Module 2- SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY AND THE HUMAN CONDITION

ACTIVATING
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
LEARNING Direction: Please put an X
OBJECTIVES mark, whether you AGREE or
DISAGREE with each
At the end of this lesson, you should statement below.
be able to:
1. define the idea of the Good Life; STATEMENT AGREE DISAGREE WHY?
2. discuss the idea of Aristotle‟s 1.
concept of Eudaimonia and Arete Happiness
comes from
based on Nichomachean Ethics;
pleasure,
and
wealth and
3. relate the definition of Good Life to recognition
Science and Technology 2. The
purpose of
life is
TOPIC happiness.
OUTLINE 3.
Happiness
means
feeling god
Lesson: 3 The Good Life
or joyful.
4. The role
of science
OVERVIEW and
technology
is to guide
This lesson introduces humans
concepts from Aristotle towards
virtuous
Nichomachean Ethics and deeply
life.
examines issues on ST using
5.
Aristotle‟s idea and concept of good Intellectual
life. The Aristotelian concept serves and moral
as the philosophical lens to assess virtues are
the
society‟s relationship and dealings
ingredients
with science and technology.
of
happiness
Module 2- SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY AND THE HUMAN CONDITION

Who wants to have a flourishing human conditions

in the community.
good life? Are you living a good
life? What is good life for you?
In the
These are just some of the
documentary
universal questions that
film, the
concerns human. Everyone Magician;s
aims to have good life however Twin: C.S.
despite of enjoying the Lewis and
pleasures and successes in the Case
their life the essence of good against Scientism, C.S. Lewis
life is missing. People find posited that science provides
difficulty subscribing to a guidance for ethics . One such
unified standard on the ethical basis is the Aristotle‟s
meaning of good life. Nichomachean Ethics.

Aristotle‟s Nichomachean According to Britannica.com,

Ethics and the Goal of Good Aristotle was born on 384 BCE at
Life Stagira, Chaldice. He joined the
famous ACADEMY of the greatest
What is the good life? philosopher Plato at the age of 17. He
was a student of Plato, who was then
This is one of the oldest
a student of Socrates, together, they
philosophical questions. It has
were considered the Big Three of
been posed in different ways –
Greek Philosophy. The method used
how should one live? What
by Aristotle for his investigation was
does it mean to live well?
scientific. He was analytical and
These are really just the same
logical in his treatment of subject.
question. After all, everyone
wants to live well, and no one
wants the “bad life”. There is
Aristotle‟s Nichomachean
a need to contemplate on two Ethics, the fundamental basis of
things: First, the standard Aristotelian ethics has been divided
into 10 sections. Nichomachean
that could define good life.
Ethics was written around 340 BC. It
Second, how this standard
is probably named after either his
serve as a guide toward living
father or son, who were both named
the good life in the midst of
Nicomachus.
Module 2- SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY AND THE HUMAN CONDITION

instrumental good for the

The Nichomachean Ethics latter is good as a means to
abbreviated as the NE or achieve something else or
sometimes from the Latin some other end while the
version of the name as the EN. former is good in itself. Since
The NE is in 10 books and is the good for all is better than
most widely read of Aristotle‟s the good for an individual, it is
ethical treatise. the common good that we seek
to understand.
What is the
definition of Eudaimonia: The
good? –getting Ultimate Good, The Ultimate
a college Happiness
diploma,
winning from a What then is the ultimate good?
lottery ticket, To the vulgar men pleasure
travelling (happiness and enjoyment) is the
across the pacific, having a ultimate good. To the political men,
successful business venture, honor is the ultimate good and to the
having a good reputation, contemplative men, we will get back
living active and healthy to that later. One might think that
lifestyle and being a good pleasure is the ultimate good.
parent. Truthfully, everyone Pleasure is undeniably the
desires to achieve what is motivation behind many actions, but
good. In NE book 2 chapter 2, it puts humans on the level of
he claimed that every activity animals. Yet pleasure is an
aims at some good. The important human need. One may
highest good is the end or goal have been pleased with the food they
of that activity. Therefore, the have for snacks, but he will be
end or goal of human activity hungry and crave for something else
is the highest good for man. again. One might think that wealth
However, some activity or is a potential candidate for the
actions aim at an instrumental ultimate good, but a critique of
good (good for its own sake) wealth would prove otherwise. There
while some aim at an intrinsic are people who are wealthy but live
or basic good (good for the sake unhappily and miserably. Another
of something else). Aristotle candidate is fame and honor. To be
made clear that the ultimate honoured is to be dependent on other
good is better than the people‟s opinions, and since people‟s
Module 2- SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY AND THE HUMAN CONDITION

opinion fluctuate; honor becomes Irrational Part

dependent, unstable and therefore is Vegetative ( Sensitive Rational
Nutritive) Non-Humans Human
also unlike the final good of
Plants Animals Only
happiness. Animals Above plus Above
Aristotle first Humans response to plus
recognizes that happiness is the Growth Environment ability to
ultimate good. All other goods are Reproduction Pleasure engage
Feeding Pain in
intermediate while happiness is
Memory rational
final. We pursue other goods to thought
achieve happiness, but happiness is
valuable in itself. In the Aristotelian
sense, happiness is living well and Figure 1 –Aristotle‟s Tripartite of
doing well. The term “eudaimonia” Soul
means happiness and eu zen (living
well). The Greek term eudaimon is The vegetative (or
composed of two parts “eu” means nutritive) element is common to all
“well or good” and “daimon” means living organisms, regardless of type
divinity, spirit, soul or self. To be (e.g. animal, plant, human) or stage
eudaimon is therefore to be living of development (e.g. embryos,
in a way that is well favoured by a children, adults) and involves the
god. power for self-nutrition, reproduction
and growth.
Eudaimonia: Uniquely Human? The sensitive element
deals with our impulses, our
Eudamonia or happiness passions, our capacity for movement
is unique to human for it is simply and basic decision-making. We share
human function. It is achieved only this element with animals.
through a rationally directed life.
Our unique function that fulfils our The Rational Element this
human nature consists essentially of part expresses our unique function
reason. Below is the illustration of as human beings. The rational part
Aristotle‟s tripartite Soul is important in Aristotle‟s
assessment in what constitute
eudemonia. This is strictly and
uniquely human not common to all
creatures or shared animals.
Module 2- SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY AND THE HUMAN CONDITION

