LESSON 1 THE INFORMATION AGE

INTRODUCTION
Highly modernized, automated, data-driven, and technologically advanced-these best describe our
society nowadays, as evidenced by how information could be transferred or shared quickly. The
different areas of society have been influenced tremendously such as communication, economics,
industry, health, and the environment. Despite our gains due to the growing development of
information technology, the rapid upgrade of information also has disadvantages. This lesson will
discuss the history and impact of technological advancements to society. Life is accompanied by endless
transmission of information that
Takes place within [Link] the human body. According to Webster’s Encyclopedic: Unabridged
Dictionary, information is “knowledge communicated or obtained concerning a specific fact or
circumstance.” Hence, information-is a very important tool for survival
The Information Age is defined as a “period starting in the last quarter of the 20 th century when
information became effortlessly accessible through publications and through the management of
information by
Computers and computer networks” ([Link], n.a-). The Means of conveying Symbolic
information (e.. writing, math, other codes) among humans has evolved with increasing speed. The
Information Age is also called the Digital Age and the New Media Age because it was associated with
the development of computers.

According to James R. Messenger who proposed the Theory of Information Age in 1982, “the
Information Age is a true new age based upon the interconnection of computers via
telecommunications, these information systems operating on both a real-time and as-needed basis.
Furthermore, the primary factors driving this new age forward
Are convenience and user-friendliness which, in turn, will create user dependence.”

History
The table below traces the history and emergence of the Information
Age (United States American History, n.d.).
Table 1. Timeline of the Information Age Year Event
3000 BC Sumerian writing system used pictographs to represent words
2900 BC Beginnings of Egyptian hieroglyphic writing
1300 BC Tortoise shell and oracle bone writing were used
500 BC Papyrus roll was used
220 BC Chinese small seal writing was developed
100 AD Book (parchment codex)
105 AD Woodblock printing and paper was invented by the Chinese
| 1455 Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press using movable metal type
1755 Samuel Johnson’s dictionary standardized English spelling
1802 The Library of Congress was established Invention of the carbon arc lamp
1824 Research on persistence of vision published
1830s First viable design for a digital computer
Augusta Lady Byron writes the worlds firsts Computer program
1837 Invention of the telegraph in Great Britain and the United States
1861 Motion pictures were projected onto a screen
1876 Dewey Decimal system was introduced
1877 Eadweard Muybridge demonstrated high-speed photography
1899 First magnetic recordings were released
1902 Motion picture special effects were used
1906 |Lee DeForest invented the electronic amplifying tube (triode)
1923 Television camera tube was invented by Zvorkyn
1926 First practical sound movie
1939 Regularly scheduled television broadcasting began in the US
1940s Beginnings of information science as a discipline
1945 Vannevar Bush foresaw the invention of hypertext
1946 ENIAC computer was developed
1948 Birth of field-of-information theory proposed by Claude E. Shannon
1957 Planar transistor was developed by Jean
1958 First integrated circuit
1960s Library of Congress developed LC MARC (machine-readable code)
1969 UNIX operating system was developed, which could handie multitasking
1971 Intel introduced the first microprocessor chip
972 Optical laserdisc was developed by Philips and MCA
1974 MCA and Philips agreed on a standard videodisc encoding format
1975 |Altair Microcomputer Kit was released: first personal computer for the public
1977 | RadioShack introduced the first complete personal computer
1984 Apple Macintosh computer was introduced
Mid 1980s |Artificial intelligence was separated from information science
1987 HyperCard was developed by Bill Atkinson recipe box metaphor
1991 Four hundred fifty complete works of literature on one CD ROM was released
January KSA (encryption and network security software) Internet
1997 security code cracked for a 48-bit number
Figure 7. Evolution of Man and Information

As man evolved, information and its dissemination has also evolved in many ways. Eventually, we no
longer kept them to ourselves; instead, we share them and manage them in different means.
Information got ahead of us. It started to grow at a rate we were unprepared to handle. Because of the
abundance of information, it was difficult to collect and manage them starting in the 1960s and 1970s.
During the 1980s, real angst Set in. Richard Wurman called it “Information Anxiety.” In the 1990s,
information became the currency in the business world. Information was the preferred medium of
exchange and the information managers served as information officers. In the present generation, there
is no doubt that information has turned out to be a commodity, an overdeveloped product,
Mass-produced, and unspecialized. Soon, we become overloaded with it.
Different authors have diverse, contrasting ideas on of the Information Age. In spite of this, we can still
say that information is a very important tool that helps improve our way of life. One thing is for sure, the
Information Age will continue to move forward and far great
Than our minds could imagine.
In his article “Truths of the Information Age” (n.d.), Robert Harris detailed some facts on the Information
Age.
1. Information must compete. There is a need for information to stand out and be recognized in the
increasing clutter.
2. Newer is equated with truer. We forgot the truth that any fads or value can endure.
3. Selection is a viewpoint. Choose multiple sources for your information if you want to receive a more
balanced view of reality.
4. The media sells what the culture buys. In other words, information is driven by cultural priorities.
5. The early word gets the perm. The first media channel to expose an issue often defines the context,
terms, and attitudes surrounding it.
6. You are what you eat and so is your brain. Do not draw conclusions unless all ideas and information
are presented to you.
7. Anything in great demand will be counterfeited. The demand for incredible knowledge, scandals, and
secrets is ever-present hence, many events are fabricated by tabloids, publicists, or other agents of
information fraud.
8. Ideas are seen as controversial. It is almost certainly impossible to make any assertion that will not
find some supporters and some detractors.
9. Undead information walks ever on. Rumors, lies, disinformation, and gossips never truly die down.
They persist and continue to circulate.
10. Media presence creates the story. People behave much differently from the way they would being
filmed when media. The are present, especially film news or television media.
11. The medium selects the message. Television is mainly pictorial, partially aural, and slightly textual, so
visual stories are emphasized: fires, chases, and disasters
12. The whole truth is a pursuit, The information that reaches us is usually selected, verbally charged,
filtered, slanted, a sometimes, fabricated. What is neglected is often even more
Important than what is included.

Computer
Computers are among the most important contributions of advances in the Information Age to society.
A computer is an electronic device that stores and processes data (information). It runs on a program
that contains the exact, step-by-step directions to solve a problem (US history. Org, 2017).

Types of Computer
Computers are associated with numerous terms and descriptions. Most people suggest the dimensions,
intended use, or the computer’s power. While the term “computer can apply to virtually any device that
has a microprocessor in it, most people think of a computer as a device that receives input from the user
through a mouse (hand-guided directions tool) or keyboard, processes it in some fashion, and presents
the result on a screen.
1. Personal Computer (PC)
It is a single-user instrument. PCs were first known as microcomputers since they were a complete
computer but built on a smaller scale than the enormous systems operated by most businesses.
2. Desktop Computer
It is described as a PC that is not designed for portability The assumption with a desktop is that it will be
set up in a permanent spot. A workstation is simply a desktop computer. That has a more powerful
processor, additional memory, and permanent spot. Memory, and. Enhanced capabilities for performing
species group of tasks Such as 3D graphics or game development. Most desktops offer more storage,
power, and versatility than their Portable versions ([Link], 2017).
3. Laptops
These are portable computers that integrate the essentials of a desktop computer in a battery-powered
package, which are somewhat larger than a typical hardcover book. They are commonly called
notebooks.
4. Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs)
These are tightly integrated computers that usually have no keyboards but rely on a touch screen for
user input. PDAs are typically smaller than a paperback, lightweight, and battery-
Powered ([Link], 2017).
5. Server
It refers to a computer that has been improved to provide network services to other computers. Servers
usually boast powerful processors, tons of memory, and large hard drives ([Link], 2017).
6. Mainframes
These are huge computer systems that can fill an entire room. They are used especially by large firms to
describe the. Large, expensive machines that process millions of transaction. Every day. The term
“mainframe” has been replaced by enterprise server. Although some supercomputers are single
computer systems, most comprise multiple, high-performance, parallel computers working as a single
system ([Link], 2017).
7. Wearable Computers
They involve materials that are usually integrated into cell phones, watches, and other small objects or
places. They perform common computer applications such as cell phones, watches, and other small
objects or places email, multimedia, and schedulers ([Link], 201)

The World Wide Web (Internet)

Several historians trace the origin of the Internet to Claude . Shannon, an American Mathematician who
was considered as the “Father of Information Theory.” He worked at Bell Laboratories and at age of 32
he published a paper proposing that information can be quantitatively encoded as a sequence of ones
and zeroes.
The Internet is a worldwide system of interconnected networks that facilitate data transmission among
innumerable computers. It was developed during the 1970s by the Department of Defense. In case of an
attack, military advisers suggested the advantage of being able to operate on one computer from
another terminal. In the early days, the Internet Was used mainly by scientists to communicate with
other scientists. The Internet remained under government control until 1984 (Rouse, 2014).

