THE HUMAN PERSON

FLOURISHING IN TERMS OF
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Humanity and nature
• Humans identify ourselves as the ones who have higher intellectual
capacity.
• Things around us hold potential when combined with other things or
when used in ways that these things are innately inclined to be used.
• A lot of things we discover in nature we are determined to use,
produce, and manipulate.
St. augustine
• Human beings were created by God
• He has endowed us with intellect and
the freedom to choose what is good and
ultimately go back to Him.
• The journey towards God necessitates
graces from Him in order for us,
humans, to choose to do and innovate
things for each other and for everyone’s
good.
THE HUMAN PERSON FLOURISHING IN TERMS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• “Technology is a means to an end.”

• “Technology is a human activity.”
• It is not unexpected for technology to involve questions of knowledge
which lead to its formation as one of the branches of philosophy.
• According to Aristotle, 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.
What is Happiness?
• In psychology, happiness is a mental or emotional state of well-being which can
be defined by, among others, positive or pleasant emotions ranging from
contentment to intense joy.
• To behaviorists, happiness is a cocktail of emotions we experience when we do
something good or positive.
• The hedonistic view of well-being is that happiness is the polar opposite of
suffering, the presence of happiness indicates the absence of pain. Because of
this, hedonists believe that the purpose of life is to maximize happiness, which
minimizes misery.
• To neurologists, happiness is the experience of a flood of hormones released in
the brain as a reward for behavior that prolongs survival.
 Eudaimonia
• A term that combines the Greek
words for "good" and "spirit" to
describe the ideology.
• Eudaimonia defines happiness as the
pursuit of becoming a better person.
• Eudaimonists do this by challenging
themselves intellectually or by
engaging in activities that make them
spiritually richer people.
Aristotle

• Believed that human flourishing requires a life with

other people.
• Taught that people acquire virtues through practice
and that a set of concrete virtues could lead a person
toward his natural excellence and happiness.
• There is an end of all of the actions that we perform
which we desire for itself.
• Eudaimonia is a property of one's life when
considered as a whole. Flourishing is the highest
good of human endeavors and that toward which all
actions aim. It is success as a human being. The best
life is one of excellent human activity.
 Human flourishing arises as a result of
different components such as:
Phronesis, Friendship, Wealth, Power
• In ancient Greek society, they believed that acquiring these will surely bring the
seekers happiness, which in effect allows them to partake in the greater notion
of what we call the Good.
• As time changes, elements that comprise human flourishing changed.
• People found means to live more comfortably, explore more places, develop
more products, and make more money.
• Humans of today are expected to become “man of the world”.
• Supposed to situate himself in a global neighborhood, working side by side
among institutions and the government to be able to reach a common goal
Principles of Human Flourishing
• Dignity of the Human person - innate personal values or rights which demands respect for all
people, regardless of race, social class, wealth etc.
• Common Good - sacrificing self-interest to provide for the basic human needs of everyone
makes the whole community flourish.
• Preferential Option for the Poor - when decisions are made by first considering the poor.
• Subsidiarity - when all those affected by a decision are involved in making it.
• Universal Purpose of Goods - the Earth's resources serve every person's needs, regardless of
who "owns" them.
• Stewardship of Creation - duty to care for the Earth as a (God-given) gift is a personal
responsibility for the common good.
• Promotion of Peace - everyone has the duty to respect and collaborate in personal
relationships, and at national and global levels.
• Participation - everyone has the right and the duty to take part in the life of a society
(economic, political, cultural, religious)
• Global Solidarity - recognition that we are all interconnected, part of one human family
Different Conceptions of Human Flourishing
Science, Technology and Human Flourishing
• Every discovery, innovation, and success
contributes to our pool of human
knowledge.
• Human’s perpetual need to locate himself
in the world by finding proofs to trace
evolution elicits our idea of self-
importance
• Technology is a human activity we excel in
as a result of achieving science.
• Good is inherently related to the truth.
Different Conceptions of Human
Flourishing
Eastern
• Focus is community-centric
• Individual should sacrifice himself for the sake
of society
• Chinese Confucianism
• Japanese Bushido
• Encourage studies of literature, sciences, and
art for a greater cause
Different Conceptions of
Human Flourishing

