Module 2- SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY AND THE HUMAN CONDITION

LEARNING Direction: Rate the extent of

OBJECTIVES awareness in each statement by
At the end of this lesson, you checking the box that corresponds to
should be able to: your answer.
Statement Agree Disagree I do
1. Explain the human rights based
not
approach to science and know
technology and development. 1. The government
2. Identify key principles relative to gives us our human
rights.
human rights based approach to
2. Children and
science and technology.
youths have rights
that must be
respected
TOPIC 3. Human rights
OUTLINE should be the
concern of all
4. By virtue of being
Lesson: 4 When Technology human, we have
and Humanity Cross rights.
5. Only the state or
government can
protect our human
OVERVIEW rights.
6.Scientific and
technological
2. developments
This lesson embarks on threaten the human
Science, Technology and Human rights and
fundamental
Rights. The Universal Declaration of freedoms of the
Human Rights (UDHR) is the basis individual,
specifically Article 27 that recognizes 7. Government shall
take measures to
the right to share in scientific extend the benefits
advancement and its benefits. of science and
technology to all
strata of the
ACTIVATING population and to
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE protect them, both
socially and
materially, from
Before we start with a new possible harmful
lesson, please accomplish first the effects of the misuse
table below: of scientific and
technological
developments.
Module 2- SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY AND THE HUMAN CONDITION

Statement Agree Disagree I do not Human rights are rights

know
inherent to all human beings
All states
8.
regardless of race, sex,
should make
nationality, ethnicity, language,
use of
scientific and religion or any other status. Human
technological rights include the right to life and
progress for liberty, freedom from slavery and
good torture, freedom from opinion and
purposes. expression, the right to work and
9. The education, and many more.
protection of
human rights The Right to Benefit from
and continued advances in Science and Technology
scientific and
technological In
10. A good life its 1947
is a life where statement
human rights on the
are upheld “Grounds
of an
Internation
al
According to Leah Levin from Declaration of Human Rights,”
her book the Human Rights the Committee on the
Questions and Answers, Theoretical Bases of Human
human beings are born equal in Rights, convened by UNESCO,
dignity and rights. These are moral included the “Right to Share in
claims that are inalienable and Progress” according to which
inherent in all human individuals by “every man has the right to
virtue of their humanity alone. These fully access the enjoyment of
claims are articulated and the technical and cultural
achievements of civilization”
formulated in what we call today
(UNESCO 1948). According to
“human rights” and have been
committee member J. M.
translated into legal rights
Burgers, Professor at the
established according to law creating
Technical College of Delft, the
processes of societies, both on the
Netherlands, “the part played
national and international level.
by science in modern society
makes possible and at the
Module 2- SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY AND THE HUMAN CONDITION
same time puts upon us the
obligation of international co-
operation, as well as of looking
into the future in the interest
of coming generations”
(UNESCO 1948). He
articulated a duty of the
community “of setting aside
from its funds means for
elaborate scientific research,
as a means for alleviating
wants of mankind, for the
development of mankind, and
for the pursuit of truth”
(UNESCO 1948).
These ideas are
reflected in article 27 of the
Universal Declaration of
Human Rights. In Article 15 it
states the right of everyone”
both “to enjoy the benefits of
scientific progress and its
applications” and “to benefit
from the protection of the
moral and material interests
resulting from any scientific,
literary or artistic production.
In 2005, Universal Declaration
on Bioethics and Human
Rights recognize the
importance of freedom of
scientific research and the
benefits derived from scientific
and technological
developments and promote
equitable access to medical,
scientific and technological
developments (UNESCO
2005).Further, benefits
resulting from any scientific
research and its applications
should be shared with society
as a whole and within the
international community, in
particular with developing
countries”.
Threats to human rights
from Science and Technology
The dangers of the
misuse of science were also a
concern of the UN in the 1940s
through the 1990s. The
International Conference on
Human Rights of 1968 adopted
the Proclamation of Tehran
predicting that, “[w]hile recent
scientific discoveries and
technological advances have
opened vast prospects for
economic, social and cultural
progress, such developments
may nevertheless endanger
the rights and freedoms of
individuals.
There are four issues of
concern with regard to human
rights arising out of science
and technological
advancement, namely, (1)
respect for privacy “in light of
advances in recording and
other techniques;” (2)
protection of physical and
intellectual integrity in light of
Module 2- SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY AND THE HUMAN CONDITION
advances in biology, medicine
and biochemistry; (3) limits on
the use of electronics to protect
the rights of individuals; and
(4) “generally, the balance that
should be established between
scientific and technological
progress and the intellectual,
spiritual, cultural and moral
advancement of humanity”
(United Nations 1968b).
Human rights principles
can guide efforts to ensure
that everyone benefits from
scientific advances. How do
they intersect with science,
policy and practice, and what
stands in the way of a rights-
based approach to S&T for
development?
Once human rights in
the face of scientific and
technological advancement are
critical factors in the journey
toward Eudaimonia or the
good life. Exercise of the right
to accept and reject minimize
or maximize, evaluate and
decide on the scope and
function of science and
technology. The protection of
the well-being and the
upholding of dignity of the
human person must be at core
of the continued progress and
development. Such is the focus
of a human rights –based
approach to science and
technology, and development.
According to S. Rom
Mukherjee, PhD. in sociology
and history of religions,
University of Chicago. He
outlines human rights-based
approaches to science,
technology and development
and what he mean for policy
and practice. Please study the
statements of S. Rom
Mukherjee below:
A human rights-based
approach to science,
technology and development
seeks to place a concern for
human rights at the heart of
how the international
community engages with
urgent global challenges. It
entered the UN's lexicon in
1997, with Kofi Annan's call
for human rights to be
integrated into the UN's
mandates, management, and
methodologies for development
and international cooperation.
The UN Development
Programme characterises this
approach as one that "leads to
better and more sustainable
outcomes by analysing and
addressing the inequalities,
discriminatory practices and
unjust power relations which
are often at the heart of
Module 2- SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY AND THE HUMAN CONDITION