One early problem faced by Internet users was speed. Phone lines could only transmit information at a
limited rate. The development of fiber-optic cables allowed for billions of bits of information to be
received every minute. Companies like Intel developed faster microprocessors so personal computers
could process the incoming signals at a more rapid rate ([Link], 2017).
Sergey Brin and Lary Page, directors of a Stanford research project, built a search engine that listed
results to reflect page popularity when they determined that the most popular result would frequently
be the most usable. After talking with family, friends, and other investors into contributing $1 million,
the researchers launched their company in 1998,
Google is now the worlds most popular search engine, accepting more than 200 million queries daily.
Back then, new forms of communication were also introduced. Electronic mail, or email, was a suitable
way to send a message to fellow workers, business partners, or friends. Messages could be sent and
received

Applications of Computers in Science and Research

One of the significant applications of computers for science and research is evident in the field or
bioinformatics. Bioinformatics is the application of information technology to store, organize, and
analyze vast amount of biological data which is available in the form of sequences and structures of
proteins-the building blocks of organisms and nucleic
Acids-the information carrier (Madan, n.d.).
Early interest in bioinformatics was established because of a need to create databases of biological
sequences. The human brain cannot store all the genetic sequences of organisms and this huge amount
of data can only be stored, analyzed, and be used efficiently with the use of computers.

While the initial databases of protein sequences were maintained at individual laboratories, the
development of a consolidated formal database, in 1986. Known as SWISS-PROT protein sequence
database, was initiated 000 in model 1986. It now has about 70,000 protein sequences from more than
5,000 model organisms, a small fraction of all known organisms. The enormous variety organism of
divergent data resources is now available for study and research by both academic institutions and
industries. These are made available as public domain information in the larger interest of research
community through the Internet ([Link]) and CD-ROMs (on request to [Link]).
These databases are constantly updated with additional entries (Madan, n.d.).
Computers and software tools are widely used for generating these databases and to identify the
function of proteins, model the structure or proteins, determine the coding (useful) regions of nucleic
acid sequences find suitable drug compounds from a large pool, and optimize the drug development
process by predicting possible targets. Some of the
Software tools which are handy in the analysis include: BLAST (used for comparing sequences);
Annotator (an interactive genome analysis tool); and Gene Finder (tool to identify coding regions and
splice sites) (Madan, n.d.).

The sequence information generated by the human genome research, initiated in 1988, has now been
stored as a primary information source for future applications in medicine. The available. Data is so huge
that if compiled in books, the data would run into 200 volumes of 1,000 pages each and reading alone
(ignoring understanding factor) would require 26 years working around the clock. For a population of
about five billion human beings with two individuals dithering in three million bases, the genomic
sequence difference database would have about 15,000,000 billion entries. The present challenge to
handle such huge volume of data is to improve database design, develop software for database access,
and

Manipulation and device data-entry procedures to compensate for the varied computer procedures and
systems used in different laboratories. The much-celebrated complete human genome sequence which
was formally announced on the 26th of June 2000 involved more than 500 x1018 (500 million trillion)
calculations during the process of assembling the sequences alone. This can be considered as the biggest
exercise in the
History of computational biology (Madan, n.d.).

How to Check the Reliability of Web Sources

The Internet contains a vast collection of highly valuable information but it may also contain unreliable,
biased information that mislead people. The following guidelines can help us check the reliability of web
sources that we gather. It is noteworthy to consider and apply the following guidelines to avoid
misinformation. (Lee College Library, n.d.)
1. Who is the author of the article/site?
How to find out?
Look for an “About” or “More About the Author” link at the top, bottom, or sidebar of the webpage.
Some pages will have a corporate author rather than a single person
As an author. If no information about the author(s) of the page is provided, be suspicious.
Does the author provide his or her credentials?
What type of expertise does he or she have on the subject he or she is writing about? Does n
Or she indicate what his or her education 1s
What type of experience does he or she have
Should you trust his or her knowledge or the subject

Try searching on the Internet for information about the author.

What kinds of websites are associated with the author’s name? Is he or she affiliated with any
educational institution?
Do commercial sites come up? Do the websites associated with the author give you any clues to
particular biases the author might have?

2. Who published the site?

How to find out?
Look at the domain name of the website that will tell you who is hosting the site. For instance, the Lee
College Library website is: [Link] library. The domain name is “[Link].” This tells you
That the library website is hosted by Lee College. Search the domain name at [Link] The
site provides information about the owners of
Registered domain names. What is the organization’s main purpose? Check the organization’s main
website, if it has one. Is it educational? Commercial?
Is it a reputable organization? Do not ignore the suffix on the domain name (the
Three-letter part that comes after the “.”). The suffix is usually (but not always) descriptive of what type
of entity hosts the website. Keep in mind that it is possible for sites to obtain suffixes that are
misleading. Here are some examples:
Edu educational
Com=commercial
.mil military
.gov government
.org nonprofit
 3. What is the main purpose of the site? Why did the author write it and why did the publisher
post it?
To sell a product?
As a personal hobby?
As public service?
To further scholarship on a topic
To provide general information on a topic?
To persuade you of a particular point of view?
4 Who is the intended audience?
Scholars or the general public?
Which age group is it written for?
Is it aimed at people from a particular geographic area?
Is it aimed at members of a particular profession or with specific training?
What is the quality of information provided on the website?
Timeliness: When was the website first published? Is it regularly updated? Check for dates at the bottom
of each page on the site.
Does the author cite sources? Just as in print sources, web sources that cite their sources are
considered more reliable.
What type of other sites does the website link to? Are they reputable sites?
What types of sites link to the website you are evaluating: Is the website being cited by others?
Examples of Useful and Reliable Web Sources
1. AFA -Newsletter (Alzheimer’s Foundation of America newsletter)
2. American Memory the Library of Congress historical digital collection.
3. [Link] Great Books Online a collection of free
4. e-books including fictions, nonfictions, references, and verses Chronicling America- search and view
pages from American newspapers from 1880-1922.
5. Cyber Bullying – a free collection of e-books from ebrary plus additional reports and documents to
help better understand, prevent and take action against this growing concern.
6. Drug information websites:
National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus
[Link]
PDRhealth
7. Global Gateway: World Culture & Resources (from the Library of Congress)
8. Google Books
9. [Link]
10. History sites with primary documents:
AMDOCS: Documents for the study of American history
Avalon Project: Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy (Yale Law School)
Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Colonial Latin America
Teacher Oz’s Kingdom of History
11. Illinois Digital Archives the Illinois State Library working with libraries, museums, and historical
societies in Illinois History. Provides this collection of materials related to Illinois history
12. Internet Archive a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form.
13. Internet Archive for CARLI digitized resources
14. Internet Public Library
15. ipl2- a merger of Librarians’ Internet Index and Internet Public Library. Special interest may include
the “Literary Criticisms” page which can be found after clicking on the
“Special Collections” link.
16. Librarians’ Internet Index
17. Making of America a digital library of primary sources in American social history.
18. Maps from the University of Texas at Austin collection. Includes historical and thematic maps.
19. Nation Master a massive central data source and a handy way to graphically compare nations. It is a
vast compilation of data from such sources as the CIA World Fact book , UN, and OECD.
20. Nursing sites:
AHRQ ([Link])
National Guidelines Clearinghouse
([Link])
PubMed ([Link])
21. Project Gutenberg- the first and largest single collection of free electronic books with currently over
20,000 e-books available.
22. Shmoop literature, US history, a and poetry information written primarily by PhD and masters
students from top universities like Stanford, Berkeley, Harvard, and ral. You
23. StateMaster- a unique statistical database which allows you to research and compare a multitude of
different data on Us Sates using various primary sources such as the US Census
Dureau, the FBI, and the National Center for Educational Statistics. It uses visualization technology like
pie chart maps, graphs, and scatter plots to provide data.
24. Virtual Keference selected web resources compiled by the Library of Congress.
One can also visit the university library and seek help from librarians as they are knowledgeable and the
library has a rich collection of online library resources that are very useful for academic and research
purposes.

..**.SUMMARY
Nowadays, information could be shared. Or transferred quickly. People are . becoming more interested
in sharing information about themselves. Various aspects of our society are also being influenced by the
Information Age especially communication, economics, industry, health, and the environment. The rapid
upgrade of information poses both positive
And negative impacts to our society. Therefore, we need to carefully check our motives before
disseminating information and we also need to verify information before believing them and using and
sharing them. We should share information that could help improve our lives and others.

