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HUMAN FLOURISHING Heidegger’s philosophy of technology: Modern
PHILOSOPHY – the study of general and fundamental
problems concerning matters such as existence,
knowledge, values, reason, mind and language.
Branches of Philosophy
• Natural Philosophy – a source or cause of being
moved and of being at rest in that to which it belongs
primarily.
• Moral Philosophy – the branch of learning that deals
with the nature of morality and the theories that are
used to arrive at decisions about what one ought to
do and why.
• Metaphysical Philosophy – the studies of what
cannot be reached through objective studies of
material reality.
MARTIN HEIDEGGER (1889-1976)
- German philosopher whose work is associated with
phenom ology and existentialism.
- His ideas have exerted influence on the development
of contemporary European philosophy.
- His best-known work is Being and Time (1927). He
gave a very impressive analysis of human existence,
the prominence of the important themes of
existentialism like care, anxiety, guilt and above all
death is brought out here.
- He begins “The Question Concerning Technology” by
examining the relationship between human and
technology, a relationship Heidegger calls a free
relationship. If this relationship is free, it opens our
human existence to the essence of technology”. This
essence of technology, however, has nothing to do
with technology. Rather, as Heidegger suggests, ‘The
essence of a thing is considered to be what the thing
is.”
- Heidegger examines two definitions of technology.
Firstly, he offers that “Technology is a means to an
end” (Instrumental definition). Secondly, he
proposes that “Technology is a human activity
(Anthropological definition).
The Question Concerning Technology
- Heidegger begins by portraying his investigation of
technology as the building of a path.
- He examines the common understanding of
technology as a neutral instrument under the control
of humans.
- He proposes to get to the true sense via the correct
sense and analyses the notion of instrumentality to
reach the truth or the essence of technology, it is
traced to causality.
- Technology is a very particular kind of revealing to,
and the description articulates the key terms of
technology challenges-forth nature to yield treasures
to humans; technology sets-upon (positions and
orders) the yields of nature so that they are available
and of humans, becoming part of the standing
reserve.
- He discusses the relation of modern science to the
essence of technology, he claims for the sciences the
aggressive approach to nature that goes well with
technology, but poorly with science.
- The enframing of technology is destiny, neither an
inevitable fate that descends on humanity nor the
result of human willing.
- There is a twofold danger to destiny, disclosure of
destiny and human freedom are one and the same.
- One is the danger that human being reduces itself to
standing reserve and in so appearing to have taken
total control encounters nothing any more.
- The other is the danger that the disclosure of the
enframing forecloses every other dispensation and
conceals that too is a disclosure.
- Still the enframing is a disclosure. It involves human
being, therefore harbors the possibility of saving
power.
- Calculative Thinking – one orders and put a system
to nature so it can be understood better and
controlled.
- Meditative Thinking – one lets nature reveal itself to
him/her without forcing it.
SELECTED VIEWS ON TECHNOLOGY
Aristotelianism
- This views technology as basically a means to an end.
- To Aristotle, technology is the organizing of
techniques in order to meet the demand that is being
posed by human.
- This may seem that technology is primarily
concerned with the products.
Aristotle’s Four Causes
1. Causa Materials or Material Cause (Silver)
2. Causa Formalis or Formal Cause (Form or Shape)
3. Causa Finalis or Final Cause (Purpose)
4. Causa Efficiens or Efficient Cause (Agent: Silversmith)
Technological Pessimism
- This view is strongly supported by technologists,
engineers and ordinary people who believe that
technology can alleviate all the difficulties and
provide solutions for problems that may come.
- The extreme version of this philosophy is
technocratism which holds technology as the
supreme authority on everything.
- Technology is beneficial in many ways but can also
be harmful in many ways.
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Jacques Ellul (1912-1994) - To further illustrate this, he gave some examples

