Module # 4 Human Person Flourishing in terms

of Science and Technology

Intended Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the lesson, the student should be able to:

1. Comprehend different concepts of human flourishing in terms of science and

technology.
2. Distinguish the steps of the scientific method and validity of science.
3. Ponder/contemplate on the limitation of science.
4. Infer thoughts on Martin Heidegger’s concept of technology.
5. Reflect on the ethical dilemmas of technological advancements.

Introduction:

You, like everyone else in this world, is aiming to know what’s ‘good’ for your life.
This helps you shape yourself to become a purposeful, goal-directed individual. Finding
your ultimate good not only enhances your understanding of yourself, but the whole
world as well. In order for that to happen, one must continuously search for what is good
to them to further realize their goals in life.

A human being naturally lives his life to improve and excel as a human being just
as a pianist’s persevering efforts to improve and excel as a pianist. As perceived by
Aristotle, the desire to flourish is a natural human inclination. The actions that we
perform have its end goal which contains the desire for ourselves.

Content:

Science, Technology and Human Flourishing

The word Eudaimonia, was a term devised by famous Greek philosopher,

Aristotle, which is in its simplest form is often taken out to mean ‘good indwelling spirit’.
This term defines the peak of one’s happiness or the process of fulfilling or realizing
one’s true nature. In literature, this term is often referred as ‘human flourishing’
presenting humans like flowers achieving their full bloom. This concept can be traced
back to Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, wherein he discussed that human flourishing
ascends as a result of different components such as phronesis, friendship, wealth and
power. In ancient Greek society, they believe that acquiring these components will
surely bring the seekers happiness, which in effect allows them to participate in the
greater perception of what we call the Good.

The eastern and western regions of the world have different conceptions about
society and human flourishing. The western conception is more likely focused on the
individual in contrast to the eastern which is more community-centric. The latter is
apparently seen in the Chinese Confucian system and the Japanese Bushido where
they encourage the study of literature, sciences and art, not entirely for one’s self but for
a greater cause like establishing a harmonious and well-ordered society. Conversely,
the western conception is mainly anchored on the Greek Aristotelian view which grasps
human flourishing as an ‘end’ and that humans, aim for the ultimate good or
‘eudaimonia’ It wasn’t perceived to be useful to achieve some other goals but rationally,
one who has achieved this state would want to serve and do something good for the
community.

As time goes by, the basics that makes up human flourishing has changed.
People found other ways to live more comfortably explore different places and earn
more money and vice versa. During the early times, people have only relied to modest
devices to make living easier for them. But because the needs and necessities of
people are changing from time to time, this brought them to develop more refined
machines to help them in their daily lives and later on, to their greater endeavors. This
led people to advances in different fields such as education, health, and
communications. The concepts of human flourishing that we have today have become
entirely different from what the Greek philosopher Aristotle originally thought then. “Man
of the world” is what humans today expected to become – they are situated in a global
neighborhood, helping each other, together with the government and different

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institutions to accomplish a common goal. Coordinating with one another has become
the new trend and competing became outmoded.

Even so, we cannot say that these ideas are absolutely true for we are in a
period of globalization. This allows people to learn and discover other culture, and as
result, many are influenced and abandoned their original philosophies. In this regard,
Human flourishing should be tackled not just in a single idea but in a global perspective.

Science as Methods and Results

Science has always been systematic in searching for things. It roots from
objectivity and uses logical approach on discovering how things work in the universe,
one important aspect of scientific process is that it only focuses on the natural world.
So, if anything appeared to be supernatural, then definitely it is something that is not
acceptable in the definition of science.

The scientific method (search for the proponent) is a series of steps followed by
science investigators to find answers for specific questions. This is introduced in school
to guide students in basic experimentation. The steps of scientific methods are as
follows:

1. Observation on your surroundings will help you come up with an idea for
your science project.

2. Question should be made after you observation. This will tell you what you
are trying to discover or accomplish in your experiment.

