UNIT 2

- CHAPTER ONE-
Eudaimonia

– comes from Greek word eu meaning “well” & daimon (or daemon) meaning “spirit”
– defined as a contented state of being happy, healthy, and prosperous
– understood as the effort to attain self-discovery and fulfillment within the setting of society
– objective state that characterizes the well-lived life as an individual’s ideal emotional state

Eudaimonism – pursuing the right actions that led to one’s “well-being”

Virtue Ethics – normative ethical theories that emphasize the virtues of the mind and character

Arete – linked to the virtues  excellence of any kind that is necessary in order for one individual to flourish and attain
the good life

Hedonism

– one of the philosophical theories that attempts to explain eudaimonia

– pleasure is the most valuable pursuit of mankind and everything that one does is to gain pleasure
– traced back to ARISTIPPUS

Aristippus – Greek philosopher who was convinced that life’s objective is to experience maximum pleasure

Aristotle

– assumed that happiness is a vague idea, emphasizing that not all desires are worth pursuing (eudaimonic well-
being)  Though some may yield pleasure, they will not always produce lasting happiness
– departed from the Socratic view  stated that such happiness is conditional for it is dependent on other
conditions  thus, the individual’s worldly conditions are important in his pursuit of eudaimonia
– “eudaimonia is not an instrumental good but rather the ultimate good for it is intrinsically good or good in its
own sake”

Epicurus & other notable hedonists – agreed with Aristotle that eudaimonia is the highest good

Epicurus – associated “eudaimonia is the highest good” with the idea of “pleasure for pleasure’s sake”

The History of Eudaimonia

Nichomachean Ethics – Aristotle’s work that explains the term eudaimonia

Earlier thinkers that presented similar concepts:

1. Democritus
2. Socrates – believed that virtue is a sort of knowledge (the knowledge of good and evil) that is needed to achieve
the ultimate good all humans desire
3. Plato – observed that even bad people are capable of feeling guilty when they do something wrong; claimed that
the mind must govern the spirit, emotions, and physical desires to attain eudaimonia

Socratic view – happiness is based on leading a life of virtue

Community – an individual needs to be a part of this to flourish as a human being

Friendship – a mutual admiration between two persons which is a contributing factor in attaining eudaimonia
The Stoics

– perceived virtue based on morality  eudaimonia is the highest good and is achieved by living in harmony with
nature

Moral virtues: (GOOD) Moral vices: (BAD) Neutral:

1. Courage 1. Envy 1. Health

2. Honesty 2. Slander 2. Honor
3. Justice 3. Shame 3. Wealth

Human flourishing in the Christian perspective

St. Augustine of Hippo & St. Thomas Aquinas – proposed that eudaimonia or human flourishing requires one to
have knowledge of God

John Locke – stressed that happiness is pursued through prudence

Old Testament

Shalom

– best describes the concept of human flourishing in the Old Testament

– means peace, harmony, and completeness
– sense of wholeness involving an individual’s relationship with God and His creations
– acc. to Plantiga  its meaning goes beyond mere peace of mind or truce among enemies

Dr. Neal Plantiga – (in his article EDUCATING FOR SHALOM) “a more suitable definition of the word shalom is the
webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfillment, and delight”

Bible – equates shalom to universal flourishing and delight

New Testament

Beatitudes – eight blessings preached by Jesus to his followers in MATTHEW 5:1-12 that captures the concept of
human flourishing in the New Testament

Makarios (pl. makarioi) – Greek word that first appears in each beatitude which means “happy” or “blessed”

Beatus – Latin word that means “blissful,” “happy,” “fortunate,” or “flourishing” which comprises the term beatitude

“Blessed are…” or “Happy are…” – phrase that the beatitudes begin with for they impart which qualities and
attitudes one must have on Earth in order to flourish in the afterlife

Makar (from makarios) – (in Classical Greek) refers to the state of living a life of happiness without struggles and
difficulties

Jesus – preached that human flourishing can be achieved by placing God at the center of one’s life

Scot McKnight – “the entire philosophy of ‘the good life’ and the late-modern theory of ‘happiness’ are at work when
[Jesus} says, ‘Blessed are…’”

Human flourishing in the socio-psychological perspective

Science and technology – affect and influence people’s view and understanding of happiness / the good life

Human understanding of human flourishing:

1. Mental and Physical Health

2. Satisfaction in one’s life
 3. Meaning and purpose
4. Social relationships

Carol Ryff – a psychology professor who studied different models and theories of happiness and concluded that there
are 6 components of well-being

6 components of well-being:

1. Self-acceptance
2. Autonomy
3. Environmental Mastery
4. Positive relationships
5. Purpose in life
6. Personal growth

Anthony Bradley – a professor at King’s College in New York who echoed Ryff’s idea in his article “THE NEW
LEGALISM”

The consequences of human flourishing

Gerd Leonhard – states that there would be “an avalanche of technological changes that could reshape the very
essence of humanity and every aspect of life on our planet”

