\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPOSTS<\/a>\u201d stands for \u2018Perspectives of Society Technology and Science. It will be a series of essays devoted to individuals, societies, and the technology and science possessed by them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Firstly, a word about the title POSTS<\/a>, and the order society, technology and science, and not society science and technology. Clearly, societies emerged first, in the history of huma<\/a>nity \u2013 families of individuals, clans, settlements etc. etc. So they stay first. Often Science is mentioned before Technology, as in S&T, implying science precedes technology. This is also apparent in some definitions of technology. (See below) But this is not true. More often than not, technology has preceded science in history. For example in the stone age huma<\/a>ns ma<\/a>de stone tools without knowing applied mechanics or strength of ma<\/a>terials. In the Iron age, metallic iron was obtained without knowing any metallurgy. Roma<\/a>ns created mild steel without any quantitative knowledge of the role of carbon content of steel in influencing its properties, which came 1700 years later. Use of fluidized beds for catalytic processes was invented before knowing laws of fluidization. The order Society, Technology and Science thus arises from the order in which these three emerged in huma<\/a>n life on earth. By this argument, we should abbreviate the general reference to Technology and Science as T&S. However, the term S&T has been widely used for far too long, so we will use it too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keywords that ma<\/a>ke up this title, perspectives, society, technology and science have been defined and used in different ways by different authorities. For unequivocal communication, in the tradition of science, we should define each of these terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The word perspective (Latin perspecere<\/em> \u2013 to look closely) appeared in English c. 1350 \u2013 1400 AD. In graphic arts or engineering drawing, perspective refers to a \u201cview\u201d of an object from a distance in space. Here we view the society, science and technology geographically as well as historically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We also use the word \u2018view\u2019 to mean thought or idea. That is why we often ask one another \u201cWhat is your view?\u201d Thus, perspective has a meaning in the doma<\/a>in of thought too. For our purpose, perspective means \u2013 \u201cState of one\u2019s ideas, known facts, and meaningful interrelationships among them\u201d \u2013 in this case, concerning Society Technology and Science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the worlds of art as well as thought, perspective also means understanding relative importance of things. For this purpose, wherever possible, we will prefer to take a wider world view as well as a detailed view of persons and events concerning Technology and Science in Society. This will help to see patterns and interrelations. For this we ma<\/a>y have to adopt an over-view or a closer view of turning points or important events, spread over near or distant past that reveal some features of interrelationships of society, science and technology. Thus, PoSTS<\/a> is<\/strong> study of relevant historic facts about individuals, huma<\/a>n societies, and technologies and science therein, from various points of view, so as to discover and understand interrelationships among them.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The word society (from Latin societas <\/em>\u2013 group of people) appeared in English c. 1525 \u2013 1535. It has been used in natural sciences (biology) or huma<\/a>nities (sociology). In biology, a society is a closely integrated group of orga<\/a>nisms of the same species exhibiting division of labor. We invariably reserve this definition for anima<\/a>ls other than huma<\/a>n beings. For huma<\/a>ns, we prefer the definition of society in social sciences. Here, Society is defined as an orga<\/a>nized group of persons associated together for an explicit common purpose<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The word science (Latin scire<\/em>\u2013 to know and scientia<\/em>\u2013 knowledge) appeared in English since 1300 \u2013 1350 AD, just before the idea of perspective got crystallized into English language. \u2018Orga<\/a>nized body of knowledge\u2019 is the simplest definition of science. Huma<\/a>n activities that can be called science by this definition are described by words ending in -graphy, -ics, -logy, -nomy, or -sophy. However, this simple definition places astronomy and statistics in the same bracket as astrology and numerology. In the present context we are concerned with knowledge of how the world (ma<\/a>cro as well as microscopic) works. We therefore prefer to define science as \u2018an orga<\/a>nized body of knowledge about how the ma<\/a>cro and microscopic universe or cosmos works.