SOSC 1130: Science,

Technology and Business

Tuesdays and Thursdays
4:30 pm 5:50 pm
Lecture Theater A
Dr. Naubahar Sharif
SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

Introductory Class
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Details about the class

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Syllabus
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Website: http://canvas.ust.hk

Additional details and regulations

Details about me

What about you?

SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

About Me
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My name
Education: Ph.D. Cornell 2005 (Science and
Technology Studies)
Research: How science and technology (S&T)
influences society and vice versa (mutual
relationship)
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Societal and cultural embeddedness of science and

technology

Want to know more? http://www.nsharif.com

SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

Lecture Notes
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The lecture notes on slides presented at

the lectures will also be available from
the SOSC113 Course Web (Canvas)
I will try to post an updated version
before the lecture, so that you can print
the notes before class
You should supplement by taking notes
from my explanations, discussions, etc.
SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

Assessment and Grades

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There will be two exams in the

course:
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n
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1 midterm (around Week 7 during

class time)
1 final exam (end of semester)
Both exams will consist of multiple
choice questions, partly based on case
studies
PRS Exercises during class

The midterm counts for 40% and

the final exam 45% of the total
course grade, respectively
PRS Exercises count for 15% of
course grade
SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

PRS Exercises
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How many of you have never used a

PRS device?
I will not entertain ANY excuses for
non-performance of PRS exercises

SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

Some Basic Rules

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Get to class ON TIME !

All mobile phones or pagers
turned to SILENT
Please do not disturb the
class with irrelevant
conversationif you want to
discuss an issue, you should
address me!
Engage in class discussions

SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

I am Serious!!!
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I do not take attendance (you are all adults)

I would like you to pay attention and learn
something
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Not only learn about what you can get from

textbooks
But also learn something that will actually make a
positive difference in your lives
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University life is like finding a needle in a haystack

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I will try to offer more such needles

SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

I am very serious!!!
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n
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Talking is strictly prohibited

I will endeavor to start (and finish on time)
I respect the value of your time, so I hope
you too will respect me and my time
It is your job to have fully functioning PRS
devices and ensure your answers are
registered by the system

SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

Seeking Help
n
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I am here to help
Contact me should you require
assistance
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Email is best: sosn@ust.hk

The class will be run with the assistance

of my TAs
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Mostly invisible, but critical to any

successful class
SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

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What About You?

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n
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Your enrollment status?

Why are you taking this class?
How many of you have previously taken
any class with me?
How many of you have previously taken
ANY SOSC class?
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How many currently taking SOSC1110?

How many of you don't speak/

understand Cantonese?
SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

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More About You?

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Which year are you in?

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n
n
n
n

0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or above

What's your major/home school?

How many live on campus/off campus?
Do you intend to come to class?
Do you have any siblings in university
(now or before)?
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Class Composition
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n
n
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Exchange Students?
Mainland Students?
HK students from international schools
HK students from EMI/CMI schools

SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

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Homework
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Read and digest the syllabus!

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Over the course of a semester, one third

(33%) of questions I receive are answered
on the syllabus

SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

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What is Science and

Technology Studies (S&TS)

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What is Science and

Technology Studies (S&TS)
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Newly emerging field

Challenges orthodoxy () of science,
technology and now business
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Why do we believe what scientists say?

Questions rationales, assumptions, of these

activities (something that is done by people)
Closely studies how the activities are actually
performed through accumulating knowledge
by actors
SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

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What is Science and

Technology Studies (S&TS)
Two important philosophical approaches
within the study of SCIENCE:
1. Logical positivism and
2. Falsificationism
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n
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How STB produced?

What shape does STB take, and why
does it take that shape?
SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

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The Prehistory of S&TS, or

How S&TS Originated (p.1-4)
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Idea of Logical Positivism ()

(Vienna Circle):
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Scientific progress is increasing number

and range of potential observations that its
theories indicate
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What has been done

E.g. perform the same experiment again and
again in different environment to prove the
theory is always true
SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

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The Prehistory of S&TS

(contd)
A scientific theory is in some sense a mere
summary of possible observations, in a
logically structured language
n Theories can be no more or no less than
the logical representation of data
n

SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

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Falsificationism
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Idea of Falsificationism () (Karl Popper)

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A form of positivism
The idea that using purely logical means we can
make predictions of observations from scientific
theories
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Scientific theories lead to predictions

Make prediction about the future

Best theories are the ones that make all the right
predictions
Scientists are held to a standard
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According to this standard, they have to discard theories

in the face of opposing data and retain those theories
which provide correct results
SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

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Realism
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Idea of Realism ()
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Idea that science progresses towards the

truth, and accumulates truth as it goes
forward
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Science tells us about the natural world

Most scientific theories are approximately

true
n Good methods form the basis of scientific
progress
n

SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

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Positivism vs. Falsification vs.

Realism
Idea:

Positivism

Falsification Realism

Supported Summaries of
by:
observations

Predictions of
observations

Truth

Feature:

Make all the

right predictions
and based on
empirical data

Believe that
science will
progress
towards
truth

The rational
construction of
theories on top
of empirical
data

SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

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A Functionalist View
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Mertons functionalist view of science

Merton argues that science served a social
function: providing certified knowledge
n Science serves a social function, providing
certified knowledge that we can all believe
and trust
n In order to produce this knowledge,
scientists work according to certain norms
(values)
n

SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

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These norms govern scientists behavior and

attitudes
Norms: Communalism, Universalism,
Disinterestedness (), Organized Skepticism
() (CUDOS)
Scientists adhering to these norms perform
greater social function (of providing certified
knowledge) than scientists that do not adhere
to them

SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

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Norms (contd)
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Communalism
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Idea of communal ownership

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Universalism
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i.e. Scientific knowledge is owned by everyone

Anyone can make a scientific claim and

that claim is not evaluated based on
particularistic criteria (such as sex, race,
gender, etc.)
SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

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Norms (contd)
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Disinterestedness ()
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Scientists are not interested in science

because of financial gain (because they
want to become rich)

Organized Skepticism () (CUDOS)

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Scientists remain skeptical ()

until the theory is well established

SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

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Whats the Main Point? or

Summary
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Science does not determine the shape

of technology
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Technology is not just applied science

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Not all technology depends on science alone

Sci., Tech., and Business are thoroughly

social activities
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Each of these activities is conducted by

HUMANS
SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

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Actors who perform the activities are

members of communities, trained into the
communities and working within them
n Communities set standards for inquiry
n Actors are not mere logical operators: they
have biases, beliefs, prejudices,
idiosyncrasies, interests, preferences, etc.
n

SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

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Course Outline I
Sosc1130

Industrial
Revolution

Basic

Science

Technology

Innovation

Questioning IR

Topical Issue

Leadership
Shift

Science as
Method

Technology
and Impacts

Pacific Rim

Science as
Social
Activities

Lever of
Riches

China
SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

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Course Outline II
Sosc1130

Basic

Industrial
Revolution

Source of
Innovation

Topical Issue

Interdependence

Diffusion

Managing Issue

Individual or
Network

R&D and
Innovation

System as
Source

R&D for
Business

SOSC 1130 Fall 2016 Notes 01

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