Chapter 2: Science,

Technology and Society and

the Human Condition
Lesson 1: The Human Flourishing
in Terms of Science and
Technology
 Learning Objectives:

At the end of this lesson, the learner or students

should be able to:

• define the absolute meaning of human

flourishing;
• interview different people appropriately about
human flourishing; and
• cite the importance about Human Flourishing
 Key Concepts

• Human being – is the superior mental

development, and also the power of articulate
speech.

• Society – it is the organization of people that

are living together with common interest.

• Happiness – it is the pleasant emotion ranging

from a contentment to an intense joy.

• Well-being – state of being happy, healthy/

prosperous.
 What is Human Flourishing?
• It is the effort to achieve self-actualization and
fulfillment within the context of larger community of
individuals, each with the right to pursue his or her
own efforts.

• The highest good of human attempt to achieve

his/her goal

• It is a success as a human being when she/he

achieved it for the betterment of his/her life.

“Eudaimonia”
peak of happiness that can be attained
 The Ancient Greek society believed that for
the people to achieve the true meaning
of happiness, these following qualities must be
acquired by people: Phronesis, Friendship,
Wealth, Power

These qualities should be acquired for the

people to achieve true meaning of happiness,
it allows to join greater notion “Good”
 According to the Ancient Greek
philosopher Aristotle,
“Man is defined as a rational animal
because he thinks and uses reason
consistently.”
For him, the good is good for purposeful and goal-
directed entities. The Highest or most general
good to which all individuals should live most fully
a life that is proper to man.

The proper function of every person is to live happily,

successful and well which is done through the active
exercise of a persons distinctive capacity, rationality, as
he/she engages in the activities to the degree appropriate
to the person in the context of his/her own identity as a
human being.
People found means to live more comfortably,
explore more places, develop more products,
and make more money, and then the cycle is
just repeating to suffice their happiness
• In the beginning, people relied on animals for
their transportation
• They relied on stones and spears to hunt food
• Use skin of animals to protect their skin and
use it as their clothes
• Use stones to make fire
• Live in cave as their shelter
Development allowed individuals to make grander
and more sophisticated machines to aid them in
their endeavors that eventually led to space
explorations, medicines innovations and
ventures of life after death. The person today is
supposed to build himself or herself in a
global neighbourhood, working side by side among
institutions and government to achieve common
goal and reach the expected development they
need
 Goal 1: End poverty in all
its forms everywhere

Goal 1 takes a comprehensive approach to poverty

as a whole by including a target on relative poverty
based on national definitions. The poor are
particularly vulnerable to economic and political
crises, loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services,
and natural disasters and violence. To ensure that
people who have escaped poverty do not fall back
into it, this goal also envisages measures to
strengthen livelihood resilience, including the
establishment of social security systems.
 Goal 2: End hunger, achieve
food security and improved
nutrition and promote
sustainable agriculture

Goal 2 includes a target on ending all forms of

malnutrition. Food quality is just as important as
food quantity. Goal 2 also incorporates economic
aspects, such as doubling the agricultural
productivity and income of small-scale farmers by
2030. Furthermore, it features provisions on
sustainable agriculture to prevent increased food
production from harming the environment.
 Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives
and promote well-being for all
at all ages

All people should have access to good-quality

healthcare and medicines, including financial risk
protection. Another objective for 2030 is to ensure
universal access to sexual and reproductive
healthcare, including family planning, information
and education.
 Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and
equitable quality education
and promote lifelong learning
opportunities for all

Goal 4 aims to ensure that all children, adolescents

and adults – especially those most marginalised and
vulnerable – have access to education and training
appropriate to their needs and the context in which
they live. This makes education a contributing factor
in making the world more secure, sustainable and
interdependent.
 Goal 5: Achieve gender equality
and empower all women and
girls

Goal 5 advocates equal opportunities for men and

women in economic life, the elimination of all forms
of violence against women and girls, the elimination
of early and forced marriage, and equal
participation at all levels.
 Goal 6: Ensure availability and
sustainable management of
water and sanitation for all

Besides access to drinking water, sanitation and

hygiene, Goal 6 thus comprises additional targets
such as protecting and restoring water-related
ecosystems (including mountains, forests, wetlands,
rivers and lakes). Goal 6 aims to improve water
quality and reduce water pollution, especially the
type caused by hazardous chemicals. It also
advocates cross-border cooperation as the key to
managing water resources in an integrated fashion
at all levels.
 Goal 7: Ensure access to
affordable, reliable,
sustainable and modern energy
for all
Goal 7 advocates universal access to affordable,
reliable, modern energy services. Given that
sustainable development hinges on climate-friendly
economic development, Goal 7 aims for a substantial
increase in the share of renewables in the global
energy mix and a doubling in the global rate of
improvement in energy efficiency. Another target is
to promote research in renewable energy and energy
efficiency as well as investment in energy
infrastructure and clean energy technologies.
 Goal 8: Promote sustained,
inclusive and sustainable
economic growth, full and
productive employment and
decent work for all
Goal 8 includes targets on sustaining economic
growth, increasing economic productivity and
creating decent jobs. It envisages combating forced
labour and ending modern slavery and human
trafficking by 2030. Sustainable economic growth
should not be to the detriment of the environment,
which is why Goal 8 also advocates improved global
resource efficiency in consumption and production
and the decoupling of economic growth from
environmental degradation.
 Goal 9: Build resilient
infrastructure, promote inclusive
and sustainable industrialization
and foster innovation
Goal 9 aims to support technology development,
research and innovation especially in developing
countries, provide small-scale industrial and other
companies with greater access to financial services
including affordable credit, and increase the
integration of these companies into value chains and
markets. It also advocates providing universal and
affordable access to the internet in the least
developed countries of the world.
 Goal 10: Reduce inequality
within and among countries

