HUMAN FLOURISHING

Hassanal Peuto Abusama, MAT

Sultan Kudarat State University
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• a. Examine human flourishing in the context of
S&T development;
• b. Make an idea about de-development as a
progress and development model; and
• c. Distinguish between progress and
development traditional model and Hickel’s de-
development concept.
Aristotle (385-323 BC) – Human Flourishing

• Eudaimonia – means good spirited; translated

as human flourishing.
• HF- Arises as a result of different components
such as phronesis (virtue/wisdom), friendship,
wealth and power. (Nichomachean Ethics)
Aristotle (385-323 BC) – Human Flourishing

• They believe that acquiring these qualities will

surely bring the seekers happiness, which in
effect allows them to partake in the greater
notion of what we call the GOOD.
• Elements that constitute human flourishing,
have changed as time changes.
• Our concept of human flourishing today proves
to be different from what Aristotle originally
perceived then – humans of today are expected
to become a “man of the world”.
• Competition as a means of survival has become
passé, the latest trend is teamwork.
 WESTERN CIVILATION EATERN CIVILIZATION

MORE FOCUSED ON THE MORE COMMUNITY-CENTRIC

INDIVIDUAL
COMMUNITY TAKES THE
INDIVIDUAL GROWTH HIGHEST REGARD THAT THE
INDIVIDUAL SHOULD
SACRIFICE HIMSELF FOR
THE SAKE OF THE SOCIETY.

HF AS AN END IS PRIMARILY
MORE OF CONCERN FOR
WESTERN CIVILIZATIONS
• The Greek Aristotelian view seeks eudaimonia
as the supreme good; there is no suggestion
whatsoever that Aristotle implied it as
instrumental in achieving any other goals.
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND HUMAN
FLOURISHING

• One of the most prevalent themes is human’s

perpetual need to locate himself in the world by finding
proofs to trace evolution.
• Technology is a human activity that we excel in as a
result of achieving science.
• The end goals of both science and technology and
human flourishing are connected, in that the end good
is inherently related to the truth.
 A true eudaimon recognizes that flourishing
requires one to excel in various dimensions, such
as linguistic, kinetic, artistic, and socio-civic.
Thus, he understands that he should not focus on
one aspect alone.
HUMAN FLOURISHING ACROSS TIME AND
CIVILIZATIONS
• Science also developed in different parts of the world and
other civilizations; in Asia, Europe, Mesoamerica and
Africa. People in these continents invented tools to help
them in everyday life, discovered many things, and
invented mathematics as a tool and as a discipline.
• Science provided different ancient civilizations the means
to survive and understand the natural and physical world. It
also enabled human beings to develop various
technologies that helped them in their everyday tasks.
HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?

• World leaders signed the Millennium Development

Goals (MDG) in 2002, one of which states that they
should be able to forge a sustainable development
partnership.
• Economists assumed that inflation was the primary
measure of growth, as both go hand in hand and
sought to accomplish this through their money.
HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?

• Growth presents an illusory notion of sustainability –

the world’s resources can only provide so much, it
cannot be expected to stretch out for everybody’s
consumption over a long period of time.
• Development is not limitless.
Reaction Paper Writing
(Jason Hickel’s Article)
– Read Hickel’s article entitled “Forget ‘developing’ poor
countries, its time to ‘de-develop’ rich countries. Write a
reaction paper about the article with 300-500 words in a
short bond paper. Aerial 12, normal margin, double
space.
– https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-
professionals-network/2015/sep/23/developing-poor-
countries-de-develop-rich-countries-sdgs
–Let us hear some of your opinions
and reactions about the article of
Jason Hickel.
-written on September 2015
 Main strategy for eradicating
poverty
– Growth
– More growth – according to Orthodox
economists

Scientists are now telling us that we’re blowing past planetary

boundaries at breakneck speed.
Economist Peter Edward argues that instead of pushing
poorer countries to “catch up” with rich ones, we
should be thinking of ways to get rich countries to
“catch down” to more appropriate levels of
development.
Is it possible to ‘de-develop’
rich countries?
– According to the article, some of the excess income and
consumption we see in the rich world yields
improvements in quality of life that are not captured by
life expectancy, or even literacy rates. But even if we look
at measures of overall happiness and wellbeing in
addition to life expectancy, a number of low- and middle-
income countries rank highly.
 Rich countries Excess income Higher life
and consumption expectancies?

Higher literacy
rates?

Higher
happiness
indicators?

Image retrieved from: http://cdn2.insidermonkey.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/featured2.jpg

– According to recent consumer research, 70% of people in
middle- and high-income countries believe
overconsumption is putting our planet and society at
risk. A similar majority also believe we should strive to
buy and own less, and that doing so would not
compromise our happiness.
The framework of Jason Hickel
relates to Heidegger’s argument
– The business of uncovering the universe's secrets reacts
to the issue of our life and gives us something to look
forward to. Our idea of self-importance is elicited by
having a specific position, which is uniquely ours. In this
regard, human flourishing is profoundly entangled with
the aim that science and technology are important.
The framework of Jason Hickel
relates to Heidegger’s argument
– In this case, the latter is necessary as a method for
achieving the former to echo Heidegger's argument that
technology is a human activity that we excel in as a result
of science achievement. It is enough to claim that the
ultimate goals of both science and technology and
human prosperity are connected, and that the good is
ultimately linked to the facts.
– As contemplated by Joseph Hickel, implying that
developing countries should not press for further growth
but pursue "de-development" policies instead or else,
everybody loses. The rapid speed of technological
growth does not allow nature to recover, resulting in
exploitation and irreversible harm to nature.
– Right now, in the hands of man-made climate change,
which will snowball and affect the majority of flora and
fauna, we are witnessing consequences of such exploits,
driving half of the latter extinct within less than a
hundred years. We could bring on our own extinction if
this continues at its present alarming pace.
LESSON 5. HUMAN
FLOURISHING-ASSESSMENT
– Check on the google classroom for the link.
THANK YOU!