned out to be the fungus Penicillium.
When was the internet invented?
the 1960’s
What is the internet nicknamed as?
the “information superhighway”,
What is the internet?
the global system of interconnected computer networks used by billions of people worldwide
Who invented the internet?
A team of computer scientists working for the US Defense Department’s ARPA (Advanced Research Projects Agency)
Why was the internet originally created?
ARPA (Advanced Research Projects Agency) built a communications network to connect the computers in the agency
What was the internet’s predecessor called
ARPANET
What was the method of transmission of ARPANET called?
packet switching
What are five examples of the many ethical dillemas of science and technology?
(1) Threats to Human Survival, (2) Exploitation of Advanced Scientific Knowledge, (3) Social and Cultural Conflicts, (4) Environmental, Psychological and Medical Consequences, and (5) Disparities in Human Wellbeing
What are three prime examples of eco-friendly technologies?
(1) Solar energy, (2) Geothermal Energy, and (3) Wind Power
