SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY - MIDTERMS

MERCADO, MARK AARON L.

BSN Y1 – M3B

TECHNOLOGY AS A WAY OF REVEALING EXAMPLE:

MARTIN HEIDEGGER
- Factories use machines to produce more
- Philosopher from the 20th century that join goods quickly, but this often harms the
Adolf Hitler’s Nazi party, his philosophy focused environment by using up natural resources.
on ontology or the study of being-in German- Das
Sein (to exist in the present, live in the moment) ENFRAMING AS MODERN
TECHNOLOGY’S WAY OF REVEALING
ESSENCE OF TECHNOLOGY 1. Calculative thinking - humans desire to put an
- HEIDEGGER’S explanation of two widely order to nature to better understand and control it.
embraced definitions of technology:
2. Meditative thinking - humans allow nature to
INSTRUMENTAL reveal itself to them without the use of force or
- Technology is a tool used to help people violence.
reach goals or make an impact. It's about ENFRAMING
how people use it to get things done. - Occurs because humans seek security,
Example: which leads them to view all of nature as a
resource ready for use.
- Using a computer to do your homework or - In this process, humans become
job tasks. instruments of technology, a role called
destining, where they are pushed to reveal
ANTHROPOLOGICAL
what is real.
- Technology is something humans create - However, this destining can result in a
and use to meet their needs. It’s about miscontraction or misuse of nature.
people making and using tools to solve
DANGERS OF TECHNOLOGY
problems.
- Overconsumption, People must avoid
Example: being consumed by technology, or they
risk losing their humanity.
- Inventing smartphones to talk to others
- Social media connects people quickly but
more easily.
can lead to problems like privacy
TECHNOLOGY AS A WAY OF REVEALING invasion, online disinhibition, and the
- what is correct leads to what is true. spread of fake news.
Heidegger envisioned technology as a way
HEIDEGGER EXPLAINED that viewing
of revealing- a mode of “bringing forth”
technology as neutral is dangerous. Treating it
BRINGING FORTH like a natural part of life can cause issues.
- Bringing something out to concealment
- Came from the Greek concept of - Not knowing the difference between what
ALETHEIA - meaning truth or disclosure. is necessary and what is excessive can
- For Heidegger, technology is a form of lead to becoming overly dependent on
POIESIS - a way of revealing the truth. technology.
- This dependence may make people lazy,
TECHNOLOGY AS POIESIS irresponsible, and careless.
- Does modern technology bring forth or
challenge forth?
Heidegger believes that modern technology
challenges people by pushing them to find faster
and easier ways to do things. This leads people to
try to control nature and their surroundings.
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY - MIDTERMS
MERCADO, MARK AARON L.
BSN Y1 – M3B

ART AS SAVING POWER

- Focusing on Art, Helps people understand
how art is connected to nature.
- Art encourages people to move away from
a calculative thinking, where they see
nature as a system to control.
- Meditative Thinking, Instead, art inspires
people to think deeply and appreciate
nature as a form of art, highlighting its
beauty and poetic qualities.
QUESTIONING AS THE PIETY OF
THOUGHT
Importance of Questioning, Only by asking
questions can humans reassess their place in the
world and with technology.
Example:
- A student asks, "How does using my
phone all the time affect my friendships?"
This question helps them reflect on their
relationships.
Self-Reflection, People need to step back and
think about who they were, who they are now, and
who they are becoming in today's technological
age.
Example:
- A person journals about their screen time,
asking, "Am I relaxing or scrolling
mindlessly?" This helps them assess
technology's impact on their mental health.
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY - MIDTERMS
MERCADO, MARK AARON L.
BSN Y1 – M3B

LESSON 2 4. RELATIONAL BEING:

