LESSON 1  Eudaimonia or happiness is unique to humans for

it is a uniquely human function.

THE GOOD LIFE ACCORDING TO ANCIENT
 It is achieved only through a rationally directed
THINKING
life
 For Plato, the task of understanding the things in
 For Aristotle, eudaimonia is the highest human
the world runs parallel with the job of truly getting
good, the only human good that is desirable for its
into what will make the soul flourish.
own sake (as an end in itself) rather than for the
PLATO:
sake of something else (as a means toward some
 Involves living in harmony with one’s inner nature
other end).
and understanding the true nature of reality.
 To do this, one must overcome negative
ARISTOTLE’S TRIPARTITE SOUL
emotions such as anger and greed and embrace
truth and knowledge.

ARISTOTLE AND HOW WE ALL ASPIRE FOR A

GOOD LIFE
Theoretical science (truth)
• Logic • Biology • Physics • metaphysics
Practical science (Good)
• Ethics • Politics

ARISTOTLE’S NICHOMACHEAN ETHICS

ARETE AND HUMAN HAPPINESS
 It is a treatise on the nature of moral life and
“To live a good life is to live a happy life; however it
human happiness based on the unique essence of
is only possible by living a life of virtue.” –Aristotle
human nature.
 Arete, a Greek term, is defined as “excellence of
2 Types of Good
any kind”
• Instrumental good – as a means to achieving
 It is what makes one function well.
something else
• Intrinsic good (Ultimate values) – is good in itself
TYPES OF VIRTUES
 Intellectual Virtues
THE ULTIMATE GOOD
- the virtues of the rational part of the soul
Candidates:
- Practical reason: Prudence
 Pleasure – not the ultimate good because it
- Theoretical reason: wisdom
temporary
 Moral Virtues
 Wealth – it would not lead to satisfaction
- derive from attitudes in us
 Fame and honor – subjective
HOW IS VIRTUE RELATED TO THE ATTAINMENT OF
HAPPINESS
EUDAIMONIA OR HAPPINESS?
 In Aristotelian sense, happiness is “living well and
 Happiness consists in the activity of the mind in
doing well”
conformity with virtue
 In Greeks, happiness is known as eudaimonia (eu
 The true goods of man are the spiritual goods
meaning good, daimon meaning spirit)
that consist in virtue of his soul, and this is
happiness
EUDAIMONIA: THE ULTIMATE GOOD
 The care of the soul remains the only way that
leads to happiness
 Being sufficiently endowed with the possession of
exterior goods is indispensable, but they don’t
guarantee happiness
WHAT IS THEN THE GOOD LIFE?
 In the sense of eudaimonia, it is the state of being
happy, healthy, and prosperous in the way one
thinks, lives, and acts.
“Happiness brought about by living a virtuous life”
GOOD LIFE AND THE PROGRESS AND
DEVELOPMENT IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
 Science and technology can be ruined by under or
over appreciation of the scope and function it plays
in the pursuit of the uniquely human experience of
happiness.
 Refusing science and technology to improve
human life is as problematic as allowing it to
entirely dictate reason and action without any
regard for ethical and moral standards.
 By imposing on science and technology an ethical
standard that is not dictated by itself, not only will
scientific advancement and technological
development flourish, but also the human being.
LESSON 2
WHEN TECHNOLOGY AND HUMANITY CROSS
 Technology comes from the Greek word “techne”
and “logos”
 Technology means a discourse on arts.
 The ever-growing society has made people see
technology as some form of necessity
HUMAN RIGHTS-BASED APPROACH TO SCIENCE,
TECHNOLOGY, AND DEVELOPMENT
 Human rights in the face of scientific and
technological advancements are critical factors in
one’s journey toward eudaimonia or good life.
 Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms
that belong to every person in the world, from
birth until death.
 Protecting the well-being and upholding the
dignity of the human person must be at the core of
continued scientific and technological progress and
development
S. Romi Mukherjee
• a senior lecturer in Political Theory and History of
Religions at the Paris Institute of Political Studies.
• explained a Human Right-Based Approach to
science, technology, and development
 Mukherjee identified science as “a socially
organized human activity which is value-laden and
shaped by organizational structures and
procedures”.
