HUMAN FLOURISHING THROUGH

PROGRESS AND DE-DEVELOPMENT

LEE, JENNEFER HONOR PLEDGE FOR GRADED

BRAZIL
ASSIGNMENTS

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Assignment
that this work is my own.
December 09, 2021
-Lee, Jennefer Brazil

 Differentiate the meaning of technology in ancient and modern times.

During the ancient times, technology was defined by several renowned
philosophers as a way of crafting and showing of techniques and skills. It was defined
by Aristotle as “technologia” which means technology and as an application of science.
It was a paveway to modern science and technology. During the ancient times, people
did not have advance machineries and tools, regardless they managed to produce
complex structures and buldings such as the pyramids of Egypt, or the stone heads on
Easter Island.

In terms of agriculture and food, many of the ancient civilisation started the
process of planting and harvsting to stock rations.  It is thought that the ancient
Mesopotamians were the first to develop the shaduf, as early as 2000 BCE. The shaduf
is a type of irrigation instrument that consists of a bucket tied to a pole that acts as a
lever, lifting water from a river or canal into the fields. Different methods of ploughing
were developed by the ancient Egyptians, including utilizing animals to draw the plough
and plows the soil, while the ancient Chinese invented the cast-iron hoe and moldboard
plough In drawing the soils.
 In Mathematics and measurements, Mesopotamians devised methods for
measuring objects needed in daily life, and they were already employing standards of
weight, length, and volume units. They also developed the two-number counting
system. They were also the ones who established the base 60 number system, which
gives us 60 minutes in an hour, a 24-hour day, and a 360-degree circle.

The common tools and equipments of ancient times includes, the gunpowder and
magnetic compass. During the Tang Dynasty, the ancient Chinese developed
gunpowder and employed it in combat. The ancient Chinese were also responsible for
making the magnetic compass, which is still used in navigation today. The
Mesopotamians were the first to invent water wheels.  

When it comes to the forms of writing, from 3300 BCE clay tablets were
discovered at Uruk but because drawing on clay was difficult, the Mesopotamians used
a reed stylus to press into the clay, creating wedge-shaped marks known as cuneiform.
Writing began as a tool to keep track of livestock, sheep, and harvests, but it quickly
evolved into a means of transmitting information and news, as well as stories and
recipes. The name 'paper' comes from the papyrus plant, which is a tall reed. The plant
grows along the Nile's banks, and ancient Egyptians have used it to manufacture
papyrus paper since ancient times. The Chinese, on the other hand, invented the paper
that we use today.

The history of the world following the Middle Ages is known as Modern history.
The term "modern history" generally refers to the history of the world since the dawn of
the Age of Reason and the Age of Enlightenment in the 17th and 18th centuries, as well
as the start of the Industrial Revolution. The modern period has seen many advances in
science, politics, warfare, technology, and globalization. The European countries began
to extend their political, economic, and cultural influence to the rest of the world at this
time. The time from the Enlightenment and the 18th century till present is known as
Modern Times.

In the span of 200 years, technological advancement grew exponentially due to

the constant breakthroughs in the scientific world. From the phones in our pockets to
the satellite in deep space, there’s no room that can fill all the incredible technologies
we have today. In addition, all these said technologies has given contributions to the
modern era. For example, Due to aviation and the invention of mobile cars, globalization
became imminent. This is because of better transportation as well as better trading
systems. Lastly, technologies such as the World Wide Web opened up countless
possibilities and opportunities that shaped our livelihood in the 21st century. Most
children today cannot live without the internet. It gave us better communication and
sharing of information, entertainment, and access to things that can be only found in far
places

There had been many cases in which technology had been a great service to
many companies and made a big progress when it comes to their services or products.
Today, people can buy electronics, home appliances and more using installments and
online markets. Using technology and software, lives flourish and without economy will
decline, business transactions will not be smooth and employment rate will fall. There
are many opportunities with the use of technology, inventions will be greater and
companies will benefit.

