Unit 2: Midterm

Science, Technology and Society and the

Human Condition

Introduction

There can be no doubt that we are rapidly moving towards a global society,
crossing the whole earth. Yet this global society derives its unity not from
philosophy or religion, but rather from technology. Technology is improving
life and improving it fast. It is technology that is leading to the blending of
all forms of social interaction and communication regardless of their
historical and cultural origin. It is technology that is creating a shared
horizon for economic productivity, just as it is technology that permits the
limitless accumulation of public wealth. Technology is the major social
activity of human beings as a species and, as an activity, and is both
cumulative and linear, irrespective of its consequences for human happiness.

In this chapter, we will be discussing the different conceptions of human

flourishing, which signify the “well-being” and “happiness” of men and
suggests positive emotional experiences. Also, the development of scientific
method and validity of science, human flourishing facing progress of science
and technology. It has been recognized that human flourishing in our present
societies seem dominated by difficulties, not only in the developing world,
but also in the developed world.

Also, this chapter covers the concept of human condition before and after the
existence of science and technology and ways on how technology aided in
revealing the truth about human being.

Furthermore, we will also be discussing the meaning of a good life and the
different possibilities available in attaining a good life and happiness. It will
point out how humans strive to become happy, achieve a comfortable and
convenient life and the desire to make the work lighter, easier and faster.

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Finally, we shall also be taking up the different technological advancements in
society, development of Science and Technology in the Philippines and the
effects of the interplay between technology and humanity through difficulty
where the world is entering a period of transformative change, and many of
people will be surprised by the developments they simply hadn’t anticipated.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this unit, student can:

 Analyze the human condition in order to deeply reflect and

express philosophical ratifications that are meaningful to
the student as a part of society;

 Criticize human flourishing vis-à-vis the progress of science

and technology so that the student can define for
himself/herself the meaning of the good life;

 Examine shared concerns that make up the good life in order

to come up with innovative, creative solutions to contemporary
issues guided by ethical standards;

 Examine human rights in order to uphold such rights in

technological ethical difficulties;

 Evaluate contemporary human experience in order to

strengthen and enlighten the human person functioning in
society; and

 Find and examine local government policies that protect

the wellbeing of the person in the face of new technologies

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Topic 4: The Human Person Flourishing in terms of Science
and Technology

Learning Objectives

After successful completion of this module, you should be able to:

 analyze the steps in scientific method;
 explain the concepts of human flourishing and their importance for the
“common good” and present examples;
 enumerate some career jobs related to science and technology that lead to
human flourishing.

Presentation of Contents

Problems that you encounter could be solved by simple ways. Maria could have
solved her problem if she tried to approach it systematically. This lesson will
introduce you to the scientific method. The scientific method is a logical and
systematic way of solving a problem.

Making Observation and Stating the Problem

Different things happen around you. As you notice these, you take a mental note of
what you see, hear, feel, smell or taste. These mental notes are your observations. On
the space below, write five things that you can observe around you right now.
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Choose one observation from your list above. Choose the most interesting and from
that, compose your statement of the problem.

Statement of the problem:

Formulating the Hypothesis

Your statement of the problem must have an answer. But at this point, you still

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do not have a definite one, so you formulate your hypothesis. A hypothesis is a logical
guess that answers the question or problem. It could be correct or incorrect, which is what
you will find out in the next step. You could have more than one hypothesis, but you will
consider them one at a time in the succeeding steps.

Answer your statement of the problem by formulating three hypotheses.

1.

2.

3.

Testing the Hypothesis with experiment

After proposing possible answer to the problem, you should prove whether
your hypotheses are true or not. This could be through experiments, test, or
research. You need to plan how you would test your hypothesis by
logically writing down the steps that you will do.

Since you will be writing down steps of a procedure, your methodology

should be numbered and logically arranged. It should contain practical
procedures, which are significant to the study being conducted.

