CHAPTER ONE:
Research Assignment:
(Page 11-12)
1. What is "The Needham Question"? To answer the question about why the Chinese were
overtaken in science and technological advancement, listen to "In Our Time: History" on
BBC Radio, https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0038x9m or
https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=0Q3mCgQUAUE. In your own words, state briefly
why Europe overtook China in science and technology
2. What does the term "paradigm shift" refer to in the history of Science? Summarize the
premise of Kuhn in his Structure of the Scientific Revolution. List at least three critiques
of his premise.
Activities
(Page 28-29)
1. Choose one contemporary Filipino scientist and prepare a one-page report on him or her
based on at least three sources, excluding Wikipedia although you may look at the
footnotes.or sources in the Wikipedia entry. End your short report by citing the
scientist's contributions to the development of Philippine society. Names of Filipino
scientists may be found at the following sites, but you may report on another leading
scientist in the Philippines who has served the needs of the people and the country. Cite
your sources at the end of your report. Pinoy Scientists http://www.pinoyscientists.com
Leading Filipino Scientists Last. https://www.rappler.com/science nature/society-
culture/202367-leading-filipino-scientists-list Pinoy Scientists,
pinoyscientists.tumblr.com.
2. Interview a graduate of a Science High School, and record his or her answer to the
question "How has the public investment in your science education resulted in advances
in S&T and an improvement in the quality of life in the Philippines?" Alternatively,
research on a Philippine invention such as the Salamander amphibious tricycle, the self-
charging car, and the plastic-to-diesel converter. Choose one of these inventions and
write a short report, in your own words, on its inventor, how the invention works, and its
benefits for humanity and the planet.
3. Research the history of Science. There are many sources on History.com, the Local
Histories website http://www. localhistories.org/science.html, and "A Brief History of
Science: Antiquity to 20th CE" by Tim Lambert. Draw a timeline that highlights the key
developments in Science and Technology from the Ancient Greeks to the 21st century.
CHAPTER TWO:
HUMAN PERSON FLOURISHING
Starter
(Page 34)
What is The Good Life for you? Open your notebook and draw the table below on one one
spread. Fill in the first column with notes on what you think The Good Life means for you and
what you need to do to live it. Leave the second and third columns blank for a later activity.
THE GOOD LIFE
A B C
The good life for me
means…
Living a happy in
fulfilled life where
you do thing that
you love in a living.
Activities
(Page 40-41)
1. Aristotle states that the Golden Mean may be the key to a good and happy life. How can
you apply this concept in a society marked by materialism and greed?
2. Look for other meanings of The Good Life in a poem or song Summarize in a sentence or
two the persona's definition of happiness or the good life.
3. After reading all the definitions and formulations above, go back to the table of The Good
Life that you drew on one spread in your notebook. In Column B, write a new statement
of what "The Good Life" means to you, noting if and how of the Good Life has changed in
any way. What will your view you add to what you stated in Column A and what will you
exclude?
THE GOOD LIFE
A B C
After reading the previous
section, The Good Life for
me is now…
I have realized…
4. Critique the views of the philosophers and artists cited in the section above. Is there
anything missing in their definitions of The Good Life? If yes, what is missing?
Activities
(Page 49-50)
Now that you've read all these articles and links on the subject of The Good Life for human
society and not only the human person, has your own definition of The Good Life changed? Fill
in Column with your definition of The Good Life for yourself, society, and the world.
THE GOOD LIFE
A B C
After reading the second
section of this chapter, I
realize that The Good Life for
me should...
Reflect
1. Filipinos tend to be anxious and skeptical about modern Science, according to a 2008
survey of the Social Weather Station Mangahas). Why do you think this is so? Consider
how this finding is related to the pace of S&T development in the Philippines. Are you
skeptical about modern Science?
2. The topics in this chapter are mandated by the Commission for Higher Education. What
could be intrinsically wrong with this chapter's focus on "The Good Life"? Reflect. What
is the problem with the focus on concepts of "human person flourishing," the "human
condition," and "human society" as stressed in this chapter?
CHAPTER THREE
Activity
(Page 74-75)
In groups, discuss and jot down your answers to the following questions. Then organize your
notes into a format such as a campaign speech, position or analysis paper, or organize a
classroom symposium or forum about climate change topics.
1. The IPCC statement that climate change is real and that it i caused by human
activity is the consensus statement of the world's leading scientists. Some scientists
disagree with them. What kinds of issues would you look at when evaluating the
claims of the scientists who disagree with the consensus?
2. Given what you currently know from the reading and other sources, do you think there is
evidence that greenhouse gases are causing global warming?
3. Do you agree with the European nations that there is adequate evidence for us to
exercise the precautionary principle or with current U.S. policy that we need to wait for
enough evidence before making dramatic changes?
4. Do you agree with the European nations that we should implement the Kyoto protocol to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions or with current U.S. policy that the general public
should let the market come up with innovations?
Film Viewing
(Page 79)
1. If your teacher, your classmates or you can find a copy each of the two films of Al Gore,
An Inconvenient Truth (2006 and An Inconvenient Sequel (2017), watch them. If these
films are not available, view the trailer of the 2017 movie on
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huXlbmfdky A and watch the interview of Al Gore
on https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=tx2land 2du7Tdg. Comment on what new
insights Al Gore has given to you after studying this section on climate change.
2. Video: Greta Thunberg makes an impassioned appeal at the UN climate change
conference in Poland https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=VFkQSGyeCWg Post your
comment on her speech in the comments section of the video.
Reflection
(Page 79-80)
Do you think Filipinos would be willing to change their way of life to slow down global warming?
