CHAPTER 4: The Human Person Flourishing in
terms of Science and Technology
A. Technology as a Way of Revealing
MARTIN HEIDEGGER - german philosopher who
wrote an essay entitled “The Question Concerning
Technology” which addresses modern technology and its
essence as an
instrumental way of revealing the world.
- traditional view of technology as machines and
technical procedures.
- he tries to think through the essence of
technology as a way in which humans encounter
entities such as nature, self, and, indeed,
everything.
Heidegger’s understanding of technology was based on
its ESSENCE:
1. the essence of technology is not something we
make; it is a mode of being, or of revealing. (has
their own way of presenting themselves;
structuring, ordering, and “requisitioning” of
everything around us, and of ourselves.)
2. technology even holds sway over beings that we
do not normally think of as technological, such
as gods and history.
3. is primarily a matter of modern and industrial
technology.
4. technology is not simply the practical
application of natural science.
TWO CHARACTERISTICS OF MODERN
TECHNOLOGY AS A REVEALING
PROCESS:
1. mode of revealing of modern technology is a
challenging; unreasonable demand (Ex: mining
technology today)
- “Challenging” as a mode of revealing nature
could be sharply contrasted “Physis” which is
the arising of something from itself, a bringing-
forth or poieses. (Ex: a flower blossoming or
fading in the changes of the season)
- the revelation has its own autonomy and, at best,
man can only witness. This is a natural way of
revealing.
2. Challenging that brings forth the energy of
nature is an “expediting” (means to hasten the
movement of something; expediting is also a
process of revealing inasmuch as it “unlocks”
and “exposes” something)
STANDING IN RESERVE - not an object.
STANDING AGAINST US - objects
ENFRAMING is the “essence” of modern technology;
simply means putting into the frame of modern
technology everything in nature.
FRAME OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY is the
network or interlocking things standing in reserve;
centered on man’s caprices and demands.
B. Human Flourishing
HUMAN FLOURISHING- best translation for the
Greek word EUDAIMONIA which for both Plato and
Aristotle, means not only good fortune and material
prosperity but a situation achieved through virtue,
knowledge and excellence.
- requires an ordering of this tripartite structure of
the soul: the rational and spirited parts.
- personal flourishing involves the rational use of
one’s individual potentialities, including talents,
abilities and virtues in the pursuit of his freely
and rationally chosen values and goals.
- a moral accomplishment and a fulfillment of
human capacities, and it is one through being the
other.
- SELF-ACTUALIZATION is moral growth
and vice-versa.
CONFUCIAN HUMANISM - Learning to be human;
“creative transformation” of the self through an “ever-
expanding network of relationships encompassing the
family, community, nation, world and beyond.
PLATO - in the Republic, contends that the soul, or
mind, has three motivating parts: rational, spirited or
emotional and appetitive
ARISTOTLE, in the Nicomachean Ethics, states that
Eudaimonia is constituted not by honor, or wealth power,
but by rational activity in accordance with excellence in
the virtues of character (courage, honesty, pride,
friendliness and wittiness, the intellectual virtues
notably rationality and judgment, mutually beneficial
friendships and scientific
knowledge, particularly of things that are fundamental
and unchanging)
- all humans seek to flourish.
FLOURISHING - functional definition (understand its
nature to understand something's function)
FOUR ASPECTS OF HUMAN NATURE
(ARISTOTLE'S SCHEMA):
1. physical - nourishment, exercise, rest and all the
other things that it takes to keep our bodies
functioning properly.
2. emotional - wants, desires, urges and reactions.
3. social - stacks on top of our emotional nature
4. rational - creative, expressive, knowledge-
seeking and able to obey reason.
TO FLOURISH - a man must pursue goals that are both
rational for him individually and
also as a human being.
LIVING RATIONALLY (CONSCIOUSLY) means
dealing with the world conceptually; implies respect for
the facts of reality
CHAPTER 5: The Good Life
A. What is a Good Life?
- one of the oldest philosophical questions.
- same question: How should one live? What does
it mean to “live well”?
- “GOOD” is to express moral approval
SOCRATES AND PLATO both gave absolute priority
to being a virtuous person over all other supposedly
good things such as pleasure, wealth, or power.
PLATO’S dialogue Gorgias - Socrates takes this
position to an extreme.
- argues that it is much better to suffer wrong than
to do it; that a good man who has his eyes
gouged out and is tortured to death is more
fortunate than a corrupt person who has used
wealth and power dishonorably.
- In his masterpiece, THE REPUBLIC, Plato
develops this argument in greater detail.
- The morally good person, he claims, enjoys a
sort of inner harmony, whereas the wicked
person, no matter how rich and powerful he may
be or how many pleasure he enjoys, is
disharmonious, fundamentally at odds with
himself and the world.