Choose one among the hypotheses you formulated. On the space below, write
the procedure on how you will test the hypothesis.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Stating the Conclusion

At this point, you now know if your hypothesis answered your question. If it
did, you just restate your hypothesis as your conclusion. If it did not, then you
need to test other hypotheses.
Human Flourishing
According to Aristotle, there is an end of all of the actions that we perform
which we desire for itself. This is what is known as eudaimonia, flourishing,
or happiness, which is desired for its own sake with all other things being
desired on its account. Eudaimonia is a property of one's life when considered
as a whole. Flourishing is the highest good of human endeavors and that

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toward which all actions aim. It is success as a human being. The best life is
one of excellent human activity.

For Aristotle, the good is what is good for purposeful, goal-directed entities.
He defines the good proper to human beings as the activities in which the life
functions specific to human beings are most fully realized. For Aristotle, the
good of each species is teleologically immanent to that species. A person's
nature as a human being provides him with guidance with respect to how he
should live his life. A fundamental fact of human nature is the existence of
individual human beings each with his own rational mind and free will. The
use of one's volitional consciousness is a person's distinctive capacity and
means of survival.

One's own life is the only life that a person has to live. It follows that, for
Aristotle, the "good" is what is objectively good for a particular man.
Aristotle's eudaimonia is formally egoistic in that a person's normative reason
for choosing particular actions stems from the idea that he must pursue his
own good or flourishing. Because self-interest is flourishing, the good in
human conduct is connected to the self-interest of the acting person. Good
means "good for" the individual moral agent. Egoism is an integral part of
Aristotle's ethics.

Application

Activity 1: Applying the Scientific Method

Direction: Follow the scientific method focusing on what you can

immediately observe that is happening in the environment at 8 o’clock in the
morning. Use the data sheet below to write down your answers. For the data
analysis, assume that you performed the test and were able to prove that
your hypothesis is an answer to the problem.

Location of Observation:

I. Making Observations and stating the Problem

II. Formulating Hypothesis

1.

2.

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 3.

III. Testing the Hypothesis with an experiment

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

IV. Stating the Conclusion

Essential Questions:

1. What do you think will happen if the steps in scientific method are
in different order?

2. If you would be adding more steps to the scientific method, what

would be these steps? Discuss the additional steps you are
proposing.

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Topic 5: Technology as a Way of Revealing

Learning Objectives

After successful completion of this topic, you should be able to:

 Explain the concept of human condition before science and technology;

 Identify the change that happened in human condition after science
and Technology and
 Name ways on how technology aided in revealing the truth about the
human being

Activating Prior

Knowledge Reaction Paper

Writing
Make a reaction on the saying “Comparing the lives of people before and now
will make anyone realize the changes that happened in society not just in terms
of culture, language or rights, but more importantly, changes in people’s way of
life due to the existence of science and technology”.

Film Viewing
You will be asked to view the Film: Akiro Kurosawa’s Dreams “Village of
the Watermills”
After the film viewing, you are now directed to make a collage You will be
needing the following materials in the activity below.
Coloring pens/crayons, Pentel pen, Pencil, Colored old magazines, Pictures
from the web, Scissors, Cartolina, Glue, Bond papers
Using the materials listed above, make a collage by cutting pictures in
magazines or newspapers or make illustrations that will demonstrate human
condition before the common era and the human condition during the
common era and you may include their day to day activities, their ways of
achieving survival and their strategies to attain high productivity. You may opt
to print pictures using the web.(PLEASE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE
INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY)

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list down notable human conditions before the common era and during the common era and briefly discuss
these conditions below.
1. Before the Common Era

2. During the Common Era

Presentation of Contents

Our early ancestors’ primal need to survive paved the way for the invention of
several developments. As we always claim that humans are gifted with wisdom
and more advanced than any other creatures, our ancestors were able to utilize
available materials to make their life more comfortable.

In your own perspective, how has technology affected the following aspects
given the two-time frames? Fill out the table below.

Human Conditions Before the common During the common era

era
Mortality Rate

Average Life Span

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Topic 6: The Good Life
Learning Objectives

After successful completion of this topic, you should be able to:

 Examine what is meant by a good life in various philosophies;

 Examine what you consider to be the good life and determine which
philosophy that represents;
 Identify how humans attempt to attain what is deemed to be a good
life;
 Recognize possibilities available to human beings to attain the good
life; and
 Examine shared concerns that make up the good life in order to come
up with innovative, creative solutions and ethical solutions.

