The Chronicle of Human Flourishing 5

Title of the lesson: Human Flourishing

Time frame: 3 hours

INTRODUCTION

For thousands of years, humanity mastered its surroundings, learned the basics of
civilization, and was able to tame the world and stay on top of it with science,
technology, and society.

Today, in this modern world, it’s easy for us to take things for granted. With one click,
we get whatever it is that we want, fire to cook with, cold air for the hot days, and even
send messages through the air with blistering speed. The things there are today and
the conveniences that they bring doesn't exist before. If you get back a man from 200
years ago and tell him that you can speak with a person on the faraway side of the
ocean face to face without leaving the comfort of your own home, he'll tell you "You're
crazy." if you show him how it's done through the power of your phone and the internet,
he'll say to you "It's magic!".

We owe all of these to the world's brightest minds and their proficient knowledge and
mastery of the sciences and its application. If they can invent and develop
groundbreaking theories and technologies with their limited technological capabilities
from before our time, can you imagine how much more we can do today?

Amid astonishing advancements in the different fields of the sciences and its
applications, cutting edge methods of discovery, and the new dawn of private space
exploration as well as the proximity of the possibility of interplanetary habitation,
indeed now more than ever, our species have come across more answers than
questions, right? That's the logical answer, but in contrast, these developments have
uncovered more ciphers for us to decipher.

Such questions being raised in our modern world today concerns human Flourishing,
human life, sufferings, and death. As human species, how should we coexist and live
our lives enveloped in the digital mesh that we created ourselves? How does it affect
our daily lives? How much do science and technology mold and manipulate our
intellection of what it means to be human?

OBJECTIVES

After studying this module, you should be able to:

1. know what revelations are brought upon by Science and Technology;

2. evaluate modern tech and the part it plays in Human Flourishing; and

3. describe the significance of Science and Technology in our modern society.

PRE-TEST

1. Do you think science and technology shape our perceptions of what it means
to be human?

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

2. Why do you think science and technology became ingrained in our daily lives?

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

3. Can humanity flourish without the developments in science and technology?

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
DISCUSSION

Science, Technology and Human Flourishing

The developments brought upon by science and technology provided us with the
conveniences that people before our time can only dream of. Our phones and
computers made communication instantaneous, air cooling and heating gave comfort
against harsh temperatures, and planes ushered in a faster and safer way to travel.
Today's working-class could compare their everyday lives with the lives of noble
families from previous times; our modern home's comfort and conveniences have
elevated the human living condition significantly. Indeed, our modern human society
seems to be flourishing in all aspects, but does it?

Eudaimonia is a term coined by the Greek

philosopher Aristotle (385-323 BC), which
commonly translates to “happiness” in the
modern English language; however, it's
unfortunate since, in ancient Greek, the word
Eudaimonia connotes a different definition.

For Aristotle, Eudaimonia is the pinnacle of

human good, the sole social good that is
Photo Credit: De Agostini/Getty Images sought-after for humanity's own sake and not
for all else.

Human Flourishing is an endeavor to

attain self-actualization and gratification
enclosed by the context of a more
significant community of individuals, all
of which can pursue their efforts. It
involves the rational use of a person’s
human potentialities; this includes
talents, skills, and virtues to pursue
Photo Credit: Google Images
one’s freely and rationally chosen
values and goals.

Through the ages, as human civilization develops, science and technology

development with it: our human species, both the bearer and the beneficiary of science
and technology. We create, we discover, we benefit. Humanity flourishes and seeks
meaning in the world that it builds. However, society may unconsciously consume
what the world has to offer and destroy the world that is made.
No matter how massively it pushed the rapid advancement of humanity as a species,
science and technology should always be regarded as a portion of human life that
requires reflective and meditative thinking. It should be analyzed for its grander effect
on humanity as a whole. Because like the flame
that ignited the human curiosity to learn, discover,
and invent technology as we know it today, the
same love that destroys and consume the life of
this world, science and technology is a tool; it's
not necessarily good or bad, it's what we do with
it that makes it so.