3. After observing and questioning, Hypothesis comes next. It is an idea that is

suggested as an explanation for a natural event, a particular experience, or
specific condition that can be tested through definable experimentation.

4. Experiment You should develop a procedure that states very clearly how you
plan to conduct an experiment.

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 5. Results include detailed observations and data extracted during the
experiment.

6. Conclusion is where all of the results from the experiments are analyzed and
determination is reached about the hypothesis.

In some books, the terms and number of steps may vary but the scientific

method presents general idea of how to do science.

Science as Social Endeavor

A number of philosophers such as Paul Thagard, Helen Longino, and David

Bloor, among others, presented an alternative distinction that explores the social
dimension of science and technology. The new idea of science takes away from the
usual gown-wearing scientists at laboratories and aims to enable a dimension which
generally benefits the society. For example, there are still unreached locations in Asia
where ethnic tribes remained unbothered over the years. Certainly, these tribal people
have their own ‘science’ but since they remained untouched for a long time, they do not
refer Asian science as their own. Whatever kind of science that they have, it can be
inferred that their science is no different to those globalized people’s science. Thus, it
presents a complementary concept wherein if we transcend boundaries and get to know
what do these people know and integrate their knowledge to the facts that we already
have, then we can project a manifestation of shared knowledge and experiences that
will foster solidarity among these people across the globe. Science as social endeavor
is to have various problems solve, cater various needs and sustain the development of
the society through the help of scientific knowledge.

Science and Results

Science is not the only discipline that can produce results – we have religion,
luck, and human randomness. For people who don’t seem to know science, they’ll just

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completely rely on either superstitious beliefs or divine providence. Science is not
entirely faultless, it doesn’t get hundred percent accurate all the time. For instance,
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration or
PAGASA, often blamed for their imprecise weather reports at times. This agency
displays fallibility and limitations of their scope, for they can’t totally tell the exact
weather condition for the following days, as well as their inability to predict occurrences
of some natural disasters. The best that a person can do is to prepare well and reinforce
materials to ready themselves to be calamity proof. It can then be inferred that science
does not always hold the claim for accurate results and also have limitations.

Science and its Limitations

Science has generated the knowledge that allows us to discover, explore, invent,
innovate, perform and answer vital questions about nature, life and existence. Science
might seem to be endless, but it is not. Science has definite limits; these are the
following:

1. Science doesn't make moral judgments

When is euthanasia the right thing to do? What universal rights should humans
have? Should other animals have rights? These are important questions that
Science will not be able to answer. Science helps us describe how the world is,
but it cannot make any judgments about whether that state of affairs is right,
wrong, good, or bad. Knowledge provided by Science can inform our opinions
and decisions, but ultimately individual people must make moral judgments.

2. Science doesn't make aesthetic judgments

Science cannot tell us whether a painting is beautiful or awful. Individuals make
those decisions for themselves based on their own aesthetic preferences.

3. Science doesn't tell you how to use scientific knowledge

Science, for example, can tell you how to recombine DNA in new ways, but it
doesn't specify whether you should use that knowledge to correct a genetic

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 disease. Again, science helps us describe how the world is, and then we have to
decide how to use that knowledge.

4. Science doesn't draw conclusions about supernatural explanations

Do gods exist? Do supernatural entities intervene in human affairs? These
questions may be important, but science won't help you answer them. Questions
that deal with supernatural explanations are beyond the realm of what can be
studied by science. For such questions are matters of personal faith and
spirituality.

Science as Education

In the Philippines, numerous science high schools can be found. These schools
offer aspiring students to secure a spot for a competent and high - quality science and
mathematics education anchored on a specialized curriculum. While these schools also
consider providing holistic education by assuring that the non-science and mathematics
subjects are covered, the proficiency in the aforementioned courses are still their utmost
priority. In STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) offering schools,
the prevalence of the said track is reflected in the number of students taking up the
course. It is no surprise if the numbers favor the STEM track as the jobs that lies in it
are the most in demand in today’s society. The students must have also thought that
enrolling in this science track will later place them in high-salary jobs and successful
career.

