Society

Science
Technology
SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY
and THE HUMAN PERSON

Human Flourishing
 INTRODUCTION
The progress of human civilizations throughout
history mirrors the development of science and
technology.
The human person, as both the bearer and beneficiary
of science and technology, flourishes and finds
meaning in the world that he/she builds.
It has been said that man’s desire for the material
world is satisfied with science and technology.
This lesson explains briefly the attributes and
capacity of man and his role in relation to technology
and to society.
The human person has the autonomy to make choices
which may enable the flourishing of his/her self and
society. Human beings become more free when
empowered to make choices for our flourishing. We
become more rational when we are able to value and
apply the principles of logic and science in our lives.
Aristotle teaches that each man's life has a purpose and
that the function of one's life is to attain that purpose.
And that purpose of life is earthly happiness or
flourishing that can be achieved via reason and the
acquisition of virtue.
He believes that each human being should use his
abilities to their fullest potential and should obtain
happiness and enjoyment through the exercise of their
realized capacities.
 Learning Objectives
• Define what a human being is.
• Describe the characteristics of man/human-being.
• Identify different concepts of human flourishing.
• Realize the purpose of one’s life.
• Reflect on the principles of the Rational Choice Theory
towards human flourishing.
 KEY CONCEPTS

Human Being
a man, woman, or child of the
species Homo Sapiens
distinguished from other animal
by:
 superior mental development,
 power of articulate speech &
 upright stance.
 KEY CONCEPTS

Society
an organization or
aggregate of people
living together with
common interest /
purpose or activity
 KEY CONCEPTS
Happiness
a mental or emotional
state of well-being
characterized by
positive or pleasant
emotions ranging from
contentment to intense
joy.
 KEY CONCEPTS
Well Being
 the state of being happy,
healthy or prosperous.
(Oxford Dictionary)

 how people feel and how

they function, both on a
personal and a social level,
and how they evaluate their
lives as a whole.” (Mental
Health Foundation)
 Definition of Human

 Man is made up of a
material body and a
spiritual soul.

 Man believes in the

existence of God.
 Man explored different
beliefs, religions,
doctrines on the
existence of God
 Man is a creature
whose destiny is to live
in the spiritual &
physical world.
 Man is destined to live in
the physical world where
he is a part of, together
with other living organism.
Science and Technology
 satisfy man’s desire for
the material world.
 Review Question No. 1

What is the difference between well-being

and happiness?
 Science Technology &
Society will be further
understood if we can grasp
the nature of Human Being.

 We need to understand the

needs of human being and
how to cater to this need.
 Man is responsible for the
researches and innovations
available today.

 Individuals choose specific

actions or scientific
investigations that are
most in line with their
personal preference.
Acc. to Aristotle:
 Man is defined as a
rational animal -
 He can think and use
reason consistently.

 The way human beings

do things is by making a
rational choice.
 Hence, the introduction of rational choice theory
which is used to model human decision making.
Review Question No. 2

•State Aristotle’s definition of Man.

Characteristics of Humans that Evolved Over Time
1. Walking Upright
 Early records of humanity showed that
humans evolved from four-legged species
to walking upright individuals.
2. Use of Different Tools
 As humans need to survive,
 their various activities such as
foraging, hunting and fishing
 to provide wide range of food
supply led
 to advances in tools and tool-
making.
3. Domestication of Animals

 Early humans who were

hunters and gatherers
 started domesticating
animals.
 They settled in one place,
 learned to tame animals
and domesticated them.
4. Changes in Human Body
a. Short Bodies and long guts
(6 million years ago)
• earliest human were small
• had long arms & short legs
• most of their foods are plant-based
• this requires large digestive tract
• wide rib cage made room
• for the stomach, intestines, & other organs that
break down food.
b.Tall Bodies and short guts
(9 millions years ago)

• some humans have

adopted to hot climates
• they evolved narrow bodies that helped them to stay cool
• long legs enabled them to travel long distances
• eating meat & other foods that could be digested quickly
• led to smaller digestive tracks
• making more energy available for taller bodies & larger
brain
c. Compact Bodies
(400,000 years ago)

• humans moved to
colder climates
• their bodies needed to adapt to help them stay warm
• they had s short & wide bodies to conserve heat
• they depended on both raw meat & cooked food
d. Smooth and
weaker bones
(50,000 years ago)

• human activities become less physically demanding

• diet changed to cooked meat and other foods
• human bones evolved to being smoother and weaker
5. Complexity of the Brain
 Humans faced new
challenges as the
environment changes.
• This contributed to the evolution of the bigger human bodies.
• Larger and more complex human brain that can process a lot
of information.
• This helped the early humans in their interactions &
encounters with unfamiliar habitats.
• As humans evolved, their brain size tripled and became the
largest & most complex of any living primate.
6. Social Life
“No man is an island, entire of itself.
Every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.”
Review Question No. 3

•How does the evolution of man help him

achieve human flourishing?
 Family can be defined as
a socially recognized group
 usually joined by blood,
marriage, cohabitation, or
adoption
 forms an emotional connection and serves as an
economic unit of society.
 Family is the basic unit of a society.
The Importance of Societies:

a. Support for each other

b. Formation of Social Groups
c. Formation of Culture
d. Regulation of Policies & Standards
e. Achieving a Common Goal
a. Support for each other
 People in a society come together and organize
in a group (to)
 support each other because of their common:
 need
 goal
 concerns
 ideologies
b. Formation of
Social Groups

 A society is
characterized by
social networks.

