SELF-PACED LEARNING MODULE

COLLEGE

MODULE 6
Subject:

SCINCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY (GE7-STS)

AISAT COLLEGE – DASMARIÑAS, INC.

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 Unit Science, Technology And Society
Module The Good Life
GE7-STS Science, Technology And Society Units: 3 Page |2

INFORMATION SHEET MD - 6.1.1

“The Good Life”

At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

Examine what is meant by a good life.
Identify how humans attempt to attain what is deemed to be a good life; and
Recognize possibilities available to human being to attain the good life.

Are we living the good life? This question is inarguably one universal human concern. Everyone aims to lead
a good life. Yet, what constitutes a happy and contented life varies from person to person. Unique backgrounds,
experiences, social contexts, and even preferences make it difficult to subscribe to a unified standard on which
to tease out the meaning of 'the good life.' Thus, the prospect of a standard of the good life-one that resonates
across unique human experiences-is inviting.
Everyone is in pursuit of the good life. We do certain things because we want to achieve a life which will
make us happy and content. By studying and working hard, we try to attain this goal not only for ourselves but
also for our loved ones and the rest of humanity. People's definition of the good life may vary and differ in the
particulars. In general, however, we recognize universal truths that cut across our differences.

ARISTOTLE'S NICHOMACHEAN ETHICS AND THE GOOD LIFE

To answer the question, "Are we living the good life?" necessary reflection must be made on two things:
First what standard could be used to define 'the good life?' Second, how can the standard serve as a guide
toward living the good life in the midst of scientific progress and technological advancement? In the
documentary film, The Magician Twin: C. S. Lewis and the Case against Scientism, C. S. Lewis posited that
"science must be guided by some ethical basis that is not dictated by science itself." One such ethical basis is
Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics. Aristotle, who lived from 384 to 322 BC, is probably the most important ancient
Greek philosopher and scientist. He was a student of Plato, who was then a student of Socrates. Together, they
were considered the 'Big Three of Greek Philosophy.'
Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics, the fundamental basis of Aristotelian ethics, consists of ten books.
Originally, they were lecture notes written on scrolls when he taught at the Lyceum. It is widely believed that the
lecture notes were compiled by or were dedicated to one of Aristotle's sons, Nichomacus. Alternatively, it is
believed that the work was dedicated to Aristotle's father who was of the same name.
The Nichomachean Ethics abbreviated as NE or sometimes EN based on the Latin version of the name is
a treatise on the nature of moral life and human happiness based on the unique essence of human nature. The
NE particularly useful in defining what the good life is. Everyone has a definition of what good is-getting a college
degree, traveling across the world, succeeding in a business venture, pursuing a healthy and active lifestyle, or
being a responsible parent. However, although everyone aims to achieve that which is good, Aristotle posited
SUBJECT TEACHER: APPROVED FOR IMPLEMENTATION:
th
WEEK 6
MIDTERMS
6 Meeting MR. WILBERT A. MAÑUSCA
Subject Teacher School Director
 Unit Science, Technology And Society
Module The Good Life
GE7-STS Science, Technology And Society Units: 3 Page |3

two types of good. In NE Book 2 Chapter 2, (NE 2:2), Aristotle explained that every action aims at some good.
However, some actions aim at an instrumental good while some aim at an intrinsic good. He made it clear that
the ultimate good is better than the instrumental good for the latter is good as a means to achieving something
else or some other end while the former is good in itself.

