EASTERN VIEW WESTERN VIEW

•Collectivism.
PHILIPPINE SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL
•Community-centric
SYSTEM
A government program for gifted students
in the Philippines. PSHSS has a vision of
developing Filipino science scholars with
scientific minds and passion for
excellence.
QUEZON CITY REGIONAL SCIENCE
HIGH SCHOOL
Established on Sept. 17, 1967. This was
a product of a dream to establish a
special science school for talented
students in science and mathematics.
CENTRAL VISAYAN INSTITUTE
FOUNDATION
The home and pioneer of prominent
school-based innovation known as the
Dynamic Learning Program . It takes
pride on its Research Center for
Theoretical Physics which organizes
international workshops.
SPECIAL •Individualism.
SCIENCE ELEMENTARY
•Self-centric.
SCHOOLS
This is in pursuance to DepEd Order No.
73 s. 2008 and DepEd Order No. 51 s.
2010. This aims to provide an
environment to science-inclined children,
promote life long learning skills, and
foster holistic development of learners.
MANILA SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL
Established on Oct. 1, 1963. This is the
first science high school in the Philippines
where the organization and curriculum
puts more emphasis on science and
mathematics.

Human Flourishing
Eudaimonia which literally means “good spirited” is a term coined by renowned greek
philosopher, Aristotle. This is often translated to “human flourishing” in literature,
comparing humans to flowers when they achieve their full bloom. Human flourishing
from Nicomachean Ethics arises as a result of phronesis, friendship, wealth and power.
Aa time passes, people found means to live more comfortably, explore more places,
develop more products and make more money eventually repeating the process like an
infinite cycle. Our concept of human flourishing today is different from that of Aristotle as
we are expected to become the man of the world.

EASTERN VS WESTERN CONCEPT OF SOCIETY AND HUMAN FLOURISHING

Science, Technology and Human Flourishing
We humans tend to be curious on where we came from and locate the traces of
evolution. Our business of uncovering the secrets of the secrets of the universe as well
as our hunger for more knowledge are the reasons why human flourishing is interrelated
to both science and technology. The end goals of these three is that the good is
inherently connected to the truth.
Science as Methods and Results
The Steps of Scientific Method:
1. Observe 4. Conduct Experiment
2. Determine the Problem 5. Gather and Analyze
3. Formulate Hypothesis 6. Form Conclusion and Provide Recommendation
Verification Theory
Verification Theory is the earliest criterion that differentiates philosophy and science. It
proposes that an idea is a science if it can be confirmed or interpreted in the event of an
alternative hypothesis being accepted. Vienna Circle is a group of scholars who
believed that only those which can be observed should be regarded as meaningful and
reject those which cannot be directly accessed as meaningless.
Falsification Theory
It asserts that as long as an ideology is not proven to be false and can best explain
phenomenon over alternative theories, we should accept the said ideology. Karl Popper
is the known proponent for this view.
Science as a Social Endeavor
Due to the inconclusiveness of the previous methods, new school of thought on the
proper demarcation emerged. Several philosophers such as Paul Thagard, Imre
Lakatos, Helen Longino, David Bloor, and Richard Rorty presented an alternative
demarcation that explores the social dimensions of science and technology.
Science and Results
People who do not understand science are won over when the discipline is able to
produce results. Religion, luck and human randomness are some of its contemporaries
in the field. It is best to say that science does not monopolize the claim for definite
results.
Science as Education
•It improves scientific thinking and broadens student’s knowledge.
•It helps students to engage in science-inclined activities and allows them to have a
deeper understanding on science and technology.
•In the Philippines, a specialized curriculum called Science, Technology, Engineering
and Mathematics was launched.
•Aristotle’s eudaimonic person is required to be knowledgeable about science and
should possess intellectual virtues which would enable one to determine truth from
falsehood.
How much is too much?
•In 2000, world leaders signed the Millennium Development Goals to forge a global
partnership for development.
•Economists believe that growth primarily indicates a development.
•Technology is the primary instrument to pursue development.
•Growth mirrors an illusory notion of sustainability—the world’s resources can only
provide so much, it cannot be expected to stretch out foe everybody’s consumption over
a long period of time.
•Joseph Hickel suggested that developed countries should adopt de-development
policies.
•The rapid pace o technological advancement allows no room for nature to recuperate.