<\/strong> We will explore some facets of orga<\/a>nization of science, later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Interestingly, despite the existence of technology prior to concerned science, the word technology appeared in English around 1605 \u2013 15 AD, much later than the word science. This also explains why ma<\/a>ny authors do not distinguish between science and technology, and treat technology as subset of science. Now, technology literally means knowledge of art or skill. It is a Greek word composed of technos <\/em>(art or skill) and logie <\/em>(body of knowledge or discourse). One ma<\/a>y defend clubbing of technology into science because it is also a body of knowledge. However, it is possible to distinguish technology from science, on the basis of what drives them. We will study these distinctions and consequences thereof, later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For technology, definitions like \u2018Application of science to the practical aims of huma<\/a>n life or to the change and ma<\/a>nipulation of huma<\/a>n needs\u2019 have prevailed. This definition implies that concerned science exists before a technology is developed. As we saw above, this is not true. Alternate definition of technology, viz. \u2018systema<\/a>tic study of techniques for ma<\/a>king and doing things\u2019 misses the principal driving force \u2013 \u2018need\u2019. We, therefore, adopt a more representative and distinctive definition of technology as ability to create and use means for meeting huma<\/a>n needs using available resources.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Engineering, a related term, is derived from English word Engine. This word came into English language c. 1710 \u2013 20 AD, much later than the word technology. Even engineering as a professional activity was established much later than technology. Consequently, ma<\/a>ny have attempted to define engineering as distinct from technology. However in this treatise we will show that despite differences, engineering is an offshoot and a specific subset of technology. In simple terms Engineering is Technology in the face of constraints.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The reader will also be able to refer to these definitions in the dictionary section of this website, after it is developed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Huma<\/a>n beings are unique anima<\/a>ls on earth! They form societies \u2013 as sma<\/a>ll as a family to as large as United Nations. Unlike any other anima<\/a>l, huma<\/a>nity wields the unique asset of science and technology (S&T). S&T enabled huma<\/a>n societies are influencing the earth and its biosphere in ma<\/a>ny ways. Unlike most anima<\/a>ls, we can acquire a wide range of perspectives \u2013 in thought as well as our senses aided by S&T. For example we can see distant ga<\/a>laxies with our various telescopes or think of unseen objects like subatomic particles that cannot be directly seen even by the best of our instruments. We can conceive multiverse or a structure of the atomic nucleus, as well as processes within them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With this in background, consider two cases in the recent history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the beginning of the twentieth century, the western world rega<\/a>rded horse droppings on the road as obnoxious. Development of automobile based on IC engine was considered to be advantageous for controlling this pollution. Automobiles that kept the roads clean were heartily welcomed by the society, at large. Clearly the perspective was restricted only streets of city X. A hundred years later, we are forced to devote a huge effort for ma<\/a>naging pollution by the widespread use of automobile, when the perspective is widened to the whole of earth. Likewise, development of CFC as refrigerants was also driven by a desire to control pollution by ammonia (in industrial environments) and develop safer ma<\/a>terials (for industry). Yet, barely 75 years later, we are forced to retrace our steps, and strive towards a CFC free world, after we discover a hole in ozone layer, and understand how ozone helps our survival. We know ecosystems are complex interdependent fragile systems. Yet, we do not know how ma<\/a>ny species ma<\/a>y have been destroyed in the last 100 years, nor do we know their role in the ecosystem, or how critical were they for sustenance of the ecosystem. Despite all this we believe that all our actions were and are in the interest of ma<\/a>nkind. Obviously, we need the wisdom to keep our perspectives in order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A study of the history of science and technology in various societies and the interaction thereof throws up ma<\/a>ny lessons for, \u201cT<\/strong>echnologists S<\/strong>cientists and engineers<\/strong>\u2018. We would be referring to these professionals repeatedly in this treatise. For brevity we will call them TSEER<\/a>S. This treatise, POSTS<\/a>, should appraise the present and future TSEER<\/a>S of the earth\u2019s past with huma<\/a>ns and potential lessons for the future.<\/p>\n Views: 23<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cPOSTS\u201d stands for ‘Perspectives of Society Technology and Science. 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