HUMAN FLOURISHING AND SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY experience maximum pleasure.
Another approach to good is from the
The concept of human flourishing is best captured by the term
eudaimonia. It comes from the Greek word meaning “well,” and
daimon or daemon meaning “spirit” it is defined as a contented state of
being happy, healthy, and prosperous. It is also understood as the
effort to attain self-discovery and fulfillment within the setting of
society, each with right to pursue his or her own efforts to achieve such
state.
In Philosophy, eudaimonism refers to pursuing the right actions
that lead to one’s “well-being.” Ancient Greek philosophers developed
normative ethical theories called virtue ethics that emphasize the
virtues of mind and character. According to them, such virtues are
linked to the concept of arete, meaning, excellence of any kind that is
necessary in order for one individual to flourish and attain the good
life.”
Eudaimonia is an objective state that characterizes the well-
lived life as an individual’s ideal emotional state. It is thought as the
highest human good that is good-in-itself.
There are different philosophical theories that attempt to
explain eudaimonia such as hedonism. According to hedonism,
pleasure is the most valuable pursuit of mankind and everything that
one does is to gain pleasure. This view can be traced back to Aristippus,
a Greek philosopher who was convinced that life’s objective is to
historical and philosophical teachings of Aristotle-the eudaimonic well-
being. He assumed that happiness is a vague idea, emphasizing that not
all desires are worth pursuing. Though some may yield pleasure, they
will not always produce lasting happiness.
Epicurus and other notable hedonists agreed with Aristotle that
eudaimonia is the highest good. However, Epicurus associated this with
the idea of “pleasure for pleasure’s sake.”
THE HISTORY OF EUDAIMONIA
Human flourishing according to Aristotle
The term eudaimonia is explained by Aristotle in his
Nicomachean Ethics that dates back to the 4 th century BC. However,
earlier thinkers such as Democritus, Socrates, and Plato presented
similar concepts. Socrates believed that virtue is a sort of knowledge
(the knowledge of good and evil) that is needed to achieve the ultimate
goal all humans’ desire. On the other hand, Plato observed that even bd
people are capable of feeling guilty when they do something wrong. He
claimed that the mind must govern the spirit, emotions, and physical
desires to attain eudaimonia.
Aristotle departed from the Socratic view that happiness is
based on leading a life of virtue. He stated that such happiness is
conditional for it is dependent on other conditions. Any individual living
a life of virtue will not be happy if faced with an extreme predicament.
An individual’s virtue cannot bring happiness if he or she sick or
starving. In Aristotle’s point of view, the individual’s worldly conditions
are important in his or her pursuit of eudaimonia.
Aristotle stated that eudaimonia is not an instrumental good
but rather, the ultimate good for it is intrinsically good or good in its
own sake. For Aristotle, being part of a community is needed for an
individual to flourish as a human being. He emphasized thet friendship,
a mutual admiration between two persons, is a contributing factor in
attaining eudaimonia.
The Stoics perceived virtue is based on morality. They believed
that eudaimonia is the highest good and is achieved by living in
harmony with nature. However, perfect virtue is impossible to achieve.
Moral values such as courage, honesty, and justice are good while moral
vices like envy, slander, and shame are bad. Health, honor, and wealth
are neutral.
Human flourishing in the Christian perspective
From a Christian perspective, St. Augustine of Hippo and St.
Thomas Aquinas proposed that eudaimonia or human flourishing
requires one to have knowledge of God. On the other hand, John Locke,
who derived fundamental principles of his philosophy from the Bible,
stressed that happiness is pursued through prudence.
Old Testament
The concept of human flourishing in the Old Testament is best
described by the word shalom, which according to theologians, means
peace, harmony, and completeness. It is a sense of wholeness involving
an individual’s relationship with God and His creations. It involves
trusting the word and plan of God that He has already set from the
beginning of creation. According to Dr. Neal Plantinga, in his article
Educating for Shalom (2015), a more suitable definition of the word
shalom is the webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in
justice, fulfillment, and delight. People commonly refer to it as peace,
but its meaning goes beyond mere peace of mind or truce among
enemies. The Bible equates “shalom” to universal flourishing and
delight- a rich state of affairs that inspires wonder and joy for every
creature on Earth reigned over by the Creator and Savior.
New Testament
The concept of human flourishing is captured in the Bible’s New
Testament through the Beatitudes. These are the eight blessings
preached by Jesus to his followers in Matthew 5:1-12. Each Beatitude
begins with the Greek word Makarios (plural makarioi) meaning
“blessed” or “happy.” The term beatitude comes from the Latin beatus Carol Ryff (1995), a psychology professor, studied different
meaning blissful “fortunate,” or “flourishing.” models and theories of happiness in different subfields of psychology.
She concluded that there six components of well-being.
The beatitudes begin with the phrase “Blessed are …” or “Happy
are…”for they impart which qualities and attitudes one must have on personal growth
Earth in order to flourish in the afterlife.
self-acceptance
In the classical Greek, makar from macarios refers to the state
Psychological well-being purpose in life
of living a life of happiness without struggles and difficulties. Makarios
is commonly used as synonym for eudaimonia because both connote autonomy

