UNIT II.

INTELLECTUAL REVOLUTIONS THAT DEFINED THE SOCIETY

Overview

In the previous unit, you have learned how scientific and technological developments affect society. You
became familiar with the interactions of science, technology, and society throughout history.

In this unit, you will learn about the development of science and scientific ideas in society. Activities included
will allow you to figure out the different intellectual revolutions specifically the Copernican, Darwinian and Freudian
revolutions along with other scientific breakthroughs that shaped the society. You will also learn to appreciate the
various contributions of great civilizations around the world that transformed science and technology in order to
develop the society as we know it today.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the unit, I am able to:

1. differentiate intellectual revolution from scientific revolution;

2. identify intellectual revolutions that defined society;
3. identify the paradigm shifts in history; and
4. enumerate the ways by which society is transformed by science and technology.

Setting Up

Name: _____________________________________________ Date: ________________________

Course/Year/Section: ___________________________ Score: _______________________

1. In the previous unit, you have learned about some scientific and technological discoveries that influenced
how society lives today. Choose one example and state the ways on how this discovery has contributed to
your everyday life.
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Lesson Proper

Intellectual Revolution vs. Scientific Revolution

Intellectual Revolutions can be defined as the historical changes in thoughts, beliefs, and social institutions
due to new ideas and principles. These include the Copernican, Darwinian, and Freudian Intellectual Revolutions.
The intellectual revolution may also refer to the historical period when science became more important and
influential during the Middle Ages. This period is considered a golden age in the history of science because it marked
the birth of science as a discipline wherein many scientific ideas and discoveries were developed.

Meanwhile, when science and technology become the center of an intellectual revolution, it can then be called
a Scientific Revolution.
Some Intellectuals Who Made Essential Contributions in Science during the Period of Scientific Revolutions:

In human history, there were three individuals who significantly changed views about the world and
humanity. These were Nicolaus Copernicus, Charles Darwin, and Sigmund Freud.

❖ Nicholas Copernicus (Copernican)

▪ Polish astronomer and mathematician
▪ developed the heliocentric model of the universe in which everything moved around a single center at
unvarying rates.
▪ His model opposed the geocentric model which said that the Earth is the center of the universe as
proposed by Ptolemy and Aristotle. During his time, the geocentric model was accepted by the general
public and was supported by the Church.
▪ He placed the sun in the center of the universe with all the planets surrounding or orbiting it. Copernicus’
Model of planets orbiting around the sun automatically positioned the planets into a logical sequence
[Ang, R., Cruz, J., et al. (2018)].
➢ The heliocentric model states that the Sun is the center of the universe and the Earth is just one of the planets
revolving around it.
➢ Although Copernicus’ work had no mathematical and physical explanations or concrete evidences, it was still
considered significant because of two reasons:
1. Before and during the time of Copernicus, astrology was more important than astronomy.
Astrology vs Astronomy
Astronomy is the study of the universe and its contents outside of Earth's atmosphere. Astronomers
examine the positions, motions, and properties of celestial objects. Astrology is a pseudoscience that
attempts to study how those positions, motions, and properties affect people and events on Earth
(horoscopes, love, compatibility, fortune).
We now know that astrology is not a real science. In astrology, the Earth is considered a powerful,
extraordinary celestial body that is the center of the universe. This was supported by the geocentric
model of Ptolemy and Aristotle.
Astrologers at that time cast horoscopes and perform other astrological activities in order to gain
acceptance and support from the society and the Church. The society was dependent on horoscopes and
astrological outputs for decisions. When Copernicus’ heliocentric theory gained attention and
acceptance, the perspective of the society started to change.
Copernicus questioned the ideas of Ptolemy and Aristotle. His model placed Earth as an equal of other
planets and that they all revolve around the sun, which debunked the views of astrology. People then
started to question astrology and started to embrace more the science of astronomy.
2. Secondly, Copernicus’ work laid the foundation for succeeding scientists to do revolutionary things. His
successors were Tycho Brahe, Johannes Kepler, and Galileo Galilei. These scientists made it possible to
understand and explain many phenomena in the universe using mathematical concepts and explanations
The discoveries of Copernicus and his successors changed society’s view about astronomy and made
it more acceptable. Galileo’s work also popularized the telescope even for non-astronomers. This
marked the beginning of popular science and science fiction.

