Module 2: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY AND THE HUMAN CONDITION

Learning objective:
1. Develop their own understanding of technology
2. Discuss the essence of technology and modern technology
3. Explain and illustrate the dangers of modern technology
4. Explain why art is the saving power of modern technology

Section 1: Technology as a way of Revealing

The concept of human flourishing is best captured by the term “Eudaimonia”. It comes from the
Greek word meaning “WELL” and daimon or daemon meaning “spirit”. It is defined as a contented state of being
happy, healthy, and prosperous. It is also understood as the effort to attain self-discovery and fulfillment within the
setting of society, each with the right to pursue his or her own efforts to achieve such state.
In philosophy, Eudaimonism refers to pursuing the right actions that lead to one’s “well-being” ancient
Greek philosophers developed normative ethical theories called virtue ethics that emphasize the virtues of mind and
character. Such virtues are linked to the concept of arete meaning excellence in order for one individual to flourish
and attain the good life.
Eudaimonia is an objective state that characterizes that well lived life as an individual’s ideal emotional
state. The highest human good that is good in itself.

Philosophical theories that attempt to explain eudaimonia

1. Hedonism- pleasure is the most valuable pursuit of mankind and everything that one does is to gain pleasure.
The philosopher Aristippus was convinced that life’s objective is to experience maximum pleasure
2. Philosopher Aristotle stated that eudaimonia well being assumed that happiness is idea, emphasizing that not
all desires are worth pursuing. Though some may yield pleasure. They will not always produce lasting
happiness.

The History of Eudaimonia

Human flourishing according to Aristotle cannot bring happiness if he or she is sick or starving Eudaimonia is
not instrumental good but rather the ultimate good for it is intrinsically good or good in its own sake. Being part of
the community is need for an individual to flourish as a human being. He emphasized that friendship a mutual
admiration between two persons is a contributing factor in attaining eudaimonia.
Human flourishing in the Christian perspective, St. Augustine of Hippo and St. Thomas Aquinas requires one
to have knowledge of God. John Lock derived his philosophy from the Bible, stressed that happiness is pursued
through prudence.
In the old testament it is best described by the word SHALON which means peace, harmony, and
completeness. It is a sense of wholeness involving an individual’s relationship with God and his creations. It involves
trusting the word and plan of God that he has already set from the beginning of creation.
In the new testament the concept of human flourishing through the beatitudes. These are the eight blessings
preached by Jesus to his followers. Jesus preached that human flourishing can be achieved by placing God at the
center of one’s life.

The consequences of human flourishing. Humanity has taken control of the environment to take advantage of
its natural resources. It takes millions of years for a mountain to take shape but only few years to flatten it to make
way for the development of broad’s subdivisions and other structures. Modernization advances science, technology,
and the human future at the cost of nature’s degradation. Some scientist had stated that the emergence of artificial
intelligence poses a great danger to humanity. It affects not only humans but also the environment which we are all
experiencing.

Technology as A Way of Revealing

This topic tackles the essence of technology based on Martin Heidegger, a German Philosopher who criticizes
technology in his essay. The question concerning technology because of its limiting nature that prevents further
understanding of its true essence.

He defined technology as the advancement of scientific knowledge to solve simple to complex problems or the
manner in which a task is finished using different technical processes.

