SCIENCE

TECHNOLOGY
AND SOCIETY
 SCIENCE
 a branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body
of facts or truths systematically arranged and showing
the operation of general laws
 systematic knowledge of the physical or material
world gained through observation and experimentation
Origin:
Latin — "scire" (know)
Latin — "scientia" (knowledge)
Old french — "science"
 TECHNOLOGY
 the application of scientific knowledge for practical
purposes, especially in industry.
 the branch of knowledge dealing with engineering or
applied sciences

Origin:
Greek — "technē" (art, craft)
Greek — "logia" (speech, account)
 SOCIETY
 the aggregate of people living together in a more or
less ordered community.
 an organization or club formed for a particular
purpose or activity.

Origin:
Latin — "socius" (companion)
 RELATIONSHIP

SCIENCE

SOCIETY TECHNOLOGY
 STS TO STUDY

 To study the nature of science and technology and

ultimately judge their value and place in society.
 To be able to confront the moral ethical and
existential dilemmas brought by continued
development in science and technology.
 IMPORTANCE OF STS IN OUR LIFE

• STS teaches you skills, which will open your mind

– like writing and presentation, logic and self-
organisation.
• It also invites you to think for yourself, to reflect on
society, politics and the impact of technology, and to
do something wonderful with all the new and old
ways of cultural expression that our world provides.
ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
 HOW STS AFFECTS OURLIVES
 IMPROVED COMMUNICATION
From handheld computers to touch phones, technological
advancements in the field of communication are endless,
modes of communication becomes unlimited.
 
 IMPROVED EDUCATION
Technological advancements in the field of education are
fast evolving. E-learning is familiar and popular term.
 HOW STS AFFECTS OURLIVES
 IMPROVED HEALTHCARE
The relationship between medicine and technology has
reshaped healthcare and revolutionized the medical
profession.
  
 HOW STS AFFECTS OURLIVES
 IMPROVED MODERN AGRICULTURE
Science has transformed the way we eat today. These
science-based technologies triggered striking changes in
agriculture, massively increasing the amount of food
available to feed the world and simultaneously
transforming the economic structure of agricultural
practices.
  
 HOW STS AFFECTS OURLIVES
 

 SMARTPHONE REVOLUTION
The advent of smartphones has simplified our lives
immensely. People now connect with their loved ones
more frequently and easily through video calls and instant
messaging services. Tasks, like creating slides, reading
emails, and creating documents don’t require a PC
anymore  
 HOW STS AFFECTS OURLIVES
 TECHNOLOGY ADDICTION
Technology addiction can be defined as frequent and
obsessive technology-related behavior increasingly
practiced despite negative consequences to the user of the
technology. An over-dependence on tech can significantly
impact our lives. 
 
 HOW STS AFFECTS OURLIVES
 SOCIAL ISOLATION
Email and text messaging do not lend themselves to
intimate revelations and in depth conversations.
 HOW STS AFFECTS OURLIVES
 LESS ACTIVE LIFESTYLE
Our sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical activities can
be partly attributed to the over-dependence on
smartphones. This is especially true for the younger
generation, who are constantly glued to their cell phones.
In the modern era, cell phone addiction is having a
negative impact on our lives. Care needs to be taken to
deal with this issue in an effective way.
 HOW STS AFFECTS OURLIVES
 SHORTENED ATTENTION SPAN
The constant use of technology has shortened our attention
span from 12 minutes to 5 minutes. Constant news feeds
and videos that are 10 minutes or less has rewired our
brains. People who are online an average of 5 hours a day
have trouble remembering people's names.
 HOW STS AFFECTS OURLIVES
 FOMO (FEAR OF MISSING OUT)
defined by The New York Times as "the blend of anxiety,
inadequacy and irritation that can flare up while skimming
social media".Social media is bombarded with pictures
and posts of scrumptious dinners, raging parties and
enviable travel check-ins.These activities might not be
one's idea of fun, but when one recognizes that pang,
"Should I be doing something else right now?", that's
FOMO.
 HOW STS AFFECTS OURLIVES
 TECH FALLOUT
Technology has altered human physiology. It affects
memory, attention spans and sleep cycles. This is
attributed to a scientific phenomenon known as
neuroplasticity, or the brain's ability to alter its behavior
based on new experience
 GOALS
 An interdisciplinary approach to science education,
where there is a seamless integration of economic,
ethical, social and political aspects of scientific and
technological developments in the science
curriculum.
 GOALS
 Engaging students in examining a variety of real
world issues and grounding scientific knowledge in
such realities. In today's world, such issues might
include the impact on society of global warming,
genetic engineering, animal testing, deforestation
practices, nuclear testing and environmental
legislations.
 GOALS
 Enabling students to formulate a critical understanding
of the interface between science technology and society.
 Developing students capacities and confidence to make
informed decisions, and to take responsible action to
address issues arising from the impact of science on
their daily lives.
 PURPOSES OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1.To improve quality of human condition

2.To provide solution to our practical problems.
3.To establish relevant institutional linkages and
essential mechanisms
4.To develop individual knowledge.
 PURPOSES OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

5.To find order in the chaos of nature and deliver

personal and social liberation.
6.To give an information and explanation of the natural
world.
7.To develop new areas of knowledge
8.To combat irrationality.
9.To maintain the availability of natural resources.
 LIMITATIONS IN USING TECHNOLOGY

• Natural limits
• Economical limits
• can be temporary
 NATURES OF STS
 Science, technology and society (STS), also referred
to as science and technology studies, is a branch or
off- spring of science studies. It considers how social,
po- litical, and cultural values affect scientific research
and technological innovation, and how these, in turn,
affect society, politics and culture.
 NATURES
 Science is an attempt to explain natural phenomena.
People from all cultures contribute to science.
Scientific knowledge, while durable, has a tentative
character
 NATURES
 Technology has strongly influenced the course
of history and the nature of human society, and
it continues to do so.
 NATURE
 Society consists in mutual interaction and inters
relation of individuals and of the structure formed
by their relations.
 THEORIES
 A scientific theory is an explanation of an aspect of
the natural world that can be repeatedly tested and
verified in accordance with the scientific method,
using accepted protocols of observation,
measurement, and evaluation of results. Where
possible, theories are tested under controlled
conditions in an experiment.
 THEORIES

In circumstances not amenable to experimental testing,

theories are evaluated through principles of abductive
reasoning. Established scientific theories have withstood
rigorous scrutiny and embody scientific knowledge.
.
 THEORIES OF TECHNOLOGY
 Attempt to explain the factors that shape technological
innovation as well as the impact of technology on
society and culture.
 Most contemporary theories of technology reject two
previous views:
- the linear model of technological innovation
-and technological determinism
 THEORIES OF TECHNOLOGY
 To challenge the linear model, today's theories of
technology point to the historical evidence that
technological innovation often gives rise to new
scientific fields, and emphasizes the important role that
social networks and cultural values play in shaping
technological artifacts.
 THEORIES OF TECHNOLOGY
 To challenge technological determinism, today's
theories of technology emphasize the scope of technical
choice, which is greater than most laypeople realize; as
science and technology scholars like to say, "It could
have been different." For this reason, theorists who take
these positions typically argue for greater public
involvement in technological decision-making. It also
refers to a company name which usually provides the
tech related content to the user.
 THEORIES OF SOCIETY
 Social theories are analytical frameworks, or
paradigms, that are used to study and interpret social
phenomena. A tool used by social scientists, social
theories relate to historical debates over the validity
and reliability of different methodologies (e.g.
positivism and antipositivism), the primacy of either
structure or agency, as well as the relationship
between contingency and necessity.
THANK YOU!