Western
• More focused on
the individual
• Human flourishing
as an end
• Aristotelian view
• Aims for
eudaimonia as the
ultimate good
SELECTED VIEWS ON TECHNOLOGY: TECHNOLOGICAL PESSIMISM
• This view is extremely supported by French philosopher Jacques Ellul (1912-
1994).
• Holds that technology is progressive and beneficial in many ways, it is also
doubtful in many ways.
• Technology should be a means to an end but it 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:
(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.
SELECTED VIEWS ON TECHNOLOGY:
TECHNOLOGICAL OPTIMISM
• This view is strongly supported by technologist and engineers and
also by ordinary people who believe that technology can alleviate all
the difficulties and provide solutions for problems that may come.
• Even though technological problems may arise, technology will still be
the solution to it.
• The extreme version of this philosophy is technocratism which holds
technology as the supreme authority on everything
SELECTED VIEWS ON
TECHNOLOGY: EXISTENTIALISM
• Martin Heidegger 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.
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
• He believed that this kind of definition was confusing and there are
questions 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 the 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
• The instrumental definition of technology encourages us to view technology from
different periods of time as not having fundamental differences - 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 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.
• he 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.
Causality
• For Heidegger, this correct definition of technology is insufficient as it
does 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 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
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 Efficiens or the efficient Cause
The agent that has caused for the silver chalice to come about: the silversmith.
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.
HEIDEGGER’S TECHNOLOGY AS A WAY OF REVEALING
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 the hydroelectric plant so that
electrical energy can be stored and distributed
 THE GOOD LIFE
OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
examine what is meant by a good life;
identify how humans attempt to attain what is deemed to have a
good life; and
recognize possibilities available to human beings to attain good life.
WHAT IS A GOOD LIFE?
One of the main themes of a “good life”
- being connected and contributing in a
meaningful way to the communities you value
Big part of good life
It is how you participate in different places such as:
• Place of worship
• Work
• Part of the neighborhood
• Friendship
• Affiliation
 THE GOOD LIFE
In its simplest form, a good life is a series of never-ending
satisfaction that only grows more powerful as time goes on.
Ex. Wanting to get out of the bed every morning, excited to take
•
on whatever each day has in store for you.

It has nothing to do with the material

possessions or artificially induced sensations.
The good life is based on:
• Compassionate deeds you perform
• Personal goals you strive to achieve
• Legacy you decide to leave behind as a result of the
mark you have made on the world around you.
ARISTOTLE and how we all aspire
for a good life
ARISTOTLE
-The first philosopher who approached the problem of reality
from a “scientific” lens; and
-first thinker who dabbled into the complex problematization of
the end goal of life: Happiness
 PLATO &
ARISTOTLE
embarked on a
different approach in
figuring out reality
 PLATO ARISTOTLE
• thought that things in this world are not • puts everything back to the ground in
real and are only copies of the real in claiming that this world is all there is to
the world of forms. it and that this world is the only reality
• change is so perplexing that it can only we can all access.
makes sense if there are two realities; • disagreed with his teacher’s position
- the world of forms –Things are and forwarded the idea that there is no
changing and impermanent. reality over and above what the senses
can perceive.
- the world of matter- entities are only
copies of the ideal and the models, and
the forms are the only real entities.
 PLATO ARISTOTLE
• claims that despite the reality of • every human person aspires for an
change, things remain and they end. The end is happiness or human
retain their ultimate “whatness” flourishing.
• convinced that reality is full of • claims that happiness is be all and
end all of everything that we do. We
these seemingly contrasting may not realize it but the end goal of
manifestation of change and everything that we do is happiness.
permanence.
 Happiness as the goal of the good life
• In 18th century, John Stuart Mill declared the greatest happiness principle
by saying that an action is right as for as it maximize the attainment of
happiness for the greatest number of people.
• Individual happiness of each person should be prioritized and collectively
dictates the kind of action that should be endorsed.
 School of thoughts which aims for
the good and happy life.
• Materialism
a philosophy that places a high value on objects, usually
considering them more valuable than experiences or personal
relationships.
applied to people who believe buying things or acquiring wealth
will make them happy.
 School of thoughts which aims for the good and
happy life

Hedonism
• Hedonists, for their part, see the end goal of life in acquiring pleasure. Pleasure
has always been the priority of hedonists. For them, life is about obtaining and
indulging in pleasure because life is limited.
• The mantra of this school of thought is the famous “Eat, drink, and be merry for
tomorrow we die” led by Epicurus.
School of thoughts which aims for the good and
happy life
Stoicism
• Another school of thought led by Epicurus, the stoics
exposed the idea that to generate happiness, one must
learn to distance oneself and be apathetic. The original
term apatheia, precisely means to be indifferent.
SCHOOL OF THOUGHTS WHICH AIMS
FOR THE GOOD AND HAPPY LIFE
Theism
• People find the meaning of their lives using God as a
fulcrum of their existence.
• The ultimate basis of happiness for theist is the communion
with God.
SCHOOL OF THOUGHTS WHICH AIMS
FOR THE GOOD AND HAPPY LIFE
Humanism
• Espouses the freedom of man to carve his own destiny
and to legislate his own law, free from the shackles of
a God that monitors and controls.
• For humanists man is literally the captain of his own
ship.
MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS
 MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS
• •

•
 MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS
• •

• •
 MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS
•