Technology is vital in the field of business, education and health care. It provides
people in this modern time a flexible and much greater methods to complete a variety of
task. Also, it immensely helped in day to day communication and sharing of information.
During this pandemic, health sectors used technological advancement to generate
medicines and equipment’s to approach this issue, it has also played a crucial role in
keeping so many people alive through life support machines and other specialized
health equipment. Technology is also helping us engage in our education, different
platforms and digital applications has been provided for students to continue striving
knowledge online.

When electrical machines and steam engines were invented, the historical
antecedents of current technology began. Different things were gradually invented, but
the primary age of technology and invention began in the 18th century with the start of
the industrial revolution, when machines became more advanced and numerous sorts
of production began. Science and technology have enabled people to create new
things, and many scientific innovations have been made possible by technological
advancements in this era that have allowed humans to travel to places they could not
previously visit, as well as scientific instruments that allow us to study nature in greater
depth than our natural senses can.

If we go back to the 18th century, there was no internet, making it difficult for
people to communicate with one another and causing problems in their businesses.
However, with the invention of the internet, people were able to have face-to-face
conversations via Skype, Facebook, live streaming, and now online banking, which has
solved many problems for business owners.

 How is the de-development framework different from traditional frameworks of

development?
 According to Jason Hickel ,the concept of the de-development framework is to
avoid the idea of “the rich gets rich and the poor gets poorer” or in definition, rich
countries and people are the ones who are benefiting more on the growth of the
economy, as they have more access to it. However, the number of lower class are only
increasing in the decades just like the statistics from the article where the global
economy of the US has grown for 380% since 1980 but the lower class have increased
for 1.1 billion.

In other views, the resources of each people in US is 8 hectares, where in poorer

countries like Ghana only have 1.8 hectares. This shows that de-development or
allowing the high class to slow down and have its resources lowered down in an
appropriate level is the option now and not growth. De-development is also a way of
enlightenment where people can understand at a higher level and consciousness that
growth and “too much” is not always the key.

Opposite with the de-development is the traditional framework of development

where, the world sees economic growth as an answer for the poor to get rich. The
traditional development pattern refers to how people have approached growth and
development for thousands of years, across cultures, continents, and latitudes.

Additionally, the traditional framework is fundamentally "growth," which allows

society to develop its capacities by allocating a share of money from the wealthy to the
poor while maintaining a balanced distribution. However, just like the article of Hickel,
studies has shown that the world already exceeded the biocapacity of the earth by 50%
every year. This continous improvements only results to unsustainable debt and
liabilities, resulting in places that are extremely vulnerable to economic instability.

 What is a good life according to Aristotle?

Happiness, according to Aristotle, consists of obtaining all the commodities
including riches, a good health, education, friends, and so on, that contribute to the
perfection of human nature and the enrichment of human life throughout the course of a
lifetime. Addtionally, Aristotle claimed that achieving both the criteria of a physical and
mental health is neededto live a truly happy life. “The good life is the happy life”Aristotle
believes happiness is an end in itself which is also indicated in his works, the
Nichomachean Ethics or the theory of good life.

The Nichomachean Ethics is one of his most influential works that is still relevant
today. The main focus of this theory is about the purpose of humans existance, what is
the end goal of human life, and where should humans aim their activities. People seek
wealth, pleaasure, entertainment, and an influential status as an indicator of happiness
and success however, none of these is considered as the “ultimate end”. According to
Aristotle, the ultimate end should be self-sufficient and final however, this samples are
activities that are a means towards obtaining happiness.

Happiness, on the other hand, is an ultimate end or goal for Aristotle that covers
the entirety of one's life. It is not like joyful experiences, which may be obtained or lost in
a matter of hours or only for a short time. It's more like the ultimate value of your life up
to this point, a measurement of how well a person has lived up to their whole human
potential.