CHAPTER 7:

THE HUMAN PERSON FLOURISHING IN TERMS OF

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

CHAPTER OUTLINE
1. Selected Views on Technology
2. Martin Heidegger on Science
and Technology
3. The Society in the Face of
Science and Technology

“Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt
President, USA
1882-1945

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this chapter, the students should be able to:

1. defined and explained technology and its essence;

2. showed understanding of the human condition and analyzed the effects of S & T
to this condition;
3. perceived the danger of the controlling power of technology has over humans

INTRODUCTION

Science and technology has changed human landscape. As discussed in the

previous unit, man tends to show unlimited contentment – eager to seek better
replacement for anything that performs the functions of man. The introduction –of
bioengineering, robotics, and related streams slowly limits the function and purpose of
man’s existence in the society. Robots, machines and other technologies are intended to
enhance human condition, or in the future, replace the human functions in the society.
Will the contemporary situations (positive or negative) threaten human nature? Are all the
benefits from the fruits of progress in this discipline fulfill the main aim of every human
being in the society?

SELECTED VIEWS ON TECHNOLOGY

It has been said that there are many views or ways as to how technology is
understood. These philosophies contributed on how technology is understood and utilized
by the society. Some of it will be discussed briefly below.

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Aristotelianism

This views technology as basically a means to an end. To

Aristotle, technology is the organization of techniques in order to
meet the demand that is being posed by humans. This may seem
that technology is primarily concerned with the product.
Technology will be judged as either good or bad based on the value
given to the product based on its use and effect to the society.

Technological Pessimism

This view is extremely

supported by French philosopher
Jacques Ellul. Technological
Pessimism holds that technology is
progressive and beneficial in many
ways, it is also doubtful in many ways.
It is said that technology is a means to
an end but this view, technology has
become a way of life. Technique has
become a framework which human
cannot escape. It has introduced ways
on how to make things easy. Ellul’s
pessimistic argument are (1) technological progress has a price, (2) technological
progress creates more problems, (3) technological progress creates damaging effects,
and (4) technological progress creates unpredictable devastating effects.
Although Ellul has strongly spoken of his arguments, they are still found to be weak
and not true at all times. Like when he said that technological progress can create more
problems than it solves, he seems to have underestimated the objective decisions a
technicians, and other technological agencies makes regarding the technology where
they weigh the good and bad effects it can have in the society.

Technological Optimism

This view is strongly supported by

technologists and engineers and also by
ordinary people who believe that technology
can alleviate all the difficulties and provide
solutions for the problems that may come. It
holds that even though technological
problems may arise, technology will still be
the solutions to it. The extreme version of
this philosophy is technocratism which holds
technology as the supreme authority on
everything.

Existentialism
The main concern of this view is the existence or the mode of being of someone
or something which is governed by the norm of authenticity. This view basically
investigate the meaning of existence or being and is always faced with the selection must
make with which the existent will commit himself to.

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 Martin Heidegger is one of the most known supporters of this philosophy. He did
not stop defining what technology is but has dealt with its essence. To Heidegger, the
real essence of technology lies in enframing, the gathering of the setting upon which
challenges man to bring the unconcealed to unconcealment and this is a continuous
revealing. The next section will further discuss the view of Heidegger that technology is a
way of revealing.

MARTIN HEIDEGGER ON SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Martin Heidegger, a well-known German philosopher,

examined two usual definitions of technology: means to an end
and a human activity, because he believed that this kind of
confusing and there are questions to it that we easily overlook.
These two definitions cannot be separated from each other. He
called it instrumental and anthropological definition of
technology or simply means by which the ends are realized. To
Heidegger, this may not be a false definition but it is a
misleading one because this limits our thinking.