EUDAIMONIA: THE ULTIMATE GOOD

What then is the ultimate good? Based on the contrast between two types of good, one could reflect on
some potential candidates for the ultimate good. One might think that pleasure is the ultimate good. One aims
for pleasure in the food they eat or in the experiences they immerse themselves into. Yet, while pleasure is an
important human need, it can’t be the ultimate good. First it is transitory-it passes. One may have been pleased
with the food they had for lunch, but he or she will be hungry again or will want something else after a while.
Second, pleasure does not encompass all aspects of life. One may be pleased with an opportunity to travel but
that may not make him or her feel good about leaving, say, his or her studies or the relationship he or she has
been struggling with.
Others might think that wealth is a potential candidate for the ultimate good, but a critique of wealth
would prove otherwise. Indeed many, if not most, aim to be financially stable, to be rich, or to be able to afford
a luxurious life. However, it is very common to hear people say that they aim to be wealthy insofar as it would
help them achieve some other goals. Elsewhere, it is also common to hear stories about people who have
become very wealthy but remain, by and large, unhappy with the lives they lead. In this sense, wealth is just an
intermediate good-that is, only instrumental. It is not the ultimate good because it is not self-sufficient and does
not stop one from aiming for some other 'greater' good.
Another candidate for the ultimate good is fame and honor. Many people today seem to be motivated
by a desire to be known-to be famous. Others strive for honor and recognition. This is reflected by those people
who use social media to acquire large virtual following on the internet and wish to gain a foothold on the
benefits that fame brings. Many people act according to how they think they will be admired and appreciated by
other people. However, these cannot constitute the ultimate good, simply because they are based on the
perception of others. Fame and honor can never be good in themselves. If one's definition of the good life is
being popular or respected, then the good life becomes elusive since it is based on the subjective views of
others.
Unlike pleasure, wealth, fame, and honor, happiness is the ultimate good. In the Aristotelian sense,
happiness is "living well and doing well" (NE 1:4). Among the Greeks, this is known as Eudaimonia, from the root
words eu, meaning good, and daimon, meaning spirit. Combining the root words, Eudaimonia means happiness
or welfare. More accurately, others translate it as human flourishing or prosperity. Aristotle proposed two
hallmarks of Eudaimonia, namely virtue and excellence (NE 1:7). Thus, happiness in the sense of Eudaimonia has
to be distinguished from merely living well. Eudaimonia transcends all aspects of life for it is about living well
and doing well in whatever one does.

SUBJECT TEACHER: APPROVED FOR IMPLEMENTATION:

th
WEEK 6
MIDTERMS
6 Meeting MR. WILBERT A. MAÑUSCA
Subject Teacher School Director
 Unit Science, Technology And Society
Module The Good Life
GE7-STS Science, Technology And Society Units: 3 Page |4

EUDAIMONIA: UNIQUELY HUMAN?

Eudaimonia or happiness is unique to humans for it is a uniquely human function. It is achieved only
through a rationally directed life. Aristotle's notion of a tripartite soul as summarized in Figure 1. The degrees
and functions of the soul are nested, such that the one which has a higher degree of soul has all of the lower
degrees. Thus, on the nutritive degree, all living things, i.e., plants, animals, and humans, require nourishment
and have the ability to reproduce. On the sensitive degree, only animals and humans have the ability to move
and perceive. Finally, on the rational degree, only humans are capable of theoretical and practical functions.
Following this, humans possess the nutritive, sensitive, and rational degrees of the soul. More importantly, only
humans are capable of a life guided by reason. Because this is so, happiness, too, is a uniquely human function
for it can only be achieved through a rationally directed life.

FIGURE 1. ARISTOTLE'S NOTION OF A TRIPARTITE SOUL

ARISTOTLE'S TRIPARTITE SOUL

Nutritive Soul - common to both plant- based and animate forms of life, enabling the intake and
absorption of nutrients, growth towards maturity, and the engagement in behaviors that promotes the
survival of the growing, maturing, breeding life-form and its progeny.
Sensitive Soul - could exist in inanimate forms of life, allowing perceptions of the world. Most animate
forms of life were held to be capable of experiencing appetites and desires and being sensitive to
pleasures and pain.
Rational Soul - concerns an active mind as a sensible soul capacity for actually holding beliefs or other
forms of conviction, thinking, and philosophizing. Full reasonable soul capability was something Aristotle
viewed as being confined to Human Beings.

SUBJECT TEACHER: APPROVED FOR IMPLEMENTATION:

th
WEEK 6
MIDTERMS
6 Meeting MR. WILBERT A. MAÑUSCA
Subject Teacher School Director
 Unit Science, Technology And Society
Module The Good Life
GE7-STS Science, Technology And Society Units: 3 Page |5

ARISTOTLE SUGGESTED TWO KINDS OF VIRTUE:

Intellectual Virtue - also known as the virtue of thought and can be achieved through education, time,
and experience. This is achieved through formal (taught and learned in the institution) and non-formal
means (self-taught).
 Wisdom - guides ethical behavior.
 Understanding - gained from scientific undertakings and meditation.
Moral Virtue - also known as the virtue of character, is like a skill that can be achieved through habitual
practice. This is innate, and it is brought into completion only by exercise and repeated doing.
 Generosity - repeatedly being unselfish.
 Temperance - continually repelling and preceding every attractive opportunity.
 Courage - repeatedly exhibiting the proper action and emotional response in a dangerous
situation.