Goal 10 aims to ensure equal opportunities through

the elimination of discriminatory laws, policies and
practices, while facilitating orderly and safe human
migration and mobility via the implementation of
sound migration policies for example. It also
envisages enhanced representation and a greater
voice for developing countries in decision-making
within international economic and financial
institutions.
 Goal 11: Make cities and human
settlements inclusive, safe,
resilient and sustainable

Goal 11 aims to reduce the adverse per capita

environmental impact of cities, particularly in terms of
air quality and waste management. It calls for more
inclusive and sustainable forms of urbanization, based
in particular on a participatory, integrated and
sustainable approach to urban planning. In addition, it
aims to ensure universal access to safe and inclusive
green and public spaces, especially for women and
children, older persons and persons with disabilities,
and provide access to safe and affordable housing and
transport systems.
 Goal 12: Ensure sustainable
consumption and production
patterns

Goal 12 calls for the implementation of the UN’s ten-

year framework of programmes on sustainable
consumption and production patterns. It advocates
environmentally sound management of chemicals
and all waste as well as a substantial reduction in
waste generation through measures such as
recycling. Goal 12 also aims to halve food waste,
encourage companies to adopt sustainable practices,
and promote sustainable public procurement
practices.
 Goal 13: Take urgent action to
combat climate change and its
impacts*

Goal 13 calls on countries to incorporate climate protection

measures in their national policies and assist each other in
responding to the challenges at hand. It acknowledges that
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change is the primary international, intergovernmental
forum for negotiating the global response to climate
change. Goal 13 advocates strengthening resilience to
climate-related natural disasters and reaffirms the
commitment undertaken by developed countries to
mobilise each year USD 100 billion jointly from all sources by
2020 to help developing countries adapt to climate change.
 Goal 14: Conserve and
sustainably use the oceans, seas
and marine resources for
sustainable development
Goal 14 advocates significantly reducing all kinds of
marine pollution and minimising ocean acidification
by 2025, as well as sustainably managing and
protecting marine and coastal ecosystems by as early
as 2020. It also aims, by 2020, to regulate harvesting
in an effective manner and to halt overfishing by
ending illegal and unregulated fishing and destructive
fishing practices. In addition, Goal 14 aims to prohibit
specific types of subsidy to fisheries.
 Goal 15: Protect, restore and
promote sustainable use of
terrestrial ecosystems

Goal 15 calls for the conservation, restoration and

sustainable use of ecosystems, with the aim of halting
deforestation, restoring degraded forests and
substantially increasing reforestation by 2020. It also
advocates combating desertification by 2030 and
restoring land affected by desertification, drought
and floods. To protect biodiversity, Goal 15 calls for
urgent measures to end poaching and trafficking of
protected plant and animal species.
 Goal 16: Promote peaceful and
inclusive societies for
sustainable development

Goal 16 for 2030 therefore aims to promote peaceful

and inclusive societies. As such, it advocates reducing
all forms of violence, ending torture and combating
all forms of organised crime. In addition, Goal 16
envisages significantly reducing corruption and
bribery as well as illicit financial and arms flows. To
ensure that societies are peaceful and inclusive, Goal
16 also aims to promote inclusive institutions and the
rule of law, and guarantee equal access to justice.
 Goal 17: Strengthen the means
of implementation and
revitalize the Global Partnership
for Sustainable Development
Goal 17 calls on developed countries to renew their
commitment to allocate 0.7% of their gross national
income to official development assistance. It aims for a
greater mobilization of domestic resources to reduce
dependence on foreign support, as well as enhanced
international collaboration in science, technology and
innovation, and the promotion of an equitable
multilateral trading system. Goal 17 also advocates
enhancing macroeconomic stability and policy
coherence in the interests of sustainable development.
Lesson 2: Technology as a
Way of Revealing
• Science is a voyage of exploration to
find out how things work and it’s
really interesting because it is an
ongoing and endless process
• People tend to look for the
betterment of their lives each and
everyday
• Human flourishing is deeply
intertwined with goal setting relevant
science and technology
• Science and technology have
changed the ways we live, work and
think
The Scientific Method

An organized way of studying things and

finding answers to questions
It is an “organized and systematic” effort to
gain knowledge that uses observation and
experimentation to describe and explain
nature or natural phenomenon
It includes collection of data through
observation and experimentation and
formulation and testing of hypothesis.
Involves certain steps that is followed
universally for getting solution to a problem
Steps in Scientific Method

Step 1: Make an Observation

Observe and identify using your senses the
unexplainable occurrences around you.