LESSON 2

BIODIVERSITY AND THE HEALTHY SOCIETY

LESSON OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to: determine the interrelatedness of society,
environment, and health
Create a diagram that would show the relatedness of species in forming up a diverse and healthy society
without compromising one another, and identify everyday tasks and evaluate whether they contribute
to the wellness and health of biodiversity and society or Not.
. ..INTRODUCTION
Decrease in biodiversity is eminent worldwide. Vertebrates fell to 60% from the 1970s due to human
causes. It is projected that by 2020, wildlife decline will be 67% of the present number. The World Wide
Fund for Nature and Zoological Society of London reported an annual decrease in wildlife by 29%. A
major cause is human population which has doubled in number since 1960 to 7.4 billion. Humans have
industrialized the natural habitat of wildlife as well as marine life. Leaving these creatures with no place
to live would eventually cause their deaths. Marco Lambertini, the General Director of WWF
International, described that the disappearance of wildlife is at an unprecedented rate. Earth might
enter the sixth mass extinction event according to experts. Mass extinction is described as THE
disappearance of species at a rate of 1,000 faster than usual. Moreover, the disappearance of species in
a certain environment causes an imbalance in the ecosystem, producing more chaotic changes that
harm the entire ecosystem ([Link], 2016). This is but a pressing statement for people to know
more about the importance of our diverse environment, and how human activities can either contribute
to its growth or destruction. There is a growing importance of studying how society, environment, and
health is to each other, that if human beings fail to recognize the needs of one those components, the
other remaining components can be affected and compromised. Thus, it is timely to know about the
pressing effects of species being extinct and that of out ecosystem being imbalanced.

Biodiversity and Ecosystem

Biodiversity is defined as the vast variety of life forms in the entire Earth. It encompasses all kinds of life
forms, from the single-celled organisms to the largest multi-celled organisms. Its definition is in the
structural and functional perspective and not as individual species.

Another definition of biodiversity is "the variability among living organisms from all sources, including
terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part;
this includes diversity within species, between species, and of ecosystems. Biodiversity is the source of
the essential goods and ecological services that constitute the source of life for all and it has direct
consumptive value in food, agriculture, medicine, and in industry." (Villaggio Globale, 2009)

Understanding biodiversity within the concept of ecosystem needs a thorough study on the relationship
of the biotic, the living organisms and the abiotic, nonliving organisms. Interdisciplinary approach is
needed to study the ecosystem. Biodiversity plays a major role in this natural dynamics. For example, a
large number of golden snails in a certain area of a rice field can help predict a low production of rice
harvest, since eggs of the golden snails are considered pest for rice plant. On a positive view, the larger
number of different species in a certain area can be a predictor of sustainable life in that area.
sustainability of the ecosystem ensures á better survival rate against any natural disaster. Therefore, we,
as human inhabitants of the ecosystem, must preserve and conserve the biodiversity of all creatures.
Changes in Biodiversity
Alteration in any system could bring varied effects. A change in biodiversity could have erratic effects
not only in wildlife or marine life butalso in human beings. For example, humans inhabiting the forest
would disturb the natural order of life. Trees and plants would be affected in the land- clearing
operations where the houses would be built. The animals,
Insects, and all types of life forms in the cleared area would either be displaced or most likely be killed.
The loss of these life forms could affect the entire ecosystem governing that environment. The food
chain might be damaged. From this, we can clearly infer that when our ecosystem is not well taken care
of, biodiversity encounters changes that may impact human health on such different levels.

Threats to Biodiversity
There are major threats to biodiversity that were identified by the
United Nations’ Environment Programmed (WHO, n.d.). These are the
Following:
1. Habitat and loss destruction . Major contributing factor is the inhabitation of human beings and
the use of land for economic gains.
2. Alterations in ecosystem composition. Alterations and sudden Changes, either within species groups
or within the environment could begin to change entire ecosystems. Alterations in ecosystems are a
critical factor contributing to species and habitat loss.

3. Over-exploitation. Over-hunting, overfishing, or over-collecting or Species can quickly lead to its

decline. Changing consumptions patterns of humans is often cited as the key reason for this
unsustainable exploitation of natural resources.

4. Pollution and contamination. Biological systems respond slowly to change in their surrounding
environment. Pollution and Contamination cause irreversible damage to species and varieties.

5. Global climate change. Both climate variability and climate change cause biodiversity loss. Species
and populations may be lost permanently if they are not provided with enough time to adapt to
changing climatic conditions.

Consequences of Biodiversity Loss

Even with the improvement of technology and science at present, we still have a lot to learn about
biodiversity, more so about the consequences of biodiversity loss. However, the basic concept about
biodiversity loss was from Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace.

Intact ecosystems function best since the organisms composing them are specialized to function in that
ecosystem to capture, transfer, utilize and, ultimately, lose both energy and nutrients. The particular
species making up an ecosystem determine its productivity, affect nutrient cycles and soil contents, and
influence environmental conditions such as water
cycles, weather patterns, climate, and other nonbiotic aspects. The loss of biodiversity has many
consequences that we understand, and many that we do not. It is apparent that humankind is willing to
sustain a great deal of biodiversity loss if there are concomitant benefits to society; we hope they are
net benefits. In many cases, ne benefit seem to accrue to a few individuals only, with net societal loss.
However, it is extremely difficult to estimate the future costs of loses in Biodiversity or of environmental
damage (Rainforest Conservation Fund, 20117).

Nutritional Impact of Biodiversity

According to the World Health Organization, biodiversity is a vital element of a human being’s nutrition
because of its influence to food production. Biodiversity is a major factor that contributes to sustainable
to food production for human beings. A society or a population must have access to a sufficient variety
of nutritious food as it is a determinant of their health as human beings.
Nutrition and biodiversity are linked at many levels: the ecosystem, with food production as an
ecosystem service; the species in the ecosystem; and the genetic diversity within species. Nutritional
composition between foods and among varieties/ / breeds of the same food can differ dramatically,
affecting micronutrient availability in the diet. Healthy local diets, with adequate average levels of
nutrients intake, necessitates maintenance of high biodiversity levels. Intensified and enhanced food
production through irrigation, use of fertilizer, plant protection (pesticides), or the introduction of crop
varieties and cropping patterns affect biodiversity and thus impact global nutritional status and
Human health. Habitat simplification, species loss, and species succession often enhance communities,
vulnerabilities as a function of environmental receptivity to ill health (WHO, 2007). Health, Biology, and
Biodiversity

Almost all living organisms are dependent to their environment to live and reproduce. Basic needs of
living organisms such as air, water, food, and habitat are provided by its environment. The evolution of
human beings was due to the improved access to these basic needs. Advances in agriculture, sanitation,
water treatment, and hygiene have had a far greater impact on human health than medical technology.
Although the environment sustains human life, it can also cause diseases. Lack of basic necessities is a
significant cause of human mortality.126 Science, Technology, and Society

Environment-Related Illnesses
Some human illnesses that are found to be related. With its environment include Parkinson’s disease,
heart disease, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, diabetes, obesity, occupational
injuries, dysentery, arthritis, malaria, and depression.

By contrast, activities that promote health and extend human life could have adverse environmental
effects. For example, food production causes environmental damage from pesticides and fertilizers, soil
salinization, waste produced by livestock, carbon emissions from food manufacturing and
transportation, deforestation, and overfishing. Health
Care facilities also have adverse environmental impacts. Hospitals use large quantities of electricity and
fossil fuels and produce medical wastes. To prevent some diseases, it may be necessary to alter the
environment. For Example, malaria was eradicated in the United States and other developed nations in
the 1940s and 50s as a result of draining wetlands and spraying DDT to kill mosquitoes. A reduction in
mortality from starvation or disease
Can lead to overpopulation, which stresses environment in many different ways-increasing use of fossil
fuels, clearing of land, generating pollution and waste, and so on (Rensik & Portier, 2017).
Interestingly, according to experts, climate cha rate Could farming
Change could also have a serious impact on human health and could deteriorate farming
Systems and reduce nutrients in some foods. In this case, biodiversity increases resilience, thus helping
adjust to new environmental conditions. Safeguarding of coral reefs, for instance, is essential to reduce
the risk of floods, as this extraordinary ecosystem can reduce wave energy by 97% thus protecting over
100 million people all over the world.

No issue demands greater care in balancing benefits and risks than global warming. A significant
percentage of global climate change is due to the human production of greenhouse gases. Climate
change is likely to cause tremendous harm to the environment and human health, but taking steps to
drastically reduce greenhouse gases could have adverse consequences for global, national, and local
economies. For example,
Greatly increasing taxes on fossil fuels would encourage greater fuel efficiency and lower carbon dioxide
emissions, but it would also increase the price of transportation, which would lead to widespread
inflation and reduced consumer spending power. Managing benefits and risks also raises social justice
concerns. In general, people with lower socio-economic status have greater exposure to certain harmful
environmental conditions in their homes or at work, Such as lead, mercury, pesticides, toxic chemicals,
or air and water pollution. Communities and nations should wisely choose a site for a factory, a power
plant, or waste dump, or regulating safety 1”

SUMMARY
Most of the time, it may seem impossible to really value species singly or in a detailed manner. But we
have to consider the entire Earth as a single unit. A loss of single-celled species or a family of wild grass
can have adverse effects in the entire biosphere. Biodiversity seen in macro level seems to be still vast
and rich, yet if we look at it in micro- level, per species, we have lost too much. Eventually, in the near
future, this biodiversity loss will have a great negative effect especially to us humans. “The value of
biodiversity is the value of everything” (Rainforest Conservation Fund, n.d.).
We must recognize the value of the organisms with which we share the planet. As Costanza et al. (1997)
put it, “We must begin to give the natural capital stock that produces these services adequate weight in
the decision-making process, otherwise, current and continued future human welfare may drastically
suffer… many ecosystem services are literally
Irreplaceable.” We do not, and probably cannot, ever evaluate such services adequately, but we can
value the ecosystems of the world appropriately (Rainforest Conservation Fund, n.d.).