According to "The Question Concerning

Technology," an essay by German philosopher
Martin Heidegger, "technology is a way of
revealing." This suggests that applied science or
technology is undeniably intersected with how the
people in today's modern times live, our social Photo Credit: Google Images
practices, and our institutions. Heidegger
emphasizes that technology is a human activity that we excel in through achieving
science.

It’s fair to say that Human Flourishing and Science and Technology share the same
desired result or aspirations and that this is inherently related to each other, in the way
that the good (Human Flourishing) is intrinsically related to the truth (Science and
Technology).

Science as Methods and Results

ENCYCLOPÆDIA BRITANNICA defines
science as "any system of knowledge
concerned with the physical world and its
phenomena and that entails unbiased
observations and systematic
experimentation. In general, science
involves the pursuit of knowledge covering
Photo Credit: Google Images
general truths or fundamental laws'
operations.” Science is so much more than merely collecting facts. It is the quest for
truth and understanding.

The “unbiased” reputation of science take root on its objectivity coming out from an
arbitrary rigorous methodology, the nature of which acquits it from any incrimination of
prejudice, impartiality, or inclination. This methodology is fittingly dubbed as:

The Scientific Method.

Although The Scientific Method has steps that differ
from one scientific institution to next, it offers a shared
context of how science should be performed.

The general idea of The Scientific Method includes

the following mandatory steps:

1. Observation: Be conscious of unexplained

things or ideas that tugs your curiosity.

2. Problem Identification: Figure out the Photo Credit: Google Images

variables concerned.

3. Hypothesis Formation: From previously known truths and experiences, form

an educated guess explaining these occurrences.

4. Experimentation: Utilize both dependent and independent variables in

experimenting and figure out how these variables affect each other.

5. Data Gathering and Analyzation: Collect the data resulting from the duration
and the conclusion of the experiment. Examine, scrutinize, and evaluate the
data gathered if it's substantial enough to form a judgment.

6. Conclusion Formulation: Specify your experimentation results and offer

recommendations from which others could expound the study.

VERIFICATION THEORY

The Verification Theory is the first paradigm that contrasts science from philosophy.
The theory proposes that a “study or discipline is science if it can be confirmed or
interpreted in the event of an alternative hypothesis being accepted.” The theory
regards empiricism with high esteem and only considers those results that can be
measured and experiments that can be repeated.

FALSIFICATION THEORY

This theory could probably be regarded as the most prevalent methodology in science
today. The Falsification Theory stresses that “so long as an ideology is not proven to
be false and can best explain a phenomenon over alternative theories, we should
accept it.” (Popper, 2002, pp. 1–3). Because this theory is hospitable at nature, it
allowed previously rejected theories by the Verification Theory to emerge once again.
This theory advocates against the final adoption of a theory; rather, it champions
research to determine which theories can weather the test of falsification.
 Science as a Social Endeavor
As a consequence of globalization and the ever-connected world that we live in today,
it’s easy for us to assume that one’s way of thinking, belief, or view is inferior if it goes
against what is accepted by most; this is called Ethnocentrism, mainly this perspective
talks about culture, but unfortunately, it can be applied to many fields, including
science. Because of this, a new ideology that regards the proper regulation of science
came into existence. Several philosophers brought it upon, including Paul Thagard,
Imre Lakatos, Helen Longino, David Bloor, and Richard Rorty.

This new perspective focuses on an

alternative demarcation that seeks out the
social facet of science and technology. In
this perspective, the sciences no longer
constitute exclusively to universities,
laboratories, research institutes, and
celebrated scientists; this view stresses to
Photo Credit: Google Images respect the social facet in which the society
benefits from generally. By way of
explanation, many tribes continue to exist untouched by the modern world in the
Amazon's far-flung areas. These tribes do not consider our science as theirs. They do
not honor it as real, for they have their systems, beliefs, and experiences. That being
said, no matter what their sciences are, it doesn't mean that it is in any way possible
inferior to our globalized view of science.