 It requires an answer to whether the
governments and other stakeholders can craft and
implement science and technology policies that:
- ensure safety, health and livelihoods that include
people’s needs and priorities in development and
environmental strategies; and
- ensure they participate in decision-making that
affects their lives and resources.
 Mukherjee listed some of the most important
documents that center on a human rights-based
approach to science, development, and technology.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 27)
 This document affirms everyone’s right to
participate in and benefit from scientific advances,
and be protected from scientific misuse. The right
to the benefits of science comes under the domain
of ‘culture’, so it is usually examined from a cultural
rights perspective.
UNESCO Recommendation on the Status of
Scientific Researchers – 1974 (Article 4)
 This document affirms that all advances in
scientific and technological knowledge should
solely be geared towards the welfare of the global
citizens, and calls upon members of the state to
develop necessary protocol and policies to monitor
and secure this objective. Countries are asked to
show that science and technology are integrated
into policies that aim to ensure a more humane
and just society.
UNESCO Declaration on the Use of Scientific
Knowledge – 1999 (Article 33)
 This declaration encompasses issues such as
pollution free production, efficient resource use,
biodiversity protection, and brain drains.
International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights (1996)
 It ensures the enjoyment of economic, social and
cultural rights, including the rights to education.
Declaration on Social Progress and Development
(1969)
 Focuses on means to ensure that social progress
and development recognizes and protects human
dignity.
Declaration on the Use of Scientific and
Technological Progress in the Interest of Peace
and for the Benefit of mankind (1975)
 Ensure that the results of scientific and
technological developments are used in the
interests of strengthening international peace and
security, freedom and independence, and also for
the purpose of the economic and social
development of people and the realization of
human rights and freedoms in accordance with the
charter of the United Nations.
The Declaration of Dakar (2007)
 Outlines the awareness of the critical role that
access to drinking water, sanitation, and the
management of water- related disasters play in
health, economic, and social development of
countries, particularly in Africa.
The Cairo Deceleration (2006)
 All human beings form one family whose
members are united by their subordination to Allah
and descent from Adam.
Universal Declaration on bioethics and Human
Rights (2005)
 Addresses ethical issues related to medicine, life
sciences and associated technologies as applied to
human beings, taking into account their social,
legal and environmental dimensions.
WHY IS HUMAN RIGHT-BASED APPROACH
IMPORTANT?
 A human rights-based approach to science,
technology, and development sets the parameters
for the appraisal of how science, technology, and
development promote human wellbeing.
“This approach can form the very heart of
sustainable futures” – Mukherjee (2012)
 Human rights should be integral to the journey
toward the ultimate good.
 They should guide humans not only to flourish as
individual members of society, but also to assist
each other in flourishing collectively as a society.
 They may function as the ‘golden’ mean ,
particularly by protecting the weak, poor, and
vulnerable from the deficiencies and excesses of
science and technology
 The moral and ethical duty to protect and uphold
human rights, there can be a more effective and
sustainable approach to bridging the gap between
poor and rich countries on both tangible (e.g.,
services and natural resources) and intangible (e.g.,
well-being and human dignity) aspects.
 Ultimately, all these will lead humans to flourish
together through science and technology.
LESSON 3
WHY THE FUTURE DOES NOT NEED US
WILLIAM NELSON JOY
 An American computer scientist and chief
scientist of Sun Microsystems
 He wrote an article for Wired magazine entitled
“Why the future doesn’t need us?”
21ST – CENTURY TECHNOLOGIES
Genetics Nanotechnology Robotics
 Self – replicating ability of nanobots can be
potentially harmful to human beings in the future
 Humans are over dependent of machines
 If machines are given the capacity to decide on
their own, it will be impossible to predict how they
will behave
 Joy drew from Theodore Kaczynski’s book
entitled “Unabomber Manifesto”
 Kaczynski described that the unintended
consequences of the design and use of technology
are related to Murphy’s law; “Anything that can go
wrong, will go wrong”
 Overreliance to antibiotics led to the antibiotic –
resistant strain of bacteria
CRITICISMS OF JOY’S ARTICLE
 Presented information in an imprecise manner
that obscures the larger picture of things
 Failure to consider social factors and focused only
on one parts
 Joy was accused as a Neo – luddite
LESSON 4
INFORMATION AGE
 began in the last quarter of the 20th Century
 It is also called the Digital Age and the New Media
Age
 Information became effortlessly accessible
through publications and through the management
of information by computers and computer
networks.
