TAGBILARAN CITY COLLEGE

College of Business and Computer Studies

Tagbilaran City, Bohol

Course Code GE7 Instructor Lynneth Mae O. Ampo, LPT

Melissa N. Vicada, LPT
Course Title Science, Technology and Email [email protected]
Society [email protected]
Course Credits 3 units Contact 09858361935
Number 09487515960
Course General Education Consultation By Appointment
Classification Hours
Pre-Requisite(s) None Consultation Faculty Room 1&2
Venue

Learning
Module Technology as a Way of
4 Revealing ;
Human Flourishing in Progress
and De-development;

Intended Learning Outcomes:

• Identify certain evolutions of modern technology.

• Reflect on how the evolution of modern technology could affect daily life and the future
• Evaluate how science, technology, and ethics contribute to human flourishing, and apply
philosophical principles to real-world issues to suggest solutions for global inequality.
 • In 1933, he joined the Nazi Party (NSDAP) and remained to be a member until it was dismantled toward
the end of world war II. This resulted in his dismissal from the University of Freiburg in 1949. He was only
able to resume teaching in 1951.
• Heidegger’s work on Philosophy focused on ontology or the study of “being” or “dasein” in German. His
philosophical works are often described as complicated, partly due to his use of complex compound
German words, such as Seinsvergessenheit (forgetfulness of Being), Bodenstandigkeit (Rootedness-in-
Soil), and Wesensverfassung (Essential Constitution).

Watch this video: Is Technology Dangerous? https://youtu.be/l_JOM-sVbKI

The Essence of Technology
• Science and technology continuously seep into the way people go about their daily lives. However,
the omnipresence of science and technology must not eclipse the basic tenets of ethics and morality.
Instead, it should allow the human person to flourish alongside scientific progress and technological
development.
• In order to spark the discussion on the role of ethics and social morality in science and technology, it
is necessary to go back to the very essence of technology.
➢ The essence of technology can be captured in its definition. In his treatise, The Question Concerning
Technology, Martin Heidegger (1977) explains the two widely embraced definitions of technology:
(1) INSTRUMENTAL: Technology is a means to an end.
•Technology is not an end in itself; it is a means to an end. In this context, technology is
viewed as a tool available to individuals, groups, and communities that desire to make an
impact on society. How technology is used varies from individual to individual, groups to
groups, and communities to communities according to their individual and collective
functions, goals, and aspirations.

(2) ANTHROPOLOGICAL: Technology is a human activity.

•Technology can also be defined as a human activity because to achieve an end and to
produce and use a means to an end is, by itself, a human activity. The production or
invention of technological equipment, tools and machines, the products and inventions,
and the purpose and functions they serve are what define technology.

TECHNOLOGY AS A WAY OF REVEALING

• Heidegger stressed that the true can only be pursued through the correct. Simply, what is correct leads
to what is true. In this sense, Heidegger envisioned technology as a way of revealing- a mode of “bringing
forth”.
• Bringing Forth can be understood through the ancient Greek philosophical concept, poiesis, which refers
to the act of bringing something out of concealment. By bringing something out of concealment, the truth
 of that something is revealed. The truth is understood through another ancient Greek concept of aletheia,
which is translated as unclosedness, unconcealedness, disclosure, or truth.
• Thus, for Heidegger, technology is a form of poiesis – a way of revealing that unconceals aletheia or the
truth. This is seen in the way the term techne, the Greek root word of technology, is understood in different
contexts.
• In philosophy, techne resembles the term episteme that refers to the human ability to make and perform.
Techne also encompasses knowledge and understanding. In art, it refers to tangible and intangible
aspects of life. The Greeks understood techne in the way that it encompasses not only craft, but others
act of the mind, and poetry.

Art as the Saving Power

• Heidegger proposed art as the saving power and the way out of enframing: “And art was simply called
techne. It was a single, manifold revealing”.
• He saw art as an act of the mind, i.e., a techne, that protected and had great power over the truth. By
focusing on art, people are able to see more clearly how art is embedded in nature. Art encourages
humans to think less from a calculative standpoint where nature is viewed as an ordered system.
Instead, it inspires meditative thinking where nature is seen as an art and that, in all of art, nature is
most poetic.

Questioning as the Piety of thought

• Heidegger concluded his treatise on technology by saying: “The closer we come to the danger, the
more brightly do the ways into the saving power begin to shine and the more questioning we become.
For questioning is the piety of thought” (1977, p.19).