LESSON 3
GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMSS: SCIENCE, HEALTH, AND POLITICS
INTRODUCTION
In 2001, Rosalie Ellasus, a former overseas Filipino worker in Singapore turned farmer, attended the
Integrated Pest Management – Farmers Field School and was introduced to Bt Com, a genetically
modified corn that is resistant to the destructive Asian com borer. Ms.
Ellasus volunteered for demo-testing in her field. Bt Con yielded 7.2 tons per acre as compared to a
regular yield of 4.2 tons per hectare. No insecticide spraying was needed. This is one of the success
stories of genetically modified organisms (GM0s) (Ongkiko, 2016). Genetic engineering has been with
the human society since selective breeding was introduced to humankind and when animals were
domesticated. Yet, the process of genetic alterations is all but natural. It was in 1951 that the term
genetic engineering was coined by Jack Williamson, author of the science fiction novel Dragons Island
(Stableford 2004). This was years before actual research findings on the DNA’s role in heredity and its
structure, the double-helix of Watson and Crick, Were published. Through continuous search for
development, genetic Engineering no longer stayed in science fiction novel. It became a reality

In science laboratories. The general process of genetic engineering is the deliberate manipulation of the
organism’s genes, where it may involve transfer of genes from other organism.
An antibiotic-resistant E. coli bacteria was created in genetically 1973, date, there are ongoing
researches on GMOs such as using genetically modified male mosquitoes as pest control over female
mosquito carriers of Zika virus.
1973. To

However, despite the many possibilities of creating solutions for problems and opening doors for
innovations, genetic engineering faces much opposition. Opponents raise ethical, social, and
environmental
Issues related to genetic engineering and its GMOS. This lesson will present the existence of genetic
engineering, Specifically GMOs in the different areas of life, the impact to humankind, and the
controversies that surround them.

/Genetically Modified Organism

Genetically modified organism (GMO) is the term used for an organism created through genetic
engineering. The World Health Organization (WHO, 2014) defines GMO as an “organism, either plant,
animal, or microorganism, in which the genetic material (DNA) has
Been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating or natural recombination.” Below is a
diagram of how bacterial gene is introduction through genetic engineering to plant cells and tissues to
develop and breed a genetically modified plant.

Cell and Tissue

Culture
Bacteria
Plant
Breeding
DNA Extraction
And isolation
Cloning and
Designing Genes Transformation

Figure 8. The Genetic Engineering Process on a Plant

The development of GMOs was perceived to help in of humans in different industries

Advancement of technology for the benefit like agriculture and medicine.
The Center for Eco genetics and Environmental Health (CEEH 2013) identified the following roles of
GMOs in the food and agricultural industries:

1. Fest resistance genetically modified plants to resist certain pests.

An example is Bt Con. The DNA (genome) of the Bt Corn has been modified with the gene of Bacillus , a
soil bacterium that produces proteins which is toxic to corn
Borers (worms).

2. Virus resistance genetically modified plants to resist certain viruses.

An example is GM papaya or rainbow papaya. The papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) is known to be
detrimental to papaya plants. The protein of PRSV Was introduced to the papaya plant
Through plant tissue which turned out to be resistant to the virus itself. The effect was like the vaccines
humans have against measles or influenza virus.

3. Herbicide tolerance – genetically modified plants to tolerate herbicide.

An example is Roundup Ready soybean. Glyphosate an herbicide for weeds, was introduced to soybeans
making it tolerant to the herbicide itself. Farmers then can spray the herbicide killing the weeds but not
the soybeans.

4. Fortification genetically modified plants fortified with certain minerals.

An example is Golden Rice. Beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, was introduced through
biosynthesis genes to the rice, making the rice grains fortified with vitamin A.

5. Cosmetic preservation- genetically modified plants resist natural discoloration.

An example is Arctic Apple. The apple variety was genetically modified to suppress the browning of
apple due to superficial damage.
6. Increase growth rate – a genetically modified organism that has higher yield in growth than
normal species. An example is Aqua advantage salmon. A gene from an ocean pout, an eel-like
fish was introduced to Pacific Chinook salmon, making the salmon grow faster than its normal
rate.

GMOs in Non-Food Crops and Microorganisms

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in non-food crops and some microorganisms involve the
following:
1. Flower production -GMOs in flower production are seen in modified color and extended vase
life of flowers.
Examples are Blue Roses. The so-called “blue” roses, which are, in reality, lilac or purple,
contained 3,5-diglucoside, together with large amounts of flavonoids. The introduction of the
flavonoid 31, 51-hydroxylase gene into pelargonidin- or cyanidin-
Producing rose cultivars diverts the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway toward the production of
del phinidin glucosides and the flower color to blue (Elomaa & Holton, 1994).

2. Paper production – modified characteristics of trees for higher yield of paper production.
 Examples are poplar trees. Lignin is a complex polymer in treds that is removed from wood to
make paper through a process, through inserting genes that code for ferulic acid in
Young poplar trees, the lignin structure is modified, making lignin easier to breakdown (Veniza,
2014).

3. Pharmaceutical productions – modified plants to produce pharmaceutical products.

Examples are periwinkle plants. Bacterial genes were added to the periwinkle plant to enhance
the production of vinblastine, an alkaloid usually added to drugs for cancer treatments like
Hodgkin’s lymphoma (Runguphan, 2010).

4. Bioremediation use of modified plants that can assist in the bioremediation of polluted sites.
An example is shrub tobacco. or shrub tobacco genetically modified with phytochelatin
TaPCSI1, is used for bioremediation. It shows high level accumulation
Of zinc, lead, cadmium, nickel, and boron and produces high biomass.

Flgure 9. Nicotiana glauca

5. Enzyme and drug production – use of modified microorganisms that can produce enzymes for
food processing and medicines.
One example of this is CGTase. Cyclomaltodextrin glycosyltransferase (CGTase), an enzyme used for food
flavor enhancer, is produced in higher quantity by bacteriumn Bacillus
Which was genetically modified with the gene of a thermophilic anaerobe, Thermoanaerobacter,
carrying CGTase (Pedersen & Jorgensen, 1995).

Figure 10.
Another example is artemesin. Artemesinic acid is a compound used for anti-malarial drug extracted
from sweet wordwood plant. Through genetic engineering, it can be
Synthetically produced by yeast and bacteria with sweet wordwood plant gene (Zimmer, 2006).

6. GMOs in the medical field – genetic engineering is playing a significant role from diagnosis to
treatment of human-dreaded diseases. It helps in the production of drugs, gene therapy, and
laboratory researches.
One classic example is Humulin, the genetically engineered insulin used by Type 1 diabetes patients who
are insulin dependent. In the past, insulin is extracted from the pancreases

Of pigs and cows that have caused allergic reactions to some diabetics using it. In 1978, researchers
from the City of Hope National Medical Center and Genetech Biotechnology Company were able to
produce human insulin. The gene for insulin was inserted bacterial DNA that was able to produce
insulin almost exactly the same human insulin. This was a breakthrough in the mass production of
human insulin. In 1996, modified Human insulin was approved, called the Humalog.

Figure 11. Humulin, a sample of genetically engineered insulin.

Benefits of GMOs
Studies show some of the potential benefits of GMOs:
  Higher efficiency in farming with the use of pesticide resistant/herbicide-tolerant GMO crops,
there will be less use for herbicides/pesticides, and lower cost for labor and Cultivation.
 Increase in harvest GMO crops resistant to pests and diseases means increase in potential
growth and harvest.
 Control in fertility- controlling the purity of the hybrid seeds (GMO seeds) ensures higher yields.
 Increase in food processing altered characteristics of GMO crops help ease food processing.
 Improvement of desirable characteristics-GMOs offer longer shelf life, enhanced color and taste,
enhanced production or reduction of enzymes, and other modified characteristics of Plants,
animals, and microorganisms.
Nutritional and pharmaceutical enhancement- GMO crops like maize fortified with lysine and Golden
Rice with vitamins A and Iron. There are now edible vaccine for viral
And diarrheal diseases.
Reduce the use of fertilizer and pesticides

There are 400 million acres of GMO farmlands all over the worlds
The top five countries that operate GMO farmland are the United States, Brazil, Argentina, India, and
Canada. Some or the GMO the world. Some of the GMO agricultural crops that have been approved for
public consumption and are already in the market include: alfalfa, corn, papaya, soya bean, sugar beets,
and squash. Most of these GMO crops were made to be resistant 1O pests. Some examples of common
food with GMOs are Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, Quaker Chewy Granola Bars, Ultra Slim Fast, Quaker Yellow
Com Meal, and Alpo Dry Pet Food.