happiness, peace of mind, joy, and the good life. According to the Bible, positive relationships
Jesus preached that human flourishing can be achieved by placing God
environmental mastery
at the center of one’s life. Scot McKnight highlighted in his discussion
of the Beatitudes that “the entire philosophy of ‘good life’ and the late- Ryff’s model of psychological well-being
modern theory of ‘happiness’ are at work when [Jesus] says, ‘Blessed
Anthony Bradley (2013), a professor at the Kings’s College in
are …(2013).
New York, echoed Ryff’s idea in his article “The New Legalism” where he
wrote:

Human flourishing in the socio-psychological perspective An emphasis on human flourishing, ours and others’, becomes
important because it is characterized by a holistic concern for the
Science and technology clearly affect the human experience and
spiritual, moral, physical, economic, material, political, psychological,
human understanding of happiness. Advancements in science and
and social context necessary for human beings to live according to their
technology, having made life easier, greatly influence the way people
design.
view what the good life is. Recent studies show that human
understanding of human flourishing includes mental and physical
health, satisfaction in one’s life, meaning, and purpose and social
The Consequences of human flourishing
relationships.
 In order to come with technological innovations, humanity has
taken control of the environment to take advantage of its natural
resources. It takes millions of years for a mountain to take shape but Technology as Way Revealing
only a few years to flatten it to make way for the development of roads,
subdivisions, and other structures. Modernization advances science and
Technology can be defined as the advancement of scientific
technology, and the human future at the cost of nature’s degradation.
knowledge to solve simple to complex problems or the manner in which
As the world continues to transform and develop in a pace a task is finished using different technical processes. However, these
beyond anyone’s expectations because of science and technology, definitions were challenged by German philosopher
scientific and technological innovations now come with responsibilities.
Martin Heidegger, man acclaimed for his works on metaphysics,
According to Gerd Leonhard, there would be “an avalanche of
phenomenology, and existentialism. He is best known for his seminal
technological changes that could reshape the very essence of humanity
essay The Question Concerning Technology (1954) that criticizes
and every aspect of life on our planet.
technology because of its limiting nature that prevents further
Scientists Stephen Hawking, Stuart Russell, Max Tegmark, and understanding of its true essence.
Frank Wilczek published an open letter in The Independent in May
Heidegger does not problematize the existence of technology or
2014stating that the emergence of artificial intelligence poses a great
its many forms but the way people orient themselves around
danger to humanity. They pointed out the possibility that such
technology. His criticisms are rooted in the idea that solving problems
technology can outsmart humans in terms of business and research,
caused by technology cannot be solved by simply improving problems
manipulate human leaders, and develop dangerous and highly advanced
technology. This is because technology is not purely technological.
weapons. They also noted that the successful creation of artificial
From a technical stand point, technology can be understood based on
intelligence may and will be the biggest discovery in the human history
two functions: instrumental and anthropological. Technology is
but would also be undoubtedly the last. The impact of rapid developing
instrumental because it is a means to an end and anthropological
technologies such as artificial intelligence goes beyond the present
because it is human activity. This definition is not wrong; however, it
condition. It affects not only humans but also the environment.
limit the understanding of technology as simply a tool for getting things
done.
 Heidegger sees reality as a result of causes or means. He places
Aristotle’s four causes in parallel to his own perspective. According to
Aristotle, the first cause is material cause (causa materialis) or the
material out of which an object is made. The second is formal cause
(causa formalis) or the shape or form of the object as it was produced.
The third is final cause (causa finalis) or the purpose or function of the
object. The fourth is efficient cause (causa efficiens), which causes
change in an object.
To elaborate the concept of the four causes, Heidegger uses a
silver chalice as an example. According to him, silver is the chalice’s
material cause. The shape that the chalice takes when it is formed
embodies the formal cause. The use of chalice in the context of
religious ceremonies is the embodiment of its final cause. Lastly,
responsible for manipulating the silver to create an actual chalice is the
efficient cause. Given the chalice as an example, Heidegger reconceives
Aristotle’s causes into the four ways of being responsible. According to
Heidegger, responsibility does not refer to accountability or creation;
rather, it is what helps an object reach its full potential as a functional
object.
Heidegger does not consider the effective cause to be similar to
the three other causes but as an essential idea to understand the other
causes as well as itself. The four causes are taken into account by
another he calls the bringing forth or the taking of each of the causes
with meticulous consideration to create the final product.
