University of Southern Philippines Foundation

Cebu City

College of Teachers Education, Arts and Sciences

GED 123 - Science, Technology and Society

INSTRUCTOR: Cecilia B. Booc

MODULE NO. 6: Technology as a way of revealing

INTRODUCTION:
Comparing the lives of the people before and now will make anyone realize the changes
that happened in society not just in terms of culture, language, or rights but more importantly,
changes in people’s way of life due to the existence of science and technology.
LEARNING OUTCOME:

At the end of this module, a student should be able to:

1. Explain the concept of human condition before science and technology;

2. Identify the change that happened in human condition after science and technology; and
3. Name ways on how technology aided in revealing the truth about the human being.

LEARNING ACTIVITIES:

Learning Notes/Discussion:
  For a long time, humans were contented with their relationship with nature.
 Earliest case of man-made extinction occurred over 12000 years ago

The Holocene extinction

- it is the extinction of several species due to human activity

- also called sixth extinction or Anthropocene extinction
- occurred as early as between 100,000 to 200,000 years up to the present.
 9,000 years ago human began agriculture.
 Formation of communities caused human to expand more territory and more people to feed
waging wars with other tribes seemed to be the early solution.
 5,000 years ago they found out that peaceful negotiation was also possible and less bloody
method because of this trade emerged
 People had a new objective that is to gather as much product as possible and becoming wealthy
as one of their goals as human and ultimately as civilization
 They began to hunt, farm, and produce things with prospect of profit.
 Humanly became more complex. The primary goal was not just to survive but to live a good life
 Technology has been instrumental in all of these.
 Good life envisioned before is pale in comparison today
 They perceive death as, at the very least, unpleasant and concocted potion to ward evil off from
their kinsmen, often appealing to their gods for blessings.
 Medicine was born, although it takes times before it part ways with potion
 They become fixated with gold, this ultimately paved way for the emergence of chemistry in its
primitive
 Wars were always being waged
 The leaders is chosen base on who portrayed exceptional strength among their group.
  Physical strength was valued at most, although there appeared to be as many intellectually
gifted figures just the same. These innovators were primarily the ones behind discoveries and
triumphs of these civilization

Position-wise, the humans of today are much better off compared to humans several centuries ago.
Advancement in medicine, technology, health, and education ushered in humanity’s best yet, and show
no sign of stopping. Below are some of the notable comparisons then and now:

1. Mortality Rate - due to technology, lesser women and children die during birth, assuring robust
population and strong workforce. Medical care for premature infants allows
them to survive and develop normally, while proper maternal care ensures that
mothers can fully recover and empowered.
2. Average lifespan – aside from the reason that people engage less in combat and are less likely to
die in treatable diseases now as opposed to then, science is able to prolong
lives by enhancing living status and discovering different remedies to most
diseases. Distribution of medicines is also made easier and faster.
3. Literacy Rate – access to education provided to more individuals generally creates a more
informed public that could determine a more just society.
4. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – although not an indicator of an average person’s lifestyle in a
certain country, it is often used to determine the value of the country’s goods
and services produced within the territory given in a certain time period. Higher
country income is brought upon by high productivity, often an indicator of
presence of technology.
 Different machineries aid in prolonging lives
 Honing efficiency in industrial workplaces
 Exploring universe
 Battling for their daily survival-diseases.
 Tribe wars
 Lack of habitable territories
 Competition on resources
 Science
 Religion
Assessment:

Assignment:

Individually:

1. What would have happened to humankind if technology did not exist?

2. Do you agree with Martin Heidegger in his idea that technology should only be seen as one
of the approaches in perceiving truth? What are other possible approaches we should
consider?

By Group:

1. Role-playing. Try to imagine the world without technology. How do you think your day-to-
day life would be like? Do this by illustrating a scenario where a certain technological
innovation does not exist. Below are examples you could use:
a. Watch
b. Phone
c. Light bulb
d. Cars
e. Printing press
f. Electricity
2. Philosophical Debate. Discuss whether technology is a means to an end or an end in itself.
The class will be divided into two groups. The first group supports the notion that
technology is an instrument to achieve human goals, and the second group the notion that
 technology is what humanity does. List down pertinent points and construct an individual
position paper regarding your stance.

How does Heidegger define 'Enframing'?

a. Standing reserve*
b. A means to an end
c. A human activity
d. A way of revealing
e. Controlling everything