❖ Charles Darwin (Darwinian)

▪ An English scientist whose works, Decent of Man and Origin of Species, discussed his ideas on
evolution of species and mankind. His theories were controversial especially to the religious and
creationists.
▪ According to Darwin, humans are natural and are subject to the laws of science. This was
contrary to the belief during his time where humans were treated as very special beings in
comparison with other organisms, as if humans were supernatural creatures.
▪ His theory of evolution by natural selection (process) is the main rational behind humans’ current
existence and attributes. It is instrumental in many fields until now. Darwin’s Theory of Evolution
suggested that all organisms are related and have descended from a common ancestor and that
humans evolved from pre-existing organisms as opposed to the creationist view that God (or a higher
being) created humans.
▪ Variation in a population helps different species to survive. The animals that do survive and
reproduce are better-adapted organisms (survival of the fittest). A random genetic mutation occurs
within an organism's genetic code, aids survival [Ang, R., Cruz, J., et al. (2018)].
▪ Darwin’s work suggested that humans are not so different from other organism – that we, like
dogs, trees, worms, plants, fish, insects, and crabs are all species. This perspective changed how
society viewed humanity.
▪ Despite his controversial theories, Darwin’s work gained support from people across the world, even
among religious personalities. Later on, studies by other scientists supported or revised Darwin’s
theory of evolution. Today, Charles Darwin is recognized as the pioneer of evolutionary biology.
 ❖ Sigmund Freud (Freudian)
▪ Austrian neurologist whose contributions in psychology are considered revolutionary.
▪ He developed the idea of psychoanalysis that helped in understanding human behavior, especially
neurological conditions. He is also credited for his theory on psychosexual development, dream
interpretation, and the id, ego, and superego. According to Freud, human behavior and personality
are shaped by the interaction between the id, ego, and superego which are components of the mind.
▪ Behavior Vs Personality
▪ Freud’s Structural Theory of Personality emphasizes the role of unconscious psychological
conflicts in shaping behavior and personality
Behavior: (what you do) range of actions and mannerisms made by individuals
Personality: (what you are) combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual’s distinctive
character

Examples:
You help other people (behavior) because you are kind (personality)
You give alms to the poor (behavior) because you are generous (personality)
You get nervous around many people (behavior) because you are shy (personality)
➢ Id – part of the personality that is present at birth; primitive personality existing within the
unconscious mind.

➢ Super ego - include the ideas of right and wrong acquired from society and the culture. Overpowers
the urges of the id and tries to make the ego act morally, rather than realistically. Composed of
people's internalized ideals acquired from parents and society.

➢ Ego – less primitive than the Id, partly conscious and unconscious. It facilitates the demands of the
Id, superego and reality. - It prevents people from acting on the basic urges created by the id and
works to balance their moral and idealistic standards created by the superego.

▪ Freud proposed psychoanalysis as the scientific method to understand the mind. However, many
scientists today consider Freud’s work as pseudoscience due to a lack of evidence and accurate proof.
Nevertheless, he is still considered revolutionary because he changed how society viewed the human
self.
▪ Freud rejected the idea from the Enlightenment Period which said that humans are rational and that
emotions and drives can be controlled through reasoning. He suggested otherwise and claimed that
humans have a subconscious and unconscious mind which affects our emotions, drives, and behavior.
He also believed that humans have a tendency to be irrational when we are unaware of our emotions
and behaviors, letting them control us.
▪ Freud also explored dream interpretation. For him, dreams are connected to one’s experiences and
that they are somehow products of the unconscious mind based on unfulfilled wishes.

Ancient Civilizations
Science provided different ancient civilizations the means to survive and understand the natural and physical
world. Helped humans to develop various technologies used in everyday tasks. Cited below are some ancient
civilizations and their significant contributions that defined the society [Ang, R., Cruz, J., et.al (2018)].