According to Heidegger, bringing forth falls under two
categories, namely, poiesis and physis. Poiesis is the bringing forth of
an object into existence from creation or art, practiced by craftsmen
and poets. Physis, on the other hand, is the bringing forth of an object
from nature, which is a self-producing process of coming into existence.
He states that technology comes from the Greek term technikon,
related to the Greek term techne. Techne, as in technique, both skill of
manufacture (carpenters, shoemakers, etc.) and art (poets, painters,
etc.). Furthermore, Heidegger states how Plato linked the term techne
to episteme from which the word “epistemology” stems from. In this
sense, techne means “know-how” or is defined, in the widest sense, as
one’s expertise in a particular field.
According to Heidegger, the act of bringing-forth is grounded in
the act of uncovering. In addition, he clarifies that technology is not a
mere means but rather, a mode of reveling. Thus, the bringing forth of
technology brings what the Greeks refer to as aletheia meaning
unconcealment or truth. From here, Heidegger says that technology is
very distant from modern technology, as modern technology is
disjointed from the idea of aletheia.
Given Heidegger’s chalice example, the silversmith, by virtue of
his or her techne, brings together form, matter, and function
encompassing the idea of what a chalice is. He or she can uncover or
reveal an actual chalice from the silver that is “on its” way to existence.
This is the essence of technology-a revealing of the truth.
 This is where modern technology modern technology comes maximize the use of a given object while using the bare minimum
into objection. Heidegger compares a windmill, a familiar and older expenditure. From here, what is gathered from setting-upon is
form of technology, to a hydroelectric dam, a newer form of unlocked and transformed through the process of “ordering.” The
technology. The windmill draws energy from the wind whereas a transformed energy form “ordering” is stored and distributed as seen
hydroelectric dam exploits and stores energy. In this sense, modern fit.
technology challenges the planet’s resources, a concept embodied in
Heidegger questions the position of humanity in the process of
Heidegger’s term of “challenging-forth.” Modern technology challenges
challenging nature. He asks how humanity is involved in the revealing
nature in providing the energy that it needs. Heidegger, uses the Rhine
process and to what extent it could be done. This is answered with the
River in Germany as an example. For an artist, the river is a source of
idea that the standing-reserve comes from the potential energy
poetic and philosophical inspiration. But once an engineer builds a dam
produced and reserved for purposes that either humans or technology
on the river, the river’s purpose changes and from that point onwards: it
may change and manipulate for future use.
becomes a source of energy.
Heidegger reiterates that modern technology, as a revealing, is
While modern technology also employs aspects of
no mere human doing. Modern technology challenges humanity to do
unconcealment and revealing, it does so differently, it does so
something with nature-to manipulate nature by ordering and directing
differently, compared to older forms. Modern technology turns the
it to transform it from being a standing-reserve into the revealing. He
world into a “standing-reserve,” a concept that means that the world’s
uses an example of how mountains unfold into mountain ranges an
resources are not “good” on its own but are only “good for” something
dhow their gathering is called gebirg (mountain chain), as they too are
else. Modern technology is focused on “setting upon,” which challenges
ordered.
nature in providing the energy that it needs that delays nature’s
potential to be “revealed.” These challenging gathers humanity into revealing the standing-
reserve in what Heidegger calls gestell or enframing. The idea of
There are two different ways modern technology challenges
enframing stems from what Heidegger refers to as the “frame of mind”
nature to provide energy. The first is how modern technology unlocks
that drives humans to a precise scientific knowledge and renewed
the energy from natural resources and exposes the object for whatever
perception of the world. Another way to describe enframing is the
purpose it may hold. The other is in how modern technology is able to
gathering of what humanity is setting-upon and revealing that the
essence of modern technology is not technological. The parts that make
up technological devices such as the batteries and processors of
machines belong to the technological. The assembly falls under the
sphere of technological activity. This activity responds to the challenge
of enframing but never makes up what enframing truly is.
THE GOOD LIFE
In an article discussing the meaning of life, Susan wolf (2011)
presented a few theories that explain the meaning of the good life from
various perspectives.
Based on the hedonistic theory, one’s “good” is a matter of
how he or she feels regarding the quality of his or her experience s. it
identifies self-interest with happiness that hedonists define as the
presence of pleasure and absence of pain.
In the preference theory, a person’s “good” is what one wants
most for himself or herself. For example, some people prefer material
wealth over prestige, fame, or a good reputation.
According to the objective list theory, a person’s “good”
includes at least some elements that are independent of personal
preferences and consists of “valuable” experiences such as meaningful