HUMAN FLOURISHING IN PROGRESS
- A human is relational, forming
AND DE-DEVELOPMENT
meaningful connections through
HUMAN FLOURISHING community involvement, friendships, and
- Lifelong Journey, Human flourishing is a family ties.
lifelong journey rather than a quick
achievement. Example:
- Not Based on Luck, it’s not something - A community member who volunteers at a
gained through luck or overnight success. shelter and nurtures close relationships
- it involves navigating both the with friends and family.
POSITIVES (hope, achievements, joy,
love, happiness) and DE-DEVELOPMENT
- NEGATIVES (regrets, losses, illness, JASON HICKEL
suffering, coping) of life. - In the context of unprecedented scientific
THE REQUISITES and technological advancement and
1. PHYSICAL BEING: economic development,
- We must ask ourselves whether we
- A human person is a physical being, humans, either as individuals or as a
reaching a state of overall health in mind, collective, are truly flourishing.
body, and spirit. - If development efforts to close the gap
Example: between rich and poor countries have
failed, can we confront the challenges of
- An individual practices yoga and development through a nonconformist
meditation to maintain physical fitness and framework?
mental clarity, striving for balance in their - This perspective may involve rethinking
overall health. traditional methods to focus on
sustainability, equitable resource
2. KNOWER:
distribution, and community-driven
- A human is a knower who seeks solutions, aiming for a world where
awareness, knowledge, and lifelong everyone can thrive.
learning for a fulfilling life. HICKEL’S “DE-DEVELOPING RICH COUNTRIES”:
POIESIS, ENFRAMING, AND QUESTIONING
Example: POIESIS
- A student who actively seeks knowledge - whether growth and development efforts
by reading books, attending workshops, brought forth the “unconcealedness” or the
and asking questions to understand aletheia of progress.
different subjects better.
ENFRAMING
3. RESPONSIBLE AGENT:
- the role of modern technology in
- A human is a responsible agent who takes concealing the atheleia of growth and
accountability for their actions, thoughts, development.
and emotions to promote change and
achieve flourishing. QUESTIONING
- the role of questioning in adapting
Example:
Hickel’s proposition on “de-development
- A person who learns from their mistakes of rich countries”.
and actively works to improve their
behavior.
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY - MIDTERMS
MERCADO, MARK AARON L.
BSN Y1 – M3B

RELATING HICKEL’S ESSAY TO HEIDEGGER’S

VIEWS ON MODERN TECHNOLOGY
Raises the question of whether despite of all the
efforts to bridge the gap between the rich and the
poor, human beings have achieved poeisis of
development.
QUESTIONS WE MUST ASK
HICKEL provides a compelling social case for
transformative worldviews when it comes to
development
➢ What is enough? - (determiner) as much
or as many as required.
➢ What is equitable? - (adjective) fair and
impartial.
➢ What is efficient? - (adjective) especially
of a system or machine, achieving
maximum productivity with minimum
wasted effort or expense.
- While a shift to quality over quantity is
necessary to bridge the growth gap, we must be
always careful and critical in determining what
constitutes good quality and enough quality.
WHILE THERE IS PROMISE IN HICKEL’S “DE-
DEVELOPMENT” FRAMEWORK TO FINALLY
SOLVE THE GROWTH GAP
The Heideggarian notion of questioning must
guide humans through it.
- Critical questions must be asked because if
we stop doing so, Hickel’s proposition
shall face similar doom.
- Just as the proponents of “poor countries
must catch up” have unequivocally failed
by ceasing to question whether what we
needed was “more growth” or a more
socially equitable approach towards
growth and development.
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY - MIDTERMS
MERCADO, MARK AARON L.
BSN Y1 – M3B

THE GOOD LIFE All blessings are from the almighty, so recognize
NICOMACHEAN ETHICS Him
- Everyone is in pursuit of a good life Unique to humans for it is a uniquely human
- We do certain things that make us happy function
and contented
Aristotle’s notion of tripartite soul below
- Definition of a good life varies from one to
illustrates a nested hierarchy of functions and
another
activities of the soul
- In Nicomachean ethics, Aristotle wrote the
following: Humans have rational soul capable of theoretical
- All human activities aim to some good and practical functions
- Every art and human inquiry, and similarly
any action and pursuit, is thought to aim at Only humans are capable of a life guided by a
some good and for this reason, the good reason
has been rightly declared as that at which Happiness is a uniquely human function for it can
all things aim only be achieved through a rationally directed life

GOODS HEDONISM
INSTRUMENTAL GOOD - School of though that argues that the
- Good as means of achieving something pursuit of happiness is to get rid of all pain
good and distress
- Money, education, health - Pleasure is the primary goal of human life