through contrasting ancient and modern technology:
- French philosopher, hold that technology is
o He talked about the ancient windmill.
progressive and beneficial in many ways, it is also
o He talked about peasant planting seeds only.
doubtful in many ways.
o He talked about wooden bridge that is built to
- Technological optimism believes that technology is
join riverbanks.
the answer to all man’s problem.
Pessimistic Arguments: The Mode of Revealing in Modern Technology
1. Technological progress has a price.
- Unlock and Expose: It carries the idea that nature will
2. Technological progress creates more problems.
not reveal itself unless challenge is set upon it.
3. Technological progress creates damaging
- The hydroelectric plant causes the Rhine to produce
effects.
hydraulic pressure which in turn causes the turbine
4. Technological progress creates unpredictable
to work that eventually electrically is produced.
devastating effects.
The Society in the Face of Science and Technology
Existentialism
- When one looks around him now, he will see that
- The main concern of this view is the existence of the
man tends to find his happiness in the works of
mode of being someone or something which is
modern technology.
governed by the norm of authenticity.
- Heidegger argued that this can be prevented if man
- This views basically investigate the meaning of
will not allow himself to be overwhelmed with the
existence or being and is always faced with the
enframing that he was set upon, but he pauses for a
selection must make with which the existence will
while and reflect on the value of what is presented
commit himself to.
anthropological.
Martin Heidegger (1889-1996)
Enframing
- A philosopher that is one of the most known
- Gathering of the setting-upon challenges to bring the
supporters of this philosophy.
concealed to unconcealment.
- A well-known German philosopher, examined the
- Also shows the essence of modern technology.
two usual definition of technology; means to an end
- Basically, putting in order whatever is presented to
and a human activity, because he believed that this
the man who sets upon the unconcealed but it is a
kind of confusing and there are questions to it that
two-way relationship:
we easily overlook.
o Man cannot set himself upon unconcealment
- He called it the instrumental and anthropological
without unconcealment’s call and the
definition of technology or simply means by which
unconcealed will not go into unconcealment
the human ends are realized.
without the responding to its call.
The Instrumental Definition of Technology
The Danger of the Nonstop Revealing
- The instrumental definition of technology
- Revealing opens up a relationship between man and
encourages us to view technology from different
the world but an opening up of something means a
periods of time as not having fundamentals
closing down of something which means as
differences.
something is revealed, another is concealed.
- He explained while technology is geared towards
- The rise of a cause-effect understanding of reality
meeting a human need, still there is a difference
closes off an understanding of God as something
between older handicraft technologies with modern
mysterious and holy.
technology.
- Another danger is when man falls into a
- As it is, “A saw mull on a secluded valley of the Black
misinterpretation of that which is presented to him.
Forest is a primitive means compared with
- That is when he sees himself in the object before him
hydroelectric plant on the Rhine River.” – Heidegger,
rather than seeing the object itself.
1997
- Heidegger also argued that, “Technology is by no
means technological,” and should not be seen as
merely neutral. GOOD LIFE
As a Way of Revealing - People have different ideas of what constitutes the
good life.
- Believed that the genuine substance or the real - Wrong pursuits may lead to tragic consequences.
essence of technology is found in enframing.
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- Correct puruits may lead to flourishing.
The Four Pillars of Good Life
o Health
o Wealth
o Love
o Happiness
The Golden Rule
• Confucius: What you do not want done to yourself,
do not do to others.
Types of Good Life
• Materialism – a form of philosophical monism which
holds that matter is the fundamental substance in
nature, and that all things, including mental aspects
and consciousness are results of material
interactions.
• Hedonism – a school of thought that argues that the
pursuit of pleasure and intrinsic good are the primary
or most important goals of human life.
• Theism – the belief in the existence of the supreme
being or deities.
• Stoicism
- Another school of thought led by Epicurus.
- The stoics espoused the idea that to generate
happiness, one must learn to distance oneself
and be apathetic.
- The path to happiness for humans is found in
accepting this moment as it presents itself, by
not allowing ourselves to be controlled by our
desire for pleasure, or our fear of pain.
• Humanism – a school of thought espouses the
freedom of man to carve his own destiny and to
legislate his own laws, free from the shackles of a
God that monitors and controls.
Carl Rogers, American Psychologist (1902-1987)
- The good life is a process, not a state of being.
- It is a direction, not a destination.
Martin Heidegger (2012)
- Achieving happiness and man’s own desire and
needs commonly gives essence for living a good life.
- In particular, moral decency, goodness, authenticity,
mental health, self-fulfillments, and meaningfulness
describes it.
- An existentialist philosopher, also has a different
view on the aspect of life.
- He dealt more on how we live am “authentic life”
rather dealing with the “good life”.
- For Heidegger, living an authentic life means living
with deep acceptance on the facticity of “death” and
resulting to a “life lived according to what it has
clearly decided as its meaning and purpose”.
Timbreza (2013)
- On the other hand, man’s varied ethical foundation
may also differentiate the idea of good life.
- Some may define it through attaining pleasure
(hedonism); others may relate it to peace of mind
through minimizing desires and passions (stoicism)
and some views are based on professing moderate
pleasure, which for them, “anything that is taken in
excess is bad” (epicureanism).
Steve Mueller (2016)
- The founder of planet of success.
- A desirable state that is primarily characterized by a
high standard of living or the adherence to ethical
and moral laws.
- As such, the term can both be understood as the
quest for wealth, material possessions or luxuries
and the quest to create a worthwhile, honest and
meaningful existence.
CONCEPT OF BEING GOOD
- Good is commonly used interchangeably with the
term “right”.
- Explained that the adjectives good and right are
related in meaning, but are not synonym.
- It makes no sense to speak of a “right person” when
we mean a “good person”; the right action as a
meaning for good action.
How can we Differentiate the Two Term then?
- Right Action – compels fulfilling duties and
upholding rights.
- Being Good – entails nurturing character and
fostering relationship
ARISTOTLE
- The good is what good for purposeful, goal-directed
entities.
- He defines the good proper to human being as the
activities in which the life functions specific to human
beings are most fully realized
In Aristotelean View
- The understandability of the good is based on the
idea of what is good for the specific entity under
consideration.
NICOMECHEAN ETHICS 2:2
- All human activities aim at some good.
- Every art and human inquiry, and similarly every
action and pursuit, is thought to aim at some good:
and for this reason, the good has been rightly
declared as that at which all things aim.
- EuDamonia means Good Life.
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WHY DOES THE FUTURE NOT NEED US? o Ethical Issues