relationships, friendships, accomplishments, etc.
Wolf stresses that happiness and meaningfulness are important
elements of a good life. One’s life can become meaningful when he or
she is committed, passionate, and involved in activities of worth. It
must be noted; however, that one’s involvement in any and every
activity may not always bring pleasantness and enjoyment.
The idea of what “a good life” is could always be traced to the
classics of philosophy. In relation to this, Antonia Macaro (2018) listed
some components of a good life based on the writings of Aristotle. She
provided various criteria that may constitute a good life: success,
material comfort, pleasure, relationships, reason, and virtues.
Character and spirituality are equally important elements.
1. Success and material comfort. Success is defined differently by
different people. Dr. Ron Jensen’s book, Make a Life Not Just a
Living (1995) discusses the common perceptions of individuals
about successful life. He presented the 5Ps: power, prestige,
pleasure, position, and prosperity, which are perceived to be
components of a happy successful life. However, these
elements do not constitute a good life. History has shown that
powerful and influential people may not necessarily have
balanced, happy lives. Prosperous and wealthy businessmen
may not be satisfied in other areas of their lives. Fame does not
immediately mean happiness.
Success and material possession are not inherently bad;
however, material wealth is not the ultimate good because it is
 still dependent on the validation of society. Aristotle
considered that a moderate quantity of material comfort is also
necessary for one’s well-being.
2. Pleasure. Pleasure is not the ultimate good, but it is good in
moderation. Pleasure does not automatically translate to a
good life. The desire for pleasure is a form of hedonism, the
view in which pleasure is the highest goal. This self-focused
pleasure is derived from being involved in some worthwhile
activity. A good life is a balance between value and pleasure.
3. Relationships. Relationships are essential to a good life.
Meaningful, pleasant relations with mutual admiration are
necessary in a good life. Cultivating good relationships within
different aspects of one’s life (i.e. faith, family, work, and
community) contributes to the quality of one’s life.
4. Reason and virtues. One of the elements of the ultimate good
is reason. Theoretically, reason is the contemplation of
unchangeable truths. Practically, it is the capacity to make
decisions in the sphere of what can be changed. Theoretical
and practical reasons are intellectual virtues that are central
parts of the good life. In order to flourish as human beings, the
development of virtues of character includes learning to act
according to reason.
5. Character and spirituality. According to Dr. Ron Jenson (1995),
an individual’s character is the root of his or her inner strength.
King Solomon, who led Israel, had authored the Book of
Ecclesiastes in which he stated that to fear God and keep His
commandments are fundamental duties of man. These
statements encompass spirituality and character. King Solomon
urges the cultivation of one’s character and spirituality, which
are essential elements to a good life.
Steps toward the good life
A study by Anne Birgitta Pessi (2008) provides a novel arrow
model that illustrates the essential steps toward a good life.
Relationship-balance-health-secure income- fulfilling oneself-values and
spirituality-work and leisure-------
Novel Arrow Model of a Good Life
According to the model, the most central step toward a good
life concerned relationships. Based on a survey by Pessi, the most
important and central themes concerned the family, especially spouse
and /or children. Friends and other social relationships were also often
noted.
The second step is about balance, contentment, and safety. A
very significant theme in this step is peace of mind, including elements
of equilibrium, safety, being at peace with oneself, contentment, and moral concept, human virtues must constantly be kept in mind. The
physical/psychic/mental well-being. ultimate good is the measure of the value of all human activities, and
the ultimate value of life measures how well one has lived up to his or
The third step of the good life is concerned with health, while
her potential as a human being. Likewise, technological progress as a
the fourth step is about secure income or finances. The next steps are
means to achieve a good and fulfilled life must necessarily equate to
somewhat the abstract of the good life.
advancements that are anchored in balance and human values.
The fifth step is about fulfilling oneself. Meaningfulness is the
most significant theme. Its elements include having meaningful things
to do, a purpose in life, reaching goals, living according to one’s values,
and having dreams and joy in life.

The sixth step is concerned with values, spirituality, and being

at peace. Two most central themes are peace and safety in a rather
literal sense, such as having a peaceful home/dwelling and
neighborhood, the second, peace of soul in relation to one’s
“wholesome basic values,” such as justice, honesty, respect, altruism,
and compassion, as well as religion.

The last step of the good life concerns having meaningful work
and /or hobbies.

Science and technology as a means to achieve a good life

Science and technology throughout the course of time have

changed the way we live, work, communicate, and connect with one
another. Thei progress can be seen as parallel to how humans move
toward what is perceived as a good life. Nonetheless, as “good life” is a