CHAPTER

16
The Human
Person
Flourishing n
Terms of Science
CHAPTER OUTLINE:
Selected Views on Technology
Martin Heidegger on Science and
Technology
The Society in the Face of Science and
LEARNINNG
Technology OUTCOMES :
1.Define and explain what technology is
and it's essence
2.Understand the human condition and
analyze the effects of science and
technology to this condition; and
3.Perceive the danger o the controlling
power technology has over humans.
Technology has always been defined as
a means to an end and being a human
activity. It has long filled the world.
Technology as well advanced since the
middle of the 20th century especially
after the end of World War II.
 SELECTED VIEWS ON
TECHNOLOGY
Aristoteliani
Technology is the
organizing of techniques
sm:
in order to meet the
demand that is being
posed by humans. This
may seem that technology
is primarily concerned
with the product.
Technology will be judged
as either good or bad
based on the value given
 Technological
Pessimism
This view is extremely supported by
French Philosopher Jacques Ella
(1912-1994).
Technological Pessimism holds that
technology is progressive and
beneficial in many ways. It is also
doubtful in many ways.
It is said that technology is a means
to an end but this view, technology
has become a way of life. Techniques
has become a framework which
human cannot escape.
Ellul pessimistic arguments :
1.Technological progress has a price
2.Technological progress creates more
problems
3.Technological progress creates
damaging effects, and
4.Technological progress creates
unpredictable devastating effects.
 TECHNOLOGICAL
OPTIMISM
This view is extremely supported by
Technologists and engineers and also by
ordinary people who believe that technologies
can alleviate all the
difficulties and provide solutions for
problems that may come.
It holds that even though technological
problems may arise, technology will still be the
solutions to it.

The extreme version of this philosophy is

EXISTENTIALISM

The main concern of this view is the existence

of the mode of being someone or something
which is governed
by the norm of authenticity this is basically
investigate the meaning of existence or being
and is always faced with the selection must
make with which the existent will commit
himself to.
Martin Heidegger a philosopher is one of the
most known supporters of this philosophy.
He did not stop defining what technology is
but has dealt wth its essence. To him,
Martin Heidegger on science and
technology
martin Heidegger a well-known German
philosopher examine the two usual definitions
of
technology: means to an end and a human
activity. this two definitions cannot be
separated from each other. He called it the
instrumental and anthropological definition of
technology or simply means by which the
human ends are realized.
The Instrumental definition of
Technology
According to Heidegger the instrumental definition of
technology encourages us to view technology from
different period
of time as not having fundamental differences but he
claimed that this does not show the true essence of
technology he explained that while technology is
geared towards meeting a human need. still there is
a difference between older handicraft technologies
with modern technology.
Heidegger also argued that technology is by no
means technological and should not be seen as
Arisotle’s Four Causes
Heidegger further studied aristotle's four
causes and illustrated it using a silver chalice
which he said owes its make up from the four
causes.
1.Causa Materialis or the Material Cause.
The material by which the silver chalice was made
of silver.
2. Causa Formalis or the Formal Cause.
The form or the shape that gave the silver chalice its
image.
3. Causa Finalis or the Final Cause.
The purpose are the primary use by which the silver
chalice was made for.
4. Causa Efficiens or the Efficient Cause.
The agent that has caused for the silver chalice to come
out about: the silversmith
The four causes are all deemed responsible
for the bringing part of the silver chalice.
This bringing forth of something is termed
as POESIS and this is
characterized by an external force. It is
bringing something concealed to
unconcealment which then makes
technology as not only a means to an end
but also a mode of revealing.
On the other hand something that came
about without any external force like a
flower blooming in the field or a tree bearing
Heidegger's technology as a way of revealing

Heidegger believe that the genuine substance or the

real essence of technology is found in enflaming. This
is the continuous
bringing forth into unconcealment that which
is concealed.

To further illustrate this, he gave some examples

through contrasting ancient and modern technology.

1. Windmill
2.About the peasant plantig seeds.
3.Wooden bridge
The mode of revealing in modern
technology
Heidegger explained that the technology as a mode of
revealing does not stop and continues to be seen in modern
technology but not in the
bringing forth sense. this is a non stop revealing. Modern
technology is revealed by challenging nature instead of
bringing forth it is setting up on challenges or demands on
nature in order to.

Unlocked and Expose. It carries the idea that nature will not
reveal itself unless challenge is set upon it.
Stock piles for future use. As technology is a means to an end
it aims to meet future demand the electricity produced by the
hydroelectric plant set upon the Rhine river is being stored for
future use in the community.
The Essence of Technology
The continuous revealing takes place as man
allowed yourself to be an agent and the setting a
point of challenges to nature but Heidegger argues
that this is not mere human doing. Man is
able to set upon which was already and considered
as he responds to all the call of unconcealment but
when man investigating of serving vs nature as an
area of his only conceiving he has already been
claimed by a way of revealing the challenges him to
approach nature as an object of research until even
the object disappears into the objectlessness of
standing reserve.
Enframing - a gathering of the
setting upon which challenges
man to bring the unconcealed to
unconcealment.
The danger of the non-stop revealing
Revealing opens up a relationship
between man and the world but an
opening up of something means a
closing down of something which means
a something is revealed another is
considered an example given by
Heidegger on this "the rise of a cause-
effect understanding of reality causes of
and understanding of god as something
mysterious and holy: God is reduced to
the god of the philosophers.”
The Scociety In the Face of Science
and Technology
New products tend to replace man in the
society as the demand for manual labor is
becoming less and less because of the
availability of machineries.

This human condition is not off without hope

Heidegger argued that this can be prevented if
man will not allow himself to be overwhelmed
with the enframing that he was set upon.

“The end does not justify the means.” for

Heidegger the solution for this is that man
would not be controlling and manipulative of
what he was set upon but to also allow nature