THE HUMAN PERSON

FLOURISHING IN
TERMS OF SCIENCE
AND
TECHNOLOGY
• Technology has always been defined as a means to an end and
being a human activity.
• It has long filled the word.Everyday routines are marked with
technological advances that reflect what a society is good or known
for.Technology has well advanced since the middle of the 20th
• Century especially after the end of world war II. It is not unexpected
for technology to involve question of knowledge which lead to its
formation as one of the branches of philosophy. This also led to the
furtherance of technology based on how it is viewed and
understood. But there is more to that.
• Aristotle, was born 304 B.C. an ancient Greek philosophy scientist
and one of the most significant thinkers and who contributed so
much to science,technology,political theory,and aesthetics
world;followed that knowledge of the world begins by looking and
examining that which exists. To understand the human person
flourishing in terms of science and technology, it is good to first
examine technology in its essence.
SELECTED VIEWS ON TECHNOLOGY
• It has been said they there are many views
or ways as to how technology is understood.
These philosophies contributed on how
technology is understood and utilized by the
society. Some of it will be discussed briefly
bellow.
ARISTOTELIANISM
• This views technology as basically a means to an
end. To Aristotle,technology is the organizing of
techniques 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 to the
product based on its use and effect to the
society.
TECHNOLOGICAL PEMISSIMISM
• This views is extremely supported by French philosopher Jacques Ellul
(1912-1994).
• Technolological 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 and end but this views, technology has
become a way of life. Technique has become a framework which human
cannot escape. It has introduced ways on how to make things
easy.Ellul's pessimistic arguments are (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.
• Although Ellul has strongly spoken of his arguments,
they are still found to be weak and not true at all
times. Like when he said that technological progress
can create more problems than it solves, he seems to
have underestimated the objective decisions a
technicians, and other technological agencies makes
regarding the technology where they weigh the good
and bad effects it can have in the society.
TECHNOLOGICAL OPTIMISM
• This view is strongly supported by technologist an
engineers and also by ordinary people who believe
that technology 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 sulotions to it. The
extreme version of this philosophy is technocratism
which holds technology as the supreme authority on
everything.
EXISTENTIALISM
• The main concern of this view is the existence or the mode of being of
someone or something which is governed by the norm of
authenticity. This view basically investigate the meaning of
existenceor being and is always faced with the selection must make
with which the existence will commit himself to.
• Martin Heidegger, a philosopher who was briefly introduced in Unit 1
is one of the most known supporters of this philosophy.He did not
stop defining what technology is but has dealt with its essence. To
Heidegger, the real essence of technology lies in enframing, the
gathering of the setting upon which challenges man to bring the
unconcealed to unconcealment and this is a continuous revealing. The
next section will further discuss the view of Heidegger that
technology is a way of revealing.
MARTIN HEIDEGGER ON SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
• Martin Heidegger (1889-1996), a well-known German
philosopher, examined the two usual definitions of
technology; means to an end and a human activity,
because he believed that this kind of confusing and
there are question To it that we easily overlook.
These 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. To
Heidegger, this may not be a false definition but it is a
misleading one because this limits our thinking.
 THE INSTRUMENTAL
DEFINITION OF
TECHNOLOGY
• According to Heidegger, the instrumental definition of technology
encourages us to view technology from different periods 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 needs, still there is a difference between older
handicraft technologies with modern technology. As it is, "a saw mill on a
secluded valley of the Black Forest is a primitive means compared with the
hydroelectric plant on the Rhine River " (Heidegger,1977,p.I). Heidegger also
argued that " technology is by no means technological" and should not be
seen as merely neutral. The problem begins when humans see it only as a
means to an end and disregard the fact that there is a good technology and
a bad technology.
• Another problem Heidegger saw in the instrumental definition of technology is
that it only invites man to a continual desire to master it which unconsciously
may be making technology go out of hand. Heidegger said," Everything depends
on our manipulating technology in the proper manner as a means. We will, as we
say, 'get' technology 'spiritually in hand'. We will master it. The will to mastery
becomes the more urgent the more technology threatens to slip from human
control." (Heidegger, 1977,p.I) with this,the argued that the problem does not fall
on making technology better but on how man sets upon technology, his thoughts
that makes him blind to the real essence of technology.
• For Heidegger, this correct definition of technology is insufficient as it doest not
bring out its real essence. He said,"In order that we may arrive at this, or at least
come close to it, we must seek the true by way of the correct. We must ask:what
is the instrumental itself? Within what do such things as means and end belong?
(1977,p.2) In answering these question, Heidegger arrived at a discussion of
causality which to him in reality initially involves four ways that leads for
something to exist or to be"caused".
 ARISTOTLE’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 of the shape that gave the silver chalice its image.
• 3. Causa Finalis or the final cause
• The purpose or the primary use by which the silver chalice was made for:
to be used during the Holy Communion as a vessel for the wine that represent
the blood of Christ.
• 4. Causa Efficient or the Efficient Cause
• The agent that has caused for the silver chalice to come about: the
silversmith.
• The four causes are all deemed responsible for the bringing forth of the
silver chalice. This bringing forth of something is termed as poiesis and this is
characterized by an external force. It is bringing something concealed to
uncealment which then makes technology as not only means to an end but
also a mode of revealing.
• The silver chalice was bought forth by the silver, by its form, for its
purpose,by the silversmith. External factors have caused for the silver chalice
to be brought forth. On the other hand, something that came about without
any external forced, like a flower blooming in the field or a tree bearing its
fruit is termed physics. The flower blossomed and the tree bore fruit even
without external help.