-
GORGIAS AND THE REPUBLIC - Plato bolsters his
argument - virtuous people are
rewarded and wicked people are punished.
GOD’S LAWS - many religions also conceive of the
good life in moral terms as a life lived.
PIOUS - a person obeying the commandments and
performing the proper rituals .
PIETY will be rewarded, in most religions.
CHRISTIAN MARTYRS went singing to their deaths
confident that they would soon be in heaven.
HINDUS expect that the law of karma will ensure that
their good deeds and intentions will be
rewarded, while evil actions and desires will be
punished.
EPICURUS - ancient Greek philosopher; one of the first
to declare, bluntly,
that what makes life worth living is that we can
experience pleasure.
PLEASURE - enjoyable, fun, pleasant; the good;
HEDONISM - what makes life worth living,
HEDONIST when applied to a person, has slightly
negative connotations; are devoted to what some have
called the “lower” pleasures such as sex, food, drink, and
sensual indulgence in general.
EPICURE is someone who is especially appreciative of
food and drink; a misrepresentation of Epicureanism.
HEDONISTIC CONCEPTION - dominant in Western
culture; emphasizes subjective experiences.
LIVING THE GOOD LIFE - enjoying lots of
recreational pleasures: good food, good wine, skiing,
scuba diving, lounging by the pool in the sun with a
cocktail and a beautiful partner.
HAPPY - feel good and a HAPPY LIFE is one that
contains many “feel good” experiences.
SOCRATES - emphasized virtue
ARISTOTLE - we all want to be happy; good life is a
happy life
- agrees with Socrates that to live the good life
one must be a morally good person.
- also agrees with Epicurus that a happy life will
involve pleasurable experiences.
MICHAEL SOUPIOS AND PANOS
MOURDOUKOUTAS wrote a book entitled The Ten
Golden Rules on Living a Good Life- ancient wisdom
from the Greek philosophers on living the good life and
mapped it into modern times.
SUMMARY OF WHAT THEY WROTE, extracted
from a Forbes article written by Dr. Mourdoukoutas:
1. Examine life, engage life with a vengeance
2. Worry only about the things that are in your
control
3. Treasure Friendship - imbued with trust and
amity
4. Experience True Pleasure - simple life
5. Master Yourself - stop deceiving yourself; self-
mastery
6. Avoid Excess - live life with harmony and
balance.
7. Be a Responsible Human Being - Approach
yourself with honesty and thoroughness
8. Don’t Be a Prosperous Fool - prosperity by itself
is not a cure-all against an ill-led life and may be
a source of dangerous foolishness.
9. Don’t Do Evil to Others. Evil doing is a
dangerous habit,
- harming others claims two victims—the receiver
of the harm, and the victimizer, the one who
does harm.
10. Kindness towards others tends to be rewarded.
A. What is Human Existence?
EXISTENCE is derived from philosophical and
religious contemplation and scientific inquiries about,
social ties, consciousness and happiness
ARISTOTLE teaches that each man's life has a purpose
and that the function of one's life is
to attain that purpose.
- purpose of life is earthly happiness or
flourishing that can be achieved via reason and
the acquisition of virtue.
- human being should use his abilities to their
fullest potential
- human beings have a natural desire and capacity
to know and understand the truth, to pursue
moral excellence, and to instantiate their ideals
in the world through action.
PLATO’S REPUTATION comes from his idealism of
believing in the existence of
universalis.
- His THEORY OF FORMS proposes that
universals do not physically exist, like objects,
but as heavenly forms.
- In the DIALOGUE OF REPUBLIC, the
character of Socrates describes the Form of the
Good.
- His THEORY ON JUSTICE in the soul relates
to the idea of happiness relevant to the question
of the meaning of life.
- In PLATONISM, the meaning of life is in
attaining the highest form of knowledge, which
is the Idea of the Good, from which all good and
just things derive utility and value.
B. What is a Public Good?
ROLANDO GRIPALDO - a Filipino philosopher,
argues that the concept of the
public good carries largely the politico-ethical sense,
which subsumes the politico-
ethical senses.
- cites mixed public goods which are pursued by
private organizations with a service motivation.
- talks about public bads, such as corruption,
pollution and crimes.
PUBLIC GOOD is public in the sense that the
beneficiaries are the general public.
 - which benefits by its use, the communal or
national public.
- perceived in two levels:
1. The first level comes from the people
themselves
- public good to be beneficial to
most if not to all of them.
- UNITY (bonding together for
individual interests) and
SUBSIDIARITY (working
together for the common good)
2. The second level comes from the local
or national government
- particular project or service is
desired by the populace as
necessary for their common
welfare (public good).
- assumed necessary public
services or public goods:
national defense, education,
public health, public
ports/airports and highways,
social services, postal services,
and the like.
