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\ryHEN TECHNoLocy AND HUMANITY CRoss 77
CHAPTER 7
When Technology and
Humanity Cross
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this chapter, the students should
be able to:
l. evaluate contemporary human exPerience to
strengthen the human person functioning in
society;
2. discuss the importance of human rights in
i the face ofchanging social condifions and
I technological development; and
3. identify laws or policies in the country
that protect the well-being ofthe person
in technological advancement and ethical
dilemmas.
The good life entails living in a just and
progressive society whose citizens have the
freedom to flourish. The human person has the
autonomy to make choices which may enable
the flourishing of his/her self and society. The
United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)
on December 70, 7948 as the global standard
of fundamental hurnan riglts for universal recognition and
protection. The UDHR begins, "Whereas recognition of the
inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all
members of the human family is the foundation of frecdom,
justice and pcace in the world" (UDHR Preamble). As implied,
everyone has absolute moral worth by virtue of being human.
Human dignity is an ultimate core value of our existence.
When we fullv recognize and appreciate this truth in ourselves
;ind in all the persons around us, regardless of their status in
life, then we pave the way for a just and progressive society. It is
in this kind ofsociety that we are able to become fully human-
more free, more rational, and more loving. Human beings
become more free when we are empowered to make choices for
our flourishing. We become more rational when we are able to
value and apply the principles of logic and science in our lives.
We become more loving when rtre ensure that human dignity
lies at the foundation of our endeavors, whether scientific or
not. It entails knowing one's fundamental humin rigJ:ts that
must always be protected in the face ofchanging conditions.
UNIVERSAL DECLARATIoN
OF HUMAN RIGHTS
The UDHR explicat.-:s the fundamental human rights in 30
articles. It outlines inalienable human rights that are vital and
necessary in the pursuit ofthe good life. These ari the freedoms
everyone is entitled to and guaranteed by virtue of being
human. The first article states the essential principle of beirrg
human in a just, free, and rational society. Everyone is born
free and equal in dignity and rights. The common experience,
however, does not always manifest such truth. More often than
not, those who have more to offer are given special treatment.
The good life, nevertheless, as a life ofjustice, demands not just
equal treatment of human beings but also preferential treatment
to those who have less or are disadvantaged. The first seven
articles of the UDHR encapsulate the spirit of this so-called
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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, SOCIETY, AND THE HUI,IAN CONDITION
da--4
WHEN TECHNOLOGY AND HUMANITY CROSS
79
"milestone documcnt in the history of human rights." They are
ARTICLE 5
as follows:

No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or

ARTICLE I degrading treatrnent or punishment.

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and ARTICLE 6
rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and
should act towards one another in a spirit ofbrotherhood.
Everyone has the ::ight to recognition everywhere as a
person before the law
ARTTcLE 2
ARTICLE 7
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth
in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as
race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion,
Allare equal before the law and are entitled without any
discrimination to equal protection ofthe law. All are entitled to
national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this
Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis ofthe
Declaration : nd against any incitcment to such discrimination.
political, jurisdictional or international sta,tus of the counrry or
territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent,
trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights has a long,
sovereignty. bloody history. Crafted in 1948, after World War II, the
UDHR now serves as a common understanding of what e ach
person's fundamental rights are. These rights apply to everyone,
ARTICLE 3
everywhere. It is imperative that we all know and live these
rights to prevent injustrce and oppression.
Everyone has the right to 1ife, liberty and security ofperson.

ARTICLE 4
HUMANSVS. RoBoTs
No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the
The rise of the machines accompanying the progress
slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.
in science and technology may render humans useless.
Manual labor is gradually being replaced by machinery.
Computers become more and more sophisticated.
Robots, usually designed like human beings, are created
to perform complex, repetitive, or dangerous tasks.
With the development of artificial intelligence (AI),
robots may also eventually act and decide like humans.
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sclENCE, TECHNoLoGY, soclETY, AND rHE Hut4AN coNDlrloN WHEN TECHNoLoGY AND HUMANITY CRoSS 81
8O
It is also interestil)g to note that as machines and robots
In the possibility thaf machines adopt the nature of humans'
I

