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Study Guide 5
Study Guide 5
Chapter 5
The Human Person flourishing in terms of Science and Technology
STUDY GUIDE
PHILOSOPHY- The study of general and fundamental problems concerning matters such as
existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind and language.
Branches of Philosophy
1. Natural Philosophy
2. Moral Philosophy
3. Metaphysical philosophy
MARTIN HEIDEGGER (1889-1976)
German philosopher whose work is associated with phenomology and existentialism.
His ideas have exerted influence on the development of contemporary European
philosophy.
His best-known work is Being and Time (1927). He gave a very impressive analysis of
human existence, the prominence of the important themes of existentialism like care,
anxiety, guilt and above all death is brought out here.
He begins “The Question Concerning Technology” by examining the relationship
between human and technology, a relationship Heidegger calls a free relationship. If this
relationship is free, it opens our human existence to the essence of technology”. This
essence of technology, however, has nothing to do with technology. Rather, as Heidegger
suggests, ‘The essence of a thing is considered to be what the thing is.”
Heidegger examines two definitions of technology. Firstly, he offers that “Technology is a
means to an end” (Instrumental definition). Secondly, he proposes that “Technology is
a human activity (Anthropological definition).
Doctrine of causality
1. Causa materialis- the material, the matter out of which an object is made.
2. Causa formalis-the form, the shape into which the material enters.
3. Causa efficiens- which brings about the effect that is finished
4. Causa finalis- end
TERMINOLOGIES
Aletheia means unhiddenness or disclosure
Poesis is defined as bringing forth.
Techne is the root of technology
Piety is associated with being religious.