CHAPTER 6: When Technology and Humanity
Cross
A. The Ethical Dilemmas of Robotics
ROBOTS - contain some combination of the following
attributes such as mobility, intelligent behavior, sense
and manipulation of environment.
- truly extends to more than just androids.
- was not used until 1920, the idea of mechanical
humans has been around as far back as Greek
mythology.
1920 - commonly accepted first
use of the word in the form of a play written by KAREL
CAPEK.
R.U.R. (ROSSUM'S UNIVERSAL ROBOTS) - title
of the play and involves the development of artificial
people.
- ROBOTS - given the ability to
think, they are designed to be happy as servants.
- The use of the word “robot” in Capek's
play comes from the Slavic languages‟ word for
“work,” which is robota.
Servants Of The Greek God Hephaestus - example
that closely relates to
the servant robots seen in Capek's play; the
god of fire and the forge.
HEPHAESTUS had built robots out of gold which were
“his helpers, including a complete set of life-size golden
handmaidens who helped
around the house”.
Another example of robots in Greek mythology comes
from the stories of PYGMALION, who is said to have
crafted a statue of Galatea that would come to life.
LEONARDO DA VINCI'S JOURNALS (1495) which
contained detailed plans for the construction of a
humanoid robot
ROBIN MARANTZ HENIG discusses
her experiences with “social robots" - by no means what
the servant robots of Greek mythology; rather they are
infant versions, at best, of the long-hoped-for androids.
- these machines are not the docile companions of
the collective dreams, robots designed to
flawlessly serve dinners, fold clothes and do the
dull or dangerous jobs that human do not want to
do (based on Henig).
RODNEY BROOKS is an expert in robotics and
artificial intelligence.
- In an article written in 2008, Brooks explains
that it is no longer a question of whether human-
level artificial intelligence will be developed, but
rather how and when.
BASIC TENETS OF ARISTOTLE’S VIEW - an
organism has both “matter” and “form.
ARISTOTLE: TYPE OF “MATTER”
1. biological material such as what plants, animals,
and humans consist of.
 2. mechanical and electronic components which
make up modern-day robots.
FORM: means whatever it is that makes a human a
human, a plant a plant, and an
animal an animal.
- living organism is "psyche" or "soul"
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS - materialism often finds
itself at odds with most religious views in the world.
CATHOLICISM being a prime example of this, one
will not find a favorable description of
materialism when looking at the opening lines of its
definition in the Catholic Encyclopedia
MATERIALISM - a philosophical system which
regards matter as the only reality in the world
(encyclopedia's entry).
1942 ISAAC 7 ASIMOV- introduced to the world of
science fiction what are known as the
Three Laws of Robotics (make a transition to reality),
which were published in his short story “Runaround"
LAWS:
1. Robot may not injure a human being or,
through inaction, allow a human being to come
to harm.
2. Robot must obey any orders given to it by
human beings, except where such orders would
conflict with the First Law.
3. Robot must protect its own existence as long as
such protection does not conflict with the First
or Second Law.
SOUTH KOREA is considered one of the most high-
tech countries in the world.
ROBOT ETHICS CHARTER - to prevent human
abuse of robots—and vice versa; focuses on the social
problems the mass integration of robots into society are
bound to create; define how people are to properly
interact with robots.
- beginning of a modern-day implementation of
Asimov‟s Three Laws of Robotics.
STEFAN LOVGREN - human control over robots and
humans becoming addicted to robot interaction.
MARK TILDEN think this is all a bit premature.
- claims that we are simply not at a point where
robots can be given morals and compares it to
“teaching an ant to yodel”.
B. Human, Morals and Machine
ENTIRE TELEVISION NETWORKS - the Discovery
Channel and Animal Planet, provide us with mediated
digital experiences of nature: the lion’s hunt, the
Monarch’s migration, or a climb high into the
Himalayan peaks.
VIDEO GAMES - Zoo Tycoon - engage children with
animal life.
INEXPENSIVE ROBOT PETS have been big
sellers in the Wal-Marts and Targets of the world.
SONY’S HIGHER-END ROBOT DOG AIBO - sold
well.
VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT - second life.
CHAPTER 2 81 EUROPEAN ROBOTICS
NETWORK (EURON) - group of leading
roboticists; has even started
lobbying governments for legislation. At the top of their
list of concerns is safety
IS GOOGLE MAKING US STUPID? - article by
Nicholas Carrs discusses the effects that the Internet may
be having on our ability to focus, the difference in
knowledge that we now have, and our reliance on the
Internet.
“For more than a decade now, I’ve been
spending a lot of time online, searching and surfing.”