• Heidegger underscored the importance of questioning in the midst of technology. For him, there is
unparalleled wisdom gained only when humans are able to pause, think and question what is around
them. Humans are consumed by technology when they are caught up in enframing and fail to pay
attention to the intricacies of technology, the brilliance of the purpose of humankind, and the genius
of humans to bring forth the truth.

• Questioning is the piety of thought. It is only through questioning that humans are able to reassess
their position not only in the midst of technology around them, but also, and most importantly, in the
grand scheme of things. Heidegger posited that it is through questioning that humans bear witness to
the crises that a complete preoccupation with technology brings, preventing them from experiencing
the essence of technology. Human need to take a step back and reassess who they were, who they
are, and who they are becoming in the midst of technology in this day and age.

HUMAN FLOURISHING IN PROGRESS AND DE- DEVELOPMENT

Despite efforts to close out the gap between the rich and poor countries, a BBC report in 2015 stated that the
gap in growth and development just keeps on widening. Although there is no standard measure of inequality,
the report claimed that most indicators suggest that the widening of the growth gap slowed during the financial
crisis of 2007 but is now growing again.

Watch the video about the latest scale of Global Wealth Inequality. Retrieved from
https://youtu.be/caBDPFx2et4
In the succeeding article, Jason Hickel, an anthropologist at the London School of Economics, criticizes the
failure of growth and development efforts to eradicate poverty seven decades ago. More importantly, he offers
a nonconformist perspective toward growth and development.
• Access and read the article entitled, “Forget ‘developing’ poor countries, it’s time to ‘de-develop’ rich
countries”. Retrieved from http://bit.ly/3q12cYo
 TAGBILARAN CITY COLLEGE
College of Business and Computer Studies
Tagbilaran City, Bohol

Course Code GE7 Instructor Lynneth Mae O. Ampo, LPT

Melissa N. Vicada, LPT
Course Title Science, Technology and Email [email protected]
Society [email protected]
Course Credits 3 units Contact Number 09858361935
09487515960
Course General Education Consultation By Appointment
Classification Hours
Pre-Requisite(s) None Consultation Faculty Room 1&2
Venue

Learning
Module The Good Life
5

Intended Learning Outcomes:

1. Determine how the idea of the good life is established.
2. Establish a personal standpoint on Aristotle’s concepts of eudaimonia and arête.

THE GOOD LIFE

• "Are we living the good life?" necessary reflection must be made on two things: first, what standard could
be used to define 'the good life; second, how can the standard serve as a guide toward living the good
life in the midst of scientific progress and technological advancement?
• Aristotle, who lived from 384 to 322 BC, is probably the most important ancient Greek philosopher and
scientist. He was a student of Plato, who was then a student of Socrates. Together, they were considered
the 'Big Three of Greek Philosophy.'
• Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics, the fundamental basis of Aristotelian ethics, consists of ten books,
Originally, they were lecture notes written on scrolls when he taught at the Lyceum. It is widely believed
that the lecture notes were compiled by or were dedicated to one of Aristotle’s sons, Nichomacus.
Alternatively, it is believed that the work was dedicated to Aristotle's father who was of the same name.
The Nichomachean Ethics, abbreviated as NE or sometimes EN based on the Latin version of the name,
is a treatise on the nature of moral life and human happiness based on the unique essence of human
nature. The NE is particularly useful in defining what the good life is.
Everyone has a definition of what good is—getting a college degree, traveling across the world,
succeeding in a business venture, pursuing a healthy and active lifestyle, or being a responsible parent.
However, although everyone aims to achieve that which is good, Aristotle posited two types of good. In
NE Book 2 Chapter 2, (NE 2:2), Aristotle explained that every action aims at some good. However, some
 actions aim at an instrumental good while some aim at an intrinsic good. He made it clear that the ultimate
good is better because it is good in itself, while instrumental good is good as a means to achieving
something else or some other end. Eudaimonia: The Ultimate Good.
What then is the ultimate good? Based on the contrast between two types of good, one could reflect on
some potential candidates for the ultimate good. One might think that Pleasure is the ultimate good. One
aims for pleasure in the food they eat or in the experiences they immerse themselves into. Yet, while
pleasure is an important human need, it cannot be the ultimate good. First, it is transitory—it passes. One
may have been pleased with the food they had for lunch, but he or she will be hungry again or will want
something else after a while. Second, pleasure does not encompass all aspects of life.
One may be pleased with an opportunity to travel but that may not make him or her feel good about
leaving, say, his or her studies or the relationship he or she has been struggling with. Others might think
that wealth is a potential candidate for the ultimate good, but a critique of wealth would prove otherwise.
Indeed, many, if not most, aim to be financially stable, to be rich, or to be able to afford a luxurious life.
However, it is very common to hear people say that they aim to be wealthy insofar as it would help them
achieve some other goals. Elsewhere, it is also common to hear stories about people who have become
very wealthy but remain, by and large, unhappy with the lives they lead. In this sense, wealth is just an
intermediate good—that is, only instrumental. It is not the ultimate good because it is not self-sufficient
and does not stop one from aiming for some other.
Another candidate for the ultimate good is fame and honor. Many people today seem to be motivated by
a desire to be known— to be famous. Others strive for honor and recognition. This is reflected by those
people who use social media to acquire large virtual following on the internet and wish to gain a foothold
on the benefits that fame brings. Many people act according to how they think they will be admired and
appreciated by other people. However, these cannot constitute the ultimate good, simply because they
are based on the perception of others.