For example, would most agree to a permanent relocation if their current home address is
identified as prone to a certain hazard/s? Think of those who live and earn a living near the sea
or at the foot of a volcano.
Would most Filipinos be willing to pay a minimum of P40 to P50 for a jeepney or tricycle ride,
spend P 200.00 per liter for gasoline/biofuels, and pay for higher (double) electricity prices, or
even walk more, shop less, and eat less meat and fish if that's what takes to stop global
warming? What if those changes caused slower economic growth and unemployment? Would
they be worth the trade-off?
Personal Project
(Page 80)
Knowing that the average human produces about 2.3 pounds of carbon dioxide on an average
day, what can you personally commit to, to reduce your own carbon footprint? Calculate your
household carbon footprint using the Rappler site: https://www.rappler.
com/brandrap/interactive/161318-household-carbon-footprint calculator-ph. Research on ways
to reduce your carbon footprint and write a list of Climate Change Resolutions for yourself. See
for example, David Suzuki's "Top Ten Things You Can Do About Climate Change" on
https://davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/ top-10-ways-can-stop-climate-change/. Make sure
you follow through on these resolutions by monitoring your progress and posting weekly
updates in your journal through the semester and hopefully through the years.
CHAPTER FOUR
Activity
(Page 92)
Just for fun, research on the phylogeny of cats and dogs. Find out where they have diverged and
if available, identify their most recent common ancestor.
Activities
(Page 106-107)
1. Watch "Tubbataha: Reef" on YouTube at this link https:// www.youtube.com/watch?
time_continue=29&v=iWpn Hdg19s. Given the concern that plastic garbage is now
disturbing the wildlife there, state what concrete steps you can take to save biodiversity
sites like Tubbataha. Report to the class what steps you have turned into action.
2. Research on one 'Best Practice in conserving biodiversity in one area. For example, check
out the Maningning Creek experience at this site, "Maningning Creek is Water Rehab
Model for Southeast Asia" on https://www.rappler.com/
science-nature/environment/64987-maningning-creck-water rehab-model-southeast-
asia, Report on the best practice you researched on and state how you can use the ideas
from that practice in your own barangay or town.
Activities
(Page 111)
1. Is there an estuary in or near your town? Where is it? How is it used and what is its
condition at present?
2. Do at least one 'virtual field trip' and journalize your impressions on the experience. See
Virtual Field Trip on http://omp.gso. uri.edu/ompweb/doce/virtual/virt1.htm
Activities
(Page 116-117)
1. On a sheet of paper, list all of the products and services that you use or get from the
environment from the moment you wake up to the time that you go to bed. Describe how
you use the products, where you specifically get them, and what happens to them
afterwards.
2. In groups, research and report on one thing that your LGU has done to conserve
biodiversity in your town in terms of ordinances and resolutions, or in terms of a
concrete project such as a Landfill Site. Sewage Treatment Facility, Materials
Recovery Facility, and Composting Facility to minimize the flow of polluted water
and garbage into the ocean and the waterways like rivers, creeks, and canals.
Based on your report, write a letter to the LGU on what else it can do to conserve
biodiversity.
3. Organize a project to protect biodiversity in your town. For example, you can organize a
clean-up of a creek or river nearby, conduct a workshop on Solid Waste Management
and Disposal with focus on the 4 Rs - reduce, reuse, recycle and rot or composting. You
could also encourage your LGU to sponsor a seminar on biodiversity for all barangay and
youth leaders. You can organize volunteer 'armies to implement anti-littering and illegal
disposal of garbage and encourage the people in your school or community to use the
Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) rather than throw materials into the rivers and other
waterways.
4. Join and be an active volunteer of a non-governmental organization or civil society
movement focused on conserving biodiversity.
CHAPTER FIVE
Activities
(Page 128-129)
Research on the rationale for the following experiments: corn engineered with jellyfish genes
(Stanford U), tobacco with lettuce genes (University of Hawaii); corn with hepatitis virus genes.
Prodigene); and rice, corn, and sugarcane engineered with human genes. What could be the
purpose of modifying these organisms? Check out the following sources to get ideas: Levingson,
S. and International Herald Tribune. Jan 18, 2001). "Jellyfish gene leaps from the Test Tube to
Tickle Entrepreneurs Imagination: How about Glow in the Dark Birthday Cake?" The New York
Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/18/news/jellyfish-gene-leaps-from-
the-test-tube to-tickle-entrepreneurs.html; Stone, D. (March 15, 2012). Blue Strawberries Raise
More GMO Questions. Diets In Review. com; EurekaAlert.org. Retrieved from
https://www.care2.com/ greenliving/blue-strawberries-raise-more-gmo-questions.html.
Activities
(Page 141)
1. Watch the 2012 video "Science Friction: Stem Cell Research™ on
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPy7NFkJ-TQ. After watching it, define or
describe the following terms for yourself. IVF embryo, stem cells. In groups, discuss
among yourselves when life begins. Do you agree with Ireland's ruling that frozen
embryos outside the womb have no right to life? Do you think excess embryos should be
used in research, and in the process destroyed, for the sake of finding currently incurable
conditions such as cancer and Parkinson's Disease? What else could be done with these
excess embryos?
2. Watch TEDTalk: Susan Lim on "Transplant Cells Not Organs," a talk she gave at the INK
Conference in December 2010, at https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_lim/up-next?
language=en. Write a reflection on her lecture.
3. Read the articles by Marchione (2018) and Yong (Dec 2 and 3, 2018) on the issue of
genetically edited twin babies in China. In a group panel, present your stand on the issue.