James R. Messenger
 Proposed the Theory of Information Age (1982)
“…the Information Age is a true new age based
upon the interconnection of computers via
telecommunications, with basis. Furthermore, the
primary factors driving this new age forward are
convenience and user-friendliness, which, in turn,
will create user dependence.”
THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE
INFORMATION AGE
 Books were written and produced by hand. They
were made in surfaces of clay, wax, and papyrus.
 The hand-produced books were restricted only
to those people who could afford to buy these
materials.
 Information was only relayed to others through
word-of mouth channels (Stacy, 2008).
The Gutenberg Revolution
 Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press
around 1440 to improve the manual, tedious, and
slow printing methods.
 Printing press is a device that applies pressure to
an inked surface lying on a print medium, such as
cloth or paper, to transfer ink.
 It marked the beginning of the fast and easy way
of disseminating information in print that
permanently reformed the structure of society.
 In 1936, Alan Turing , an English mathematician,
worked at the British top-secret Government Code
and Decipher School, whose goal was to break the
Enigma code.
 A four-rotor Enigma machine was once used by
the crews of German U-boats in World War II to
send coded messages.
 Turing, working on the side of the Allies, invented
Bombe  an electromechanical machine that
enabled the British to decipher encrypted messages
from the German Enigma Machine.
 This contribution of Turing, along with other
cryptologists, shortened the war by two years
(Munro, 2012)
 Alan Turing presented a theoretical machine
called “Turing Machine” that can solve any
problem with simple instructions encoded on a
paper tape.
 This became the foundation of computer science
and the invention of the machine called the
“computer” (DeHaan, 2012)
COMPUTERS
 The 1970’s was regarded as the dawn of
computer age.
 The computer was invented by Charles Babbage,
an English mechanical engineer and considered the
“Father of Computers”
 The computer was designed for mathematical
calculations and simple decision-making
capabilities.
 Personal computers were also available, which
gave every individual access to computers (Hughes
& Hans, 2017)
 1n 1976, Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple
Inc., developed the computer that made him
famous: the Apple I
 Wozniak designed the operating system,
hardware, and circuit board of the computer all by
himself.
 Steve Jobs, Wozniak’s friend, suggested to sell
the Apple I as a fully assembled printed circuit
board.
 This jumpstarted their career as founders of
Apple Inc.
THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFROMS
 From 1973 onward, social media platforms were
introduced
 They enable information exchange at its most
efficient level, and immensely influence the lives of
the people.
 Nowadays, bills payment, bank transactions,
online shopping, and the like are much easier than
without computers and the internet.
THE SOCIAL MEDIA TIMELINE
1997 – six degrees
2001 – six degrees shut down
2002 – Friendster, Linkdin, MySpace
2004 – Facebook
2006 – Twitter
2007 – MySpace becomes most visited site
2008 – Facebook moves past MySpace
2010 – Instagram
2011 – Snapchat
2015 – Friendster suspended
2017 – TikTok
2018 – Musical.ly shuts down
2019 – google+ shut down
2020 – clubhouse launches
2022 – 4.7 billion worldwide social media users
LESSON 5
BIODEVERSITIY
 The variety of life in the world or in a particular
habitat or ecosystem.
 Biosphere - all life on Earth
Isaac Asimov
“As new areas of the world came into view through
exploration, the number of identified species of
animals and plants grew astronomically. Today,
more than 1.25 million different species are known,
and no biologist supposes that the count is
complete. ”
Three Types of Biodiversity
• Genetic biodiversity – variation among organisms
of the same species.
• Species diversity – a variety of species within a
particular region.
• Ecological diversity – network of different species
in an ecosystem and the interaction of these
species.
WHAT CAUSED THE DIFFERENCES IN THE
RICHNESS OF BIODIVERSITY?