Stephen Hawking, Stuart Russell, Max Tegmark, and Frank Wilczek – published an open letter in The
Independent stating that the emergence of artificial intelligence poses a great danger to humanity

Artificial intelligence – biggest discovery in human history and also the last

- CHAPTER TWO-
Technology – defined as the advancement of scientific knowledge to solve simple to complex problems or the manner
in which a task is finished using different technical processes

Martin Heidegger

– German philosopher, who is acclaimed for his works on metaphysics, phenomenology, and existentialism,
challenged the said definitions
– Doesn’t problematize the existence of technology but the way people orient themselves around it  solving
problems caused by technology cannot be solved by simply improving technology
– Technology is very distant from modern technology as the latter is disjointed from the idea of aletheia

The Question Concerning Technology – written by Heidegger; criticizes technology because of its limiting nature
that prevents further understanding of its true essence

Technology’s 2 functions: (these definitions are not wrong but it limits the understanding of technology as simply a tool
for getting things done)

1. Instrumental – technology is instrumental because it is a means to an end

2. Anthropological – technology is anthropological because it is human activity

Aristotle’s four causes: (acc. to Heidegger  four ways of being responsible)

1. Material cause (causa materialis) – material out of which an object is made

2. Formal cause (causa formalis) – shape or form of the object as it was produced
3. Final cause (causa finalis) – purpose or function of the object
4. Efficient cause (causa efficiens) – causes change in an object; help us to understand the other causes as well as
itself
Silver Chalice – used by Heidegger as an example to elaborate the 4 causes
MC: Silver FOC: shape that the chalice takes when it is formed
FIC: use of the chalice in the context of religious ceremonies
EC: responsible for manipulating the silver to create an actual chalice

Example #2: TABLE

MC: Wood FOC: Design FIC: Dining EC: Carpentry

Responsibility – (acc to Heidegger) doesn’t refer to accountability or creation; rather, it is what helps an object reach
its full potential as a functional object

Bringing-forth – taking of each of the causes with meticulous consideration to create the final product  the act of
bringing forth is grounded in the act of uncovering thus technology is not a mere means, but rather a mode of
revealing

2 categories:

1. Poiesis – bringing forth of an object into existence from creation or art, practiced by craftsmen and poets
2. Physis – bringing forth of an object from nature, which is a self-producing process of coming into existence

Technikon – Greek term from which technology comes from and is related to the Greek word techne

Techne – as in technique; both a skill of manufacture and art; in relation to episteme, it means “know-how” or defined
in the widest sense as one’s expertise in a particular field

Plato – linked the term techne to episteme

Episteme – from which the word “epistemology” stems from

Aletheia – means unconcealment or truth

“Standing-reserve” – a concept that means the world’s resources are not “good” on its own but are only “good for”
something else

“Setting-upon” – a concept that modern technology is focused on which challenges nature in providing the energy that
it needs that delays nature’s potential to be “revealed”

2 ways modern technology challenges nature to provide energy:

1. How modern technology unlocks the energy from natural resources and exposes the object for whatever purpose
it may hold
2. How modern technology is able to maximize the use of a given object while using the bare minimum expenditure

Ordering – process that unlocks and transforms what is gathered from setting-upon

Gebirg – gathering of mountains (or mountain chain)

Gestell (or enframing) – a German word used by twentieth-century German philosopher Martin Heidegger to describe
what lies behind or beneath modern technology.[1] Heidegger introduced the term in 1954 in The Question Concerning
Technology, a text based on the lecture "The Framework" ("Das Gestell") first presented on December 1, 1949, in
Bremen – an all-encompassing view of technology, not as a means to an end, but rather a mode of human existence

- CHAPTER THREE-
Meaning and Elements of “The Good Life”

Susan Wolf (2011)

 Stresses that happiness and meaningfulness are important elements of a good life
  Theories:
1. Hedonistic Theory – one’s “good” is a matter of how he or she feels regarding the quality of his or her
experiences; identifies self-interest with happiness (presence of pleasure and absence of pain)
2. Preference Theory – a person’s “good” is what one wants most for himself/herself (ex. Some people prefer
material wealth over prestige, fame, or a good reputation)
3. Objective List Theory – a person’s “good” includes at least some elements that are independent of
personal preferences and consists of “valuable” experiences (i.e. meaningful relationships, friendships,
accomplishments, etc.)