Fame and honor can never be good in themselves. If one's definition of the good life is being popular or
respected, then the good life becomes elusive since it is based on the subjective views of others.
Unlike pleasure, wealth, fame, and honor, happiness is the ultimate goodIn the Ar. istotelian sense,
happiness is "living well and doing well" (NE 1:4). Among the Greeks, this is known as eudaimonia, from
the root words eu, meaning good, and daimon, meaning spirit.

Combining the root words, eudaimonia means happiness or welfare. More accurately, others translate it
as human flourishing or prosperity. Aristotle proposed two hallmarks of eudaimonia, namely virtue and
excellence (NE 1:7). Thus, happiness in the sense of eudaimonia has to be distinguished from merely
living good. Eudaimonia transcends all aspects of life for it is about living well and doing well in whatever
one does

EUDAIMONIA : UNIQUELY HUMAN

Eudaimonia or happiness is unique to humans for it is a uniquely human function. It is achieved only through
a rationally directed life. Aristotle's notion of a tripartite soul as summarized in Table 1 which illustrates a
nested hierarchy of the functions and activities of the soul. The degrees and functions of the soul are nested,
such that the one which has a higher degree of soul has all of the lower degrees.
Thus, on the nutritive degree, all living things, i.e., plants, animals, and
humans, require nourishment and have the ability to reproduce. On the
sensitive degree, only animals and humans have the ability to move
and perceive. Finally, on the rational degree, only human are capable
of theoretical and practical functions. Following this, human possess
the nutritive, sensitive, and rational degrees of the soul. More
importantly, only humans are capable of a life guided by reason.
Because this is so, happiness, too, is a uniquely human function for it
can only be achieved through a rationally directed life.

Eudaimonia is what defines the good life. To live a good life is to live a happy life. For Aristotle, eudaimonia is
only possible by living a life of virtue.
Arête, a Greek term, is defined as "excellence of any kind" and can also mean "moral virtue." A virtue is what
makes one function well. Aristotle suggested two types of virtue: intellectual virtue and moral virtue.
Intellectual virtue or virtue of thought is achieved through education, time, and experience. Key intellectual
virtues are wisdom, which guides ethical behavior, and understanding, which is gained from scientific endeavors
and contemplation. Wisdom and understanding are achieved through formal and non-formal means. Intellectual
virtues are acquired through self-taught knowledge and skills as much as those knowledge and skills taught and
learned in formal institutions.
Moral virtue or virtue of character is achieved through habitual practice. Some key moral virtues are generosity,
temperance, and courage. Aristotle explained that although the capacity for intellectual virtue is innate, it is
brought into completion only by practice. It is by repeatedly being unselfish that one develops the virtue of
generosity. It’s by repeatedly resisting and foregoing every inviting opportunity that one develops the virtue of
temperance.
It is by repeatedly exhibiting the proper action and emotional response in the face of danger that one develops
the virtue of courage. By and large, moral virtue is like a skill. A skill is acquired only through repeated practice.
Everyone is capable of learning how to play the guitar because everyone has an innate capacity for intellectual
virtue, but not everyone acquires it because only those who devote time and practice develop the skill of playing
the instrument.
If one learns that eating too much fatty foods is bad for the health, he or she has to make it a habit to stay away
from this type of food because health contributes to living well and doing well. If one believes that too much use
of social media is detrimental to human relationships and productivity, he or she must regulate his or her use of
social media and deliberately spend more time with friends, and family, and work than in virtual platform. If one
understands the enormous damage to the environment that plastic materials bring, he or she must repeatedly
forego the next plastic item he or she could do away with. Good relationship dynamics and a healthy environment
contribute to one's wellness, in how he or she lives and what he or she does.
Both intellectual virtue and moral virtue should be in accordance with reason to achieve eudaimonia. Indifference
with these virtues, for reasons that are only for one's convenience, pleasure, or satisfaction, leads humans away
from eudaimonia.
A virtue is ruined by any excess and deficiency in how one lives and acts. A balance between two extremes is a
requisite of virtue. This balance is a mean relative to the person, circumstances, and the right emotional response
in every experience (NE 2:2; 2:6).
Consider the virtue of courage. Courage was earlier defined as displaying the right action and emotional
response in the face of danger. The virtue of courage is ruined by an excess of the needed emotional and proper
action to address a particular situation. A person who does not properly assess the danger and is totally without
fear may develop the vice of foolhardiness or rashness. Also, courage is ruined by a deficiency of the needed
emotion and proper action.