Rationality is our guide and technical education and training,

time, and, experience.
in life and only if we are fully
Virtue involves habit and
rational can we reach our potential.
choice. By
Rational activity is not only thinking
making the
in the sense of calculating. It also
proper
includes practical reasoning and
decision, one
planning for the future helping us to
develops a
make right decision. Eudamonia
virtuous
consists of excellent rational activity
habit or
the most perfect part of the soul.
disposition,
which has been cultivated by past
Aréte and Human Happiness
choices. The question arise how do an
individual make the right choices?
Eudaimonia is what Aristotle emphasized the virtuous
defines the good life. To live a good choice was the mean between two
life is to live a happy life. Aristotle extremes: excess and deficiency.
conclude that the means of happiness Below is the table of virtues and
and the purpose of human existence vices.
is virtue
Aréte, a Greek term
defined as excellence in terms of any
kind and can mean moral or
intellectual virtue. There are two
types of virtue. The Moral virtue or
the virtue of character through
habitual practice. Some of the key
moral virtues are honesty, chastity,
courage and generosity. Virtue
theorists believe that if we
concentrate on being righteous
people, the right actions will follow;
in other words, the people with the
right character tend to make the
For instance, Aristotle gives an
right decisions. On the other hand,
example of the virtue of courage;
Intellectual virtue or the virtue of
cowardice (feeling too much fear) is
thought is achieved through scientific
the vice of deficiency, and rashness
(feeling too little fear) is the vice of
Module 2- SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY AND THE HUMAN CONDITION

excess, so, courage is the „golden Let us not forget the lessons and
mean‟ because the virtuous person is philosophy of Aristotle that the
the one that is both appropriately attainment of virtue and happiness
afraid and yet also appropriately is through moderation in all things-
brave. the doctrine of the GOLDEN MEAN.
Yes! We enjoy all the advantages of
In other words, there are two ways in science and technology but let us
which humans might go wrong; there approach these products of science
is always a vice of excess, and a vice and technology with moderation.
of deficiency. Therefore, virtue is the Everything in moderation is a key to
mean point between these two vices; a healthy and balanced life
this is the doctrine of the mean.

LEARNING
Good Life as related to Flourishing
ACTIVITY 1
Science and Technology
Self-Reflection
Good Life is the Direction: Think of the things
contemporary period defined by that you experienced a good life.
advancement and development of Place your answer in the box below.
science and technology. The benefits
this Science and technology offers
prove that a lot of people are really
dependent on science and technology
to survive the challenges of the
century. Society‟s engagement in
nanotechnology, modern genetics and
even robotics are the basis of what
we call GOOD LIFE in the present.
But is these things really made us Having new model of cellphone
happy and say we have experienced
the true good life? However, let us
try to recall the pureness of the
planet earth where early people
enjoyed what they only have at that
time wood, stones, and the lush of
vegetation.
Module 2- SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY AND THE HUMAN CONDITION

LEARNING LEARNING
ACTIVITY 2 ACTIVITY 3
Watch the documentary film, the
Documentary Film Analysis Sugar Film (2014) directed by
Damon Garneau. Discuss your ideas
Direction: Watch the documentary film on how overproduction and
Akira Kurosawa‟s “Village of the overconsumption of SUGAR based
Watermills”. Click products potentially prevent humans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK4
from achieving eudaimonia. Is there
mtPQ_THM&t=153s. Analyze the
a need to regulate the production of
essence of primitive life compared to a
technologically- driven life.
sugar based products and for
consumers to reduce their
Answer the questions below: consumption if they are to journey to
toward the GOOD LIFE?
____________________________________________________
1. What is “the good life?” Is our personal
concept of “the good life” the same as what ____________________________________________________
was depicted in the film? ____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________ SUMMARY

2. Which part of the film struck you most?

Why? The Nicomachean
____________________________________________________
Ethics by Aristotle is the most
influential book of the
____________________________________________________
moral philosophy. He
____________________________________________________
discussed the issue on good life
3. Based on the film, discuss how and happiness. He posited that
technology reveals nature and the human
the Good is the supreme goal of
person‟s role in it.
life and happiness is the result
____________________________________________________
of an activity according to
____________________________________________________
virtue.
____________________________________________________
Module 2- SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY AND THE HUMAN CONDITION

REFERENCES

Quinto et al., (2019). Science, Technology and

Society. C & E Publishing, Inc.
Patria et al., (2018). Science, Technology and
Society. Rexbookstore Inc.
Agsalud, P (2012). ). Science, Technology and
Society. Great Books Publishing

Websites

https://www.khanacademy.org/humaniti
es/art-1010/post-war-american-
art/popart/v/warhol-coca-cola
https://study.com/academy/lesson/ari
stotles-nicomachean-ethics-
summary-analysis.html
(Nichomachean Ethics )

thebestwaytowealth.com

File:Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics,

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