Being proficient alone in science and technology would be inadequate if one is in

pursuit of human flourishing. It would make sense if it is pursued holistically, for
instance, reflecting on our inner self. The eudaimonic person denoted by Aristotle is
someone who is knowledgeable not only about science but also on other equally
significant matters. A true eudaimonic person is aware that in order for someone to
flourish, he must not focus on one facet alone but also must excel in different aspects
such as aesthetics, humanities and linguistics.

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The Modern Challenges of Human Flourishing

In 2015, heads of state gathered in New York to sign United Nations’ new
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that targets to eradicate poverty by the year
2030 by establishing global partnership for development. As much as the organizations
impose such act to do in good faith, the primary goal to achieve ‘growth for all’ might be
putting our planet at risk in the long run.

Growth is the primary indicator of development as supposed by economists.

Technology has been a significant tool in aiding them to achieve such goal by making
use of natural resources, production of machineries and industry. What is missing here
is that the world’s bio-capacity to sustain all these efforts that will lead to our ‘growth’ is
limited. Studies have shown that we’re consuming the world’s resources rapidly. This is
what Joseph Hickel is pondering in his study, suggesting that instead of pushing poor
countries to catch up with the rich ones, the latter should ‘catch down’. Developed
countries should not push for more growth but rather make policies where developing
countries and the nature can cope up, or else we’ll suffer in the long run. The rapid
technological advancements leaves no room for nature to cope up to the world’s
growing demand, which may result in exploitation and permanent damages to nature.
Today, we are experiencing the result of the said exploits as the world experience
climate change, which may hardly affect the planet’s flora and fauna. We can’t just
ignore the laws of nature. If we do not act soon, all of our efforts in combating poverty
will be put in vain and we might even put ourselves in the brink of extinction.

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Technology as a Way of Revealing

The discoveries, success, and advancements in science surely contribute to

human’s field of knowledge. Possibly, the need to know more about our self, tracing

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back for some proofs of our existence is what has taken us into those discoveries. Our
liking to search for the unknown in this universe may lead us to uncover more about our
existence. It is in this matter that human flourishing is deeply interlinked with goal setting
relevant to science and technology.

The latter is deemed significant in this case as a tool in achieving Human

flourishing supporting Martin Heidegger’s statement, “technology is a human activity
that we excel in a result of achieving science”. Meaning to say, the end goals of
science, technology and human flourishing are associated, wherein the good is
inherently related to the truth.

In his essay “The Question Concerning Technology,” he describes technology

and its essence to human. He talked about its effect to man and its environment. It is
also discussed on how man should properly manage technology. Moreover, he revealed
that despite of the benefits that man can have from technology, it can work against him
and bring danger.

Man, challenges forth today wherein he uses and manipulates the resources
nature gives to manufacture to create or reveal technology that is man-made. The idea
of coal mining and farm cultivation are examples where man challenges resources;
when man challenges nature, he wants the maximum yield at minimum expense. The
perception of man to resources is no longer of what they really are; instead, sees them
as ways to fulfill his needs. Heidegger used Rhine River, European River, as an
example: people tend to not see it as a huge body of water but instead a hydro-electric
plant. Man does not see its natural tendency but the power he could benefit from it, and
see it as a standing reserve.

Humans always have the nature that “nature should fit with them”, instead of
perceiving “humans fit with nature”. Humans constantly enframing everything around
their environment. When they enframe, they unconceal the standing reserve. As a
result, man abuses the Earth’s natural resources, and continuously destroys it for his
selfish aim. Once man continuously enframe without care to the environement,
technology can work against him. Heidegger states, “Where enframing reigns, there is

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danger in the highest sense;” therefore, trouble against man and his environment could
arise.

According to Heidegger, escaping from the fate of technology is impossible;

however, questioning technology can save humans from catastrophic events that it
could lead upon. We must question how to use technology without hurting the world
around us. We need to open up the possibility of relying on technologies while not
becoming enslaved to them and seeing them as manifestations of an understanding of
being.