WHAT THEN IS THE GOOD LIFE?

• The good life is understood as happiness brought about by living a virtuous life.
• One could draw parallels between moving toward the good life and moving toward further
progress and development in science and technology.
• Science and technology can be ruined by under- or over-appreciation of the scope and function
it plays in the pursuit of the uniquely human experience of happiness.

References:
• Caoli, O. (1986). A history of Science and Technology of the Philippines. Quezon City,
Philippines: University of the Philippines.
• Quinto, Edward Jay M. Science, Technology, and Society. Quezon City: C & E
Publishing, Inc., 2019.
 TAGBILARAN CITY COLLEGE
College of Business and Computer Studies
Tagbilaran City, Bohol

Course Code GE7 Instructor Lynneth Mae O. Ampo, LPT

Melissa N. Vicada, LPT
Course Title Science, Technology and Email [email protected]
Society [email protected]
Course Credits 3 units Contact 09858361935
Number 09487515960
Course General Education Consultation By Appointment
Classification Hours
Pre-Requisite(s) None Consultation Faculty Room 1&2
Venue

Learning When Technology and Humanity

Module Cross; Why the Future Does Not
6
Need Us

Intended Learning Outcomes:

• Identify key documents and their principles that ensure the well-being of humans in the midst of
scientific progress and technological development.
• Discuss the dangers of modern technology and its potential impacts on human society and the
environment.
• Evaluate the ethical implications of advancements in robotics, nanotechnology, and genetic
engineering, and their effect on human rights and dignity.
WHEN TECHNOLOGY AND HUMANITY CROSS

Human rights in the face of scientific and technological advancement are critical factors in one's journey toward
eudaimonia or the good life. Exercising the right to accept or reject, minimize or maximize, and evaluate and
decide on the scope and function of science and technology indicates human flourishing in science and
technology. Protecting the well-being and upholding the dignity of the human person must be at the core of
continued scientific and technological progress and development.

S. Romi Mukherjee, a senior lecturer in Political Theory and the History of Religions at the Paris Institute of
Political Studies, explained a human rights-based approach to science, technology, and development that it
seeks to place a concern for human rights at the heart of how the international community engages with urgent
global challenges.

Mukherjee (2012) further identified that science is a socially organized human activity which is value-laden and
shaped by organizational structures and procedures. Moreover, it requires an answer to whether governments
and other stakeholders can craft and implement science and technology policies that ensure safety, health and
 livelihoods; include people's needs and priorities in development and environmental strategies; and ensure
they participate in decision making that affects their lives and resources. Multiple international statutes,
declarations, and decrees have been produced to ensaure well-being and human dignity.

Mukherjee listed some of the most important documents that center on a human rights-based
approach to science, development, and technology, and their key principles:

Table 2. Useful documents for a human-rights based approach to science, technology, and development
Document Key Principles

Universal Declaration of Human Rights This document affirms everyone's right to participate in and benefit
(Article 27) from scientific advances, and be protected from scientific misuses.
The right to the benefits of science comes under the domain of
'culture,' so it is usually examined
from a cultural rights perspective.
UNESCO Recommendation on the This document affirms that all advances in scientific and technological
Status of Scientific Researchers— 1974 knowledge should solely be geared towards the welfare of the global
(Article 4) citizens, and calls upon member states to develop necessary protocol
and policies to monitor and secure this objective. Countries are asked
to show that science and
technology is integrated into policies that aim to ensure a more
humane and just society.
UNESCO Declaration on the Use of This document states, "Today, more than ever, science and its
Scientific Knowledge— applications are indispensable for development. All levels of
1999 (Article 33) government and the private sector should provide enhanced support
for building up an adequate and evenly distributed scientific and
technological capacity through appropriate education and research
programmes as an indispensable foundation for economic, social,
cultural and environmentally sound development. This is particularly
urgent for developing countries. " This Declaration encompasses
issues such as pollution-
free production, efficient resource use, biodiversity protection, and
brain drains.