o Social Isolation
Three Possible Scenarios for the Near Future: o Environmental Problems
1. The genetically enhanced intelligence or the
prospect of living longer lives free from genetic
diseases.
2. Advance in stem cell research might soon allow us to
regenerate any tissue in the body.
3. The widespread use of psychotropic drugs like Prozac
and Ritalin that can make everyone happy without
the side effects of the drugs.

21ST CENTURY TECHNOLOGIES

- Genetic Engineering – the process by which an

organism’s genetic material is altered or
manipulated so that the organism will have specific
characteristics.
- It has been applied in numerous fields including
research, medicine, industrial biotechnology, and
agriculture.
- It can be used in Cloning Genetically Modified
Organisms (GMOs) Gene Therapy.

Robotics

- An interdisciplinary research area at that interface of

computer science and engineering.
- It involves the conception, design, manufacture, and
operation of robots.

Types of Robots:

• Pre-Programmed Robots – operate in a controlled

environment where they do simple and monotonous
tasks.
• Humanoid Robots – robots that look like and/or
mimic human behavior. (Sophia)
• Autonomous Robots – operate independently of
human operators.
• Teleoperated Robots – mechanical bots controlled
by humans.
• Augmenting Robots – enhance current human
capabilities or replace the capabilities a human may
have lost.

Nanotechnology – the study and manipulation of atomic

or molecular scale to improve or even revolutionize
many technology and industry sectors.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) – refers to “machine” that

respond to stimulation consistent with traditional
responds from human, given the capacity for
contemplation, judgement, and intention.

Potential Risks to Society

o Devaluation of Humanity
o Decrease in Deman of Human Labor
o High Costs of Creation
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