In the animal industries, there are ongoing researches like studies on Pacific salmon that grows twice
faster than the native salmon and chicken resistant to HSNI bird flu viruses. However, these GMO
animals are all in research laboratory and not yet approved for public consumption.

Despite the promising claims of GMOs, the opponents of GMOs claim otherwise. For example, there are
studies that show a link in the adaption of pesticide-resistant GMO crops to the significant growth of
super weeds that became pesticide-resistant, too. This caused additional problem to more than 12
million acres of farms in the United States.

Opponents of GMOs have the following major concerns:

1. Since genetic engineering is still a young branch of science, there are inadequate studies on the
effects of GMOs to humans and the environment.
2. Genetic engineering promotes mutation in organisms which the long term effect is still unknown.
3. consumption of GMOs might have the followings
More allergic reactions – GMO food may trigger more allergic reactions, more so create new ones, as
side effect of the gene alteration.
Gene mutation GMO food may develop abnormalities and mutation, more than the desired product of
the gene alteration.
Antibiotic resistance – GMO food contains antibiotic resistant and genes; this may cause disease-
causing bacteria likely to be more antibiotic-resistant too, increasing the
Possibility of widespread of the disease.
Nutritional value GMO food may have change in their nutritional value.
Potential Environmental Risks Caused By GMOs
Karki (2006) summarized the perceived potential environmental risks caused by GMOs. The identified
major risks are the following:
1. Risk in gene flow there is a potential risk of the modified gene to be transferred from the GMO
crop to its wild relative or organism in the soil and human intestine (when ingested). For
example, a decaying GMO plant could possibly transfer the modified genes to the bacteria and
fungi in the soil. Bacteria and fungi are capable of using a genetic material from their
surroundings. There are no studies yet on the effects of the
Absorbed modified gene to the other organisms.
2. Emergence of new forms of resistance and secondary pests and weed problems- GMO crops resistant
to certain pesticides may trigger new form of pest resistance while GMO herbicide- tolerant crops may
lead to the over use of the herbicides which may trigger new form of weed resistance.”
3. Recombination of Virus and Bacteria to Produce New Pathogens – the modified gene can be
transferred and integrated in the viral or bacterial genes which may lead to

or bacterial gene modification or mutation. This living at viral or bact This living8
Modified virus and bacteria may then cause new disease that may affect other organisms including
human beings. Other direct and indirect environmental risks caused by GMOs
(Molfino & Zucco, 2008):
1. Direct environmental risks are:
Introduction of the GMOs in the natural environment may cause disruption of the natural communities
through competition or interference; the possibility of unexpected behavior of the GMOs in the
environment if it escapes its intended use and may post threats or become pest; may cause harmful
effects to ecosystem processes if GMOs interfere with the natural biochemical cycles; and the
persistence of GMO genes after its harvest which may cause negative impacts to the consumer of GMO
products.
2. Indirect environmental risks are:
Alteration of agricultural practices like managing negative impacts of GMOs to the environment such as
evolution of insects, pests, and weeds that became resistant to
GMO crops, may have impacts to biodiversity caused by the alteration
In agricultural practices; and may have varied environmental impacts due to GMOs
Interaction and release in the natural environment.

Potential Human Health Risks caused by GMOs

A major concern in the use and consumption of GMOs is its effect on human beings, primarily on human
health. Some potential human health risks are identified (Akhter, 2001), such as:
Consumption of GMOs may have adverse effects since it is not naturally or organically produced;
Consumption of GMOs may alter the balance of existing microorganisms in the human digestive system,
Production of toxins may be detrimental to human health, and
Production of allergens may have adverse effects on humans.

Worldwide, there are many groups that campaign against GMO food consumption. They encourage
people to boycott GMO products and to be vigilant in checking if the food they buy has GMO ingredient
In the Philippines, the Supreme Court has ruled against the use of Bt eggplant, another genetically
modified crop (Ongkiko, 2016).
Other potential risks that raise major concern are:
Human Genome Project (HGP)- Mapping of human genes to provide framework for research and studies
in the field of medicine. It was feared that the ability to produce human genetic information would
create biases and give much power to people holding the information and to the disadvantage or those
who do not have the genetic information.
Mutation of genetically engineered microorganisms Genetically modified bacteria and viruses may
mutate to become more resistant or virulent that may cause more dreadful diseases for human beings.
Cloning – The asexual reproduction of an organism using parent cell through genetic engineering. In
February 24, 1997, the first mammal, Dolly, a sheep from Scotland, was born
Through cloning. With its celebrated success came the fear of human cloning. It emerged the ethical
issue of man “playing God”
Scientists and medical practitioners would definitely continue to search for ways to preserve lives.
Genetic engineering is perceived to be one of the keys to this venture. Gene therapy and gene alteration
are promising ways to improve human health conditions.

Biosafety on GMOs
There are initiatives for the protection of the general human population regarding the issues and
concerns about GMOs. International organizations developed principles and treaties that somehow
ensure biosafety on GMOs. Some of these initiatives are as follows

The Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex). The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) together
with the World Health Organization (WHO) created The Codex Alimentarius
Commission (Codex). Codex is an intergovernmental body that develops the Codex Alimentarius, know
us the International Food Code. Codex is responsible for the development of standards, codes of
practices, guidelines, and recommendations on food safety. With the pressing issues and concerns on
GMOs, in 2003, Codex has developed principles for the human health risk analysis of genetically
modified (GM) food products. The principles include pre-market assessments of GM food products and
its evaluation of direct and indirect effects. However, the Codex principles has no effect on national
legislation but through the sanitary and phytosanitary measures of the World Trade Organization,
national legislators are encouraged to complement ther national standards with the Codex Principles
(WHO, 2014).

Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. Established in 2003, Cartageine Protocol is an international

environmental treaty that Organisms regulates the trans boundary movements of Living Modified
Organist (LMOS). The Cartagena Protocol requires exporters o
Consent from the importers before its first shipment ot LMO (WHO, 2014).

International Trade Agreement on labeling of GM food and good products. The agreement requires
exporters f GM and food products to label their products and give rights to importing parties to reject or
accept the GM products. The premise of this policy is that consumers have the right to Know and the
freedom to choose GM or non-GM products
Whitman, 2000).
The World Health Organization (WHO, 2014) claims that all GM products that are available in the
international market have passed safety assessment by national authorities. The safety assessments
basically look at the environmental and health risk factors and food safety usually followsthe Codex
Food Code.

GMOs in Philippine Context

Introduction of GMOs in our country created issues and controversies similar to other countries with
GMOs. There are, of course, proponents and opponents of these issues.
The GMO concem started in the 1990s with the creation of the National Committee on Biosafety of the
Philippines (NCBP) through Executive Order No. 430 of 1990. The NCBP developed the guidelines on the
planned release of genetiçally manipulated organisms (GMOs) and potentially harmful exotic species in
1998. In 2002, the Department of
Agriculture released Administrative Order No. 8, the guideline for the importation and release into the
environment of GM plants and plant products. On that same year, the entry of GMO importation started
(Baumuller, 2003). The Philippines was marked to be the first country in Asia to approved commercial
cultivation of GMOs when GM corn
Planting was approved in 2002 (Serapio && Dela Cruz, 2016).

From December 2002 to present, there are 70 GMO applications approved by the Department of
Agriculture for the release to the environment, 62 GMOs of which are approved for food feed and
processing and the remaining 8 were approved for propagation (Aruelo, 2016)

In 2004, the Philippines was classified by international Service for acquisition of agribiotech applications
as one of the fourteen biotech crops biotech- mega countries which grow 50,000 hectares or more of
GMO crops aauyames, 2004). In that same year, Senator Juan riavier authored a bill on the on the
mandatory labeling of food and food products with GMOs The Senate did not pass the bill.

In 2006, the Philippines became part of the Cartagena Protocol On Biosafety. In the same year, Executive
Order No. S14 was issued to address the biosafety requirements of the Cartagena Protocol and the
establishment of the National Biosafety Framework (NBF).

In 2010, the Organic Agriculture Act was issued,. Encouraging organic agriculture than GMO-related
agriculture. Prior to this act, there are several provinces like Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental to
support organic agriculture. There was the establishment of the Negros Organic Island through a
memorandum of agreement (MOA)
Between the two provinces in 2005. With this MOA, the two provinces were able to ban the entry of
GMOs and living GMOs to their provinces through provincial ordinance. Similar to this case, Davao City
passed the Organic Agriculture Ordinance .in 2010. This city ordinance helps the prevention of field
testing of GM Bt eggplant in the UP Mindanao Campus (Aruelo, 2016).

In 2012, Representative Teddy Casiño, together with other congressmen, filed a bill pushing for the
mandatory labeling of GM food and food products. To date, there is no Philippine biosafety law, only
biosafety regulations formed under NBF.
A study on the biosafety regulations of the Philippines concluded that the existing regulation is weak,
which can be fixed through legislation such as a republic act (Richmond, 2006).

