Science, Technology,

and Society
Prepared by:
Ms. Mai 
 Science, Technology,
and Society
Technology as a way of Revealing
 Who is Martin Heidegger
• Martin Heidegger (1889-1976) is one of the most important
philosophers of the 20th century.
• His stern opposition to positivism and technological world
domination received unequivocal support from leading
postmodern theorist of the time.
• In 1993, he joined Adolf Hitler’s National Socialist German
Workers’ Party.
• Heidegger’s philosophy focused on ontology or
the study of “being”.
• Das sien
 The Essence of Technology
• Instrumental definition: Technology is a means to an end.
Technology is not an end in itself.

• Anthropological definition: Technology is a human activity.

Alternatively, technology can also defined as a human activity
because to achieve an end and to produce and use a means to end
is, by itself, a human activity.
 Technology as a ways of Revealing
• Heidegger stressed that the true can only be pursued through the
correct.
• Bringing forth can be understood through the Ancient Greek
philosophical concept poeisis, which refers to the act of bringing
something out of concealment.
• The truth is understood through another Ancient Greek concept
of aletheia, which is translated as unclosedness,
unconcealedness, disclosure, or truth.
 Technology as a ways of Revealing
• This revealing is seen in the way the term techne, the Greek root
word of technology, is understood in different contexts .
• In philosophy, techne resembles the term episteme, which refers
to the human ability to make and perform.
 Technology as Poeisis: Does Modern Technology Bring Forth or
Challenge Forth?
• Heidegger, in “The Question Concerning Technology,” posited
that both primitive crafts and modern technology are revealing.
• On the surface, Heidegger’s criticism of modern technology
might appear counterintuitive to the purpose of nature to human
existence.
• Modern technology challenges forth because it makes people
think of how to do things faster, more effectively.
• Challenging forth, reduces objects as standing reserve or
something to be disposed of by those who enframe them.
 Enframing as Modern Technology’s Way of Revealing

• Heidegger distinguished the way of revealing of modern

technology by considering it as a process of enframing.
• Enframing, accdg. to Heidegger, is a kin to two ways of looking
at the world: calculative thinking and meditative thinking.
• Calculative thinking, humans desire to put an order to nature to
better understand and control it.
• Meditative thinking, human allows nature to reveal itself to
them without the use of force or violence.
 The Dangers of Technology

• The dangers of technology lie in how humans let themselves be

consumed by it
• The Brazilian novelist Paulo Coelho once remarked that “it is
boastful for humans to think that nature needs to be saved,
whereas Mother Nature would remain even if humans cease to
exist.”
• Recognizing the dangers of technology requires critical and
reflective thinking on its use.
• The real threat of technology comes from its essence, not its
activities or products.
 Questioning as the Piety of Thought

• Heidegger underscored the importance of questioning in the

midst of technology.
• Humans are consumed by technology when they are caught up in
enframing and fail to pay attention to the intricacies of
technology,
• Questioning is the piety of thought. It is through questioning
that humans are able to reassess their position not only in the
midst of technology around them, but also, and most importantly,
in the grand scheme of things.
 Human Flourishing in Progress

• Rooted in Aristotelian ethics, Human flourishing is the term

given to the ability to live a good life.
• VanderWeele (2017) defines human flourishing as the effort of an
individual to achieve self-actualization and fulfillment not only
for their own but also, and as a requisite of human flourishing.
• The magnitude of the human flourishing drives us to believe that
it is, in fact, a lifelong journey of human existence.
• As the individual journeys in the pursuit of human flourishing,
they, in the process, also move closer and closer to becoming a
human person, a term common
 Human Flourishing in Progress

• As the individual journeys in the pursuit of human flourishing,

they, in the process, also move closer and closer to becoming a
human person, a term commonly use in Philosophy to describe
the essence of humankind or the meaning of being human.
• First, a hman person is a physical being, reaching a state of
overall health in mind, body, and spirit. Second, a human person
is a knower, having used their fundamental dispositions and
characteristics as humans to be aware, grow in knowledge, and
pursue lifelong learning for the sake of a full life.
 Human Flourishing in Progress

• Third, a human person is responsible agent, living a life full of

full responsibility for their own actions, thoughts, feelings, and
emotions to impact change in their lives and enjoy the reward of
human flourishing.
• Finally, a human person is a person in relation to other persons,
extending the fruits of a good life through community
participation, joyful friendships, happy family life, and fulfilling
and close relationships with significant others.
 Human Flourishing in Progress

• As such, science and technology should not be viewed as simply

incidental but instead integral to the pursuit of human
flourishing.
• The regard to that, an individual must be aware, protect
themselves, and even take an active role in efforts to address
health risk-factors, such as proper waste segregation, responsible
use of plastic materials, and science-based approaches in dealing
with emerging pathogens.
 Human Flourishing in De-development