The supporting idea is that his mind
now “expects to take in information the way the Net
distributes it--in a swiftly moving
streams of particles. - Nicholas Carrs
C. Why the Future Does Not Need Us?
THEODORE KACZYNSKIAN - american domestic
terrorist; Unabomber, killed three people during a
nationwide bombing campaign; One of his bombs
gravely
injured DAVID GELERNTER, one of the most
brilliant and visionary computer scientists. His
actions were murderous and criminally insane.
MURPHY’S LAW - Anything that can go wrong, will.
SOUTH AND NORTH AMERICA were separated by
a sunken Panama isthmus. South America, like Australia
today, was populated by marsupial mammals (pouched
equivalents of rats, deers, and tigers)
A TEXTBOOK ON DYSTOPIA AND MORAVEC
discuss how our main job in the 21st century
will be “ensuring continued cooperation from the robot
industries
MORAVEC’S VIEW is that the robots will eventually
succeed us that humans clearly face extinction.
21ST-CENTURY TECHNOLOGIES: robotics,
genetic engineering, and nanotechnology.
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION (WMD)–
nuclear, biological, and chemical
NBC - were powerful, and the weapons an enormous
threat
KNOWLEDGE-ENABLED MASS DESTRUCTION
(KMD) - this destructiveness hugely amplified by the
power of self-replication.
LOVINS’ NOTE - the USDA has already approved
about 50 genetically engineered crops for unlimited
release.
J. ROBERT OPPENHEIMER - brilliant physicist; led
the effort to build the first atomic bomb;
- not naturally interested in politics but became
painfully aware of what he perceived as the
grave threat to Western civilization from the
Third Reich, a threat surely grave because of the
possibility that Hitler might obtain nuclear
weapons.
TRINITY - preparation of the first atomic test
- based on a calculation by EDWARD TELLER - an
atomic explosion might set fire to the
atmosphere.
PRESIDENT TRUMAN - had difficulties in ordering
the demonstration of weapons.
FREEMAN DYSON (physicist) later said, “The reason
that it was dropped was just that nobody had the courage
or the foresight to say no.”
August 6, 1945 - aftermath of the bombing of Hiroshima
November 1945 - Another bomb was dropped, on
Nagasaki.
THREE MONTHS AFTER THE ATOMIC
BOMBINGS - Oppenheimer stood firmly
behind the scientific attitude, saying, “It is not possible
to be a scientist unless you believe
that the knowledge of the world, and the power which
this gives, is a thing which is of intrinsic value to
humanity, and that you are using it to help in the spread
of knowledge and are willing to take the consequences.”
JOHN LESLIE - risk of human extinction is at least 30
percent
RAY KURZWEIL - believes we have a better than
even chance of making it through, with the caveat that he
has always been accused of being an optimist.
STRATEGIC DEFENSE INITIATIVE, proposed by
the REAGAN ADMINISTRATION - attempt to design
such a shield against the threat of a nuclear attack from
the Soviet Union. But as
ARTHUR C. CLARKE, who was privy to discussions
about the project,
observed: the much-touted idea of a national umbrella
was nonsense.
LUIS ALVAREZ - the greatest experimental physicist,
remarked that the advocates of such schemes were very
bright guys with no common sense.
ARISTOTLE: METAPHYSICS: “All men by nature
desire to know.”
NIETZSCHE - warned us, at the end of the 19th
century, not only that God is dead but that “faith in
science.
WESTERN NOTION OF HAPPINESS - from the
Greeks; defined as “the exercise of vital powers along
lines of excellence in a life affording them scope.”
CHAPTER 7 : The Information Age
INORMATION AGE - began around the 1970s and
still going on today; also
known as the Computer Age, Digital Age, or New
Media Age; people could access information and
knowledge easily.
PRE-GUTENBERG PERIOD
MIDDLE AGES IN EUROPE - most people lived in
small, isolated villages.
VILLAGE CATHOLIC PRIEST IN THE PULPIT -
the only source of both religious and worldly
information
FORM OF RUMOR - news passed from one person to
another.
IN THIS PERIOD:
- Written documents were rare
- Almost no one could read or write the language
they spoke.
- Memory and memorization ruled daily life and
learning.
- Poets, actors and story tellers - rhyming lines to
remember vast amounts of material
- Craftsmen memorized the secrets of their trades
to pass on orally to apprentices.
- Mechanics kept their accounts in their heads
- typically handwritten manuscripts.
SCRIBES, often monks living in monasteries, each
labored for up to a year to copy a single book, usually in
Latin.
The scribes copied books on processed calfskin called
VELUM AND LATER ON PAPER.
GUTENBERG REVOLUTION
JOHANNES GUTENBERG - revolutionary innovation
of movable type in 1445.
Movable type printing used metal stamps of single
letters that could be arranged into words, sentences
and pages of text.