development problems. It puts implement policies to ensure safety,

the international human health and livelihoods and to include
rights entitlements and claims people’s need and priorities in
of the people (the 'right- development and environmental
holders') and the sustainability.
corresponding obligations of
the state (the 'duty-bearer') in Table 1 below provides the
the centre of the national documents for a human rights based
development debate, and it approach to science, technology, and
clarifies the purpose of development.
capacity development".
DOCUMENT KEY PRINCIPLES

S. Rom Mukherjee Universal Everyone has

added that the approach Declaration of the right freely
requires scientists to go Human Rights ( to participate
beyond knowing how their UDHR) ( Article 27) in the cultural
www.UNESCO.org life of the
work relates to human rights
community, to
and demands that they strive
enjoy the arts
to secure and affirm human and to share in
rights through the knowledge scientific
they produce. For instance, a advancement
right-based approach to virus and its
studies in potentially creating benefits.”
an ethical framework that UNESCO This document
guides research as it evolves Recommendation on pertains to the
— would not only push the the Status of advances in
frontiers of medicine and seek Scientific scientific and
medical benefits, but actively researchers -1974 ( technological
Article 4) knowledge
guard against the potential to
should solely
create new biological weapons.
be geared
towards the
Moreover, Human rights based
welfare of the
approach recognizes that science is a
global citizens
societal enterprise which is value- an calls upon
laden and shaped by organization member states
structures and procedures. It also to develop
asks how government/state and other necessary
stakeholders can create and protocol and
Module 2- SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY AND THE HUMAN CONDITION