This perspective offers us a different conception that science transcends the margins
of theories, diagrams, and substantiation; in contrast, it embraces the thought that
science is an amalgamation of collective experiences, going above and beyond the
bounds of varying cultures, establishing fellowship and unity among the people of this
world.

Science and Results

Generally speaking, science can win over individuals who doubt it once it can garner
the desired results, same as how politicians win over the public votes by doing or
giving the public what they want. It is ingrained within our nature as human beings to
be attracted to things that provide gratification, exceedingly, if it can gratify something
that we can't fulfill ourselves. That being said, science is contested by other domains
that are also capable of giving such results. Examples of these are religion, luck, and
utter human randomness. Some communities don't have access to science, their
people turn to mysticism, prophecies, and superstition, all the same getting the same
desired results.

With this in mind, science is not right every single time. Take the case of weather
reports and predictions; for example, it can predict the probability of weather but not
its certainty. This perfectly shows that science can have fallibility and limitations.
Therefore, science cannot keep to itself the domination for definitive results.
 Science as an Education
As we discussed, there is no absolute way of performing the scientific method; in
contrast, it provides various methodologies that scientists can experiment through to
garner results. Groundbreaking developments in the field of physics, quantum
mechanics to put it precisely, have shattered the unobstructed agreement of the
scientific community with the objectivity in reality. That being said, the community has
consented to a different idea called intersubjectivity. Now, without neutrality, science
has lost the premier factor of its credibility. However, with all things considered,
science still has a dominating reputation that stems from its undeniable ability to
expound on previously unexplained phenomena and measurable results and
methodology that can withstand the most robust scrutiny thrown at it.

Bearing this in mind, our globalized society

inclines scientifically adept individuals over
those who are not. As a result, our
education system puts more importance in
the sciences and mathematics; students
who have an aptitude for science or math
are more likely to get good grades because
our educational system is specially tailored Photo Credit: Google Images
for both of these disciplines.

The effect of society's inclination to the sciences could be further seen in the sheer
number of schools offering STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics) for its Grade 11 and Grade 12 students, and the equally copious amount
of students that are interested in being admitted to the program. One can say that the
reason behind this high demand takes root upon the basis that individuals trained and
cultivated in the fields of science and mathematics are preferred by institutions offering
a lucrative opportunity of employment and a highly stable career path.

How much is too much?

For the past couple of hundred years,
through science, humanity has
learned to harness the resources that
at the time this world has seemingly in
abundance. We've learned how to
collect mineral ores that we refined
into different metals and alloys that
provided us with more robust
materials to build the things and
structures that we never thought we Photo Credit: Google Images
could before. It paved the way for
inventions and innovations that brought forth new technology that equipped people of
science with tools to discover more everyday things. It is a never-ending cycle of
discovery, creativity, and innovation. Through technology, science is equipped with
better tools to gather data and foster discovery; technology, as a product of science,
benefits from its breakthroughs.

Through the centuries, we became better and better at wielding our world's resources,
refining our methods every step of the way. The developments in the various fields of
science, such as agriculture, medicine, and engineering, directly impact the
improvement of human living conditions. While conveniences brought upon by
technological advancements in transportation, communication, and production, have
elevated our lifestyle as a human species.

But despite all of these, progress always

comes at a price. The seemingly abundant
resources that we discovered over 200 years
ago are not abundant at all. Coal, alongside
other minerals being mined today for
electricity and components for other
electronic devices, will eventually run out;
Photo Credit: Google Images
fossil fuel reserves will dry up if we can’t find
a suitable renewable energy source as soon as possible. The same developments
that have prospered our current human civilization are also the reason for its slow,
inevitable demise.