In December 2015, the Supreme Court ordered to put an end to the field testing of GMO Bt eggplant
and declared Administrative Order No, 8, series of 2002 of the Department of Agriculture as null and
void. This means that any actions or procedures related to GMO importations
And propagation is temporarily put to stop until a new administrative order
Is issued in accordance with the law.

In March7, 2016, five government agent namely, the Department of Science and Technology,
Department of of Science of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Health, ai
Of Agriculture, Department of the Interior and Local Government, passed a Joint
Department ireular No. 1, series of 2016 on rules and regulations research and development, handling
and use, trans boundary movement, research release in the environment, and management of the
genetically modified plant and plant products derived from the use of modern biotechnology.

This joint department circular paves way to issuance of new permits for
Planting and importing GM crops in the country.

. . SUMMARY
Genetic engineering is an emerging field of science. Its quests are to preserve and prolong life. In more
than four decades since the first genetically modified bacteria was produced, thousands of genetically
modified organisms have been created and propagated. Some are approved by experts and government
authorities for human use and consumption while others are kept in institutional research laboratories
subject for more experiments.

There are advantages and disadvantages in using genetic engineering in both fields of medicine and food
and agriculture, there are controversies that are still debatable up to the present. The major concern of
the opponents is the long-term effect of GMOs to humans while the proponents’ flagship is the success
stories of the GMO recipients.

There is still a long way to go for GMOs to prove itself, as humans seek answers to life’s predicaments or
as humans play like God.

LESSON 4 WHEN TECHNOLOGY AND HUMANITY CROSS

LESSON OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:
Know the different technological advancements in society
Discuss the development of science and technology in the
Philippines;
Discuss the effects of the interplay between technology and
Humanity through the dilemma(s) they face.
…. . INTRODUCTION
The ever-growing society has made people see technology as some form of necessity. Tracing back its
origins, the word “technology came from the Greek words techne and logos which mean art and word,
respectively. Taking the two words together, technology means a discourse on arts (Buchanan, 2010). It
first appeared in the seventeenth century

Where the concept was only used to talk about the arts, specifically applied arts. However, as
technology progressed, the concept also started to have a wider range of meaning where art is no
longer the only topic included. Concepts like machine and tools were also attached to the word
“technology” which is the more popular sense of the concept nowadays

The roles played by technology these days are very crucial of only to a few but
Only to a few but also to everyone. In one way or another, each person in the society is directly or
indirectly affected by technology whether wills it or not. In fact, most people survive their everyday lives
with great Reliance to the different technological advancements already available to the masses. While
there may be some who would claim that their lives are not greatly affected by technology, the fact
cannot be denied that technology is already an inevitable part of the society.

It is with great effort that people were able to achieve such great inventions. It makes life so much easier
and more convenient than ever before. It can clearly be seen from the simplest task at home to the
most complicated ones inside the office or laboratory. Technology these days enjoys such fame and
glory because of the many different benefits it brings
To mankind. Some would even say that it does not only bring convenience but also pleasure and
happiness to people. This is because of the different leisure activities that technology can offer to
people. For example, it allows people to listen to good music wherever they are. Another is, it allows
them to communicate with their loved ones anywhere in the world;
But most of all, it allows them to surf and play games anytime, anywhere.

The act of pinpointing a single activity that does not in any way require the use of technology has
become very hard because almost all activities that humans perform already require the assistance of
some kind of technological advancement. But this is not all, for there are people who would even argue
that technology has become a necessity and no longer a want. At present, people work very hard in
order to save money to buy

These “necessities” while in the past, people only used their money for the things that would help them
survive like food, housing, and clothing. In effect, anything outside these categories was considered a
luxury. However, that is no longer the case at present,
In general, technology keeps on progressing due to not only the changing times and environment but
also to the ever-progressing mind of mankind. It would not be possible for all these technological
advancements to exist if it were not for the brilliance, creativeness, and power of the mind. However, it
is also important to note that anything too much is
Bad. The same problem is faced by technology. Although it has been very helpful to people, it is still not
immune to criticisms and backlash. Various ethical dilemmas have been identified throughout time
involving the use of different technological devices and its effects to humanity. Usually, diferent
problems arise when either the technological device available Is misused or if in the first place, it was
invented to produce bad results. People who are aware of the possible dangers of the use or misuse of
technology are not keeping still. They lay these dilemmas for the public to see and realize what they are
in for.

In this lesson, several technological devices will be properly introduced, the roles they play in society
and their effects, particular the lives of the people will be identified, and the problems particularly to
they face will also be examined thoroughly.

Television Sets, Mobile Phones, Computers, and Humanity

A number of technological devices be easily found inside the home, the Most accessible place to
anyone. Having said that, it can also be easily inferred
That these technological devices are some of the most popular and most commonly used types of
devices across all age groups. Almost all households, if not all, own these types of devices. To be more
specific, these “celebrities” in the field of technology are television sets, mobile phones, and computers.
People all over the world use these technologies every day to accomplish different purposes.

First, according to Kantar Media, one of the most trusted television audience measurement providers, in
the Philippines, 92 percent of urban homes and 70 percent of rural homes own at least one television
Set. Is for this reason why television remains to be the ultimate medium for advertisement placements
(The Manila Times, 2014). This survey simply
Shows that almost all Filipinos use this particular type of device. N 1ac Filipinos are believed to have this
big fascination for television. Most of the time, they watch television during their free time or any ume
the day when they have nothing important to do. In addition to Kantar Media also reported that in the
Philippines, the current count of
86 Science, Technology, and households with television set already reached 15.135 million (Noda,
2012). This number signifies something, that is, television plays a great role in the lives of the people or
in this case, the Filipinos. Television was a product of different experiments by various people. Paul
Gottlieb Nipkow, a Geman student, in the late 18005 was successful in his attempt to send images
through wires with the aid of a rotating metal disk. This invention was then called the "electric
telescope" that had 18 lines of resolution. After some time, in 1907, two inventors, Alan Archibald
Campbell-Swinton who was an English scientist and Boris Rosing who was a Russian scientist, created a
new system of television by using the cathode ray tube in addition to the mechanical scanner system.
This success story gave rise to two types of television systems, namely, mechanical and electronic
television (Jezek, nd.). These experiments inspired other scientists to improve the previous inventions,
which led to the modern television people now have. However, it is important to remember that several
scientists and several experiments were performed first before finally achieving the modern households
with television set already reached 15.135 million (Noda, 2012). This number signifies something, that is,
television plays a great role in the lives of the people or in this case, the Filipinos.

Television was a product of different experiments by various people. Paul Gottlieb Nipkow, a Geman
student, in the late 18005 was successful in his attempt to send images through wires with the aid of a
rotating metal disk. This invention was then called the “electric telescope” that had 18 lines of
resolution. After some time, in 1907, two inventors, Alan Archibald Campbell-Swinton who was an
English scientist and Boris Rosing who was a Russian scientist, created a new system of television by
using the cathode ray tube in addition to the mechanical scanner system.

This success story gave rise to two types of television systems, namely, mechanical and electronic
television (Jezek, nd.). These experiments inspired other scientists to improve the previous inventions,
which led to the modern television people now have. However, it is important to remember that several
scientists and several experiments were performed first before finally achieving the modern television at
present.

Second, Filipinos love to use their mobile phones anywhere,anytime. They use it for different purposes
other than for communication. More than half of the Filipino population own at least one mobile phone
regardless of type. In 2010, global research agency Synovate conducted a survey and declared 67
percent product ownership in the country. In
Fact, it was also claimed that mobile phones are considered a must-have among young Filipinos (ABS-
CBN News, 2010). To prove that Filipinos really love to use their mobile phones, the Ipsos Media Atlas
Philippines Nationwide Urban 2011-2012 survey results showed that one in every three Filipinos cannot
live without a mobile phone. In other words, 30 percent of the Philippine urban population nationwide
said that mobile
P phones are necessities in life (Roa, 2012). Philippine streets are full of people using their mobile
phones. Not only this, there are some Filipinos who even own more than one mobile phone. Mobile
phones have a very interesting background story. On April
3, 1973, Martin Cooper, a senior engineer at Motorola, made the world ‘ first mobile phone call. He
called their rival telecommunications company and properly informed them that he was making the call
from a mobile it at present. Second, Filipinos love to use their mobile phones anywhere, anytime. They
use it for different purposes other than for communication. More than half of the Filipino population
own at least one mobile phone regardless of type. In 2010, global research agency Synovate conducted
a survey and declared 67 percent product ownership in the country. In fact, it was also claimed that
mobile phones are considered a must-have among young Filipinos (ABS-CBN News, 2010). To prove that
Filipinos really love to use their mobile phones, the Ipsos Media Atlas Philippines Nationwide Urban
2011-2012 survey results showed that one in every three Filipinos cannot live without a mobile phone.
In other words, 30 percent of the Philippine urban population nationwide said that mobile p phones are
necessities in life (Roa, 2012). Philippine streets are full of people using their mobile phones. Not only
this, there are some Filipinos who even own more than one mobile phone. Mobile phones have a very
interesting background story. On April 3, 1973, Martin Cooper, a senior engineer at Motorola, made the
world ' first mobile phone call. He called their rival telecommunications company and properly informed
them that he was making the call from a mobile
phone. The mobile phone used by Cooper weighed 1.1 kilograms and measured 228.6 x 127 x 44.4 mm.
This kind of device was capable of of 30 minutes talk time. However, it took 10 hours to charge. In 1983
Motorola made their first commercial mobile phone available to the public. It was known as the
Motorola DynaTAC 800UX (Goodwin, 2016) Lastly, computers and laptops have also become part of
man the Filipino households. There are some Filipino families who own more than one computer or
laptop while some own at least one computer may Or laptop. However, the number of computers or
laptops sold per year ma is not be as high as the number of mobile phones and television sets, This is
because of the relatively higher cost of computers and laptops. While it is true that almost all Filipino
families own at least one television set and a mobile phone, it is not possible for all Filipino families to
own at least one computer or laptop. In fact, most of the profits gained by computer and laptop
manufacturers come from offices, businesses, or schools where such devices have become part of their
necessities. In 2010, 3.6 trillion was the estimated total value output of all manufacturing
establishments. Semi-conductor devices and other electronic components took more than half of the
total value output of all manufacturing establishments. To be more specific, 5.4 percent of the total
value output came from computers and peripheral equipment and accessories (PSA, 2013). In line with
the growing number of computer and laptop sales, there has also been a growing number of Internet
users in the Philippines. Although there have been problems regarding the Internet providers, this never
hindered Filipinos from continuously using the Internet. Just like television sets and mobile phones,
computers and laptop also have a long background history of trial and error. It was Charies Babbage, a
nineteenth-century English Mathematics professor, win designed the Analytical Engine which was used
as the basic framework of the computers even until the present time. In general, computers used for a
certain period of time and each gave people a new and improved was be classified into three
generations. Each generation of the computer and version of the previous one (Steitz, n.d.). and
improved y