The two functions of technology

1. Instrumental because it is a means to an end.
 2. Anthropological because it is human activity

Heidegger sees reality as a result of causes or means. He places Aristotle four causes in parallel to his own
perspective. According to Aristotle, the first cause is material cause (causa materialis) or the material out of which an
object is made. The second is formal cause (causa formalis) or the shape or form of the object as it was produced.
The third is final cause (causa finalis) or the purpose or function of the object. The fourth is efficient cause (causa
efficiens), which causes change in an object.
To elaborate the concept of the four causes. Heidegger uses a silver chalice as an example. According to him,
silver is the chalice’s material cause. The shape that the chalice takes when it is formed embodies the formal cause.
The use of the chalice in the context of religious ceremonies is the embodiment of its final cause. Lastly, responsible
for manipulating the silver to create an actual chalice is the efficient cause. Given the chalice as an example,
Heidegger reconceives Aristotle’s causes into the four ways of being responsible. According to Heidegger
responsibility does not refer to accountability or creation; rather, it is what helps an object reach its full potential as a
functional object.
He does not consider the effective cause to be similar to the three other causes but as an essential idea to
understand the other causes as well as itself. The four causes are taken into account by another concept he calls the
bringing-forth or the taking of each of the causes with meticulous consideration to create the final product.
According to Heidegger, bringing -forth falls under two categories, namely POIESIS and PHYSIS.
Poiesis-is the bringing forth of an object into existence from creation or art, practiced by craftsmen and poets.
Physis- is the bringing forth of an object from nature, which is a self-producing process of coming into existence.
He states that technology comes from the Greek term “techmikon”, related to the Greek term “techne”.
Techne, as in technique, is both a skill of manufacture and arts. Furthermore, Heidegger states how Plato linked the
term techne to episteme from which the word “epistemology “stems”from. In this sense, techne means “know-how”
or is defined, in the widest sense, as one expertise in a particular field.
According to Heidegger, the act of bringing forth is grounded in the act of uncovering. In addition, he
clarifies that technology is not a mere means but rather a mode of revealing. Thus, the bringing forth of technology
brings what the Greek refer to as Alethia meaning unconcealment or truth. From here, Heidegger says that
technology is very distant from modern technology, as modern technology is disjointed from the idea of Alethia.
Given Heidegger’s chalice example, the silversmith, by virtue of his or her techne, brings together form,
matter, and function encompassing the idea of what a chalice is. He or she can uncover or reveal an actual chalice
from the silver that is “on its” way to existence. This is the essence of technology-a revealing of the truth. This is
where modern technology comes into objection. He compares a windmill, a familiar and older form of technology,
the windmill draws energy from the wind whereas a hydroelectric dam exploits and stores energy. In this sense,
modern technology challenges the planet’s resources, a concept embodied in Heidegger’s term of “challenging-
forth”.
Modern technology challenges nature in providing the energy that it needs. Heidegger uses the Rhine River
in Germany as an example. For an artist, the river is a source of poetic and philosophical inspiration. But once an
engineer builds a dam on the river, the river’s purpose changes and from that point onwards: it becomes a source of
energy.
While modern technology also employs aspects of uncolcealment and revealing, it does so differently,
compared to older forms. Modern technology turns the world into a “standing-reserve” a concept that means that
the world’s resources are not “good” on its own but are only “good for” something else. Modern technology is
focused on “setting-upon”, which challenges nature in providing the energy that it needs that delays nature’s
potential to be “revealed”.
There are two different ways modern technology challenges nature to provide energy. The first is how
modern technology unlocks the energy from the natural resources and exposes the object for whatever purposes it
may hold. The other is in how modern technology is able to maximize the use of a given object while using the bare

minimum expenditure. From here, what is gathered from setting-upon is unlocked and transformed through the
process of “ordering”. The transformed energy from “ordering” is stored and distributed as seen fit.
Heidegger questions the positions of humanity in the process of challenging nature. He asks how humanity
in the process of challenging nature. He asks how humanity is involved in the revealing process and to what extent it
can be done. This is answered with the idea that the standing-reserve comes from the potential energy produced and
reserved for purposes that either humans or tecehnology may change and manipulate for future use.
Heidegger reiterates that modern technology, as a revealing, is no mere human doing. Modern technology
challenges humanity to do something with nature-to manipulate nature by ordering and directing it to transform it
from being a standing -reserve into the revealing. He uses an example of how mountains unfold into mountain ranges
and how their gathering is called “gebirg” (mountain chain), as they too are ordered.
This challenging gather humanity into revealing the standing-reserve in what Heidegger call gestell or
enframing. The idea of enframing stems from what Heidegger refers to as the “frame of mind” that drives humans to
a precise scientific knowledge and renewed perception of the world. Another way to describe enframing is the
gathering of what humanity is -setting-upon and revealing that the essence of modern technology is not
technological. The parts that make up technological devices such as the batteries and processors of machines belong
to the technological. (Casas Science, Technology and Society pages 155-160).

