CHAPTER 4:

HUMAN
FLOURISHING IN
SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
LEARNING OUTCOMES
01 Discuss what technology reveals;

02 Examine modern technology and its

role in human flourishing; and

Explain the role of art in a technological

03 world.
 The progress of human civilizations
throughout history mirrors the
development of science and
technology. The human person, as both
the bearer and beneficiary of science
and technology, flourishes and finds
meaning in the world that he/she builds.
In the person’s pursuit of the good life,
he/she may unconsciously acquire,
consume, or destory what the world has
to offer.
 TECHNOLOGY AS A MODE OF
REVEALING

In his seminal work,

“The Question of
Technology”, Martin
Heidegger urges us to
question technology
and see beyond
people’s common
understanding of it.
Martin Heidegger
-German Philosopher
 TECHNOLOGY AS A MODE OF
REVEALING
“The Question of Technology”
-Martin Heidegger

“What is Technology?”
Technology is a means to an end.
Technology is a human activity.
Technology itself is a contrivance.
The current conception of technology,
according to which it is a means and a human
activity, can therefore be called instrumental
and anthropological definition of technology.
 TECHNOLOGY AS A MODE OF
REVEALING
This definition is correct but not necessarily true.
Heidegger, however, asserted that the true can be
pursued through the correct. In other words, the
experience and understanding of what is correct lead
us to what is true.
Heidegger urged people to envision technology as a
mode of revealing as it shows so much more about
the human person and the world. By considering
technology as mode of revealing, truth is brought
forth. Whatever truth is uncovered, it will be
something more meaningful and significant than the
superficial or practical use of technology.
 TECHNOLOGY AS A MODE OF
REVEALING
Heidegger also put forward the ancient
Greek concepts of aletheia, poiesis, and
techne.
Aletheia - unhiddenness or disclose
Poiesis - bringing forth
Techne - root for technology meaning
skill, art, or craft
Thus is Heidegger’s work, technology is a
poiesis that discloses or reveals truth.
 TECHNOLOGY AS A MODE OF
REVEALING
On the other hand, to think of technology as
poetry takes a different mindset, a more
reflective and sensitive way of looking at the
world. This perspective is not easy to take
especially in this era when instant knowledge is
demanded and split-second updates are the norm,
and when in pursuit of fame and fortune is
unceasingly bannered on social media. There is so
much noise in the world that it would take a
disciplined stepping back to see what Heidegger
meant and to appreciate how technology could
actually be poetry that brings forth truth.
TECHNOLOGY AS A POIESIS:
APPLICABLE TO MODERN TECHNOLOGY?
Heidegger characterizes modern technology as a
challenging forth since it is very aggressive in its
activity.
Modern technology may also be a mode of revealing
but not as the harmonious bringing forth that is
described in his thesis of technology as poiesis.
Modern technology challenges nature and demands
of it resources that are, most of the time, forcibly
extracted for human consumption and storage. It
brings about a “setting upon of the land”.
TECHNOLOGY AS A POIESIS:
APPLICABLE TO MODERN TECHNOLOGY?
With modern technology, revealing never comes to an
end. The revealing always happens on our own terms
as everything is on demand. Information at our
fingertips, food harvested even out of season, gravity
defied to fly off to space - such capacity of the human
person.
We no longer need to work with the rhythms of nature
because we have learned to control it. We order
nature, and extract, process, make ready for
consumption, and store what we have forced it to
reveal.
TECHNOLOGY AS A POIESIS:
APPLICABLE TO MODERN TECHNOLOGY?
Heidegger described modern technology
as the age of switches, standing reserve,
and stockpiling for its own sake. This
observation is manifest in the
mechanization and digitization of many
aspects of our life - from agriculture to
communications and transportation,
among many others.
 QUESTIONING AS THE PIETY
OF THOUGHT
Normally, piety is associated with being
religious. For Heidegger, piety means
obedience and submission.
Meaning, we question things and we remain
open to new ideas and knowledge to
understand new concepts.
 THE WAY OF
REVEALING IN
MODERN
TECHNOLOGY IF
ENFRAMING
 Poeisis is Heidegger Calculative thinking - one orders
and puts a system to nature so it
concealed in distinguished
can be understood and
enframing as between controlled
nature is viewed as calculative
an adorable and thinking and Meditative thinking - one lets
calculable system meditative nature reveal itself to him/her
without forcing it.
of information thinking
 Enframing is done because people want secrurity,
even if the ordering that happens in enframing is
voilent and even if the Earth is made as a big
gasoline station from which we extract, stockpile
and put in standing reverse, ready to be used as we
see it fit.
 If we are constantly plugged online and no longer
have the capacity for authentic personal encounter,
then we are truly swallowed by technology. If we
cannot let go of the conveniences and profits
brought about by processes and industries that
pollute the environment and cause climate change,
then technology has consumed our humanity.
 Thus we shall never experience our
“But where danger is, relationship to the essence of technology so
grows the saving long as we merely represent and pursue the
power also” (Holderlin - technological, put up with it, or evade it.
Everywhere we remain unfree and chained to
poet) technology, whether we passionately affirm
or deny it. But we are delivered over to it in
“Essence of technology the worst possible way when we regard it as
something neutral; for this conception of it, to
is nothing which today we particularly like to pay
technological” homage, makes us utterly blind to the essence
of technology (Heidegger, 1977, p.1)
(Heidegger, 1997)
Enframing, as the mode of revealing in modern technology,
tends to block poeisis

When instruments are observed linearly,

its poetry can no longer be found. For
example, the watermill is a primitive
structure compared to the hydropower
plant; or the first iPhone model is just an
obsolete piece of machine. People no
longer realize how the water is more in
tune with the rhythms of nature or how
much genius went into the building of
the first iPhone.
 TECHNE
Once the revealing that brings forth truth into the splendor
of radiant appearance...
Once there was a time when the bringing-fourth of the true
into the beautiful...
The poiesis of the fine arts.....
The art of a single manifold revealing it’s pious and promos.....
The art were not derived from the artistic, artworks were
not enjoyed aesthetically. Art was not a sector of cultural
activity.
 Aristotle's conception of the four (4)
causes was mechanical explained by Heidegger.
(1) The causa materialis (the material) - the matter out of which, for
example, a silver chalice is made
(2) The cause formalis (the form) - the shape into which the material
enters
(3) The causa finalis (the end) - for example, the sacrificial rite in relation
to which the chalice required is determined as to its form and matter
(4) The causa efficiens (the finished) - actual chalice in this instance, the
silversmith.
 Though correct in the four cases,
Aristotle, remained in the mechanical
sense and did not allow for a larger
truth to disclose itself. The poetic
character may be hidden but it is there.
For example, the ancient Greek
experience of cause is aition or
indebtedness, not cause and effect.
THANK YOU