INTERACTION OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY

In your basic education, you would probably have learned what science and technology.
Let’s try to reevaluate the understanding and philosophical perspectives regarding
science, technology and in reflect on your experiences how it impacted and related to
the society.
Human beings attempt to understand the natural world with or without concerns
on the practical applications of it.

SCIENCE AND ITS NATURE and PHILOSOPHY

Science is derived from a Latin Verb ‘Scire’,

which means ‘to know’ and Latin Noun ‘Scientia’
which means ‘knowledge’. From its German word it
is ‘Wissenchaft’, which means systematic, organized
knowledge. Thus, Science is a systematized https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qqqE1mXhHA/WWmnof-mtoI/
AAAAAAAAAXg/RfRN2382Xs81RqlEqxFfp2cAuop-
knowledge. PyQxgCLcBGAs/s1600/n.jpg

There are many definitions of science as

presented by different authors, writers and scientists. Common ideas or definition focused
on:
 Science as an Idea.
 Science as a body of knowledge which explains nature and phenomena
 Science is a naturalistic, material explanatory system used to account for natural
phenomena that ideally must be objectively and empirically testable
It deals and explains nature such as human nature.
 Science as an intellectual activity
o A wide range of methods or processes to develop this knowledge - A
scientific process
Knowledge are acquired scientifically following the scientific method.
Theories and processes are the results of investigation and the data gathered, in
other words, it is based on facts and evidences.
 A way of thinking. It involves a logical thinking.
 Science as a personal and social activity,
 Moreover, science is both a knowledge and a process. However, it also a way to
develop the positive skills and values during the acquisition of knowledge and
performing the process. It science involves a pursuit of knowledge covering general
truths or the operations of fundamental laws. It specifically involves the observation,
identification, description, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanation of
natural phenomena

Therefore, SCIENCE tries to discover facts and relationships and then tries to create
theories that makes sense of these facts and relationships.

TECHNOLOGY

According to Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2023, May 26) technology is the

application of scientific knowledge to the practical aims of human life or, as it is sometimes
phrased, to the change and manipulation of the human environment.
Oregon State University, the word technology comes from two Greek words,
transliterated techne and logos. Techne means art, skill, craft, or the way, manner, or means
by which a thing is gained. Logos means word, the utterance by which inward thought is
expressed, a saying, or an expression. So, literally, technology means words or discourse
about the way things are gained. As a process, it is described as the rational process of
creating means to order and transform matter, energy, and information to realize certain
valued ends. Also, it is the set of means (tools, devices, systems, methods, procedures)
created by the technological process. It consists of the facts and procedures necessary to
order and manipulate matter, energy, and information, as well as how to discover new
means for such transformations. Moreover, technology is the system consisting of the
technological process, technological objects, technological knowledge, developers of
technological objects, users of technological objects, and the worldview (i.e., the beliefs
about things and the value of things that shape how one views the world) that has emerged
from and drives the technological process.
Chavda, Sagarkumar (2012) define technology as the practical application of knowledge
especially in a particular area. It refers tools and machines that may be used to solve real-
world problems.
Other authors and writers describes or explains technology that it involves tools,
techniques, procedures for putting the findings of science to practical use. It is considered
as a human activity involving with the making and using of material artifacts. It can be an
activity that forms or changes culture. The relationship that society has with its tools and
crafts, and to what extent society can control its environment. It also refers to the entities
both material and immaterial, created by the application of mental and physical effort in
order to achieve some value. It can be a collection of technique.

SOCIETY

A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through

persistent relations. Members of a society may be from different ethnic groups (Chavda,
Sagarkumar,2012).
Science and technology basically address the need the society. The kind of society we
have today is a manifestation how science and technology shaped the society.

Interaction and Relationship of Science, Technology and Society

According to Brooks, Harvey (1994), Science

contributes to technology in at least six
ways:
1. new knowledge which serves as a
direct source of ideas for new
technological possibilities;
2. source of tools and techniques for
more efficient engineering design
and a knowledge base for
evaluation of feasibility of designs;
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-Relationship-
3. research instrumentation, between-Science-Technology-and-the Society_fig2_308961638
laboratory techniques and
analytical methods used in research that eventually find their way into design or
industrial practices, often through intermediate disciplines;
4. practice of research as a source for development and assimilation of new human
skills and capabilities eventually useful for technology;
5. creation of a knowledge base that becomes increasingly important in the assessment
of technology in terms of its wider social and environmental impacts;
6. knowledge base that enables more efficient strategies of applied research,
development, and refinement of new technologies.
 Furthermore, the converse impact of technology on science is of at least equal
importance:
1. through providing a fertile source of novel scientific questions and thereby also
helping to justify the allocation of resources needed to address these questions in an
efficient and timely manner, extending the agenda of science;
2. as a source of otherwise unavailable instrumentation and techniques needed to
address novel and more difficult scientific questions more efficiently.

There is a strong relationship between Science Technology and Society. Chavda,

Sagarkumar,2012 said that science is the mother of technology and both of them are the
reasons for the creation and development of the societies. It greatly contributed in vision
of man about self. Science has changed the opinion about the origin of man and place of
origin as well. Through the results of scientific discoveries, the perception of people
about his behavior and his place of origin was diversely changed.
Thus, Science and technology help each other advance. Scientific knowledge is used to
create new technologies. New technologies often allow scientists to explore nature in
different ways and make new discoveries. Therefore, science explores for the purpose of
knowing while technology explores for the purpose of making something useful from that
knowledge.