Enframing as Modern Technology ‘s Way of Revealing

If the essence of technology can be understood as a way of bringing forth the truth in the essence of
poiesis. Heidegger distinguished the way of revealing of modern technology by considering it is a process of
enframing. Humankind’s desire to control everything, including nature, is captured in this process. By putting things,
in this case nature, in a frame, it becomes much easier for humans to control it according to their desires.
Enframing according to Heidegger, is akin to two ways of looking at the world: calculative thinking and
meditative thinking:
1. Calculative thinking- humans desire to put an order to nature to better understand and control it.
2. Meditative thinking- humans allow nature to reveal itself to them without the use of force or violence. One
thinking is not necessarily better than the other.
In fact, humans are capable of using both and will benefit from being able to harmonize these ways of looking
at the world. Yet, calculative thinking tends to be more commonly utilized, primarily because humans’ desire to
control due to their fear of irregularity.
Enframing, then, is a way of ordering (or framing) nature to better manipulate it. Enframing happens because
of how humans desire for security, even if it puts all of nature as a standing reserve ready for exploitation. Modern
technology challenges humans to enframe nature. Thus, humans become part of the standing reserve and an
instrument of technology, to be exploited in the ordering of nature. The role humans take as instruments of
technology through enframing is called destining, humans are challenged forth by enframing to reveal what is real.
However, this destining of humans to reveal what is real. However, this destining of humans to reveal nature carries
with it the danger of misconstruction or misinterpretation.

The Dangers of Technology

The dangers of technology lie in how humans let themselves be consumed by it. Although humans
are looped into the cycle of bringing forth, it is their responsibility to recognize how they become instruments of
technology. (AQUINO, Science, Technology and Society pp. 66-67)

Section III: The Good Life

Learning Outcomes:
1. Discuss the concept and elements of a good life
2. Examine the roles of science and technology toward achieving a good life

The idea of what “a good life” is could always be traced to the classics of philosophy. In relation to this,
Antonia Macaro (2018) listed some components of a good life based on the writings of Aristotle. She provided
various criteria that may constitute a good life; success, material comfort, pleasure, relationships, reason and
virtues. Character and spirituality are equally important elements.
1. Success and material comfort- success is defined differently by different people. Dr. Ron Jenson’s book “
Make a life Not Just a living” discusses the common perceptions of individuals about a successful life. He
presented the 5p’s: power, prestige, pleasure, position, and prosperity, which are perceived to be the
components of a happy successful life.
2. Pleasure- is not the ultimate good, but it is good in moderation. It does not automatically translate to a
good life. The desire for pleasure is a form of hedonism, the view in which pleasure is the highest goal. This
 self-focused pleasure is not a long-term happiness. The best kind of pleasure is derived from being involved
in some worthwhile activity. A good life is a balance between value and pleasure.
3. Relationships- are essential to a good life. Meaningful, pleasant relations with mutual admiration are
necessary in a good life. Cultivating good relationships within different aspects of one’s life contributes to
the quality of one’s life.
4. Reason and virtues- One of the elements of the ultimate good is reason. Theoretically, reason is the
contemplation of unchangeable truths. Practically, it is the capacity to make decisions in the sphere of
what can be changed. Theoretical and practical reasons are intellectual virtues that are central parts of the
good life. In order to flourish as human beings, the development of virtues of character includes learning to
act according to reason.
5. Character and spirituality- according to Dr. Ron Jenson (1995), an individual’s character is the root of his
or her inner strength. King Solomon, who led Israel, had authored the Book of Ecclesiastes in which he
stated that to fear God and keep His commandments are fundamental duties of man. These statements
encompass spirituality and character. King Solomon urges the cultivation of one’s character and spirituality,
which are essential elements to a good life.

Steps Toward the Good Life

A study by Anne Birgitta Pessi (2008) provides a novel arrow model that illustrates the essential steps
toward a good life.
1. Relationship- based on a survey by Pessi the most important and central themes concerned the family,
especially spouse and/or children. Friend and other social relationships were also often noted.
2. Balance- contentment and safety. A very significant theme in this step is peace of mind, including elements of
equilibrium, safety, being at peace with oneself, contentment, and physical /physic/mental well-being.
3. Health- the third step of the good life is concerned with health.
4. Secure income- the abstract elements of the good life.
5. Fulfilling oneself- meaningfulness is the most significant theme. Its elements include having meaningful things
to do, a purpose in life, reaching goals, living according to one’s values, and having dreams and joy in life.
6. Values and spirituality- the two most central themes are peace and safety in a rather literal sense, such as
having a peaceful home/ dwelling and neighborhood, the second peace of soul in relation to one’s “wholesome
basic values”, such as justice, honesty, respect, altruism, and compassion, as well as religion.
7. Work and Leisure- having meaningful work and /or hobbies.