Laptops have been available to the public for even less time than personal computers. Before, the first
design of computer was so big that it could occupy whole floors of buildings. It was not long before
people started dreaming that they could bring their devices to any place they wished. They hoped that
someday it would be possible for these devices to be portable. Lt was believed that the transition from a
personal computer to a laptop was only a matter of design, an improvement and a little deviation from
the standard design of a personal computer. The first true portable computer was released in April
1981. It was called the 1 (Orfano, 2011). From that moment on, the evolution of laptops continued
until the present time where various designs and models are already available.

A typical household owns at least four of the following devices’ mobile phone (89%), smartphone (53%),
tablet (l446), desktop (396), laptop or netbooks (37%), and smart TV (496) (Philstar, 2013). These data
prove the deep-seated fascination of Filipinos to different technological devices.
Here are some facts about Filipinos and their use of gadgets and the Internet (Rappler,n.d.):
Mobile phone subscription is at 119 million.
Filipinos spend approximately 3.2 hours on mobile and 5.2 hours on desktop daily.
Currently, the Philippines has one of the highest digital populations in the world.
There are now 47 million active Faceb0ok accounts in the Philippines.
The Philippines is the fastest-growing application market in Southeast Asia.

Roles Played by These Technological Advancements

Television sets, mobile phones, and computers or laptops all have different functions and roles played in
the lives of the people, although some may be a little similar. These roles have become so essential that

People, more specifically Filipinos, developed a strong inclination towards technology and its products.
For instance, television is mainly used as a vision platform for advertisements and information
dissemination. In fact, television remained to be the most used avenue by different advertising
companies not only the Philippines but also all over the world. Various advertising company trust that
television is still one of the most used technological devices up until today. However, it is important to
note that these are just above, some it of also the roles played by television. Aside from the ones
mentioned above, it also serves as a recreational activity and good stress reliever to most families,
specifically to Filipino families. Television also is a go0d platform for different propagandas and
advocacies.
Lastly, it can also be a good way to bond with one’s family member. To Mobile phones, on the other
hand, also have their own roles in the lives of the people. They are primarily used for communication.
Mobile phones offer services like texting and calling. In the past, these were the only functions of the
mobile phone but as technology progressed, there have been many additional features included on
mobile phones. For example, in the present, people use their mobile phones to surf the Internet and to
take pictures more than to text or to call people. This is the reason why more and more people all over
the world prefer to buy smartphones over the old models where such features are not available. Other
applications
Include music player, calendar, radio, television, and photo editor, among others. These are just some of
the additional features of mobiles phones in the present. These make this particular technological
device very appealing to the masses. It is like an all-in-one device. In addition, it is very portable and
convenient because it can fit into any space, may it be inside the pocket or bag.
Personal computers and laptops also have useful set of functions and roles. Although most of the
functions found in these technological device are now also available in mobile phones, they still offer
their own u features that make them attractive. For example, personal computes and laptops can be
used to surf the Internet and communicate. Just like the mobile phones, these devices also have
features like calendar, calculous music player, movie player, camera, and many more. However, for a lot
of people, they prefer to do their job using either a personal computer or laptop than a mobile phone.
One reason is that a personal computer or a laptop has wide keyboard than using a mobile phone,
especially when the mobile phone has a small screen. Contrary to mobile phones, personal computers
and laptops have wide screens and separate keyboards, although some mobile phones can now be
connected to a keyboard. Another reason is that the availability of a mouse or a touchpad made these
two technological devices easier to maneuver than mobile phones. Lastly, for the youth and those who
love to play different computer games, personal computers or laptops are really the better choice
because these allow them to play with comfort and convenience. However, it cannot be denied that
some would been prefer laptops over personal computes 1or the simple reason that personal
computers are not portable and there are times when they need to bring such devices to different
places. Ethical Dilemma Faced by These Technological Advancements While it is true that these
technological devices are useful and beneficial, the fact remains that there are several dilemmas faced
by these "necessities." First, most parents would argue that these devices make their children lazy and
unhealthy. This is because of the fact that people who are fixated on these technological advancements
start and end their day by using such devices. They have a great tendency to sit and chill all day long
without doing anything productive in their homes, thus making them unhealthy because they do not just
skip meals sometimes but also lack exercise or any bodily movements. Here, it can be inferred that these
types of people are already overly dependent on these technological devices. For example, those who
love to watch television shows stay in front of the television for more than six hours a day while those
who love to surf the Internet or play computer games stay on their laptops, computers, or mobile
phones for more than half a day. These people have the tendency to be unaware of the time because
they are so engrossed with the use of technological device. In fact, if they get disturbed, there is a great
chance that they will get mad or annoyed. Moreover, these are the same people who are more likely to
experience alienation because they no longer take time to get out of their houses and mingle with other
people.

Another dilemma faced by these technological devices is the moral dilemma. People, especially the
children who are not capable yet of rationally deciding for themselves what is right or wrong, are freely
exposed to different things on television, mobiles phones, laptops, or computers. Because of the
availability and easy access to the internet, they can easily search the web and go to different websites
without restrictions allows them to see, read, or hear things which are not suitable for very young age.
This makes them very vulnerable to character change and can greatly affect the way they view the world
and the things around
Them.

On the first dilemma, it is really concerning to know that that there are people who develop different
kinds of sickness because of too much use of technological devices. Not only this, it also causes them to
become reclusive, alienating themselves from other people. Although some would argue that
technology brings people together, t can also be argued that this is not always the case in the real world
because it may bring them virtually closer but not physically or personally. In fact, there are people who
are friends, for example, only on social media but not in real life.

This just shows that there are things that technology claims to do but in reality, does not. It is for these
reasons why there are people who call for the establishment of ethics of technology. This subcategory of
ethics will in one way or another guide people on how technology ought to be used in order to prevent
abuse and other unfortunate results.

Digging deeper, it can be said that these reasons make such devices somewhat unethical because they
bring undesirable consequences to people. However, it can also be argued that it is not the fault of the
technological devices but the agents using them or the ones making them.

The classic deontological and teleological approaches to ethics are already too old to be applied in such
cases. This is because technology has become very complicated and dynamic over time. Having said this,
it is true that there are problems that can no longer be addressed by using these theories only. This is
why the ethics of responsibility is an appropriate theory that can be used in these dilemmas.
The word responsibility in the sense of being accountable for and accountable to is very appropriate to
the ethics of technology because it makes each and every person in the scientific-technological
development
A proxy with reference to one another. In other words, each person must indicate the priorities, values,
norms, and principles that constitute the grounds for one’s actions and define one’s contribution to the
scientific-technological event. The ethics of responsibility focuses on the positive rather than the
negative. Instead of asking “What ought not to be allowed? Ask “What ought to be allowed?” To put it in
another way, people who are part of the scientific development ought to let the public know the good in
their respective technological contribution/s. In this way, the people will have an idea how the devices
ought to be used in order to maximize their positive results.

However, it is also important for the people in the scientific word to inform the masses of the dangers
of their contribution/s to the world of technology. In this way, the people will be sufficiently aware of
what to do what not to do. In addition to this, the agents using the devices should also be accountable
to and accountable for their use of their gadgets.