-kept the metal stamp letters
separate, which allowed printers to reuse the letters
quickly on succeeding pages.
Gutenberg’s amazing invention made books the int
ernet of the time.
By 1463, printed Bibles cost one-tenth of hand-
copied Bibles.
By 1500, Europe had more than 1,000 printers and
7,000 books in print.
When Europe was recovering from the devastating i
mpact of the Black Death, the impact of printing pr
ess decimated the population and had led to the
decline in the rise of the church, the rise of the mo
ney economy, and subsequent birth of the Renaissan
ce.
The printing Renaissance opened the realm of lear
ning and reading
The printing press had dramatic effects on Europea
n civilization and its more immediate effect was
to spread information quickly and accurately
The arrival of mechanical movable type printin
g introduced the era of mass communication.
Because of the printing press, authorship became
more meaningful and profitable.
Printed Materials as Agents of Change
-
It brought about new innovations and ideas that le
ad to changes in power and standards in both religi
ous and
scientific areas of European culture
 Paradoxes of Technology
These included:
- a shift in religious power from the -Empowerment vs Enslavement
church authority to the general population, -Independent vs Dependence
- standardization of scientific reporting, -- -Fulfills needs vs Creates needs
and an influx of new scientific discoveries -Competence vs Incompetence
-Engaging vs Disengaging
- -Public vs Private
Both scientific and religious works were subject to -llusion vs Disillusion
a language change from Latin to vernacular langua two developments:
ges 1. the spread of broadband internet
access made it possible to easily both upload and d
- bringing about several new ownload
social dynamics that will lead to several social revol 2. tools emerged which made it simple for people to
utions. publish or spread information.

Post-Gutenberg Period Chapter 8 - Biodiversity and Healthy Society

The sudden widespread dissemination Biological diversity or biodiversity

of printed works – - is the variety of life,
books, tracts, posters and papers – -
gave direct rise to the European Renaissance. refers collectively to variation at all levels of biolo
gical organization.
- -refers to the full abundance or variety of life –
his invention of the movable type press meant that plant, animal and microbial
Protestant tracts and the -generally refers to genetic, species and
arguments between Martin Luther and ecosystem diversity.
the Catholic Church which led to the Reformation
could be widely disseminated. Biodiversity and Healthy Society

16th century- reformation began in Germany,
led to the Bible being printed in the languages com
mon to people.
Gutenberg’s invention led inevitably to
the Protestant revolution, the Age of Enlightenment,
the development of Modern Science and Universal
Education
1990s -
The emergence of the internet and the World Wide
Web
- nce within communities
in its earliest days, the World Wide Web still confo
rmed to the Gutenberg principle.
-Biodiversity is the foundation of human health
-Biodiversity supports food security,
dietary health, livelihood sustainability
-Biodiversity provides important
resources for medical research
-
Biodiversity provides important resources for traditio
nal and modern medicine
-
Biodiversity plays a role in the regulation and contr
ol of infectious diseases
-
Biodiversity has social, cultural and spiritual importa
Threats to Biodiversity
-Habitat loss
-Overharvesting Genetic engineering is a process that involves: -
-Invasive species Identifying the genetic information – or “gene” –
-Climate Change that gives an organism a desired trait.
Copying the information from the organism that h
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) as the trait
Inserting that information into the DNA of anot
Biotechnology her organism
–a
set of techniques that involves the use of biological Genetically Modified Organisms developed in the
processes Philippines
and living organisms for industry, agricultural or oth
er activities. 1. Longer-lasting papayas
- 2.Protein enriched copra meal (PECM) as feed pr
to modify the natural and biological processes of liv otein for tilapia, milkfish and
ing organisms without necessarily altering the genes shrimp aquaculture
or genetic construct of the living organisms. 3. Tomato Leaf Curve Virus (ToLCV)-
resistant Variety
Its four major industrial processes 4. Bt corn
based on biological systems:
-cell and tissue culture, Potential benefits of GM crops
-fermentation,
-enzyme technology, -Better nutritional qualities
- genetic engineering – -Engineering pest or disease resistance
also referred to as modern technology. -Edible vaccines
aimed at providing low cost immunization strategy f
Genetic engineering or recombinant DNA (deo or developing
xyribonucleic acid) countries;;
technology differs from other forms of biotechnolog -Antibodies engineered and produced in plants-
y as it allows the isolation and transfer of genes co -
ding specific characteristics between living organism Crops which can extract and detoxify pollutants f
rom the environment such as heavy metals
Genetically modified organisms or GMOs is the -Crops which produce less toxic residues
common term used for genetically engineered organi such as corn with low phytate, 15 Phytate
sms 104
complexes phosphorus and thus the latter becomes u
humans have been using traditional modification m navailable and cannot released
ethods like selective breeding and cross- by nonruminants.
breeding to breed plants and animals -Production of alternative polymers
which can replace o substitute plastics and other
Most of the foods today were created through t petrochemical products in plants and thus are renew
raditional breeding methods. able and biodegradable.