The Instrumental Definition of Technology

According to Heidegger, the instrumental definition of technology encourages us

to view technology from different periods of time as not having fundamental differences.
But he claimed that this does not show the true essence of technology. He explained that
while technology is geared towards meeting a human need, still there is a difference
between older handicraft technologies with modern technology. As it is, “a sawmill on a
secluded valley of the Black Forest is a primitive means compared with the hydroelectric
plant on the Rhine River” (Heidegger, 1977, p.1). Heidegger also argued that “technology
is by no means technological” and should not be seen as merely neutral. The problem
begins when humans see it only as a means to an end and disregard the fact that there
is a good technology and a bad technology.
Another problem Heidegger saw in the instrumental definition is that it only invites
man to a continual desire to master it which unconsciously may be making technology go
out of hand. Heidegger said, “Everything depends on our manipulating technology in the
proper manner as a means. We will, as we say, ‘get’ technology ‘spiritually in hand’. We
will master it. The will to master becomes the more urgent the more technology threatens
to slip from human control.” (Heidegger, 1977, p.1) With this, he argued that the problem
does not fall on making technology better but on how man sets up technology, his
thoughts that makes him blind to real essence of technology.
For Heidegger, this correct definition of technology is insufficient as it does not
bring out its real essence. He said, “In order that we may arrive at this, or at least come
close to it, we must seek the true by way of the correct. We must ask: What is the
instrumental itself? Within what do such things as means and end belong? (Heidegger,
1977, p.2) In answering these questions, Heidegger arrived at a discussion od causality
which to him in reality initially involves four ways that leads for something to exist or to be
“caused”.

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Aristotle’s Four Causes
Heidegger further studied Aristotle’s Four Causes and illustrated it using a silver
chalice which he said owes its make up from the four causes.

1. Causa Materialis or the Material Cause

The material by which the silver
chalice was made of: Silver
2. Causa Formalis or the Formal Cause
The form or the shape that gave the
silver chalice its image.
3. Causa Finalis or the Final Cause
The purpose or the primary use by
which the silver chalice was made for: to be
used during the Holy Communion as a vessel
for the wine that represents the blood of Christ.
4. Causa Efficiens or the Efficient Cause
The agent that has caused for the silver
chalice to come about: the silversmith

The four causes are all deemed responsible for the bringing forth of the silver
chalice. This bringing forth of something is termed as poiesis and this is characterized
by an external force. It is bringing something concealed to unconcealment which then
makes technology as not only a means to an end but also a mode of revealing. The silver
chalice was brought forth by the silver, by its for, for its purpose, by the silversmith.
External factors have caused for the silver chalice to be brought forth.
On the other hand, something that came about without any external force, like a
flower blooming in the field or a tree bearing its fruits is termed as physis. The flower
blossomed and the tree bore fruit even without external help.

Heidegger’s Technology as a Way of Revealing

Heidegger believed that the genuine substance or the

real essence of technology is found in enframing. This is the
continuous bringing forth into unconcealment that which is
concealed. This is a non-stop revealing and continues to
demand for something to be brought out into the open. This
bringing forth out into the open is a two-way relationship: the
concealed is calling out for someone to set upon it and bring it
to unconcealment and the one who receives the call sets upon
and acts upon to unconceal the concealed.
To further illustrate this, he gave some examples
through contrasting ancient and modern technology. First, he
talked about the ancient windmill which only relies on the wind
blowing and does not store energy while the modern windmill
unlocks the energy which can be for immediate use and can
also be stored up for future use. Second, was about the
peasant planting seeds who only waits for the bringing forth of
the planted seed because there is no challenge set upon the
soil. Modern technology of cultivation on the other hand,
challenged the field that has caused for agriculture to be
revolutionized. Now, food is not only produced for immediate
Ancient and use but can be stored as well for future use and could cater
Modern Windmill
Modern Windmill
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more population. Third, is about the wooden
bridge that is built to join riverbanks for
hundreds of years without challenge being set
upon the river. While on the other hand, the
hydroelectric plant that was set on Rhine
River dammed the river into the hydroelectric
plant so that electrical energy can be stored
and distributed.

Because of this continuous revealing,

Heidegger also pointed out the danger that
comes with technology. The call to unconceal
that which is concealed is also causing
something to be concealed even more. And
as one tries to understand something, there is
the tendency to be closed to the counterpart
of which is being opened to him. There is also
tendency for man to misunderstand the thing
that is being unconcealed before him. Here,
Heidegger calls for man to be moe discerning
and considerate of the things that is being
unconcealed before him and those that have
relationship with that thing being
unconcealed.

The Mode of Revealing in Modern Technology

Heidegger explained that technology as a mode of revealing does not stop and
continues to be seen in the modern technology but not in the bringing-forth sense. This
is a non-stop revealing. Modern technology is revealed by the challenging nature, instead
of bringing forth, it is setting upon challenges or demands on nature in order to:
Unlock and expose. It carries the idea that nature will not reveal itself unless
challenge is set upon it. This is true with the hydroelectric plant set upon the Rhine River
which unlocked the electricity concealed in it.
Stock piles for future use. As technology is a means to an end, it aims to meet
future demands. The electricity produced by the hydroelectric plant set upon the Rhine
River is being stored for future use in the community.
Modern technology are now able to get more from nature by challenging it. A
Heidegger (1977) said, “Such challenging happens in that energy concealed in nature is
unlocked, what is unlocked is transformed, what is transformed is stored up, what is
stored up is in turn distributed, ad what is distributed is switched about eve anew” (p.5).