policies to local
monitor and knowledge.
secure this Special efforts
objective. in this respect
Countries are are required in
asked to show developing
that science countries with
the co-
and technology
operation of
are integrated
the
into policies
international
that aim to
community.
ensure a more
humane and
just society.
UNESCO Governments, There is really a
Declaration on the in co-operation connection between science,
use of scientific with
technology and human rights.
knowledge -1999 ( universities
There is a history of shared
Article 33) and higher
education values way back 18th century
institutions, or the age of enlightenment.
and with the Principles of freedom and
help of equality are contained in the
relevant earlier declaration of the
United
rights of man. In addition,
Nations
there’s an explicit recognition
organizations,
should extend of the right to science and the
and improve international human rights
education, law that acknowledges the
training and relevance of the practice and
facilities for conduct of science, protection
human
of the rights of scientists,
resources
rights to information and to
development
in movement, freedom of
environment- expression and association,
related education and work and most
sciences, importantly health.
utilizing also In a nutshell, it is
traditional and
important that science and
Module 2- SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY AND THE HUMAN CONDITION
technology should adhere to
the moral and ethical duty to
protect and uphold human
rights.
LEARNING
ACTIVITY 1
Reading Comprehension Task
1. Research on the Nuremberg Code.
What is the main purpose of the
Nuremberg Code?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
2. What is the impact of this
Nuremberg Code in the clinical
research and development?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
3. Is the UDHR art.27 and UNESCO
Declaration on the use of
scientific knowledge supports the
Nuremberg Code? Is YES or NO
Why?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
4. Can a COVID -19 vaccines be
tested without violating test
subject’s human rights?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
LEARNING
ACTIVITY 2
Let’s try to Collab Guys!
Direction: Mukherjee lists down six
other instruments which are important
for human rights- based approaches to
science, technology and development:
1. International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights (1966)
2. Declaration of Social Progress and
Development (1969)
3. Declaration on the Use of Scientific
and Technological Progress in the
Interest of Peace and for the
Benefit of Mankind (1975)
4. Universal Declaration on Bioethics
and Human Rights (2005)
5. The Declaration of Dakar (2007)
6. The Cairo Declaration (2006)
In a group of four (4) members, choose
one (1) topic and discuss the document
among yourselves. Be ready to present
this in our online class. Be guided with
the following questions below:
1. What is the document all about?
2. Who are the parties/signatories to
the document?
Module 2- SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY AND THE HUMAN CONDITION

3. What article/s or section/s of the

document articulates the centrality
of human rights vis-à-vis science,
technology, and development?
4. How does the document safeguard
human rights in the face of science
and technology?
5. What challenges stand in the way
of the document and its key
principles in safeguarding human
rights amidst the changing
scientific and technological
contexts?
c. How can the document inform
lawyers and ethicists and
engineers and scientists in
answering the moral and legal
questions raised by the
developments in robotics?
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________

LEARNING SUMMARY
ACTIVITY 3

Reading Enrichment Task Human rights are standards that

1. Read the Ethical Dilemmas of
Robotics click
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/
6432307, stm
a. What are the Ethical Dilemmas posed
by robotics?
_____________________________________
__________________________________
_____________________________________
___________________________________
b. Which among the documents for a
human rights-based approach to
science, technology, and the
development discussed in this section
may be useful in contending with the
ethical dilemmas of robotics?
allow all people to live with dignity,
freedom, equality, justice, and peace.
All have a right to enjoy the benefits
of scientific progress. S. Rom
Mukherjee emphasized the need for
an ethical framework that will guide
research and development. The
guide should be based on the UDHR
article 27, UNESCO
Recommendation on the Status of
Scientific researchers -1974 (Article
4) and UNESCO Declaration on the
use of scientific knowledge -1999
(Article 33).

_____________________________________
__________________________________
_____________________________________
___________________________________
Module 2- SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY AND THE HUMAN CONDITION

REFERENCES

Quinto et al., (2019). Science, Technology and

Society. C & E Publishing, Inc.
Patria et al., (2018). Science, Technology and
Society. Rexbookstore Inc.
Agsalud, P (2012). ). Science, Technology and
Society. Great Books Publishing
Levin, L. Human Rights Questions
and Answers. UNESCO
Publishing 5th Edition.
United Nation Peace
Dignity and Equality on a
Healthy Planet

Websites:
https://tinyurl.com/y3xgcfld
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ar
ticles/PMC6205482/
https://tinyurl.com/y5mtojqjh