Activating Prior Learning

Checkpoint 1
“The truth is the aim of the theoretical sciences, the good is the end goal of
the practical ones. Every attempt to know is connected in some way in an
attempt to find the good”.

Aristotle
Activity:

You will be needing the following materials in the activity below.

Materials:
Coloring pens/crayons, Pentel pen, Pencil, Colored old magazines, Pictures
from the web, Scissors, Cartolina, Glue, Bond papers

Using the materials listed above, make a good life collage or card by cutting
pictures from the magazines or newspapers that demonstrate how technology
has made the man’s desire for a happy life more realizable. You may choose
to print pictures from the web or use recycled materials.

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 Presentation of Contents
What is Good Life as Perceived by different schools of

thought? Aristotle and Good Life

It is interesting to note that the first philosopher who approached the

problem of reality from scientific lens is Aristotle who is also the first
thinker who dabbled into the complex problematization of the end goal of
life: happiness.
Compared to his predecessor and teacher, Plato, Aristotle embarked on
different approach in figuring out reality. Plato thought that things in this
world are not real and are only copies of the real in the world of forms. While
Aristotle puts everything back to the ground in claiming that this world is all
there and that this world is the only reality, we can all access.
Aristotle also forwarded the idea that there is no reality over and above
what the senses can perceive. As such, it is only by observation of the external
world that one can truly understand what reality is all about. Change is a
process that is inherent in things. We, along with all other entities in the world
start as potentialities and move towards actualities. The movement, of course,
entails change.

https://wellbeingmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/seedling-
growth.jpg

Figure 6.1

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Look at the seed in the picture. It eventually germinates and grows into a
plant. The seed that turned to become the plant underwent change from
the potential plant that is the seed to its full actuality.

This can be likened to what Aristotle says that every human person aspires
for an end. This end is happiness or human flourishing. And no one resists
happiness because we all want to be happy.

Materialism
The first materialists were the atomists in Ancient Greece. Democritus and
Leucippus led a school whose primary belief is that the world is made up of
and is controlled by the tiny indivisible units in the world called atomos or
seeds. Accordingly, the world including human beings, is made up of matter
and there is no need to possess immaterial entities as sources of purpose.
Atoms simply comes together randomly to form the things in the world. As
such, only material entities matter.

https://zenfulspirit.com/2018/02/16/materialism/
Figure 6.2

In terms of human flourishing, matter is what makes us attain happiness. The

material things we possess give us ultimate happiness. We see this at work
with most people who are clinging on to material wealth as the primary
source of meaning of their existence.

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Hedonism
The Hedonists see the end goal of life in acquiring pleasure. Pleasure has
always been the priority of hedonists. For them life is obtaining and indulging
in pleasure because life is limited. They believe that pleasure give meaning to
their life without thinking of the future. The mantra of this school of thought
is the famous, “Eat, drink and merry for tomorrow we will die.

https://australianluxuryboatsales.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/boat-
1024x683.jpg
Figure 6.3

Stoicism
Another school of thought led by Epicurus, the stoics, exposed the idea that to
generate happiness, one must learn to distance oneself and be apathetic. The
original term apatheia, precisely means to be indifferent. These group believe
that they can do things at their own and believe that happiness can only be
attained by a careful practice of apathy.

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http://lyfetainment.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/1.-Can-Loneliness-Kill-You-Why-
You- Feel-Lonely.jpg
Figure 6.4

Theism
Most people find the meaning of their lives using God as the fulcrum of their
existence. The Philippines, as predominantly country, is witness to how
people base their life goals on beliefs that hinged on some form of
supernatural reality called heaven. The ultimate basis of happiness for theists
is the communion with God.

https://coffeewiththelord.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/god-
alone.jpg?w=350&h=200&crop=1
Figure 6.5
Humanism
Humanism as another school of thought espouses the freedom of man to carve
his own destiny and to legislate his own laws, free from the shackles of a God
that monitors and controls. For humanists, man is literally the captain of his
own ship. They see themselves not merely as stewards of the creation but as
individuals who are in control of themselves and the world outside them.