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When technology and humanity cross

Robotics and AI (Artificial Intelligence)

poses ethical dilemma

 “Humans, limited by slow biological evolution, couldn’t compete and would be

superseded by A.I.”—Stephen Hawking, 2014

AI is our “biggest existential threat,” Elon Musk, 2014

 “I am in the camp that is concerned about super intelligence.” Bill Gates, 2015

These comments have initiated a public awareness of the potential future impact
of AI technology on society and that this impact should be considered by designers of
such technology to develop the best design future intelligent system that will lead to
positive technological transitions on human and society.

The technologies that surround us take many shapes and have different levels of
developmental progress and impact on our lives. A coarse categorization could be the
following:

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 1. Industrial robots: these have existed for many years and have made a huge
impact within manufacturing. They are mostly preprogrammed by a human
instructor and consist of a robot arm with a number of degrees of freedom ( Nof,
1999).

2. Service robots: a robot which operates semi- or fully autonomously to perform

useful tasks for humans or equipment but excluding industrial automation
applications (IFR, 2017). They are currently applied in selected settings such as
internal transportation in hospital, lawn mowing and vacuum cleaning.

3. Artificial intelligence: software that makes technology able to adapt through

learning with the target of making systems able to sense, reason, and act in the
best possible way (Torresen, 2013). There has, in recent years, been a large
increase in the deployment of artificial intelligence in a number of business
domains including for customer service and decision support.

Ethical Societal Challenges Arising with Artificial Intelligence and Robots

Ethical perspectives of AI and robotics should be addressed in at least two ways.

First, the engineers developing systems need to be aware of possible ethical challenges
that should be considered including avoiding misuse and allowing for human inspection
of the functionality of the algorithms and systems (Bostrom and Yudkowsky, 2014).
Second, when moving toward advanced autonomous systems, the systems should
themselves be able to do ethical decision making to reduce the risk of unwanted
behavior (Wallach and Allen, 2009).

 The following are potential challenges from future highly intelligent systems
regarding jobs and technology risks:

1. People may become unemployed because of automation.

Fewer jobs and working hours for employees could tend to benefit small elite
and not all members of our society.

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 2. Losing human skills due to technological excellence.
With the introduction of robots, and information and communication
technology, the need for human knowledge and skills is gradually decreased.
This lessens our need to train and utilize our cognitive capabilities regarding
memory, reasoning, decision making etc., this eventually could have a major
impact on how we interact with the world around us.  

3. Artificial intelligence can be used for destructive and unwanted tasks.

Surveillance cameras are useful for many purposes, but many are skeptical of
advanced tracking of people using artificial intelligence. It might become
possible to track the movement and behavior of a person moving in a range
of interconnected surveillance camera and position information from the
user’s smartphone. Disclosures (e.g., by Edward Snowden in 2013) have
shown that governments can leverage technology in the fight against crime
and terror at the risk of the innocent being monitored.

4. Successful AI can lead to the extinction of mankind?  Almost any

technology can be misused and cause severe damage if it gets into the wrong
hands.  It is important that systems have built in mechanisms to prevent
human errors and help to predict risk of mechanical failure to the extent
possible.

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Assessment:

Poem Reading

Read the poem below and answer the question that follows. Comprehensively
discuss your answer in a one whole sheet of paper.

GENESIS IN REVERSE
Author: Benjamin, Leon Fransceco

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In the beginning was the earth.
It was beautiful and man lived upon the earth.
And man said: “Let us build skyscrapers and expressways”.
And man covered the earth with steel and concrete.
And man said: “It was good”.

On the second day.

Man look upon the clear blue waters of the earth.
And man said: “Let us dump sewage and waste into the water”.
And man did. The waters become dark and murky.
And man said: “It is good”

On the third day.

Man gazed at the forest on the earth.
They were tall and green.
And man said: “Let us cut the trees and build things for ourselves.
And man did. And the forest grew thin.
And man said: “It is good”.