THE ETHICAL DILEMMAS OF ROBOTICS

Scientists are now starting to seriously think about the new

ethical issues raised by emerging robotics advances. When
these robots become more sophisticated, if they kill someone, it
will become harder to determine who is responsible. Is the
builder to blame, or the robot itself, or the user?

• Read the article compiled by Lauren Sigfusson about

the sentiments of some experts answering
the question “Do Robots Deserve Human
Rights?” Retrieved on January 11, 2021 from
http://bit.ly/3bq9UXY
 Watch this excerpt from the 1968 film "2001: A Space
Odyssey" directed by Stanley Kubrick. (Synopsis:
Mankind finds a mysterious, obviously artificial, artifact
buried on the moon and, with the intelligent computer
HAL, sets off on a quest, where the way the HAL 9000
super computer malfunctions.) Retrieved on January 11,
2021 from https://youtu.be/ARJ8cAGm6JE

WHY THE FUTURE DOES NOT NEED US

In his 2000 article "Why the Future Doesn’t Need Us?" for Wired magazine, William Nelson Joy, a prominent
computer scientist, warned about the dangers posed by rapidly advancing technologies in the 21st century,
particularly genetics, nanotechnology, and robotics (GNR). He argued that these technologies are becoming so
powerful that they could cause unforeseen accidents, threats, and abuses. Additionally, Joy emphasized that
the risks are even more concerning because these technologies do not require vast resources, only knowledge,
which could make them easily accessible and potentially harmful.

However, Joy's views were criticized by some, including John Seely Brown and Paul Duguid, who felt he
neglected the social context and presented a narrow perspective. They accused him of being overly pessimistic
and technophobic, focused too much on the dangers without considering broader factors. Despite these
critiques, the idea of a future without humans remains a thought-provoking topic, often explored in literature and
film. It highlights the necessity for ongoing discussions among the scientific community, governments, and
businesses to address and safeguard against the potential risks of advanced technologies.

21st CENTURY TECHNOLOGIES

William Nelson Joy argued that robotics, genetic engineering, and nanotechnology pose much greater threats
than technological developments that have come before.
• He also voiced out his apprehension about the rapid increase of computer power that will eventually
become more intelligent than humans, thus ushering into dystopian visions, such as robot rebellions.
- Watch this video about “The 10 Most Advanced HUMANOID
ROBOTS In The World” retrieved on January 11, 2021 from
https://youtu.be/Jky9I1ihAkg
• Joy drew from Theodore Kaczynski's book, Unabomber Manifesto, which described that the
unintended consequences of the design and use of technology are clearly related to Murphy's Law:
"Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong." Kaczynski argued further that overreliance on antibiotics
led to the great paradox of emerging antibiotic-resistant strains of dangerous bacteria. The
introduction of Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) to combat malarial mosquitoes, for instance,
only gave rise to malarial parasites with multi-drug resistant genes.
- Watch this video about “How CRISPR Changes Human
DNA Forever” retrieved on January 11, 2021 from
https://youtu.be/kkvslrfaCLY
• He particularly cited the ability of nanobots to self-replicate, which could quickly get out of control. In
the article, he cautioned humans against overdependence on machines.
- Watch this video about “The World's Smallest Robots: Rise of
the Nanomachines” retrieved on January 11, 2021 from
https://youtu.be/loaqIqKCmog
The Dangers of Technology
• The dangers of technology lie in how humans let themselves be consumed by it. Although humans
are looped into the cycle of bringing forth or challenging forth, it is their responsibility to recognize
how they become instruments of technology.
• The Brazilian novelist, Paulo Coelho, once remarked that it is boastful for humans to think that nature
needs to be saved, whereas Mother Nature would remain even if human cease to exist. Hence in
facing the dangers of technology, the fear of disappearing from the face of the earth should concern
people more potently than the fear of the earth disappearing.

• The real threat of technology comes from its essence, not its activities or products. The correct
response to the danger of technology is not simply dismissing technology altogether. Heidegger
(1977) explained that people are delivered over to technology in the worst possible way when they
regard it as something neutral. This conception of technology, according to Heidegger, to which today
humans particularly like to pay homage, makes them utterly blind to the essence of technology.
Ultimately, the essence of technology is by no means anything technological (Heidegger, 1977).

References:
• Caoli, O. (1986). A history of Science and Technology of the Philippines. Quezon City, Philippines:
University of the Philippines.
• Quinto, Edward Jay M. Science, Technology, and Society. Quezon City: C & E Publishing, Inc., 2019.