Going back to the first dilemma, it can be said that the agents using the devices are the ones to be
blamed for the undesirable consequences, namely, laziness and unhealthiness. However, it is the
assumption that the people in the scientific-technological world have properly informed the public of
the positive tenor of their action in technology and the possible dangers of the misuse of their
technological contribution. Thus, the undesirable consequences are brought about by the misuse of the
agent. Now, talking about alienation, it can be concluded that the people
In the scientific-technological world are blameworthy because they tell the people something that
seems positive but when examined closely, brings more bad than good.

On the second dilemma, the people in the scientific world nor the children are blameworthy because
first, the children are not yet capable of rationally deciding for themselves what is good and what is bad.
Second, even if creators of these technologies went out of their way to inform children of the pros and
cons of these technological contributions, it would
Still be useless because the children have no capacity to understand them yet. So in this dilemma, the
ones to be blamed are the adults who allowed the children to have access to such devices in the first
place without any supervision. It is the recklessness and overconfidence of the adults that cause the
character change in children.

Robotics and Humanity

Another great product of the innovative minds of the (-. people is the robot. Robots are now widely
used. For example, there are the so-called service robots. These particular robots do specific tasks but
focus mainly in assisting their masters in their everyday tasks. The International Federation of Robotics
(FR) and United Nation Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) made it their task to formulate a
working definition for service robots. A preliminary extract of The relevant definition is (IFR, 2012):

A is an actuated mechanism programmable in two or more axes with a degree of autonomy, moving
within its environment, to perform intended tasks. Autonomy in this context means the ability to
perform intended tasks based on Current state and sensing without human intervention. A

A service robot is a robot that performs useful tasks for humans or equipment excluding industrial
automation application. Note: A robot may be classified according to its intended application as an
industrial robot or a service robot.

A personal service robot or a service robot for personal use is a service robot used for a noncommercial
task, usually by laypersons. Examples are domestic servant robot, automated wheelchair, personal
mobility assist robot, and pet exercising robot.
A professional service robot or a service robot for professional " use is a service robot used for a
commercial task, usually robot "operated by a properly trained operator. Examples are cleaning robot
open for public places, delivery robot in offices or hospitals, fire Fighting robot, rehabilitation robot, and
surgery robot in hospitals. In this context, an operator is a person designated to start, monitor, and stop
the intended operation of a robot or a robot system.

Germany was one of the first countries to develop service robots. As part of the German Federal
Ministry of Education and Research’s “service KoDoics Innovation Lead Initiative,” it sponsored a
collaborative project called DESIRE (Deutsche Servicerobotik Initiative-Germany Service Robotics
Initiative) which was launched on October 1, 2005. DESIRE has
E tollowing individual objectives (DESIRE, 2009)

To achieve a technological edge toward attaining key functions and components that are suited for
everyday use
To create a reference architecture for mobile manipulation
To promote the convergence of technologies through integration into a common technology platform
To conduct pre-competition research and development activities for new products and technology
transfer in start-up enterprises in the field of service robotics.

Some of the expected work to be performed by DESIRE are the following: (1) “Clear up the kitchen
table” all objects on top of the kitchen table will be moved to where they belong; (2) “Fill the
dishwasher” dirty dishes will be sorted correctly into the dishwasher, and 3)
“Clear up this room” all objects that are not in their proper places will be moved to where they belong
(Mock, n.d.).

The earliest conception of robots can be traced around 3000 B.C. from the Egyptians. Their water clocks
used human figurines to strike the hour bells. This mechanical device was built to carry out a specific
physical task regularly. From that time on, different machines were already built that displayed the same
mechanism and characteristics as the robots
In the present. For example, there was a wooden pigeon that could fly, a talking do, steam-powered
robots, and hydraulically-operated statues that could speak and gesture. However, the earliest robots as
people know them were created in the early 1950s by George Devol. “Unimate” was his first invention
from the words "Universal Automation." Unfortunately his attempt to sell his product to the industry did
not succeed After Unimate, several robots were also invented which were better version of their the
previous ones (Stanford, n.d.). Ever since, people never stopped their quest in the field of robotics

Roles Played by Robotics

Robots play different roles not only in the lives of the people but also in the society as a whole. They
are primarily used to case the workload of mankind. They were invented to make life more efficient and
less stressful On one hand, they perform complicated activities which human beings incapable of doing.
On the other hand, they perform the simplest tasks a home so that their masters can perform the
complex ones without stressing themselves over the simple tasks. There are also robots which are made
for pleasure. To be more specific, these types of robots perform activities to entertain people. They can
usually be found in amusement parks or exhibits. In addition, there are also some robots which were
made to severe as toys. They also perform different activities but they are usually child. friendly. Other
examples of robots are those which can be seen in movies One of the reasons why robots are very
famous is because of movies. A number of local and national movies. were inspired by robots. This goes
to show that people have developed a distinct fascination over robots. Just like people living in the
society, robots also have their own set of rules and characteristics that define what a good robot is.
These laws were formulated by Isaac Asimov back in the 1940s, when he was thinking of the ethical
consequences of robots. These are the following (Stanford, n.d.):

Law One- A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow human being to come to
harm.

Law Two:
A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with
the First Law.

Law Three:
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or
Second Law.

Ethical Dilemma/s Faced by Robotics

Just like any other technological advancements, robotics also faces different problems and dilemmas.
Although the idea is to help people and make their lives a lot easier than before, it is still not immune to
different ethical dilemmas and possible undesirable outcomes. One of the dilemmas faced by robots is
safety. Who should be held accountable if someone’s safety is compromised by a robot? Who should be
blamed, the robot, the
Agent using the robot, or the maker/inventor of the robot? It is important to know who should be
blamed and who should be held responsible if such thing happens.

Another ethical dilemma faced by robots is the emotional component. This may seem a little absurd as
of the moment, but looking at how fast technology progresses nowadays, it is not completely impossible
for robots to develop emotions (Evans, 2007).
So here, the questions become, “What if robots become sentient? Should they be granted robot rights?
Should they have their own set of rights to be upheld, respected, and protected by humans?”. It is
interesting to know how people would react if the time comes when robots can already feel pain and
pleasure. Would they act differently or not at all?
In the field of robotics, there are the so-called partial autonomy and full autonomy. Partial autonomy
includes active human-robot interaction while full autonomy excludes active human-robot interaction.
In other words, a robot with full autonomy can perform actions or activities even without a master
telling it what should be done or what should be performed next (IFR, 2012).
Using Asimov’s laws for robots, it can be concluded t that robots are ethical but only if they strictly
follow the laws specified. They are ethical mostly because the laws formulated by Asimov ensure the
safety only the users of the technology but also the people around him Remember that these service
robots are already available to the public ethical the public
Nus, they can already be found inside the homes. Having said that, the safety of not only the owner of
the technology but also all the all the people Inside the house should be the priority more than anything
else. In other words, the service robots only follow what their master tell them to do with great
consideration to the laws formulated by Asimov. However
If the agent using the technology misuses the robot to achieve personal agendas, then without a doubt,
the agent should be held accountable for any consequences it may bring. It is important to note that
this is under the assumption that the robot strictly followed the laws specified without many form of
deviation.

If the problems arise when the robot deviates from the laws specified then the maker or the inventor of
the machine should be blameworthy It just means that the robot was not programmed very well
because it violated the laws. Other problems may arise when the machine develops the ability to think
for itself. In this case, the one that should be blame
Can both be the maker or inventor and the robot itself. This is because, in the first place, the maker gave
the robot the capacity to think for itself so the should be very much aware of its possible consequences.
To put it in another way, the maker programmed the robot in such a way that it can already think for
itself even without an active participation from a human
Being. In addition, since the robot thinks for itself, whatever decision it makes and whatever
consequence it may bring, the robot itself should be held responsible.

For the second dilemma, it is just right for the robots to be given their own set of rights should they
develop the ability to feel different kinds of emotion. It can be argued that the same thing happened
with animals. Before, animals did not have their own set of rights because people believed that they
were not capable of having emotions. However
After years of testing and experimenting, it was concluded that Animals are indeed capable of emotions.
It is for this reason that people decided

To give them rights that are due to them. The same should be done to robots without any reservations.
Should that time come, they ought to be treated differently and they ought to have new laws to follow
in order to accommodate the new characteristic they have developed.

SUMMARY
In modern times, there are different technological advancements in all forms and sizes may it be inside
the home, the workplace, the learning place, or simply on the streets. It is now very accessible to almost
anyone in the world. It is not completely impossible to say that each person in the world owns at least
one technological device. Besides, technology is not enclosed to. Expensive and high-end devices.
Simple types of machines that can perform simple task regularly can already be considered a form of
technology. However, despite its usefulness and beneficial characteristics, there are still some problems
faced by the different technological advancements. To be more specific, these problems are ethical in
nature that involve not only the machine but also mankind. It is now impossible
For technology and humanity not to cross paths because as some would argue, technology has become
a necessity for people. At the end of the day, ethics should still be enforced in the field of technology so
as to ensure the safety and morality of these devices to people.