MYSTICAL ROSE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

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SCIENCE,TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY

MODULE IV

THE GOOD LIFE

What is Good Life as Perceived by different schools of thought?

Aristotle and Good Life

It is interesting to note that the first philosopher who approached the problem of reality from scientific lens is Aristotle who is
also the first thinker who dabbled into the complex problematization of the end goal of life: happiness.

Compared to his predecessor and teacher, Plato, Aristotle embarked on different approach in figuring out reality. Plato thought that
things in this world are not real and are only copies of the real in the world of forms. While Aristotle puts everything back to the ground
in claiming that this world is all there and that this world is the only reality, we can all access.

SCHOOLS OF THOUGHTS
Materialism

The first materialists were the atomists in Ancient Greece. Democritus 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 atomos or seeds. Accordingly, the world
including human beings, is made up of matter and there is no need to possess immaterial entities as sources of purpose. Atoms simply
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. The material things we possess give us ultimate happiness.
We see this at work with most people who are clinging on to material wealth as the primary source of meaning of their existence.

Hedonism

The Hedonists see the end goal of life in acquiring pleasure. Pleasure has always been the priority of hedonists. For them life
is obtaining and indulging in pleasure because life is limited. They believe that pleasure give meaning to their life without thinking of
the future. The mantra of this school of thought is the famous, “Eat, drink and merry for tomorrow we will die.

Stoicism

Another school of thought led by Epicurus, the stoics, exposed the idea that to generate happiness, one must learn to
distance oneself and be apathetic. The original term apatheia, precisely means to be indifferent. These group believe that they can do
things at their own and believe that happiness can only be attained by a careful practice of apathy.

Theism

Most people find the meaning of their lives using God as the fulcrum of their existence. The Philippines, as predominantly 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.

Humanism

Humanism as another school of thought espouses the freedom of man to carve his own destiny and to legislate his own laws,
free from the shackles of a God that monitors and controls. For humanists, man is literally the captain of his own ship. They see
themselves not merely as stewards of the creation but as individuals who are in control of themselves and the world outside them. As a
result of the motivation of the humanist current, scientists eventually turned to technology in order to ease the difficulty of life.
Scientists of today meanwhile are ready to confront more sophisticated attempts at altering the world for the benefit of humanity.
Some people now are willing to tamper with time and space in the name of technology.

MODULE 4-ACTIVITY
Using the table below, list down the different advantages and disadvantages of the different schools of thought in attaining
good life and happiness.
School of Thought Advantages Disadvantages
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Prepared by:LAARNI A.TOLETE,LPT

Instructor