On the fourth day.

Man saw animals leaping in the fields and playing in the sun.
And man said: “Let us trap the animals for money and shoot them for sport.
And man did. And animals become scarce.
And man said: “It is good”.

On the fifth day.

Man felt the cool breeze in his nostrils.
And man said: Let us burn our refuse and let the wind blow away the smoke and debris.
And man did. And the air becomes dense with smoke and carbon.
And man said: “It is good”.

On the sixth day.

Man saw many kinds of people on the earth.
Different races, color and creed. And man feared and said:
“Let us make bombs and missiles in case misunderstandings arise”.
And man did. And missiles site and bomb dumps checkered the landscape.
And man said: “It is good”

On the seventh day.

Man rested. And the earth was quiet and deathly still.

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For man was no more.
And it was good.

Assessment 1:

Essay Questions:

1. What lesson/s can be applied in the present time where science and technology are
deemed significant in achieving the ultimate good or “human flourishing”?

2. Have the world become successful in achieving human flourishing through Science
and Technology? Why or why not? Give examples

3. What general truth in life is being depicted in the poem?

Assessment 2:

Essay Questions:

Read “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” by Nicholas Carr. From his article, enumerate the
changes that happened to ones reading behavior by browsing the web. Were the
reading behavioral changes mentioned in the article relevant to your experiences when
browsing the net? Why or Why not? Give examples. As a student what advise can you
give your fellow students every time they browse the net.

Assessment 3:

Essay Questions:

Watch the movie AI (Artificial Intelligence) directed by Steven Spielberg and then
answer the following questions:

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 1. At the beginning of the movie, Professor Hobby states that “to create an artificial
being has been the dream of man since the birth of science.” There’s probably an
element of truth to this. Why do we have this fascination?

2. In a documentary on the movie, Steven Spielberg states that the story is set at a
time when humans and robots are on the brink of civil war. This is graphically
depicted in the “Flesh Fair,” where old or unregistered mechas are rounded up
and destroyed gladiator-style before a cheering crowd. One of the mechas
explained that the Flesh Fair was an attempt to cut back on the numbers of
mechas so that humans could "maintain numerical superiority." From the
opposite perspective, one of the humans at the Fair said that mechas should be
destroyed since they will take over. Why can't we just live in peace with robots?

3. Steven Spielberg states that a key issue raised by the movie is the extent to
which we have a moral responsibility to the intelligent robots that we will
someday create. What are these moral responsibilities?

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Rubrics for Essay Questions:

Clarity of content – 30% (essay clearly state a position, provides support for the
position, does not contain irrelevant information, leaves no surface questions)

Organization – 30% (has a compelling opening informative middle and satisfying

conclusion)

Originality – 30% (positions are persuasive and original, drawn from the students own
observations)

Conventions – 10% (few errors, if any, are present in grammar, usage, spelling and
punctuation, but the errors that are present do not interfere with meaning)

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Supplement

Artificial Intelligence – refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that

are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions. The term may also be
applied to any machine that exhibits traits associated with a human mind such as
learning and problem-solving.

Bushido – (Japanese: “The Way of the Warrior) the code of conduct of the samurai, or
bushi (warrior) class of premodern Japan. The precepts of Bushido were made the
basis of ethical training for the whole society, with the emperor replacing the feudal lord
or daimyo as the focus of loyalty or sacrifice.

Confucianism – or the Way of life was propagated by Confucius in the 6 th and 5th
century BCE. It has become the substance of learning, the source of values, and the
social code of Chinese.

Eudaimonia – in Greek philosophy, it means to achieve the best condition possible for
a human being, in every sense – not only happiness, but also virtue, morality and a
meaningful life.

Enframe – state of unconcealing or using/utilizing the standing reserve, abusive and

unguarded enframing may lead to exploitation of the natural resources.