Mesoamerican Civilization
Meso- America is the region that covers most of the present-day central America. The important scientific
and technological developments in Meso-America were primarily contributed by the Mayan, Inca, and Aztec
civilizations.
- Located in the region and cultural area in the Americas - Contributed greatly in agriculture (as early as 7000
BC)
- Main food sources were beans, corns, & squash (a triad of products known as the “three sisters”)
- Introduced crop rotation and slash-and-burn methods that aided in retaining the nutrients in the soil.
- They valued cacao as an essential crop because it is used as a trade currency and in rituals.
- Cotton plants & rubber trees were used for making culturally and ritually significant products like textile
(vibrant colors) and rubber balls (used in performance games).

- The Mayan Civilization is known for its early studies in astronomy and engineering. They are one of the first
people to have knowledge on paper-making and had their own writing system, the Mayan hieroglyphics.
They were first to create calendars (like civil calendar or Haab and Tzolkin Calendar).

- The Inca Civilization is known for their irrigation systems, paved roads, and quipo, a record system that
uses knotted ropes. First to use irrigation techniques.

- The Aztec civilization is known for imposing mandatory education for their children. They are also known
for their chinampas. Created chinampas (plots of mud and soil placed on top layers of thick water vegetation)
Asian Civilization
Asia bore 2 of the world’s great early civilizations: From India & China

• Indian Civilization
-
Known for steel works and their system of traditional medicine known as Ayurveda
-
Birth of the two world’s known religion: Hinduism & Buddhism.
-
In Hinduism, based on Vedas (4 sacred books; believed written by Aryan People); People believed to be
divided into a “caste system”; Priests called Brahmans (ranked highest) and the “untouchables” as lowest.
- In Buddhism, praise Buddha (meaning “The Enlightened One”) who is in the person of Siddharta Gautama
(believed that human greed and selfishness lead to human pain).
• Chinese Civilization
- Another religion Confucianism, developed along the Huang Ho riverbank in Northern China, based on the
teachings of Confucius.
- Created the Great Wall of China, built to protect from invasions of “barbarians” from other parts of Asia.
• The Indonesians learned to construct Candis (religious structures with both Buddhist and Hindu heritage) in
the 8th to 15th centuries.
• The Japanese developed kampo medicine which had Chinese origins

Middle East Civilization

- Considered as the home to the “Cradle of Civilization” (seen as the world’s oldest culture and civilization).
- First to practice intensive year-round agriculture and currency-mediated trade as opposed to barter.
- Gave the rest of the world the first writing system.
- Laid the foundation for astronomy and mathematics.
- Created the first generalized government and law codes.
- Invented the clay cylinder seals (on which little pictures of objects could be recorded).
- Early writings evolved from pictures baked on clay tablets.

African Civilization

- In Africa, the most advanced was the Egyptian civilization. The city of Alexandria was a scientific and
intellectual center during the middle ages. In the rest of Africa, metallurgy was well-developed. This is mainly
due to the region’s rich deposits of minerals like copper, gold, and iron.

- According to some historians, Africans were nothing more than savages whose only contributions to the
world were farming and slaves. However, this is far from the truth.

- Lineage and culture of achievements emerged at least 40,000 years ago in Africa. Some were the following:
• Developed modern concepts in mathematics like the first method of counting.
• People in present-day Zaire and Yoruba (now Nigeria) developed Numeration system 8,000 years ago.
• In the Yoruba, the belief system is lauded because it required much abstract reasoning.
• The African Stonehenge (in present-day Kenya) a.k.a. Adam’s calendar was constructed around 300 BC
and predates both the Stonehenge in England and the Great Pyramid of Giza by tens of thousands of years.
• The Dogon people of Mali have various astronomical discoveries like Saturn’s rings, Jupiter’s moon, the
spiral structure of the Milky Way, and the orbit of the Sirius Star.
• They built great architectural Monuments along the Nile like Great Pyramid of Giza, Great Sphinx of Giza,
great cities like in Zimbabwe & Mozambique (made of massive stone complex and huge castle-like
compounds).
• In Medicine, some practices include the use of plants with salicylic acid for pain, kaolin for diarrhea, and
extracts that were confirmed to kill Gram-Positive bacteria. Other plants used had anticancer properties,
caused abortion, and treated malaria.
• Some medical procedures performed in ancient Africa: Vaccination, autopsy, limb traction and broken
bone setting, bullet removal, brain surgery, skin grafting, filling of dental cavities, installation of false
teeth, anesthesia and tissue cauterization.