Risk Related to the Use of Genetically Modified
Intended uses of GMOs Organisms (GMOs)
-Biomedical
-Farm/Food Animals -Genetic Contamination/Interbreeding
-Agriculture -Competition with Natural Species
-Increased Selection Pressure on Target and Non-
target Organisms.
- Ecosystem Impacts.
- Impossibility of Follow-up
-Loss of Management Control Measures
-Long-term Effects.
-Antibiotic Resistance and Horizontal Gene Transfer.
GMOs and Biodiversity
-Pro-
GMO researchers maintain that if crops are geneti
cally modified for pest resistance, farmers can reduc
e their reliance on insecticides
- Triclosan, commonly found in antimicrobial soaps a
Secondary pests that would have been eliminate
d through widespread insecticide application are not
suppressed by the scaled-
back insecticide use permitted GMOs.
-
GMO skeptics have argued that up to 75% of plan
t genetic diversity has been lost since farmers switc
hed to uniform GM crop varieties
- year strategic plan/road map for the
It has been hypothesized that GM crops can harm i
nsect species that are not pests.
Chapter 9 The Nano World
-Nano
is a prefix used in the metric scale to represent one
billionth.
-A nanometer (nm) is one billionth of a meter.
-Nano comes from the Greek word for dwarf =
dwarf technology.
- sized fertilizers/nutrients, and pesticides
nanotechnology applies science and materials at the
nanoscale.
-“tiny tech” or “nanotech”.
- Nanotechnology and Education
It represents the scaling down of technology to a
new scale, generally agreed to be in the range of
1 to 100 nm
One of the main reasons for the explosion of inte
rest -
is the unique properties and behavior of matter at t
he nanoscale
Application of Nanotechnology in all fields of
Science
(refer na lang sa module, nakatable na do’n)
Environmental Aspects of Nanotechnology
-treating drinking water,
-eliminating toxic chemicals,
-increasing water and energy
efficiency,
-and harnessing cleaner energy technologies.
nd cleaning products, is among
many consumer-used
chemicals found in the river and drinking water
sources.
Nanotechnology in the Philippines
In 2011, the government announced a 10-
development of the R&D strategy of nanotechnol
ogy covering at least six industrial sectors –
the semiconductor, information technology, energy, a
griculture, medicine, and environmental protection
In the area of agriculture, funded nano projects in
clude rapid and early pest and pathogen detection;;
precision agriculture –
monitoring of agricultural growth parameters;; and p
ost-harvest quality monitoring, nano-
sized feedstock, nano-
Risks (refer na lang din sa module)
-by using innovative approaches such
as inter-university collaboration, academia-
industry partnerships, and Web-based remote
access to nanofabrication facilities, educational
institutions can overcome innovative
nanotechnology researches.
Economic and political implications of potential te
chnology Gene therapy
- -
economic value of a new materials and new industri replace a gene that causes a medical problem with
es one that doesn’t,
-economic dislocations -
-increased lifespans, add genes to help the body to fight or treat disease
leading to greater numbers of active senior citizens ,
seeking employment and active participation in the - turn off genes that are causing problems.
political process.
Nanotechnology and Employment Vector – a vehicle used to insert new genes directly to
- cells
a trend which began with the microelectric revol
ution and resulted in a dramatic reduction of emplo Approaches to Gene Therapy
yment in many sectors of the economy
Nanotechnology products that are already on the 1.Gene Modification
market allow us to identify three Researchers have used the following methods to mo
common characteristics: the products have multi dify defective genes:
ple functions that previously required -
more than one product (multifunctional), the pro Replacement treatment: Replacing a natural gene
ducts remain useful longer, and the with a non-natural gene through
products use fewer raw materials. homologous recombination.
Social, Ethical, Legal and Cultural Implications -
- Modifier gene therapy: Restoring natural functio
The list of social, ethical, legal and cultural implicat n to a defective gene through selective reverse m
ions includes such issues as privacy, avoiding a ‘n utation.
ano- -Adjustment of the expression of a specific gene
divide’, unintended consequences, university/industr 2.Gene transfer method
y There are 3 physical, chemical, and biological meth
relationships and potential conflicts of interest, resea ods of gene transfer.
rch ethics, and so on. 3. Gene transfer to specific cell line
This line is divided into 2 general categories of so
Chapter 10. Gene Therapy matic gene therapy, and sex cell gene therapy.