Phronesis – the habit of making the right decisions and taking the right actions in
context, and relentless pursuit of excellence for the common good

PAGASA – (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services

Administration) is the Philippines’ national institution dedicated to provide flood and
typhoon warnings, public weather forecasts and advisories, meteorological and
astronomical, climatological, and other special information and services primarily for the
protection of life and property and in support of economic productivity and sustainable
development.

Robot – a machine resembling a human being and able to replicate certain human
movements and functions automatically

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SDG – (Sustainable Development Goals) are the blueprint to achieve a better and more
sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges including those related to
poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and
justice.

Standing reserve – are the resources nature gives to manufacture to create or reveal
technology.

STEM – is an educational program developed to prepare primary and secondary

students for college and graduate study in the fields of Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics. This also aims to foster inquiring minds, logical
reasoning and collaboration skills.

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References:

Amadio, A., Kenny, A. ”Aristotle –Greek Philosopher”

https://www.brittanica.com/biography/Aristotle

Blitz, M. (2014) “Understanding Heidegger on Technology”

https://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/understanding-heidegger-on-technology

Cambe, M. (2016) “Martin Heidegger: The Question Concerning Technology

Presentation”

Dayrit, F.M. (2011). “Sustainable Development: An Evolving Paradigm for the 21 st

Century.” Stellar Origins Human Ways. Ed. Ma. Assunta C. Cuyegkeng, 231-57

Ferngren, G. (Ed.). (2000). Encyclopedia of the History of Science and Religion in the
Western Tradition. New York: Garland

Feyerabend, P. (1975) “How to Defend Society Against Science.”

Radical Philosophy 11 (1): 3-9

Heidegger, M. (1977) The Question Concerning Technology. New York: Harper and
Row

Hickel, J. (2015) “Forget ‘Developing’ Rich Countries, It’s Time to ‘De-Develop’ Rich
Countries.”
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2015/sep/23/
developing-poor-countries-de-devlop-rich-countries-sdgs.

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Livejournal (2009) “Genesis in Reverse”
https://guru-vaj.livejournal.com/13104.html

Managing Research library (2013) “Aristotle’s Causality”

Mc Cormick, B. (2006) “Es Gibt”

Moore, C. (2019) “What is Eudaimonia? Aristitotle and Eudaimonic Well Being”

https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/eudaimonia/

Philosophy Terms (2018) “Eudaimonia”

https://philosophyterms.com/eudaimonia/
Pletcher, K. “Bushido – Japanese History”
https://www.brittanica.com/topic/Bushido

Reason and Meaning (2013) “Aristotle on the Good Life”

https://reasonandmeaning.com/2013/12/19/aristotle-on-the-good-and-meaningful-life/

Serafica, J., Pawilen, G., Casilib, B. Jr., Alata, E., (2018) “Science, Technology and
Society” Sampaloc, Manila: Rex Book Store, Inc.

Weiming, Tu (2019) “Confucianism”

https://www.brittanica.com/topic/Confucianism
https://managingresearchlibrary.org/glossary/aristotle-causality?
fbclid=IwAR0Brh9ba0nM43gICUrpVCzXpuyr7IuWIkSgmP20aZpLmfGjXwXtOKaDHXU
http://web.utk.edu/~sophia/readings/heidegger/heidegger.txt?fbclid=IwAR1Jv-
NyV6j_Kw-NdoEw6ctp__BR8pt0nD6OhF3RFyk9ZEcGIfmn5cQ7lIw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbuTSzXKgIA
http://www.users.cloud9.net/~bradmcc/EsGibtExplained.html
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frobt.2017.00075/full
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6432307.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6425927.stm
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/07/is-google-making-us-stupid/
306868/
https://www.edge.org/discourse/carr_google.html
https://www.cc.gatech.edu/computing/nano/documents/Joy%20-%20Why%20the
%20Future%20Doesn't%20Need%20Us.pdf
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need-us/
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https://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/0_0_0/whatisscience_12
https://climateandcapitalism.com/2012/04/02/four-laws/
http://www.philfilms.utm.edu/1/artificial.htm

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