The Human Person Flourishing in Terms of Science and Technology

What is Happiness?
•In psychology, happiness is a mental or emotional state of well-being which can be defined by,
among others, positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.
•To behaviorists, happiness is a cocktail of emotions we experience when we do something good
or positive.
•To neurologists, happiness is the experience of a flood of hormones released in the brain as a
reward for behavior that prolongs survival.
•The hedonistic view of well-being is that happiness is the polar opposite of suffering, the
presence of happiness indicates the absence of pain. Because of this, hedonists believe that the purpose of
life is to maximize happiness, which minimizes misery.
•Eudaimonia, a term that combines the Greek words for "good" and "spirit" to describe the
ideology. Eudaimonia defines happiness as the pursuit of becoming a better person. Eudaimonists do this
by challenging themselves intellectually or by engaging in activities that make them spiritually richer
people.
Aristotle
--> Aristotle believed that human flourishing requires a life with other people. Aristotle taught that people
acquire virtues through practice and that a set of concrete virtues could lead a person toward his natural
excellence and happiness.
--> According to Aristotle, there is an end of all of the actions that we perform which we desire for itself.
This is what is known as eudaimonia, flourishing, or happiness, which is desired for its own sake with all
other things being desired on its account. Eudaimonia is a property of one's life when considered as a
whole. Flourishing is the highest good of human endeavors and that toward which all actions aim. It is
success as a human being. The best life is one of excellent human activity.
Eudaimonia
• “good spirited”
• Coined by Aristotle
• Describes the pinnacle of happiness that is attainable by humans.
• “human flourishing”
• From Nicomachean Ethics (philosophical inquiry into the nature of the good life for a human
being.)
– human flourishing arises as a result of different components such as
• Phronesis
• Friendship
• Wealth
• Power
• In ancient Greek society, they believe that acquiring these will surely bring the seekers happiness, which
in effect allows them to partake in the greater notion of what we call the Good.
• As time changes, elements that comprise human flourishing changed.
• People found means to live more comfortably, explore more places, develop more products, and make
more money.
• Humans of today are expected to become “man of the world”.
• Supposed to situate himself in a global neighborhood, working side by side among institutions and the
government to be able to reach a common goal.
Principles
Principles of Human Flourishing
•Dignity of the Human person - innate personal values or rights which demands respect for all
people, regardless of race, social class, wealth etc.
•Common Good - sacrificing self-interest to provide for the basic human needs of everyone
makes the whole community flourish.
•Preferential Option for the Poor - when decisions are made by first considering the poor.
•Subsidarity - when all those affected by a decision are involved in making it.
•Universal Purpose of Goods - the Earth's resources serve every person's needs, regardless of who
"owns" them.
•Stewardship of Creation - duty to care for the Earth as a (God-given) gift is a personal
responsibility for the common good.
•Promotion of Peace - everyone has the duty to respect and collaborate in personal relationships,
and at national and global levels.
•Participation - everyone has the right and the duty to take part in the life of a society (economic,
political, cultural, religious)
•Global Solidarity - recognition that we are all interconnected, part of one human family.
Different Conceptions of Human Flourishing
Eastern
• Focus is community-centric
• Individual should sacrifice himself for the sake of society
• Chinese Confucian system
• Japanese Bushido
• Encourage studies of literature, sciences, and art for a greater cause
Western
•More focused on the individual
•Human flourishing as an end
•Aristotelian view
•Aims for eudaimonia as the ultimate good
Science, Technology and Human Flourishing
•Every discovery, innovation, and success contributes to our pool of human knowledge.
•Human’s perpetual need to locate himself in the world by finding proofs to trace evolution.
•Elicits our idea of self-importance
•Technology is a human activity we excel in as a result of achieving science.
•Good is inherently related to the truth.