 A society builds relationship among its members,

 since they support each other and share a
common interest or territory.
c. Formation of Culture
 Culture defines the
pattern of human
activity in a society.
 It is represented by
the art, literature,
language, & religion of the individuals who form it.
 People share norms of conduct, beliefs and ethical
standards that lead to the formation of culture.
d. Regulation of Policies & Standards

 Society is the foundation

of the government.
 The government helps in
the management of the
natural and human resources that belong to
society and regulates the distribution of public
facilities to the individuals.
e. Achieving a Common Goal

 Members of the
Society usually
come together
 because of their
common interest
and goals.

 They serve as a strong support system in life.

e. Achieving a Common Goal

 The society forms a collective movement to work

together for what would benefit all of them.
7. Use of Language & Symbols
 Ancient people
communicated with each
other using language,
symbols, or sounds.
 They used pigments,
painting and carvings.
 Information was stored in
stone paintings on the walls
of caves.
 Ancient people used jewelry
and other personal adornments
to reflect their identity.
 Adornments represented
membership in a group or
someone’s age, sex, & social
status.
Review Question No. 4

•Enumerate the importance of a Society.

Can happiness be taught and be learned?
 Human Flourishing
 Aristotle teaches that each
man’s life has a purpose; that
the function of one’s life is to
attain that purpose.
 He explains that the purpose
of life is earthly happiness or
flourishing that can be
achieved via reason and the
acquisition of virtue.
Human Flourishing
 an effort to achieve self-
actualization and fulfillment
within the context of a larger
community of individuals.

 the uniqueness, dignity, diversity, freedom, happiness,

and holistic well-being of the individual within the
larger family, community, & population.
Eudaimonia, flourishing, or
happiness
 The end to all the actions
we perform – our desire
 It is the highest good of
human endeavors
 Every activity is performed
for a certain target
•What makes people happy?

•What makes happy people happy ?

•Why are certain people happier than others?

Martin E.P. Seligman
 Father of Positive Psychology
 Well-Being Theory
 3 dimensions of Happiness : the
Pleasant Life, the Good Life, and
the Meaningful Life (https://www.pursuit-
of-happiness.org/history-of-happiness/martin-
seligman-psychology/)
The Pleasant Life:
positive emotions about the present, past and future
pleasure and gratification e.g. as companionship, the
natural environment and our bodily needs, gratitude
& forgiveness, hope & optimism, break habituation,
practice mindfulness
The Good Life:
cultivating strengths and virtues to obtain
abundant gratification (through activities we
like doing)
Strengths – the routes through we achieve virtues in
our life. (ex. Patience = temperance)
The Meaningful Life:
2 conflicting views of human happiness:
1. We should take care of ourselves and nurture our
own strengths (individualistic approach)
2. We should sacrifice for the greater purpose
(altruistic approach)
Review Question No. 5

•Define human flourishing.

 Five Pillars of Human Flourishing
PERMA
P – Positive Emotions
E – Engagement
R – social Relationships
M – sense of Meaning & purpose in Life
A – Accomplishment (skills, mastery)
1. Positive Emotions
 Includes:
• pleasure
• rapture
• ecstasy
• warmth
• comfort  and other emotions
that contribute to
the “pleasant life”.
2. Engagement
 All about flow:
• being one with
the music,
• time stopping,

• the loss of self-consciousness during an

absorbing activity.
3. Relationship
 The feeling of satisfaction, flourishing or well-being
can be experienced when we are in a relationship
or with other people.
4. Meaning
 Human beings want
a meaningful life
 Like belonging to and
serving something
that you believe is
bigger than you are.
5. Accomplishment
 Defined as something
that is successful, or
 That is achieved after
a lot of work or efforts.
 “Achieving life” is dedicated to accomplishment
for the sake of accomplishment.
Review Question No. 6
Which statement is correct?

A. Happiness is only a small part of well-being.

B. Well – being is only a small part of happiness.
Review Question No. 7

Reflect on this question –

“What makes you Happy?”

Indicate the PERMA of your answer.

References
• https://prezi.com/p/xbd-d0uu9dcz/the-human-person-flourishing-in-
terms-of-science-and-technology/
• https://www.academia.edu/41160955/THE_HUMAN_PERSON_FLOU
RISHING_IN_TERMS_OF_SCIENCE
• https://www.coursehero.com/file/44187812/STS-CHAPTER-4-pdf/
• https://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/history-of-happiness/martin-
seligman-psychology/