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As a result of the motivation of the humanist current, scientists eventually
turned to technology in order to ease the difficulty of life. Scientists of today
meanwhile are ready to confront more sophisticated attempts at altering the
world for the benefit of humanity. Some people now are willing to tamper
with time and space in the name of technology.

https://soheefit.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Screenshot-2014-04-10-
13.04.01.png
Figure 6.5

Application

Acitivity: Fill in the blanks

Using the table below, list down the different advantages and disadvantages of
the different schools of thought in attaining good life and happiness.

School of Thought Advantages Disadvantages

1. Materialism

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2. Hedonism

3. Stoicism

4. Theism

5. Humanism

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Topic 7: When technology and humanity cross

Learning Objectives

After successful completion of this topic, students will be able to:

 List examples of technology and give their risks and benefits

to humanity;
 Examine some technological advancements and ethical issues
they entail; and
 Discuss the interplay between technology and humanity.

Activating Prior Learning

Are you ready for your next topic? I’m sure you are! As a start, let’s do this
preparatory activity especially prepared for you. Happy learning!

Using a graphic organizer below, list down some technology you see or you
use at home, at school or in your community, and in social media. Categorize
them according to their purpose (transportation, communication, education,
etc.). Describe briefly how you or the community use these technologies you
mention.

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 Presentation of Contents

https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=technology+and+humanity
Figure 7.1.
When technology and humanity cross… Will it be a
convergence or a clash between man and machine?

Television sets, Mobile phones, Computers, and Humanity

A number of technological devices can be easily found inside the home, the
most accessible place to anyone. Having said that, it can also be easily
inferred that these technological devices are some of the most popular and
most commonly used types of devices across all age groups. To be more
specific, these “celebrities” in the field of technology are television sets,
mobile phones, and computers. People all over the world use these
technologies every day to accomplish different purposes.

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 In television, used mainly as a platform for advertisements and information
dissemination. It remains to be the most used avenue by
different advertisement companies not only in the
Philippines but also all over the world. Various
advertising companies trust that television is still one of
the most used technological devices up until today. It
also serves as a recreational activity and good stress
reliever to most families, specifically to Filipino
families. Television also is a good platform for Komando.com
different propagandas and advocacies. Lastly, it can Figure 7.2
also be a good way to bond with one’s family
members.

In mobile phones, used primarily for

communication. It offers services like
texting and calling. In the past, these
were the only functions of the mobile
phone but as technology progressed,
there have been many additional
features included on mobile phones. In
the
canstockphoto.com present, people use their mobile phones
Figure 7.3
to surf the Internet and to take pictures
more than text or to call people. This is the reason why more and more people
all over the world prefer to buy smartphones over the old models where such
features are not available. These make this particular technological device
very appealing to the masses. Additionally, it is very portable and convenient
because it can fit into any space, may it be inside the pocket or bag.

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Computers and laptops, on the other hand, can be used to surf the Internet
and communicate. For a lot of people, they prefer to do their job using either
a personal computer or a laptop than a mobile phone. Personal computer or a
laptop has wide keyboard, wide screens and separate keyboards than mobile
phones. Another reason is that the
availability of a mouse or a touchpad
made these two technological devices
easier to maneuver than mobile phones.
Lastly, for the youth and those who love
to play different computer games, personal
computers or laptops are really the better
choice because these allow them play with
comfort and convenience.
http://crossram.co.uk Figure 7.4

Ethical Dilemma Faced by these technological advancements

It is true that these technological devices are useful and beneficial, the fact
remains that there are several dilemmas faced by these “necessities”. First,
most parents would argue that these devices make their children lazy and
unhealthy. This is because of the fact that people who are fixated on these
technological advancements start and end their day by using such devices. For
example, those who love to watch television shows stay in front of the
television for more than six hours a day while those who love to surf the
Internet or play computer games stay on their laptops, computers, or mobile
phones for more than half a day. These people have the tendency to be
unaware of the time because they are so engrossed with the use of
technological device. Also, there are the same people who are more likely to
experience alienation because they no longer take time to get out their houses
and mingle with other people. It is really concerning to know that there are
people who develop different kinds of sickness because of too much use of
technological devices. The agents using the devices are the ones to be blamed
for the undesirable consequences, namely, laziness and unhealthiness. In terms
of alienation, it can be concluded that the people in the scientific-technological
world are blameworthy because they tell the people something that seems
positive but when examined closely, brings worse than good.