Science and Technology as a means to achieve a Good Life

Science and technology throughout the course of time have changed the way we live, work,
communicate, and connect with one another. Their progress can be seen as parallel to how humans move toward
what is perceived as a good life. Nonetheless, as “god life” is a moral concept, human virtues must constantly be kept
in mind. The ultimate good is the measure how well one has lived up to his or her full potential as a human being.
Likewise, technological progress as a means to achieve a good and fulfilled life must necessarily equate to
advancements that are anchored in balance and human values.

Based on Hedonistic Theory, one’s good is a matter of how he or she experiences. It identifies self-
interest with happiness that hedonistic defines as the preference of pleasure and absence of pain.
Preference theory- a person’s “good” is what one wants.

Section IV: When Technology and Humanity Cross

Learning Objectives:
1. Explain the implications of humanity growing dependence on technology
2. Identify key documents and their principles that ensure the well-being of the humans in the midst of
scientific progress and technological development

Technological optimism is the view that technological improvements will sustain life as human
population continues to increase. In the book the year 2000 published in 1967 Herman Kahn and Anthony Wiener
listed 100 technological innovations that are likely to occur in the last quarter of the 20th century.

Examples of listed innovations include

1. Medical technologies that may detect hereditary and congenital diseases.
2. Use of Cyborg techniques that may substitute human organs or limbs.
3. New biological or chemical methods to improve memory and learning
 4. Multimedia system
5. Advance military and commercial airborne vehicles
6. Internet
7. Genetic testing to efficiently detect hereditary and congenital diseases.

The study of genetics poses a threat to ethic. Pharmacogenetics become controversial in terms of ethical use.
Advanced DNA testing also poses both advantages and disadvantages.

The growth of Science and technology challenges society’s ability to understand and control its effects
on everyday life. People use diesel-powered automobiles and coal powered energy plants that release toxic fumes
greenhouse gases that are detrimental to human and environmental health. Dams are constructed for irrigation,
flood control, and power production, they also disrupt the natural ecosystem and displaced local communities like
in Chico River Dam, Kaliwa Low Dam in Rizal.
Agent Orange a Herbecide and defoliate chemical used during Vietnam War by the USA military to
destroy plant
based ecosystem in Vietnam territory. It damaged also the genes of human exposed to it resulting in genetic
deformities. Made the regeneration of forest difficult and almost impossible.
Computer and electronic surveillance system provide personal, institutional and homeland security but
posed threats to human privacy.

Why does the future not need us?

Bill Joy stated that 21st century technologies -robotics genetic engineering and nanotechnology are
threatening humans an endangered species. He voiced his concern about the increasing development of
technological capabilities such as continuous innovations in artificial intelligence (ai). It is expected that in the near
future, computers will have the capacity to lead a so-called robot rebellion. Genetic engineering is capable of creating
new crops and potentially new species nanotechnology may be used in developing more efficient medicine and water
treatment, however, they may be hazardous to one’s health.

Activities to be Accomplish for Module 2

1. Give your definition of a Good life.

2. The group will compose an essay on how to achieve the model arrow presented by ANNE
BERGITTA PESSIS. Include this essay in your USB.
3. The group will collect the technological developments in the Philippines presenting it with
advantages and disadvantages. It can be drawn or cut pictures or presented in a powerpoint.

Example: List 10 of technological development

Advantage Disadvantages
1. Dams irrigation, energy, water source dislocation of the people
Cause floods

4. Prepare 20 items quiz with correct answer written in a long bond paper
5. Read the Universal Declaration of Human Right and “How are today’s Biggest tech trends
affecting our human rights by Ruth Hickin (https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/12/how-
are-today-s-biggest-tech-trends-affecting-human-rights/). Explain how technology challenges
these human rights.

6. Watch Steven Spielberg’s Science fiction drama film.

Artifical Intelligence (2001) after watching the film reflect on the story of David, a childlike
android uniquely programmed with the ability to love and write an essay of 200-300 words essay on the
topic why does the future need us and why does the future do not need us? Cite scenes, insights from the
movie to support your arguments.
Note: ALL OF YOUR ACTIVITIES WILL BE SAVED IN USB.

Prepared by:
Mrs. Violeta E. Sioson