Information Revolution

The information revolution refers to the change in social, economic, and political role of information. It was
accompanied by the history of mankind and began as early as 3000 BC with the discovery of Sumerian Pictographs.
This period triggered profound changes both in the way of lives and, in a way, perceive the self as human beings.
The generation and use of information led to important developments in modern science. The Information
Revolution affected all aspects of the society, from individual lives to local and global economies and governments.
The onset of the information revolution was made possible by the invention of language, writing, and
printing.
• Language is associated with the beginning of humanity.
One of the factors that differentiate humans from our evolutionary ancestors is language. It is also a
unifying factor for humanity by enabling humans to communicate or exchange information.

• Writing is important in the rise of civilizations

The rise of civilizations in the Middle East was coupled by the invention of writing. It allowed people to
document early events, norms, social and political activities, and cultural practices, among others. It enabled
people to preserve information in a form that can be passed on to future generations.

• Printing is significant to the development of modern civilizations

Printing is important in the development of modern civilizations because it enabled the faster
distribution of important scientific, religious, and historical texts.

Computers allowed data processing and calculation. The invention of storage devices gave us the
means to share and store digital information and data. Optical communication allowed the establishment of
communication networks and internet technology
The different milestones of the Information Revolution are:

o In 1455, Johannes Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press.

o In the early 1830s, Charles Babbage worked on the Analytical Engine and originated the concept of a digital
programmable computer.
o During the 1870’s, the first telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell.
o During World War II, Alan Turing refined the concept of algorithms and computation using the Turing
Machine. He contributed to the Turing test concerning the possibility of developing a conscious and thinking
machine which became the foundation of today’s Artificial Intelligence.

The information revolution had a profound impact to economies, governments, and societies. Today, the
fundamental access to information is one of the goals for national development.
o In politics and the government, the information revolution made the following possible:
• Increase in government transparency
• Development of online campaigning
• Automated elections

o Local and global e-commerce are now possible through the use of mobile devices and the internet.

o In the work environment, the information revolution helped close the gap between employees and
employers, and among colleagues through telecommunication. Telecommunication refers to working from
home using the internet, telephone, emails, and other platforms. It is now possible for people to stay with
their families while working, do part-time jobs, and have a flexible working schedule.

Of course, the information revolution also has its drawbacks. While it made it easier for people to
communicate and access information, it is often abused and misused. This can be through the spread of
irrelevant or incorrect information (fake news).

References

Ang, R., Cruz, J., et. al. 2018. Science, Technology and Society. Muntinlupa City: Panday-Lahi Publishing House, Inc.
Alata, E.J., Pawilen, G.,et.al. 2018. Science, Technology and Society. First Edition. Manila: Rex Book Store, Inc.
https://frontlerners.com/blended/ 4/20/2020
Floridi, L. (2009). The Information Society and its Philosophy: Introduction to the Special Issue on “The
philosopphu of Information, Its Nature, and Future Developments”. The Information Society.25, 153-158.
Doi:10.1080/01972240902848583
Konsbruck, R. L. (n.d.) Impacts of Information Technology on Society in the New Century. Retrieved January 20,
2020 from https://www.zurich.ibm.com/pdf/news/Konsbruck.pdf
Assessing Learning

Activity 4
Name: _____________________________________________ Date: ________________________
Course/Year/Section: ___________________________ Score: _______________________

Directions: One of the focus of intellectual revolution is to highlight the different scientific ideas that define the
present society. Have you ever asked yourself about the relationship of science and society? With this, answer the
following questions briefly: (10 points each)

1. The different scientific and intellectual revolutions throughout history have changed the thoughts, beliefs,
and institutions of society. If there will be another revolution in the future, what do you think it will be? How
will it change society? What are the possible positive and negative effects?
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2. Give three (3) more examples of disadvantages of technology and the information revolution that you have
noticed. Suggest solutions in order to prevent or stop these problems.
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