Another dilemma faced by these technological devices is the moral dilemma.

People, especially the children who are not capable yet of rationally deciding
for themselves what is right or wrong, are freely exposed to different things on
television, mobile phones, laptops, or computers. Because of the availability
and easy access to the Internet, they can just easily search the web and go to

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different websites without restrictions. This allows them to see, read, or hear
things which are not suitable for their very young age. This makes them very
vulnerable to character change and can greatly affect the way they view the
world and the things around them. The people in the scientific world nor the
children are blameworthy because first, the children are not yet capable of
rationally deciding for themselves what is good and what is bad. Second, even
if creators of these technologies went out of their way to inform children of
the pros and cons of these technological contributions, it would still be useless
because the children have no capacity to understand them yet. So, the ones to
be blamed are the adults who allowed the children to have access to such
devices in first place without any supervision.

Robotics and Humanity

Another great product of the innovative minds of the people is the robot which
are now widely used. For example, there are so -called service robots that do
specific tasks but focus mainly in assisting their masters in their everyday
tasks.

Germany was one of the first countries to develop service robots. As part of
the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research’s “Service Robotics
Innovation Lead
Initiative,” it sponsored a
collaborative project
called DESIRE (Deutsche
Servicerobotik Initiative-
Germany Service Robotics
Initiative) which was
launched on October 1,
2005. Some of the
expected work to be
performed by DESIRE are
the following: (1) “Clear
up the kitchen table” – all http://news.mit.edu
Figure 7.5
objects on top of the kitchen table will
be

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moved to where they belong; (2) “Fill the dishwasher” – the dirty dishes will
be sorted correctly into the dishwasher; and (3) “Clear up this room” – all
objects that are not in their proper places will be moved to where they belong.

Roles played by Robotics

Robots play different roles not only in the lives of the people but also in the
society as a whole. They are primarily used to ease the workload of mankind.
They were invented to make life more efficient and less stressful. They
perform complicated activities which human beings are incapable of doing.
On the other hand, they perform the simplest tasks at home so that their
masters can perform the complex ones without stressing themselves over the
simple tasks. There are also robots which are made for pleasure. To be more
specific, these types of robots perform activities to entertain people. They
can usually be found in amusement parks or exhibits. In addition, there are
also some robots which were made to serve as toys. They also perform
different activities but they are usually child-friendly.

Ethical Dilemma/s faced by Robotics

Just like any other technological advancements, robotics also faces different
problems and dilemmas. Although the idea is to help people and make their
lives a lot easier than before, it is still not immune to different ethical
dilemmas and possible undesirable outcomes. One of the dilemmas faced by
robots is safety. Who should be held accountable if someone’s safety is
compromised by a robot? It is important to know who should be blamed and
who should be held responsible if such thing happens.

Another dilemma is the emotional component. This may seem a little absurd
as of the moment, but looking at how fast technology progresses nowadays, it
is not completely impossible for robots to develop emotions. So here, the
questions become, “What if robots become sentient? Should they be granted
robot right? Should they have their own set of rights to be upheld, respected,
and protected by humans?” It is just right for the robots to be given their own
set of rights should they develop the ability to feel different kinds of emotion.

Moral and Ethical Issues in Advanced Technology

Individuals and organizations use technology to enhance their daily
operations, be it business, learning, construction, or medical activities.
Advancement in technology does not elicit ethical or moral issues, but it is
the use of technological inventions that raises these issues.