 The variations of climatic and altitudinal
conditions along with varied ecological habitats are
the reason for the richness in biodiversity of a
particular region.
HOW DOES SOCIETY BENEFIT FROM THE RICHNESS
OF BIODIVERSITY?
 Humans can source from nature different
biological resources such as food, medicine, and
energy, among others.
HEALTH AND MEDICINE
 Since 2600 BC, people have been using herbal
medicines to treat illnesses.
 The ancient Greeks (100 BC to 300 BC) recorded
the collection, storage, and use of medicinal herbs.
 The ancient Egyptians and Chinese used various
plant-based drugs such as gargles, pills, infusions,
and ointment.
Cupressus sempervirens (Cypress)
Commiphora myrrha (Myrrh)
 Used to treat coughs, colds, and inflammation
since the ancient times.
Salvia apiana (California sage)
 Used by Indian tribes of Southern California to aid
in childbirth and was believed to protect the
immune system from respiratory ailments.
Alhagi maurorum (Camel thorn)
 Secrets a sweet and gummy substance from its
stems and leaves called “manna” during hot days.
It is believed to have diuretic. Diaphoretic, laxative,
expectorant, gastroprotective, antiseptic, and anti-
diarrheal properties.
Salicylic acid
 An active ingredient of the anti-inflammatory
drug, Aspirin, is derived from the bark of a willow
tree.
Morphine
 One of the most widely known painkillers which
was first marketed and used in the 1800s, is
derived from Papaver somniferum (Opium poppy).
Digitoxin
 Used in the management of congestive heart
failure derived from Digitalis purpurea (foxglove)
Penicillins (Penicillium notatum)
 Used to treat infections caused by bacteria.
 After penicillin underwent its first clinical trials in
1938, and the first indication of antibiotic
resistance to penicillin was reported in 1941.
Pilocarpine
 Oral Formulation of Pilocarpine was used and
approved for the treatment of dry mouth
(xerostomia)
Cinchona succirubra
 In 2004, the drug quinine was isolated from the
bark of Cinchona succirubra to treat malaria.
FOOD
Food is a basic need for human survival.
Paleolithic Food Supply
 During the paleolithic Age, humans got their food
by either hunting wild animals or gathering wild
plants. This food supply sometimes unreliable and
risky.
Neolithic Food Supply
 Beginning in the Neolithic age, humans learned
how to farm. Now they were able to get their food
by planting their own crops and domesticating
animals, such as cows and sheep.
Effect of Agriculture
 The change to agriculture gave humans a more
reliable food supply and brought about other
changes. For the first time, they could settle down
in one spot and form larger communities since they
didn’t have to follow herds of animals.
 The increasing demand for food as the world
population grew resulted in the development of
more lands for agriculture.
 Agrobiodiversity is the result of careful selection
and innovative development by farmers, fishers,
and herders throughout the years.
ENERGY
 Fossil fuels
WATER STORAGE AND FLOOD CONTROL
 Aqueducts – structure used to conduct a water
stream across a hollow or valley.
 Dams - a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of
surface water or underground streams.
CARTAGENA PROTOCOL
 Aims to ensure the safe transport, handling, and
use of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting
from modern biotechnology that may have adverse
effects on biodiversity.  In 1982, the Food and Drug Administration
approved the first GMO – Humulin, a type of
BIODIVERSITY CRISIS insulin produced using genetically engineered E.
 It is very important to know the living organisms coli bacteria, to be available in the market.
around us, and careful and accurate identification Herbert Boyer & Stanley Cohen
and classification are of vital importance (Kapoor,  The first scientists to genetically modify an
1998) organism by combining genes from two different E.
 We could not begin to understand biodiversity coli.
and the related issue of conservation (Nature,
2000) GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS (GMOS)
 Organisms can be given extra genes for new and
LESSON 6 useful characteristics. They are genetically modified
GENETIC ENGINEERING organisms (GMOs).
 Genetic engineering can be used to make living  In 1982, the US Supreme Court ruled to allow the
things produce other, more valuable, products. patenting of GMOs.