 HEIDEGGER’S TECHNOLOGY AS A
WAY OF REVEALING
• Heidegger believed that the genuine substance or the real
essence of technology is found in enframing. This is the
continuous bringing forth into unconcealment that which is
concealed. This is a non-stop revealing. Heidegger saw
technology as a way of revealing and continues to demand for
something to be bought out into the open. This bringing forth
into the open is a two-way relationship: the concealed is
calling out for someone to set upon it and bring it to
unconcealment and the one who receives the call sets upon
and acts upon to unconceal the concealed.
• To further illustrate this, he gave some examples through contrasting
ancient and modern technology. First he talked about the ancient windmill
which only relies on the wind blowing and does not store energy which can
be for immediate use and can also be stored up for future use. Second, was
about the peasant planting seeds who only waits for the bringing forth of
the planted seed because there is no challenge set upon soil. Modern
technology of cultivation on the other hand, challenged the field that has
caused for agriculture to be revolutionized. Now, food is not only produced
for immediate use but can be stored as well for future use and could cater
more population. Third, is about the wooden bridge is built to join river for
banks for hundreds of years without challenges being set upon the river.
While on the other hand, the hydroelectric plant that was set on Rhine
River dammed the river into into the hydroelectric plant so that electrical
energy can be stored and distributed.
• Because of this continuous revealing, Heidegger also
pointed out the danger that comes with technology. The
call to unconceal that which is concealed is also causing
something to be concealed even more. And as one tries to
understand something, there is the tendency to be closed
to the counterpart of which is being opened to him. There
is also tendency for man to misunderstand the thing that is
being unconcealed before him. Here, Heidegger calls for
man to be more discerning and considerate of the things
that is being unconcealed before him and those that have
relationship with that thing being unconcealed.
THE MODE OF REVEALING IN
MODERN TECHNOLOGY
• Heidegger explained that technology as a mode of
revealing doest not stop and continues to be seen in
modern technology but not in the bringing-forth
sense. This is a nonstop revealing. Modern technology
is revealed by challenging nature, instead of bringing
forth, it is setting upon challenges or demands on
nature in order to:
• Unlock and expose. It carries the idea that nature will not reveal
itself unless challenge is set upon it. This is true with the
hydroelectric plant set upon the Rhine River which unlocked the
electricity concealed in it.
• Stock piles for future use. As technology is a means to an end, it
aims to meet future demands, the electricity produced by the
hydroelectric plant set upon the Rhine River is being stored for
future use in the community. Modern technology are now able to
get more from nature bynchellenging it. As Heidegger (1997) said,
" Such challenging happens in that energy concealed in nature in
unblocked is transformed, what is transformed is stored up, what
is stored up is distributed , and what is distributed is switched
about ever a new"
 THE ESSENCE OF TECHNOLOGY
• The continuous revealing takes place as man allows himself to be an agent in the
setting upon of challenges to nature but Heidegger(1977) argues that this is not more
human doing. Man is able to set upon which was already unconcealed as he responds
to the call of unconcealment but "when man, investigating, observing , pursues nature
as an area of his own conceiving, he has already been claimed by a way of revealing
that challenges him to approach nature as an object of research, until even the object
disappears into the objectlessness of standing- reserve .
• This gathering of the setting-upon which challenges man to bring the unconcealed to
unconcealment is called enframing with which according to Heidegger, also shows the
essence of modern technology. Enframing is basically putting in order whatever is
presented to the man who sets upon the unconcealed but it is a two-way relationship:
man cannot set himself upon unconcealment without unconcealment's call and the
unconcealed will not go into unconcealment without the man responding to its call.
This makes modern technology not a mere human doing and with this Heidegger
argued that the essence of technology lies in enframing.
 THE DANGER OF THE
NONSTOP REVEALING
• As said earlier, the mode of revealing does not stop in modern technology.
It continually calls man to respond to what is presented to him or to the
demand for a better and efficient means to an end. With this comes the
continuous challenging forth for the unconcealed to be unconcealed even
more. Here lies the danger that Heidegger talked about.
• Revealing opens up a relationship between man and the word but an
opening up of something means a closing down of something which
means as something is revealed, another is concealed. An example given
by Heidegger on this "the rise of a cause-effect understanding of reality
closes" off an understanding of God as something mysterious and holy:
God is reduced to 'the god of the philosophers"(Cerbone, 2008).
• Another danger is when man falls into a
misinterpretation of that which is presented to him. That
is when he sees himself in the object before him rather
than seeing the object itself. There is also the tendency
for man to be fully engrossed with the enframing that he
fails to weigh the results and consequences of his setting
upon an object which may be distructive not only to
himself but even to the surroundings and other people.
This happens when he starts to believe that everything
in the human condition can be answered by technology
and that even man's happiness is dependent on the
continuous modernization of technology.
 THE SOCIETY IN THE FACE OF
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
• When one looks around him now, he will see that man tends to
find his happiness in the works of modern technology. Smart
phones,tablets, laptops that come in different shapes and sizes
with distinct features seem to be the measure of man's value.
Social media has also affected the life on many. Face to face social
interactions are being lessened and people keep working hard to
update their gadgets. There seems to be no contentment as every
time a new product is released, man finds another need that can
only be answered by a new product. These new products also tend
to replace man in the society as the demand for manual labor is
becoming less and less because of the availability of machineries.
• The human condition is not of 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, but he
pause for a while and reflect on the value of what is presented
before him. A balance has to be struck between technology being
instrumental and anthropological. One has to understand that
technology does not only concern the means but also the end as
one proverb goes, "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
to reveal itself to him. With this, according to Heidegger , man will
have free relationship with technology.