Ethical dilemmas arise when there are competing goods and competing evils.
In regard to IT, the sharing of private information within an organization
raises the question of whether the action is moral or immoral. Information
systems enable people to manipulate records within a short period, thus
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raising questions on whether the information is genuine or vague.
In addition, will genetic engineering improve the quality of life or destroy it?
These are some of ethical dilemmas that are yet to be solved. Furthermore,
biotechnology raises some moral issues. It is difficult to justify the use of
living organisms during research and other technological discoveries. For
instance, vitro fertilization enables women who are not in a position to have
their own children to undergo the process. Religious groups are opposed to
such practices because their beliefs do not agree with them.

Similarly, the uses of technology have the capability of making many

innocent people to suffer; this is a moral concern. For example, nuclear
technology has the potential of killing many people, and consequently
destroying the environment. This raises some health problems. People
affected by nuclear emissions, such as those witnessed in Hiroshima and
Nagasaki, are deemed to be genetically impaired. Such effects can affect the
next generations of affected individuals.
The use of computers also raises health issues. Even though computer makes
our work easier, it is evident that prolonged use of computers results to
repetitive stress injuries.

In regard to job displacement, machines have enabled companies to cut down

their labor force. Many companies use technological tools and knowledge,
such as robots and computer to run their business operations. Some people are
forced to take different roles other than their qualification requirements and
others are faced with stress related to work difficulties.

The idea that the quest for strong AI would ultimately succeed was long
thought of as science fiction, centuries or more away. However, thanks to
recent breakthroughs, many AI milestones, which experts viewed as decades
away merely five years ago, have now been reached, making many experts
take seriously the possibility of super intelligence in our lifetime. Because AI
has the potential to become more intelligent than any human, we have no
surefire way of predicting how it will behave. People now control the planet,
not because we’re the strongest, fastest or biggest, but because we’re the
smartest. If we’re no longer the smartest, are we assured to remain in control?

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But there are other examples of potential ethical dilemmas in scientific
research and technology. There are things like genetic engineering, where
people worry that we might one day create super-humans that will outcompete
regular humans. There is surveillance technology, making people wonder how
human rights could be violated. People ask questions about whether we're
going where only God should tread, and whether we should do something just
because we can. The implications of many of these technologies are complex
and philosophical.

The biggest risk to our future is not that technology will take over but that we
will become too much like technology. Let’s think about where it’s going.
Let’s balance the EQ with the IQ. We should think of technology not as what
we seek but rather how we seek – it is a tool we should embrace, not one we
should become.
Feedback

1. From the graphic organizer you completed at the very start of this
section, choose one technology in each category and give their risks
and benefits as regards to their purpose. Explain briefly each point
you included.

Technology Benefits Risks

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Summary

While it is true that science equips its knowers some details about the world,
its main claim to objectivity and systematic methodology is at the very least
flawed. Science and technology has aided us in our survival and helped us
outsmart our adversaries, provided us comfortable living, allowed us to
explore the world, and assisted us in discovering more about ourselves and the
truth.

However, it also leads us to the paradox in which we are only able to see the
world in the lenses of technological innovations leaving behind other aspects
which are deemed important. In our pursuit of growth, we had conveniently
forgotten that technology only presents one approach in viewing the world,
thus leading us to evaluate objects or not.
It is undeniably true that man constantly aims for good life and has worked
hard in pointing out what amounts to be good and what happiness means to
them. Science and technology has been at the forefronts of man’s attempts at
finding this happiness and attaining good life for many if not all of us.

In our modern times, there are different advancements given by science and
technology. However, there are still problems faced by these technological
advancements specifically on the ethical aspects in nature and mankind. It is
now impossible for technology and humanity not to cross paths and it is
necessary that ethics be enforced in the field of technology to ensure safety
and morality of these advancements to living things.

References

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

Number 41, Winter, pp 63-80

Mcnamara et al., (2018). Science, Technology and Society. C & E Publishing, Inc.

Patria, Javier et al. Science, Technology and Society, pp 63-74

Serafica et al., (2018). Science, Technology and Society. Rex Bookstore

Macat Thinking News. (2006) Aristotle’s Secret to Happiness: What will make us
happy now? Accessed February 3, 2017. https://www.macat.com/blog/aristotle’s -
secret-happiness

The Basics of Philosophy. (2008). Theism. Accessed February 3,2017.

http://www.philosophybasics.com/branch_theism.html.

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