The Human Person

flourishing in terms of
Science and Technology
 Lesson Objectives
• Identify different conceptions of human
flourishing;
• Determine the development of the scientific method
and validity of science; and
• Critic human flourishing vis-à-vis progress of science
and technology to be able to define for themselves
the meaning of a good life.
 What is
happiness?
• In psychology, happiness is a mental or
emotional state of well-being which can be
defined by, among others, positive or pleasant
emotions ranging from contentment to
intense joy.
• To behaviorists, happiness is a cocktail of
emotions we experience when we do
something good or positive.
• To neurologists, happiness is the experience
of a flood of hormones released in
the brain as a reward for behavior that
prolongs survival.
Is happiness a destination or a
journey?
• The hedonistic view of well-being is that happiness is the polar
opposite of suffering; the presence of happiness indicates the
absence of pain. Because of this, hedonists believe that the purpose
of life is to maximize happiness, which minimizes misery.

• Eudaimonia, a term that combines the Greek words for "good" and
"spirit" to describe the ideology. Eudaimonia defines happiness as
the pursuit of becoming a better person. Eudaimonists do this by
challenging themselves intellectually or by engaging in activities
that make them spiritually richer people.
EUDAIMONIA
 EUDAIMONIA
• “good spirited”
• Coined by Aristotle
• Describes the pinnacle of happiness that is
attainable by humans.
• “human flourishing”
• From Nicomachean Ethics
(philosophical inquiry into the nature of the good life for a human being.)

– human flourishing arises as a result of different

components such as
•Phronesis
•Friendship
•Wealth
•Power
• In ancient Greek society, they believe that
acquiring these will surely bring the seekers
happiness, which in effect allows them to
partake in the greater notion of what we call the
Good.
• As time changes, elements that
comprise human flourishing change.

• People found means to live more

comfortably, explore more places, develop
more products, and make more money.
• Humans of today are expected to become
“man of the world”

• Supposed to situate himself in a global

neighborhood, working side by side among
institutions and the government to be able
to reach a common goal.
• Competition as a means of survival has
become passé.

• Coordination is the new trend.

 •Eastern vs Western conception
regarding society and human flourishing
There exists a discrepancy between
eastern and western conception regarding
society and human flourishing.

Western civilization is more focused on the

individual while those from the east are
more community-centric.
EASTERN CONCEPTION
• focus is community-centric
•individual should sacrifice
himself for the sake of
society
•Chinese Confucian system/
Japanese Bushido
•Encourage studies of
literature, sciences, and art
fora greater cause
WESTERN CONCEPTION
•more focused on the
individual
• human flourishing as
an end
•Aristotelian view
-Aims for eudaimonia as
the ultimate good
 Science, Technology and Human Flourishing

• Every discovery, innovation, and success contributes

to our pool of human knowledge.

• Human’s perpetual need to locate himself in the

world by finding proofs to trace evolution.

• Elicits our idea of self-importance

• Technology is a human activity we excel in as a
result of achieving science. (Heidegger)

• Good is inherently related to the truth

 Science as Methods and Results

Basic Methodology in doing

experimentation and empiricism (the
theory that all knowledge is derived from
sense-experience).
 Steps in Scientific Method

1. Observe and determine if there are unexplained occurrences

unfolding.
2. Determine the Problem and identify factors involved
3. Formulate hypothesis that could explain phenomenon
4. Conduct experiment
5. Gather and analyze results
6. Formulate conclusion and provide recommendation in case
others would want to broaden the study.
 Verification Theory
• Earliest criterion that distinguishes
philosophy and science.
• The idea proposes that a discipline is science
if it can be confirmed or interpreted in the
event of an alternative hypothesis being
accepted.
• In that regard, said theory gives premium to
empiricism
• Takes into account those results which are
measurable and experiments which are
repeatable.
• Vienna Circle
• group of scholars who believed that
 only those which can be observed should be
regarded as meaningful,
 Reject those which cannot be directly accessed as
meaningless.
Suppose, for instance, this girl, Lea has a
theory that her classmate Ian likes her.
Good, she thought, I like him too. But how
do I know that he likes me?
She began by observing him and his
interactions with her. Several gestures she
noted include his always exchanging
pleasantries with her whenever they bump
into each other, his big smile when he sees
her, and him going out of his way to greet
her even when riding a jeepney.
Through these observations, she was then
able to conclude that Ian does like her
because, she thought, why would anyone do
something like that for a person he does not
like?
As it turns out, however, Ian is just
generally happy to meet people he knew.
He had known Lea since they were in first
year and regards her as a generally okay
person. It is no surprise then that upon
learning that Ian basically does this to
everyone, Lea was crushed. She vowed to
herself that she would never assume
again.
 Falsification Theory
• As long as an ideology is not proven to be false and
can best explain a phenomenon over alternative
theories, we should accept the said ideology.
• Allowed emergence of theories otherwise
rejected by the verification theory.
• Encourages research in order to determine which
among the theories can stand the test of
falsification.
• KARL POPPER
– aim at the production of new, falsifiable
predictions
– scientific practice is characterized by its continual
effort to test theories against experience and
make revisions based on the outcomes of these
tests
Ian is generally everybody’s friend. He
likes to be around people and
generally aspires to become
everybody’s friend.
However, there is this one girl, Lea,
who
seemed to not like him when he is around.
Every time he waves at her, she turns
away, and when they are in the same
room, she avoids his glances.
Through this he concluded that Lea does
not like him and does his best to show her
that he is not a threat.

He began greeting her whenever they

pass by each other at the corridor, even
going so far as calling her attention when
he was in the jeepney and saw her walking
past.
When they were able to talk to each
other, he found out that Lea is just really
shy and is not accustomed to people
greeting her. He then was able to
conclude that his initial impression of her
not liking him is wrong and thus said
proposition is rejected.
• There is no known rule as to the number of
instance that a theory is rejected or falsified in
order for it to be set aside.
• There is no assurance that observable event
or “evidences” are indeed manifestations of a
certain concept or “theories”.