Example:
Observation: My toaster doesn’t work.
Steps in Scientific Method

Step 2: Identify the problem by

asking a question
The purpose of the question is to narrow the
focus of the inquiry, to identify the problem in
specific terms.
Example:
Question: Is something wrong with my
electrical outlet?
Steps in Scientific Method

Step 3: Formulate hypothesis

This hypothesis can explain the
occurrences. Ideally, the goal is to reject the
null hypothesis and accept the alternative
hypothesis for the study to be significant
Example:
Hypothesis: If something is wrong with the
outlet, my coffeemaker also won’t work
when plugged into it.
Steps in Scientific Method

Step 4: Conduct experiment

Design and perform an experiment to test
your hypothesis
Example:
Experiment: I plug my coffeemaker into the
outlet.
Steps in Scientific Method

Step 5: Gather and analyze data

Record observations and analyze the
meaning of the data. Collect your measurements
and analyze them to see if they support your
hypothesis or not. Reject or failed to reject your
hypothesis or modify the hypothesis if necessary.
Example:
Result: My coffeemaker works!
Steps in Scientific Method

Step 6: Formulate conclusion and

provide recommendation
formulate conclusion and provide
recommendation in case others would like to
extend or broaden the study you have
conducted.
Example:
Conclusion: My electrical outlet works, but my
toaster still won’t toast my bread.
Steps in Scientific Method

Steps Example
Make an Observation My toaster doesn’t work.
Identify the problem by Is something wrong with my
asking a question electrical outlet?
Formulate hypothesis If something is wrong with the
outlet, my coffeemaker also won’t
work when plugged into it.
Conduct experiment I plug my coffeemaker into the
outlet.
Gather and analyze data My coffeemaker works!
Formulate conclusion and My electrical outlet works, but my
provide recommendation toaster still won’t toast my bread.
Importance of Diversity and Collaboration in
the Scientific Community Towards Human
Flourishing

Diversity and collaboration go hand in

hand. Bringing different views and
different voices to a collaborative effort,
creates opportunities for people of
different cultures, backgrounds, and
experiences to create something together
Importance of Diversity and Collaboration in
the Scientific Community Towards Human
Flourishing
1. Collaboration and diversity can balance possible
biases
2. Diversity and collaboration stimulate problem
solving
3. Diversity and collaboration facilitate
specialization
4. Diversity and collaboration are inspiration and
motivation
5. Diversity and collaboration divide labor
Importance of Diversity and Collaboration in
the Scientific Community Towards Human
Flourishing
Scientific method gives a logical way on
how to solve a problem and to improve
our daily living, but science does not work
alone. There should be a collaboration
among individuals and have different
ideas, drives, characteristics, motivations,
culture and beliefs that help us to attain
what we call “human flourishing”.
Human Conditions Before and After Science
and Technology
As people demands and lifestyle change, the demand
for advancing the type of technology we use is high.
• Users of mobile phones demand simplicity and more
functionality
• Technological advancements that help business and
organizations save time and cost of production
• Technology advancement in medicine and health
care technology that helped in saving many innocent
lives
• Technological advancements in agriculture that
resulted in increased production and abundant food
supply
Human Conditions Before and After Science
and Technology

As people demands and lifestyle change, the

demand for advancing the type of technology
we use is high.
• Technological advancements in education has
simplified the ways teachers reach their
students and it has also helped students learn
from anywhere as well as enable them access
academic information at anytime form
anywhere
 Lesson 3:
The Good Life

“The Moral Life,

Life of Pleasure, and
Fulfilled Life”
“Good moral would mean to lead us
to the good and happy life.
Throughout history, man has
persistently struggled in order to
attain human flourishing which aim
for the good and happy life”
The Role of Technology in Achieving Good
Life

• Vergragt (2006) wrote an essay about how

technology could contribute to sustainable
world, technology will support and enhance a
"good life" for all citizens without
compromising the earth's ecosystem or the
prospects of later generations.
• Stutz (2006) stated that a good life requires
essentially basic human needs met in the
aspirations for freedom, belonging, and self-
realization.
The Role of Technology in Achieving Good
Life

• Technological innovations in the context of the good

life and how it can be supported or threatened,
depending on the way the technological innovations
are influenced and steered by human decisions and
institutions.
• Whether we use such technological advancements
or not, these are all in the pursuit attaining a good
life. It is the question of how we decide on what
kinds of technology to use or not to use as well as
the balance between the good life, ethics, and
technology has to be achieved
 Lesson 4:
When Technology and
Humanity Cross

Technology keeps on progressing due to

the changing times and environment
and also to the ever-progressing mind
of mankind.
In using technology, we should keep on
mind that anything too much is too
much.