STS Weeks 7 S&T and the Human Condition

Submitted by: BABANTO, JANSEN KENT H.

Section: BS ARCH5B_A2

1. What is your view of a good life?(5 pts)

A life that is self-fulfilling and self-satisfying might be characterized as a good life for me.
Personal happiness, contentment, and enjoyment of life's little joys are its defining aspects. A
good life combines the realization of virtue in several spheres. Therefore, it may be claimed that
when you lead a decent life, you are endowed with good health, happiness, and reputation. In
addition, the true meaning of life lies not only in achieving personal fulfillment but also in
continuing to develop, being the best version of oneself, and having a positive influence on
others.

2. What significant insight/s did you gain after studying the work of Martin Heidegger? Explain
(5pts).
Three main "claims" make up Heidegger's analysis of technology in The Question
Concerning Technology, as we have already heard. First is that technology is "not an
instrument," it is a way of understanding the world. Second, technology is "not a human
activity," but it develops outside of human control. Lastly, technology is "the greatest danger,"
endangering us from seeing the world only through technological thinking.

3. After watching the video The Magician’s Twin (by CS Lewis), what struck you the most? Did it
dissuade you? or persuade you to learn Science? Explain (5pts)
It did not dissuade to learn science but Lewis is right to be concerned about the dogmatic
application of science since people who subscribe to the mainstream view are asserting their
authority to make decisions based on their scientific knowledge and competence. He did not see
science as being in a privileged position above other forms of knowledge, exempt from criticism.
Furthermore, although science and technology could provide critical inputs, they were
insufficient by themselves as bases for decision-making. CS Lewis was not against science per se;
rather, he was critical of the ideology of science. Lewis concluded by asking how we can save
science from scientism. He asserted that we require a regenerated science that upholds human
dignity and respects human rights.

4. What personal views about development and human flourishing changed upon learning Jason
Hickel’s paradigm of de-development? Is it doable? Why? and why not?(5pts)
To think that aid is a real answer to the issue of inequality and poverty around the world is
to be deluded. These are political issues that require political responses. To overcome poverty,
we must switch from the paradigm of charity to the paradigm of justice. We must figure out
how to fundamentally rebalance the global economy in favor of the vast majority of people. Yrs
it is doable, how does that appear? For starters, it's time to erase unaffordable debts and free
impoverished nations from the dictates of creditors over their foreign policy. To ensure that
 developing nations have a voice in decisions that affect them, we must democratically
reorganize the World Bank, the IMF, and the WTO, the three institutions that oversee global
economic governance. We must permit developing nations to use tariffs, subsidies, and capital
controls without fear of harsh retaliation from developed nations. The TRIPS agreement has to
be revised so that developing nations can affordably get the technologies and medications they
require.

5. Answer this, after watching the Video the Village of the Watermills Akira Kurosawa: Compare
your view of a Good Life (your answer in item 1) with what was shown in the video. Do you
aspire to this kind of life? How will you relate this to your present condition? (5pts)
Village of the Watermills contrasts the modern, technologically advanced world, which
affects most people, with a village way of life that is considered simple and relies on resources
found on Earth. It shows that living in the modern world does not guarantee happiness. The
short film illustrates that what is truly wonderful are the things we have taken for granted and
neglected, the things we cannot do without, which is nature. "People get used to convenience,
as the old man says in the video. People consider simplicity to be the most important, people
nowadays throw away what is really valuable”. Based on what I answered in number one, it
does correlate to it in a way that I wrote, “fulfilling life’s little joys”. Since I grew up in a rural
area where nature is dominant, I do aspire to have a peaceful and joyful life.

6. Write a one paragraph reflection, after watching the video by Gerd Leonhard on Technology vs
Humanity. (5pts)
Industry after industry, sector after sector, we are gradually realizing that the future has
already arrived. My observation is that leaders are starting to adopt a future-back mentality
after struggling to create a sense of urgency given how quickly the future is approaching. Maybe
it's time to check back in with team human if you find yourself conversing more with screens
than with real people. The most significant aspects of life cannot be described in terms of zeros
and ones. Gerd concentrates on what he refers to as androrithms, or the characteristics that
make us human, such as compassion, mysticism, morals, and values. How much of your
humanity are you willing to give up to benefit from those miraculous technologies'
convenience? Our ability to manage ourselves decreases as our world becomes more robotic.
Are we destined to meld with technology and essentially become machines ourselves? My
favorite line in this video is this, “Never in human history has the present been so temporary”.
The next 20 years will see a greater transformation in humanity than the past 300. The future is
far too vital to be put in the hands of algorithms and artificial intelligence.