The Essence of Technology

The continuous revealing takes place as man allows himself to be an agent in the
setting upon of challenges to nature but Heidegger (1977) argues that this is not mere
human doing. Man is able to set upon which was already concealed as he responds to
the call of unconcealment but “when man, investigating, observing, pursue nature as an
area of his own conceiving, he has already been claimed by a way of revealing that
challenges him to approach nature as an object of research, until even the object
disappears into the objectlessness of standing-reserve (p.6).”

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 This gathering of the setting-upon which challenges man to bring the unconcealed
to unconcealment is called enframing with which according to Heidegger, also shows the
essence of modern technology. Enframing is basically putting in order whatever is
presented to the man who sets upon the concealed but it is a two-way relationship: man
cannot set himself upon unconcealment without unconcealment’s call and the
unconcealed will not go into unconcealment without the man responding to its call. This
makes modern technology not a mere human doing and with this Heidegger argued that
the essence of technology lies in enframing.

The Danger of the Nonstop Revealing

As said earlier, the mode of revealing does not stop in modern technology. It is
continually calls man to respond to what is presented to him or to the demand for a better
and efficient means to an end. With this comes the continuous challenging forth for the
unconcealed to be unconcealed even more. Here lies the danger that Heidegger talked
about.
Revealing opens up a relationship between man and the world but an opening up
of something means a closing down of something which means as something is revealed,
another is concealed. An example given by Heidegger on this “the rise of a cause-effect
understanding of reality closes off an understanding of God as something mysterious and
holy: God is reduced to ‘the god of the philosophers’” (Cerbone, 2008).
Another danger is when man falls into a misinterpretation of that which is presented
to him. That is when he sees himself in the object before him rather than seeing the object
itself. There is also the tendency for a man to be fully engrossed with the enframing that
he fails to weigh the results and consequences of his setting upon an object which may
be destructive not only to himself but even to the surroundings and other people. This
happens when he starts to believe that everything in the human condition can be
answered by the technology and that even man’s happiness is dependent on the
continuous modernization of technology.

THE SOCIETY IN THE FACE OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

When one looks around him now, he will see that man tends to fond his happiness
in the works of modern technology. Smart phones, tablets, laptops that come in different
shapes and sizes with distinct features seem to be the measure of man’s value. Social
media has also affected the life of many. Face to face social interactions are being
lessened and people keep working hard to update their gadgets. There seems to be no
contentment as every time a new product is released, man finds another need that can
only be answered by a new product. These new products also tend to replace a man in
the society as the demand for manual labor is becoming less and less because of the
availability of machineries.

This human condition is not of without hope. Heidegger argued that this can be
prevented if man will not allow himself to be overwhelmed with the enframing that he was
set upon, but he pause for a while and reflect on the value of what is presented before
him. A balance has to be struck between technology being instrumental and
anthropological. One has to understand that technology does not only concern the means
but also the end as one proverb goes, “the end does not justify the means.” For
Heidegger, the solution for this is that man would not be controlling and manipulative of
what he was set upon but to also allow nature to reveal itself to him. With this, according
to Heidegger, man will have a free relationship with technology.

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Suggested Readings:

Alawa, P. (2015). Martin Heidegger on science and technology. It’s implication to the
society. IOSR Journal of humanities and socialscience (IOSR-JHSS), 12 (6), 1-5.
Retrieved from hhttp://www.iosjournals.org/iosr-jhss/papers/Vol12-
issue6/A01260105.pdf?id=2272
Wisecrack. (2015). Is technology dangerous? (Star Wars+Heidegger) – 8-Bit Philosophy
[Video File]. Retrived from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JOM-sVbKI
The School of Life. (2014). PHILOSOPHY-Heidegger [Video File]. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br1sGrA7XTU
Sandler, G.B. (2014, Jan. 9). Existentialism: Martin Heidegger, “The question concerning
technology” (part 1) [Video File]. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/wathc?v=4rzYhOOOw40

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