Antonia Macaro (2018)

 Components of a good life: (Based on the writings of Aristotle)

1. Success and Material Comfort – not inherently bad but it is not the final good because it’s still dependent on
the validation of a society; only a means to an end; a moderate quantity of material comfort is also necessary
for one’s well-being
– Dr. Ron Jenson’s book Make a Life Not Just a Living (1995) discusses the common perceptions of
individuals about a successful life. He presents the 5Ps:
i. Power
ii. Prestige
iii. Pleasure
iv. Position
v. Prosperity
2. Pleasure – not the ultimate good, but good in moderation; desire for pleasure is a form of hedonism in which
pleasure is the highest goal; This self-focused pleasure is not a long-term happiness; a good life is a balance
between value and pleasure
3. Relationships – essential to a good life; meaningful, pleasant relations with mutual admiration
4. Reason and virtues
– Theoretically: reason is the contemplation of unchangeable truths
– Practically: reason is the capacity to make decisions in the sphere of what can be changed
– Both theoretical and practical reasons are intellectual virtues that are central parts of a good life. In
order to flourish as human beings, the development of virtues of character includes learning to act
according to reason
5. Character and spirituality – (acc to Dr. Ron Jenson) an individual’s character is the root of his or her inner
strength

Anne Birgitta Pessi (2008) – provides a novel arrow model that illustrates the essential steps toward a good life

ESSENTIAL STEPS:

1) Relationships – most central step (most important and central theme concerned family, esp spouse and/or
children; friends and other social relationships were also noted)
2) Balance – includes contentment & safety; PEACE OF MIND (elements of equilibrium,, safety, being at peace
with oneself, contentment, and physical/psychic/mental well-being)
3) Health
4) Secure income
5) Fulfilling oneself – (from this step onwards) abstract element of the good life; MEANINGFULNESS
(meaningful things to do, purpose in life, reaching goals, living according to one’s values, & having dreams
and joy in life)
6) Values and spirituality – includes being at peace; PEACE AND SAFETY (in a rather literal sense, i.e. peaceful
home and neighborhood, and peace of soul in relation to one’s “wholesome basic values” such as justice,
honesty, respect, altruism, compassion, and religion)
7) Work and leisure – having meaningful work and/or hobbies

Science and Technology as a means to achieve a good life

Technological progress as a means to achieve a good and fulfilled life must necessarily equate to advancements that are
anchored in balance and human values.

- CHAPTER FOUR-
Technological optimism – a view that technological improvements will sustain life as human population continues
to increase; discredits the unsustainable aspect of technology

The Year 2000 (1967) – Herman Kahn and Anthony Wiener listed 100 technological innovations that are likely to
occur in the last quarter of the 20th century

Ex. New medical technologies that may detect hereditary and congenital diseases, the use of cyborg
techniques that may substitute human organs or limbs, new biological or chemical methods to improve memory and
learning
Multimedia systems, Advanced military and commercial airborne vehicles, and the Internet – predicted innovations that
are now existent (other predictions such as genetic testing are already being developed)

Study of genetics – poses a threat to ETHICS

Human Genome Project – launched by scientist who believed in the power of genetic information to transform
health care—to allow early detection of fatal diseases and create powerful medicines based on the genetic “constitution”
of an individual (pharmacogenetics)

Pharmacogenetics – raises questions regarding its necessity, methodologies, and accessibility

Advanced DNA testing – poses both advantages and disadvantages as the practice may be misused or abused by
authorities

Diesel-powered automobiles and coal-powered energy plants – release toxic fumes and greenhouse gases that
re detrimental to human and environmental health

Macli-ing Dulag – tribal leader who opposed the Chico River Dam Project in Cordillera because it would displace local
communities; murdered by unidentified assailants to silence him, which caused a large public outcry on both national
and international scales that terminated the project

Dams – for irrigation, flood control, and power production but they disrupt the natural ecosystem and displace local
communities

Kaliwa Low Dam Project in Rizal

– threatens the ancestral lands of the Dumagats and Remontados, which would inevitably displace 10000
members of the Dumagat tribe, and the various wildlife habitats situated in the Sierra Madre mountain
range are also threatened to be destroyed
– formulated in response to the alleviation of sourcing demands from Angat Dam which would help
nearby communities with water supply
– exhibits the conflict between progress and ethical & environmental consequences

Agent Orange

– invention that illustrates how technology can be purposively used to inflict damage on others
– herbicide and defoliant chemical—a mixture of 2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 2,4-
Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid
– used during the Vietnam War by the US military in order to destroy plant-based ecosystems in Vietnam
territory, disrupting their agricultural food production
– (acc to lab tests) also damaged the genes of humans exposed to it, resulting in genetic deformities
developed by offsprings of the exposed victims
– Also made the regeneration of forests difficult and almost impossible
ILOVEYOU virus

– infamous virus that infected millions of computers worldwide

– reportedly created by Filipino IT students
– destroyed files, stole user passwords, and compromised confidential data from government agencies and
private companies

Why does the future not need us?

Aldous Huxley

– created a dystopian world 600 years into the future in which humans are engineered through artificial
wombs and indoctrinated into predetermined classes that dictate how they should act and be perceived in
society in his novel Brave New World (1931)
– stated that his envisioned reality is coming faster than he had originally foreseen and that “the horror
might be upon us within a single century”

Bill Joy

– chief scientist for Sun Microsystems who wrote an article for Wired Magazine entitled Why the Future
Doesn’t Need Us
– stated that “our most powerful 21st-century technologies – robotics, genetic engineering, and
nanotechnology – are threatening to make humans an endangered species”
– concerned about the increasing developments of technological capabilities (i.e. artificial intelligence (AI))
– expected that computers will have the capacity to lead a so-called Robot Rebellion