INTRINSIC GOOD MATERIALISM

- Good in itself - Founded by democritus and leucippus who

- Something you value believed in the existence of atomo or seeds
- Happiness, love, friendship - The belief is that all things in nature are
fundamentally made by material
EUDAIMONIA interaction
- Noun. lit. “human flourishing”
- A contented state of being happy, healthy, EPOCHISM
and prosperous - Tendency to believe that one’s
- Happiness that springs from living and achievements are better than others
doing well
- Eu = good, monia = spirit ARETE AND HUMAN HAPPINESS
INTELLECTUAL VIRTUE
If wealth was the secret to happiness, then the rich
would be dancing on the streets, but only less - Virtue of thought
fortunate kids do that - Achieved through education, time,
experience
If power ensured security, then officials and - Wisdom and understanding
politicians would walk unguarded, but those who
live simply are the ones who have the soundest MORAL VALUES
sleep - Virtue of character
If beauty and fame bought ideal relationships, then - Achieved through habitual practice
celebrities would have the best marriages - Generosity, temperance, courage

Live simply, walk humbly, love genuinely and life ARETE

will become easy and meaningful - Excellence of any kind
- Moral virtue
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY - MIDTERMS
MERCADO, MARK AARON L.
BSN Y1 – M3B

ARETE AND HUMAN HAPPINESS

- Accordance with reason to achieve
eudaimonia
- Virtue is ruined by any excess and
deficiency on how one lives and acts
- Indifference leads humans away from
eudaimonia
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY - MIDTERMS
MERCADO, MARK AARON L.
BSN Y1 – M3B

WHEN TECHNOLOGY & HUMANITY DOCUMENT & KEY PRINCIPLES

CROSS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN
HUMAN RIGHT RIGHTS (ARTICLE27)
- Basic right and freedoms which belong to - This document affirms everyone's right to
every person in the world from the day participate in and benefit from scientific
they are born to the day they die, advances and be protected from scientific
regardless of any circumstance. misuses. The right to the benefits of
- By virtue of being a human, these rights science comes under the domain of
apply to every individual regardless of “culture." so is usually examined from a
who they are, what they believe in, where cultural rights perspective.
they are from, and how they choose to lead
their lives. UNESCO RECOMMENDATION ON THE
- These rights and freedom, however. are not STATUS OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCHERS -
absolute. Although they must not be taken 1974 (ARTICLE 4)
away, they are sometimes restricted
- This document affirms that all advance in
because of reason more important than
scientific and technological knowledge
upholding rights (e.g. crime, national
should be solely geared towards securing
security).
well-being for global citizens and calls
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: DOUBLE upon member states to develop the
EDGED SWORD necessary protocol and policies to monitor
- Science and technology can support or and secure this objective. Countries are
challenge human rights. Example: Satellite asked to show that science and technology
and GPS help in law enforcement but raise is integrated into policies that aim to
privacy concerns. ensure a more humane and just society.
- Clearly, science and technology can be
used as tools in upholding human right, UNESCO DECLARATION ON THE USE OF
but, in situation where the use of tools, SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE - 1999
products, or practices in themselves (ARTICLE 33)
impinge on human rights, measures to - This document states, "Today, more than
control and mitigate the potential risks and ever. Science and its applications are
hazards have to be put in place and indispensable for development. All levels
implemented. government and the private sector should
HUMAN RIGHTS-BASED APPROACH TO provide enhanced support for building up
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT an adequate and evenly distributed
S. ROMI MUKHERJEE scientific and technological capacity
through appropriate education and research
- Senior lecturer (Political Theory and the
programmes as an indispensable
History of Religions), Paris Institute of
foundation for economic, social, cultural,
Political Studies
and environmentally sound development.
- Core Principle: Human dignity and well-
This is particularly urgent for developing
being must guide scientific and
countries."
technological advancements.
- Mukherjee's Documents: Reference
important human rights-focused
documents for guiding development.
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY - MIDTERMS
MERCADO, MARK AARON L.
BSN Y1 – M3B

HUMAN RIGHTS AS THE GOLDEN MEAN

- Human rights ensure societal flourishing
by protecting the weak, poor, and
vulnerable from the harms of unchecked
science and technology.
- Function: Act as a balance between
innovation and ethical responsibility.
BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN RICG AND
POOR
- Ethical Responsibility: Science and
technology should be used to bridge
inequalities between countries (resources,
services, well-being).
- Accountability: Powerful actors must be
held accountable for unethical use of
science and technology.
TOWARDS HUMAN FLOURISHING
- A rights-based approach ensures science
and technology lead to human flourishing.
- Goal: Sustainable progress through the
ethical use of innovations.