4. The adoption of the most appropriate genetic
The genes in the body’s cells play an important ro engineering (gene injection)
le in your health Other forms of genetic engineering include gene tar
– defective gene or genes can make someone sick. geting and the elimination of specific genes through
Cells are the basic building blocks of all living thin nuclease engineering.
gs
Stem Cell Therapy
Within our cells there are thousands of genes -
that provide the information for any treatment that uses stem cells as the primary w
the production of specific proteins and enzymes ay of curing
two main ways stem cells can
that make muscles, bones, and blood, which in tur be used:
n support most of our body’s functions, such as dig 1. as a transplant
estion, making energy and growing. 2. as a target for a drug or other biologic

Ethical Dilemma
-it appears to bring into tension two
fundamental moral principles that people esteem ver
y highly:
1. one principle enjoins the
prevention or alleviation of suffering,
2.
and other enjoins us to respect the value of human
life.
- Population in coastal areas are more sensitive to sto
stem cells violates the second principle in that it res
ults in the destruction of human life with value
Chapter 11
Climate Change, Energy Crisis and Environm
ental Awareness
Climate Change
- ed by thawing permafrost
broad range of global phenomena created predomina
ntly by burning fossil fuels, which add heat-
trapping gases to Earth’s atmosphere.
- e coping with changes. These
increased temperature trends described by global war
ming, but also encompass changes such as sea l
evel rise;; ice mass loss;; shifts in flower/plant
blooming;; and extreme weather events.
Causes
- -Elderly people are particularly prone to heat stress.
On Earth, human activities are changing the natural
greenhouse.
-Greenhouse gas emissions -
Evidence that CO2 emissions are the cause of g
lobal warming is very robust. Scientists have kn
own since the early 1800s that greenhouse gases
in the atmosphere trap heat.
-Earth’s natural climate cycle -
between ice ages and warmer interglacial periods.
-Solar influences -
The sun is the primary source of Earth’s heat
Impacts
Climate change my especially impact people who li
ve in areas that are vulnerable to coastal storms, dr
ought, and sea level rise
or people who live in poverty, older adults, and im
migrant communities.
-
Professions that are closely linked to weather, such
as outdoor tourism, commerce, and agriculture, will
likely be especially affected
Impacts on Vulnerability and Equity
1. Geographic Location
-
rms, drought, air pollution and
heat waves.
-
Population in mountainous areas will likely face w
ater shortages and increased
wildfires in the future.
-
Arctic residents will likely experience problems caus
2. Ability to cope
-
People who live in poverty may have a difficult tim
people have limited financial resources to cope with
heat, relocate or evacuate, or
respond to increases in the cost of food.
-
Older adults may be among the least able to cope
with impacts of climate change.
-
Young children are another sensitive age group, sinc
e their immune system and
other bodily systems are still developing and they re
ly on others to care for them
in disaster situations.
3. Indigenous people
-
Climate change will make it harder for tribes to acc
ess safe and nutritious food,
including traditional foods important to many tribes’
cultural practices.
4.Urban People - increases in heat waves,
drought, or violent storms in cities
-
Higher temperatures and more extreme events will li
kely affect the cost of energy, air and water quality,
and human comfort and health
-
includes drainage and sewer systems, flood and
storm protection assets, transportation systems, and
power supply during periods of peak demand
5. Impacts on Economic Activities and Services
-
Certain agricultural products may decline dramaticall
y
-likely affect tourism and recreational activities.
-
Increasing number of wildfires could affect hiking a
nd recreation in parks.
-
Beaches could suffer erosion due to sea level rise a
nd storm surge.
-Changes in migration patterns of fish
and animals would affect fishing and hunting.
In 1992, the United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCC) was adopted as the b
asis for a global response to the problem.
June 12 1992 -The Philippines signed the UNFCCC
August 2 1994-
ratified the international treaty Presently, the Con
vention enjoys near universal membership with 194
Country Parties

UNFCC -
Its ultimate objective is to stabilize greenhouse conc
entrations in the atmosphere at a level that will pre
vent dangerous human interference with the climate
system
two central approaches:
1. to address the root cause by reducing greenhous
e gas emissions from human activity.
2. to manage its impacts.
POINTERS
TRUE OR FALSE
1. Biodiversity is the foundation of human health.
2. Johannes Gutenberg turned the printing world upside
down and brought on a new era of print with his
revolutionary innovation of movable type in 1445.
3. When we say someone is living well or that they have
lived a good life, we may simply mean that they are a
good person, someone who is courageous, honest,
trustworthy, kind, selfless, generous, helpful, loyal,
principled, and so on.
4. Younger adults may be among the most able to cope
with impacts of climate change.
5. Populations in coastal areas are more sensitive to
storms, drought, air pollution and heat waves.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
• Central question of Heidegger's essay "The Question
Concerning Technology"
- What is the essence of technology?