Our globalized human society

consumes at an exponential rate.
The demand for more resources
calls for the faster depletion of our
limited reserves, hindering nature's
recovery. Agriculture alongside
transportation tops the industries
pumping out most of the world's
greenhouse gasses that warm up
Photo Credit: Google Images
the planet; mining destroys
mountains, forests, and oceans as a product of its operations our society's progress
strives hard for, elicits the devastation of entire ecosystems, causing an imbalance
that hinders the natural balance that our world and its inhabitants need to survive.

We are currently living on borrowed time if we continue the way things are today, a
few years from now. These damages might be irreversible, leaving us with the terrible
consequences and utter regret for the actions that we have taken or the lack thereof.
THINK ABOUT THIS #1

Complete the table below. Identify discoveries, inventions, or innovations that benefit
you directly every day and research for their contributions to our globalized society's
scientific/technological developments.

DISCOVERY CONTRIBUTIONS

1. _______________

2. _______________

3. _______________
THINK ABOUT THIS #2

Be critical. Using the data from the table you’ve completed, analyze how the discovery
and its contributions may have possible adverse effects on your community, and
expound why.

DISCOVERY NEGATIVE EFFECTS

1. _______________

2. _______________

3. _______________
THINK ABOUT THIS #3

Using the tools presented by science and technology, what can you personally do to
lessen the negative impacts of progress in your community? Make a plan of action.

Problem: Tool: Solution:

SUMMARY

As our human civilization progresses forward, by way of the learning and mastery of
the sciences and its application, technology, our conceptions about what it means to
be social advances with it. The idea of human Flourishing can be misinterpreted as an
approach of merely achieving more without thinking its consequences; after all, for
Aristotle, “Eudaimonia (Human Flourishing) is the pinnacle of human good, the only
human good that is sought-after for humanity’s own sake and not for the sake of all
else.”
But the proper way for us to understand what human Flourishing is, we need to think
like the philosopher Aristotle was, by pushing forward the rapid progression of social
lifestyle and civilization underachieving more for humanity's own sake, without
considering its repercussions to the welfare of this world's co-inhabitants, as well as
its devastating consequences to the state of the only planet we live in, are we
achieving the pinnacle of human good? Or are we fast-tracking humanity's extinction?

Science and technology are tools that can enable us to achieve human Flourishing
truly. We should learn more efficient ways of using it and more responsible ways of
wielding the marvels of science and technology.

REFLECTION

Achieving self-actualization and gratification within the social context is the main goal
of Human Flourishing. It involves the utilization of one’s talent, skills, and virtues.
Knowing this, how will you use your human potentialities in achieving Human
Flourishing? Expound.

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
SUGGESTED READINGS AND WEBSITES

 The Question Concerning Technology by Martin Heidegger

 A Return to the Beginning by Daniel J. McNamara, SJ, in Stellar Origins,
Human Ways (2011)
 Movie Clip (YouTube): The Magician’s Twin: CS Lewis and the case against
Scientism
 Film: Akiro Kurosawa’s Dreams “Village of the Watermills”
 Sustainable Development: An Evolving Paradigm for the 21st Century by
Fabian Dayrit in Stellar Origins, Human Ways (2011)

GLOSSARY
Ethnocentrism the assumption that one’s way of thinking, belief, or view is inferior if it
goes against what is accepted by most, typically refers to differences
in ethnicity, culture, and beliefs.

Eudaimonia a term coined by Greek philosopher Aristotle which means “pinnacle

of human good”, the sole human good that is sought-after for
humanity’s own sake and not for the sake of all else

Falsification regarded as the most prevalent methodology in science today. The

Theory Falsification Theory stresses that “so long as an ideology is not proven
to be false and can best explain a phenomenon over alternative
theories, we should accept it.” (Popper, 2002, pp. 1–3).

Human is an endeavor to attain self-actualization and gratification enclosed by

Flourishing the context of a bigger community of individuals, all of which have the
right to pursue their own individual such efforts

Intersubjectivity an idea consented by the scientific community that has shattered their
unobstructed agreement with the objectivity in reality due to
developments in the field of physics, quantum mechanics.