Technology as a Way of Revealing

•“Generation Gap” is the term attributed to the changes brought about by technology.
•The generation gap is not something to be worried about. Technology is not a villain
but rather a challenge for people in science and technology to make advancements
more accessible and less confusing to older generation.
•Through science and technology, it helps people to experience what it really means to
live.
•People who lived in the past and in the present have conflicting views of what it means
to flourish.
The Human Condition Before Common Era
•Our early ancestors’ primal need to survive paved the way for the invention of tools and
development to happen.
•Homo Erectus used fire to cook through chipping one flint over the other to produce a
spark.
•Homo Sapiens sharpens stones as one would a knife.
•Soon enough, people discovered minerals and began forging metalwork.
•Fur clothing and animal skin were used for comfort.
•Our ancestors found a way to explain things in a way that makes sense to them just
like realizing that there are events that are outside their control and thus, they justify
things that are uncontrollable as the works of a supernatural being.
•Religion remains to be the constant and strongest contender to science due to it being
easily grasped or understood.
The Human Condition in the Common Era
•For a long time, humans were content with their relationship with nature.
•Holocene extinction pertains to the ongoing extinction of several species both flora and
fauna due to human activities.
•Growing population necessitated additional resources, leading to overhunting and
overfishing.
•Formation of communities pushed humans to expand more in territory as there were
more people to feed.
•Because of trade, people got a new objective which is to gather more resources and
products as much as possible in order to survive and have a good life.
•Technology has been instrumental because it made people to come up with creations
that would ease life and makes them much more comfortable.
•Since people perceived death as unpleasant, medicine was born which ultimately
paved way for the emergence of chemistry in primitive form.

NOTABLE THEN NOW

COMPARISONS
Mortality Rate People tend to die Due to technology, lesser
especially women during women and children die
 childbirth.
Average Lifespan People engaged in combat
and were likely to die from
such encounter as well as
from diseases.
Literacy Rate People were illiterate
because there was no
formal education before.
Gross Domestic Poor technology, poor
Product income.
during childbirth.
Science is able to prolong
lives and heal sickness.
More informed public due
to access to education.
Presence of technology:
higher productivity, higher
country income.

The Essence of Technology

•As a general rule, we are more developed than we were before.
•Modern humans rely more on technology in their search of a good life.
•Goal-oriented view of technology assumes that it is instrumental to have a goal in mind,
which is purposeful and steer humans to reach some greater good.
•In postmodernism, the deterministic view of technology crumbled as people began to
question if anything is deterministic at all.
•Martin Heidegger identified that technology can be perceived as a means to achieve a
man’s end and something that constitutes human activity.
•The danger presented by too much reliance on technology is that people lose track of
things that matter, reducing their surroundings to their economic value.

Backtracking the Human Condition

•Technology’s initial promises proved to be true as the human condition as a whole
improved, regardless of its ramifications.
•Some places are still battling for their daily survival—disease, tribe wars, lack of
habitable territories, and competitions on resources.
•A lot of people still resort to religion in explaining things that they do not know.
•Human condition is nothing but a rehashed version of its former self.
The Good Life
•According to Plato, to achieve a good life we have to understand what truly makes a
soul flourish.
•According to Aristotle, to get a good life is to know the truth and finding the good in
one’s life.
Aristotle and How We All Aspire for a Good Life
•Aristotle is a student and successor of Plato.
•His view is that this world is all there is to it and this world is the only reality we can
access.
•It is only by observation of the external world that one can truly understand what reality
is all about.
•Change is a process that is inherent in things. We all start as potentialities and moves
toward actualities.
•According to him, every human person aspires for an end. The end that he pertains is
happiness or human flourishing.
•On the other hand, Plato, his predecessor believed that change is so perplexing that it
can only make sense if there are two realities; the world of forms and the world of
matter.
•Plato recognized change as a process that happens and in fact, constant. However,
despite the reality of change, things remain and retain their ultimate “whatness”.
Happiness as the Goal of a Good Life
•John Stuart Mill (18th Century) declared the Greatest Happiness Principle by saying
that an action is right as far as it maximizes the attainment of happiness for the greatest
number of people.
•Individual happiness of each individual should be prioritized and collectively dictates
the kind of action that should be endorsed.
Materialism
•Democritus and Leucippus were the first materialists.
•The world including human beings is made up of matter.
•Atomos simply comes together randomly to form the things in the world. Only material
entities matter. No need to posit purpose from immaterial entities.
Hedonism
•Hedonists see the end goal of life in acquiring pleasure. Life is about obtaining and
indulging in pleasure because life is limited.
•Led by Epicurus
Stoicism
•Also led by Epicurus
•To generate happiness, one must learn to distance oneself and be apathetic.
•The original term, apatheia precisely means to be different.
Theism
•The meaning of life is to use God as a fulcrum of one’s existence.
•The ultimate basis of happiness is communion with God.
Humanism
•The freedom of man to carve his own destiny free from the shackles of God.
•Man is literally the captain of his own ship.
•As a result of humanist current, scientists turned to technology to ease the difficulty of
life.
•Technological advancements are all undertaken in the hopes of attaining good life.