approach having a human-like nature, humans may also have

itl there is a need to reflect on the ethical problems posed by such
the tendency to become machinelike. Since many ofthe things
development.
people need, from conveniences to information, are available
Though the Philippines has not yet reached the point of with just the touch and swipe ofthe fingertips, humans begin
produci.rf robots on a commercial scale for household use' to function more like automatons. The internet has become arr
Ir
it still beihooves us to ponder the ramifications of replacing instant go-to tool for answers to questions. More often than not,
persons with machinery. Much as the BBC News has reported people accept what the search engine, like Google, spews out in
li.i
ih"t.*p..t. in South Korea are crafting ethical guidelines byte sizes and forget how to process, read, thinl. further, or put
to prevint humans from exploiting robots and vice versa things in context. As the internet gets more inrelligent, we are
(Evans, 2007), and that roboticists in Europe are lobbyiug for in danger of becoming less so- In the article, "Is Google making
i
government legislation, such reality is generally unheard of in us stupid?" Nicoias Carr (2008) asserted that "as we come to
Ih. Philippl.r... To Filipinos, artificial intelligence seems like rely on computers to mediate our understanding of the world, it
the stuff of science fiction movies. Be that as it may, its use in is our own intelligence that flattens into artificial intelligence."
the country is surely gaining ground, especially in the business
The development of society along with science and
ril process outsourcint (BPO) industry. Technology enables
technology gives rise to more and more complex issues. What is
ih. g.o*th of the BPO industry but it seems that it is also vital is that, at the very least, vr'e are abie to protect and exercise
technology that will kill the industry as we knc'w it' Investors
human rights for everyone in our pursuit of the good life- It is
a.rd br,siiess people find as a sure return of investment the use
important that amid these developments, human beings become
ofbusiness analytics provided by artificial intelligence' Business
more free, more rational, and more loving in our practice of
analytics is a means ty which consumer and industry data are
science and technology.
,r..d ,o .orn. up with tetter decision-making. With the help of
AI, decisions now arise from sophisticated statistical analyses As we examine contemporary issues in science and
made from massive data. As of August 2017, it is estimated that technology-information, genetically modified organisms,
a million Filipino BPO workers may be affected and lose their nanotechnology, and climate change-we keep in mind
jobs with the ldoption ofartificial intelligence (Santos, 2017)' that the building of a just and progressive society entails the
constant practice ofthe good. It may be exhibited in exceptional
Unemployment is only one of the many ethical
scientific methodologies, personal virtue, social responsibility,
.onrid..rtion. in the widespread use of AI. What does this and global concern.
mean for human beings who can be replaced by machines?
Is the value of the person inversely Proportional to that of a
machine exhibiting artificial intelligence? How do we guard
against mistakes committed by machines? These points are but
,"rr*pl. of the questions that should be resolved when faced
with technology that may become a threat to human dignity
and security. In the future, when machines and robots become
more humanlike, with all the attendant feelings and thoughts,
peoplc may also have to considcr thc cthical treatment for AI-
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/az SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, SOCIETY, AND THE HUI',IAN CONDITION
WHYTHE FUTURE DOES NOT NEED US
Chief scientist and corporate executive officer of Sun
Microsystems, Bill Jon wrote in 2000 a controversial essay,
"Why the future does not need us." In his work, he contended
that our most Powerful 21st-century technologies-genetics,
nanotech, and robotics (GNR)-are threatening to make
humans an endangered species. This possible extinction of the
species may largely come about due to the unreflective and
unquestioning acceptance of new technologies by humans. Joy
also asserted that:
Accustomed to liaing toith altnost routine scientific
breakthrougbs, toe bare let to co?ne to terms uith the fact
that tbe most compelliig 27st-century tecbnologies-robotics,
genetit engineering, and nanotecbnologl-pose a dffirent
threat than the tecbnologies tbat bat-te come before. Specifically'
robots, engineered organisms, and nanobots sbare a dangerous
amptifyingfactor: Tltey can self-replicate. A bomb is blottn up
oniy irrr-but ore bot can become maryt, and qukA\ get out of
control-
Each of tbese tecbnologies also offers untold qromise:
Tbe vision of near immortality drites us forusard; genetic
engineering may soon frotide treatrnents, if not outright cures,
for most diseases; and natotechnologl and nanomedici'ne can
address yet more ills. Tog,ether tbey could significantly extend
our aoerage life span and imProae the quality of our littes' Yet,
uitlt eaclt of tbese technologies, a sequence of small, individualll
sensible adaances leads to an accumulation ofgreat 2ottser and,
concomitantly, great danger Qoy, 2000) .
Humans should have learned the lesson in the atomic
bombings of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
in 1945 that killed over a hundred thousand people. Brilliant
physicists, led byJ. Robert Oppenheimer, brought into existence
a deadly nuclear weapon. A definite testament to the success
of science and technology, the atomic bomb was also a fatal
til
WHEN TECHNoLoGy AND HUMANITY CRoss g3
reminder of its destructive power. Now with GNR, we are
called to be circumspect and questioning oftechnology. Again,
,. I..td..rt.. (797-7) propounded, it is in questiolning "that
ye.bui.id a way- GNR today is accessible to small groufs and
individuals and.does not require funding and facilitles as huge
as those needed by the nuclear weapons of mass destruction.
This makes GNR more prone to aicidents and abuses. It is
scary to imagine that such accidents and abuses may seif_
replicute and spin out ofcontrol, especially when placedin the
hands ofextremist groups and individuals.
Science and technology may be the highest expression of
.human
rationality. People are able to shape or destroy the world
with .it. Theoretical physicist and malhematician Freeman
Dyson, in_the documentary The Day After T-ini1)
0gg1), shared
his thoughts and sentiments as a scilntist taking part in the
development of nuclear povrer:
I haye felt it myself The glitter of nuclear uteapins. It is
irresistible ifyou come to them as a scientist. To
feel it\ there in
your hands, to release tbis energl tbat the stars, to let it do
fuek
yon' bidding. To ferform these miracles, to lft a million tons
ofrock into tbe sk1. It is something rhat gites peofle an illusion
of illin;table ?olDer, and it is, in some uays, responsiblefor all
our troubles-tbis, uhat you might call tecltnical arrogance,
tbat overcomcs p€o$e uben they sce ubat tbelt can do utii their
minds-
Human nature may be corrupted when the powers of our
mind, our rationality, and our science and technology become
manifest. If we are not able to rein in the vanity andlrrogance
that such powers unleash, then we are on the way to destrlying
the world.
Tlte v.tasteland gro,u)s; uoe unto bim ubo harbors the
toas telandtoithin. -Friedrich Nietzsche
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n'ga scrENCE, TEcHNoLocy, socrEry, AND rHE HuMAN coNDlrroN
l

i" QUESTIoNS FoR REFLECTION

til

lill
1. How does science and technology affect contemporary life
I

and vice versa?

I 2. How do we protect our human rights in the face of

technological advancements and ethical dilemmas?
UNIT 3
i

l
3. Do you beiieve that Google makes people stupid? Cite at
least three examples to support your assertion.
Special Topics in Science,
4. Read the entirety of Joyt article. Why doesn't the future
need us? Technology, and Society

t
ACTIVITY

Work in pairs. Search for national policies or laws that

address the ethical and moral concerns in the technological
era-
I