Scientific an arbitrary rigorous methodology, the nature of which acquits it from

Method any incrimination of prejudice, impartiality, or inclination
 Verification is the first paradigm that contrasts science from philosophy. The theory
Theory proposes that a “study or discipline is science if it can be confirmed or
interpreted in the event of an alternative hypothesis being accepted.”

ANSWER KEY

The following are not Objective Type activities; thus these have no objective right or
wrong answers. The answers should reflect the students’ opinions and
comprehension of the topics discussed by the lesson.

Pre-test:

1. Do you think science and technology shape our perceptions of what it means
to be human?
________________________________________________________________
_Students should write their opinions regarding the question above.__________
________________________________________________________________

2. Why do you think science and technology became ingrained in our daily lives?

________________________________________________________________
Students should write their opinions regarding the question above.___________
________________________________________________________________

3. Can humanity flourish without the developments in science and technology?

________________________________________________________________
Students should write their opinions regarding the question above.___________
________________________________________________________________

THINK ABOUT THIS #1

Complete the table below. Identify discoveries, inventions, or innovations that benefit
you directly every single day and research for their contributions in the
scientific/technological developments of our globalized society.
Turn to the next page to see an example:

DISCOVERY CONTRIBUTIONS

Fossil fuel enabled us to have a more efficient way of

transportation and a cheaper source of energy.
1. _Fossil Fuel___

Fossil fuel enabled us to have a more efficient way of

transportation and a cheaper source of energy.
2. _Fossil Fuel___

Fossil fuel enabled us to have a more efficient way of

transportation and a cheaper source of energy.
3. _Fossil Fuel___

THINK ABOUT THIS #2

Be critical. Using the data from the table you’ve completed, analyze how the
discovery and its contributions may have possible negative effects on your
community, and expound why.

Here’s an example:

DISCOVERY NEGATIVE EFFECTS

The burning of Fossil Fuel releases massive amounts of

CO2 that causes global warming and climate change,
1. _ Fossil Fuel___ which affects the community because it causes extreme
temperatures during summer and stronger typhoons
during the wet months.

The burning of Fossil Fuel releases massive amounts of

CO2 that causes global warming and climate change,
2. _ Fossil Fuel___ which affects the community because it causes extreme
 temperatures during summer and stronger typhoons
during the wet months.

The burning of Fossil Fuel releases massive amounts of

CO2 that causes global warming and climate change,
3. _ Fossil Fuel___ which affects the community because it causes extreme
temperatures during summer and stronger typhoons
during the wet months.

THINK ABOUT THIS #3

Using the tools presented by science and technology, what can you personally do to
lessen the negative impacts of progress in your community? Make a plan of action.

Students should use innovations brought upon by science and technology and use it
to create an action plan to solve a local problem in their community.

Here’s an example:

Problem: Tool: Solution:

To create a video to
be posted on social
High energy Camera media that uses basic
consumption that
Social Media prinsiples of physics
contributes to the
Basic Knowledge in to explain ways to the
buring of more fossil
Physics save up on energy
fuel.
consumption inside
the home.
REFERENCES

Bloor, D. (1981). II.2 The Strengths of the Strong Programme. Philosophy of the Social

Sciences, 11(2), 199–213. https://doi.org/10.1177/004839318101100206

eudaimonia | Definition & Facts. (2020, July 3). Encyclopedia Britannica.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/eudaimonia

Heidegger, M. (2013). The Question Concerning Technology and Other Essays.

HarperCollins.

Hempel, C. (1966). Philosophy of Natural Science (1st ed.). Prentice-Hall.

Kuhn, T. S. (1996). The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (3rd ed.). Chicago: University of

Chicago Press.

Popper, K. (2002). Conjectures and Refutations: The Growth of Scientific Knowledge

(Routledge Classics) (2nd ed.). Routledge.