• Despite effort to close out the gap between poor and rich
countries, the growth gap keeps widening.
• Although there is no standard measure of inequality, the report
claimed that most indicators suggest that the widening of the
growth gap slowed or fell during the financial crisis and is now
growing again.
• Jason Hickel, an anthropologist at the London School of
Economics , criticizes the failure of growth and development
efforts dating back to seven decades ago to eradicate poverty.
 THE GOOD LIFE

Are We Living the Good Life in Terms of Science and

Technology?
Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics and the Good Life
• Aristotle, who lived from 384 to 322 B.C., is probably the most
important ancient Greek philosopher and scientist.
• He was a student of Plato, who was a student of Socrates.
Together, they were considered the “Big Three of Greek
Philosophy.”
• Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics, the fundamental basis of
Aristotelian ethics, consists of 10 books.
• The Nichomachean Ethics, abbreviated as NE or sometimes EN
based on Latin version of the name, is a treatise on the nature of
moral life and human happiness based on the unique essence of
human nature.
Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics and the Good Life

• The NE is particularly useful in defining what the good life is.

• Everyone has a definition of what good is.
• However, although everyone aims to achieve that which is good,
Aristotle posited two types of good.
• Aristotle explained that every action aims at some aim at an
intrinsic good.
 Eudaimonia: The Ultimate Good
• Aristotle proposed two hallmarks of eudaimonia, namely virtue
and excellence.
• Eudaimonia transcends all aspects of life for it is about living
well and doing well in whatever one does.
 Eudaimonia: The Ultimate Good
• One might think that pleasure is the ultimate good.
• Others might think that wealth is a potential candidate for the
ultimate good.
• Another candidate for ultimate good is fame and honor.
• Unlike pleasure, wealth, and fame and honor, happiness is the
ultimate good.
• Among the Greeks, this was known as the eudaimonia, from the
root words eu, meaning good and daimon, meaning spirited.
 Arete and Human Happiness
• Eudaimonia is what defines the good life. To live a good life is to
live a happy life.
• Arete, a Greek term is defined as “excellence” of any kind” and
can also mean “moral virtue.”
• Aristotle suggested 2 types of virtue
1. Intellectual virtue – or virtue of thought is achieved through
education, time, and experience.
2. Moral virtue- or virtue of characters is achieved through
habitual practice.
• Some key moral virtues are generosity, temperance, and
courage.
 Arete and Human Happiness
• Courage was earlier defined as displaying the right action and
emotional response in the face of danger.
• The virtue of courage, is ruined by an excess of the needed
emotional and proper action to address a particular situation.
When Technology and
Humanity Cross
 Human Rights and Science and Technology
• Human rights are basic rights and freedoms which belong to
every person in the world from the day they are born to the day
they die, regardless of the circumstances.
• Human rights are sometimes used interchangeably with natural
rights.
• However, there are slight differences in the nature of natural
rights and human rights.
1. Natural rights – is used when referring to freedoms which exist
whether or not a state or government acknowledges it.
 Human Rights and Science and Technology
2. Human rights – are freedoms that state or government
acknowledges its citizen possess by simply being human.
• These rights and freedoms, however, are not absolute.
• The issue of human rights becomes trickier when observed in
the context of science, double-edged sword in many instances.
• On the other hand, the same technology is being questioned for
potential breach and violation of ordinary people’s right to
privacy.
 Human Rights and Science and Technology
• For one, the use of these technologies in schools raises
questions on whether information collected from the use of
these technologies are utilized solely for the intended
educational purposes.
• Another issue is whether requiring students to obtain gadgets or
devices to use these situations where the students are unable to
own or purchase the gadgets or device.
• Clearly, science and technology can be used as tools in
upholding human rights, but in situations where the use of tools,
products, or practices in themselves impinge on human rights,
measure control and mitigate the potential risks and hazards
have to be ou
 Human Rights and Science and Technology
• Clearly, science and technology can be used as tools in
upholding human rights, but in situations where the use of tools,
products, or practices in themselves impinge on human rights,
measures to control and mitigate the potential risks and hazards
have to be out in place and implemented.
 Human Rights-Based Approach to Science, Technology and
Development
• Human rights in the face of scientific and technological
advancement are critical factors in one’s journey toward
eudaimonia or good life.
• 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.
• A human rights-based approach to science, technology, and
development sets parameters for the appraisal of science,
technology, and development and the impacts on human well-
being.
 Human Rights-Based Approach to Science, Technology and
Development
• Human rights should be integral to the journey toward the
ultimate good.
• Individuals who have the privilege of access to scientific
knowledge and technological innovations have a bigger
responsibility of being a voice for those who will never have a
platform to speak up about the abuses they suffer from some
misuse or overuse of science, technology, and development.