EXAMPLES TO CLARIFY THE CONCEPT OF VIRTUE

If you learned (from school) that smoking caused numerous health problems, you would make it a habit
to stay away from any cigarette no matter what happens and whoever tempted you to try one.
If you understand the devastating effect of global warming, you will repeatedly choose renewable
energy supply and prevent yourself from using any plastic item; even plastic seems cheaper than other reusable
items.
To achieve Eudaimonia or Happiness, both intellectual and moral virtue should be a reason or the
rational soul. A balance between how one lives and acts must be maintained to attain happiness.

HAPPINESS IS THE GOAL OF A GOOD LIFE

The struggle of man to undergo the changes required to reach the aspired end of happiness is
prominent. This leads to developing the different schools of thought that influence us in one way or another and
explain our diverse view of joy and useful life.

MATERIALISM – The first materialists were the atomists in

Ancient Greece. Demicritus and Leucippus led a school whose
primary belief is that the world is made up of and is controlled
by the tiny indivisible units in the world called atoms or seeds.
For Democritus and his disciples, the world, including human
beings, is made up of matter. There is no need to posit
immaterial entities as sources of purpose. Atomossimply comes
together randomly to form the things in the world. As such, only
material entities matter. In terms of human flourishing, matter is
what makes us attain happiness. We see this at work with most
people who are clinging on to material wealth as the primary
source of the meaning of their existence.

SUBJECT TEACHER: APPROVED FOR IMPLEMENTATION:

th
WEEK 6
MIDTERMS
6 Meeting MR. WILBERT A. MAÑUSCA
Subject Teacher School Director
 Unit Science, Technology And Society
Module The Good Life
GE7-STS Science, Technology And Society Units: 3 Page |6

HEDONISM – The hedonists, for their part, see

the end goal of life in acquiring pleasure.
Pleasure has always been the priority of
hedonists. For them, life is about obtaining
and indulging in pleasure because life is
limited. The mantra of this school of thought is
the famous, “Eat, drink, and be merry for
tomorrow we die.” Led by Epicurus, this school
of thought also does not buy any notion of
afterlife just like the materialists.

STOICISM – Another school of thought Led by

Epicurus, the stoics espoused the idea that to
generate happiness, one must learn to distance
oneself and be apathetic. The original term,
apatheia, precisely means to be indifferent. For
the stoics, happiness can only be attained by a
careful practice of apathy. We should, in this
worldview, adopt the fact that some things are
not within our control. The sooner we realize
this, the happier we can become.

THEISM – Most people find the meaning of their

lives using God as a fulcrum of their existence.
The Philippines, as a predominantly Catholic
country, is witness to how people base their life
goals on beliefs that hinged on some form of
supernatural reality called heaven. The ultimate
basis of happiness for theists is the communion
with God. The world where we are in is only just
a temporary reality where we have to maneuver
around while waiting for the ultimate return to the hands of God.

SUBJECT TEACHER: APPROVED FOR IMPLEMENTATION:

th
WEEK 6
MIDTERMS
6 Meeting MR. WILBERT A. MAÑUSCA
Subject Teacher School Director
 Unit Science, Technology And Society
Module The Good Life
GE7-STS Science, Technology And Society Units: 3 Page |7

HUMANISM – An outlook or system of thought attaching

prime importance to human rather than divine or
supernatural matters. Humanist beliefs stress the potential
value and goodness of human beings, emphasize common
human needs, and seek solely rational ways of solving
human problems.

Resources:
Science, Technology And Society (Gec Series), Rex Bookstore, First Edition. Serafica, Pawilen, Caslib,
Alata, 2018.

SUBJECT TEACHER: APPROVED FOR IMPLEMENTATION:

th
WEEK 6
MIDTERMS
6 Meeting MR. WILBERT A. MAÑUSCA
Subject Teacher School Director
 Unit Science, Technology And Society
Module The Good Life
GE7-STS Science, Technology And Society Units: 3 Page |8

SELF-CHECK MD - 6.1.1

A. Fill in the blanks with the correct answer.

1. ___________________The first materialists were the atomists in Ancient Greece.
2. ___________________The hedonists, for their part, see the end goal of life in acquiring
pleasure.
3. ___________________Another school of thought Led by Epicurus, the stoics espoused the idea
that to generate happiness, one must learn to distance oneself and be apathetic.
4. ___________________Most people find the meaning of their lives using God as a fulcrum of
their existence.
5. ___________________An outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human
rather than divine or supernatural matters.

SELF-CHECK ANSWER KEY MD - 6.1.1

1. Materialism
2. Hedonism
3. Stoicism
4. Theism
5. Humanism

SUBJECT TEACHER: APPROVED FOR IMPLEMENTATION:

th
WEEK 6
MIDTERMS
6 Meeting MR. WILBERT A. MAÑUSCA
Subject Teacher School Director