• According to Heidegger, the danger of technology is
that it will lead to a loss of human creativity and
freedom
• Heidegger define “standing-reserve”
- The process by which technology enables us to
manipulate and control the world
• Uncovering and Revealing
- According to Heidegger, it is the essence of technology.
• Eudaimonia is a life of moral and intellectual virtue
while hedonia is a life of pleasure and enjoyment
• Difference between intellectual virtues and moral
virtues according to Aristotle
- intellectual virtues are related to knowledge and
understanding, while moral virtues are related to actions
and habits
• Happiness and flourishing
- is the ultimate goal of human life according to Aristotle
• Private healthcare
- is NOT an example of a public good
• First law of robotics
- A robot may not injure a human being or, through
inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
• The development of autonomous vehicles
- is an example of an ethical dilemma in artificial
intelligence
• The development of malware for cyber-attacks
- is an example of an ethical dilemma in cybersecurity
• Google is altering the way people think and read,
negatively affecting their ability to concentrate
- is the main argument of the article “Is Google Making
Us Stupid.
• Biodiversity has social, cultural and spiritual
importance within communities; Biodiversity provides
important resources for medical research; and
Biodiversity supports food security, dietary health,
livelihood sustainability
• The following are correct about the intended uses of
Genetically Modified Organisms, EXCEPT: Chickens
producing only female offspring for egg laying and cows
producing only male offspring for better meat yield are
the examples of intended uses of GMOs in Agriculture
• Examine the genetic engineering process
• Exotic Species
- are species that have been intentionally or
unintentionally introduced by humans into an ecosystem
in which they did not evolve
• Department of Science and Technology
-Philippine Council for Advanced Science and
Technology Research and Development (DOST-
PCASTRD)
- identified nanotechnology as one of the priority areas
of research, with its mandate is to develop, integrate, and
coordinate national research
• Increased global connectivity and communication is
the most significant impact of the Information Age on
society
• Invasion of privacy
- is the primary ethical concern related to the
Information Age
• The invention of the World Wide Web marked the
beginning of the Information Age
• Information Age is described as the period in history
marked by the rise of the internet and digital
technologies
• Increased stability
- is an advantage of nanotechnology
• Germ line therapy
- is the most controversial approach in gene therapy
• Gene therapy
- is used to insert normal genes into human cells to
correct disorders
• Forest is important for mitigating climate change for it
serve as a sink in the carbon cycle
• To stabilize carbon dioxide concentrations in the • Public Good - Commodities or services that benefit all
atmosphere, carbon dioxide emissions from human members of society, and which are often provided for
activities must be reduced. free through public taxation.
• Wear light-colored clothes on hot days • Robotics - The branch of technology that deals with the
- is NOT a way to adapt to climate change? design, construction, operation, and application of robots.
• Information Age • Climate Change- A broad range of global phenomena
- It is also known as the Computer Age, Digital Age, or created predominantly by burning fossil fuels, which add
New Media Age. heat-trapping gases to Earth’s atmosphere.
• Habitat Loss - One of the threats to biodiversity that is • Gene Therapy - It is a medical field which focuses on
caused by natural events like natural calamities and the genetic modification of cells to produce a therapeutic
geological events or anthropogenic activities like effect or the treatment of disease by repairing or
deforestation and man-induced climate change. reconstructing defective genetic material.
• Nano • Printing Press - Device that allows for the mass
- Prefix used in the metric scale to represent one production of uniform printed matter, mainly text in the
billionth. form of books, pamphlets, and newspapers.
• Genetical
- is not included in the gene transfer method
• Rolando Grip Aldo
- A Filipino philosopher argues that the concept of the
public good carries largely the politico-ethical sense,
which subsumes the politico- ethical senses. • BT Corn
- It was introduced as a “practical and ecologically
sustainable solution” for poor corn farmers, a major
bullet to combat poverty and improve livelihood.
• The following are the 3 Laws of Robotics,
a. robot must protect / not harm human; b. robot must
obey; and c. robot must protect themselves given that it
will follow the 2 premises.
• Cells
- The basic building blocks of all living things.
• Climate Change
- It is a broad range of global phenomena created
predominantly by burning fossil fuels, which add heat-
trapping gases to Earth’s atmosphere.
• Stem Cell Therapy - Any treatment that uses stem cells
as the primary way of curing or reducing the severity of
a disease or disorder.
• Biodiversity - It is the variety of life and refers
collectively to variation at all levels of biological
organization.
• Nanotechnology - People refer to it as “tiny tech” •
Over Harvesting - Also called overexploitation and it
refers to harvesting a renewable resource to the point of
diminishing returns.
• Existence - Derived from philosophical and religious
contemplation and scientific inquiries about social ties,
consciousness, and happiness.