 Genetic engineering is about changing the DNA of What characteristics might be useful in crops?
a living thing to change its characteristics.  pest resistance
 frost resistance
WHAT MAKES ORGANISMS DIFFERENT?  herbicide resistance
 Genes are the units of inheritance. Organisms  drought resistance
differ because they have different genes.  longer shelf life
 disease resistance
WHAT IS DNA?
 Genes are made of a molecule called DNA PEST-RESISTANT CROPS
 DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid.  Potatoes can be genetically modified so they are
 Each chromosome is a very long molecule of toxic to pests, such as the Colorado beetle.
tightly coiled DNA  The gene for a powerful bacterial toxin is added
 DNA molecules carry the code that controls what to the potato plant. If the beetle tries to eat the
cells are made of and what they do potato plant, it is killed by the toxin.
 James Watson & Francis Crick realized that DNA BT corn (Bacillus thuringiensis)
was made up of two chains of nucleotide pairs that  BT corn is a genetically modified crop. Specific
encode the genetic information for all living things. maize strains have been genetically engineered to
express agriculturally-desirable traits, including
GENETIC ENGINEERING INVOLVES FOUR MAIN resistance to pests and to herbicides
STAGES
STAGE EXAMPLE FROST-RESISTANT CROPS
1. Select the product or Insulin  Crops can be genetically modified so they are
characteristic needed resistant to adverse environmental conditions
2. Isolate genes from Pig or Cattle  For example, lettuces could be genetically
specialist cells modified to be resistant to frost.
3. Insert the genes into Bacteria
target cells
4. Replicate the new Bacteria culture in
organism fermenters
PLANTS WITH EXTRA VITAMINS 3. The virus carries the gene into the patient’s
 Rice can be genetically modified to make beta- cells, where the healthy gene is released.
carotene, a substance that is converted into 4. The patient’s cells can then make the correct
vitamin A in the body. product of the gene. The patient is then cured.
 The colour of the rice is an indication of how GM CROPS
much more beta-carotene it contains. ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
 The GM rice is called ‘Golden Rice’ and is being GM crops would need Accidental transfer of
developed to help fight vitamin A deficiency and fewer chemical sprays new genes to other
blindness in developing countries. plants
GM crops could give GM crops could
 In 1993, the Food and Drug Administration bigger yields reduce biodiversity
approved bovine somatotropin (bST) - a metabolic GM crops could grow The new proteins in
protein hormone used to increase milk production in harsher conditions GM crops could cause
in dairy cows for commercial use. allergies
GM crops could result GM seeds are
 In 1994, the Food and Drug Administration
in cheaper food expensive
approved Flavr Savr.
 1996, Dolly was cloned. Dolly, the cloned sheep
AROECOLOGY
The study of the relation of agricultural crops and
EARLY GENETIC ENGINEERING
environment.
 People have been doing a simple form of genetic
Water
engineering for thousands of years. This is called
 Drought tolerant crops and efficient irrigation can
selective breeding.
help farmers conserve water
 Selective breeding, or artificial selection, is a
Production
process where people try and improve plants and
 Farmers can use technology, such as crop
animals by selecting and breeding only those that
protection and biotech products, to enable an
have desirable characteristics.
effective integrated pest management strategy.
Land
TRANSGENICS
 By using techniques like no- bill, farmers can
 Foreign DNA, including DNA from humans, can be
maintain soil health and prevent erosion
inserted into animals. This is called transgenics.
Enabling people and institutions
 The protein encoded by the DNA can then be
 Technical support and training enables farmers to
produced in a specific tissue of the transgenic
make informed decisions.
animal at a specific time.
Research
 This method produces higher levels of antibody,
 Research should be evidence- based and include
more easily and cheaply, than by using genetically-
economic, social and environmental
engineered bacteria or mammalian cells.
considerations.
Waste
GENE THERAPY
 Supply chain efficiency and recycling helps reduce
 Children with faulty immune systems have been
waste.
cured by adding genes to their bone marrow cells.
CARTAGENA PROTOCOL
This is called gene therapy.
 Aims to ensure the safe transport, handling, and
1. A ‘healthy’ version of the faulty gene is cut from
use of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting
normal DNA and copied.
from modern biotechnology that may have adverse
2. The gene is added to a harmless virus.
effects on biodiversity.