CHAPTER 5

HUMAN
FLOURISHIN
G
 Eudaimonia
• translated as happiness or welfare; however “human flourishing”
has been proposed as a more accurate translation.
• it is consist of words eu (“good”) and daimon (“spirited”).
• It is a concept in Aristotelian ethics and political philosophy along
with the terms arete, most often translated as “virtue” or “excellence”
and phronesis often translated as “practical or ethical wisdom”.
• In Aristotle’s work eudaimonia was based on older Greek tradition,it
describe the pinnacle of happiness that is attainable by human.
Nicomachean Ethics- discussed that the human flourishing arises as a
result of different components such as:

PHRONESIS FRIENDSHIP WEALTH POWER

Ancient Greek Society believed that acquiring these qualities will

surely bring the seekers happiness and allows them to partake in
the greater notion of what we call the GOOD.

• As the time change, components of human flourishing changed which

are subject to the dynamic social history as written by humans.
 People found means to live more comfortably, explore more
places, develop more products and make more money and then
repeating the process in full circle.
Make grander and
EARLY Simple machines to
more sophisticated
PEOPLE hunt and gather
machines

Today, our concept of human flourishing proves to be different

from Aristotle originally perceived then.

HUMANS OF
TODAY MAN OF THE
WORLD
 Eastern Conception Western Conception
Most are community-
Tends to focused on
centric.
the individual.
Human flourishing is less
concern than western. Human flourishing is
much concern.
Chinese Confucian
system or Japanese
Greek Aristotelian
Bushido
view

Nevertheless, such stereotypes cannot be said to be true given the current stance of
globalization.
• Flourishing borders allowed people full access to cultures.
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND HUMAN
FLOURISHING
Human flourishing is deeply intertwined with goal
setting relevant to science and technology.

The end goals of both science and technology, and

human flourishing are related in that
the good is inherently related to the truth.
 SCIENCE METHOD AND RESULTS
What is Scientific Method?
• Is an empirical method of acquiring knowledge that has
characterized the development of science since at least the
17th century.
• It involves careful observation, applying rigorous skepticism
about what is observed, given the cognitive assumptions can
distort how one interprets the observations.
 SCIENTIFIC METHOD
1. Observe and determine if there are unexplained
occurrences unfolding.
2. Determine the problem and identify factors involved
3. Through past knowledge of similar instance, formulate
hypothesis that could explain the said phenomenon.
Ideally, the goal is reject the null hypothesis and accept
the alternative hypothesis for the study.
4. Conduct experiment by setting up dependent and
independent variables, and trying to see now independent
ones affect dependent ones.

5. Gather and analyze results throughout and upon

culmination of the experiment. Examine if the data gathered
are significant enough to conclude results.

6. Formulate conclusion and provide recommendation in

case others would want to broaden the study.
 VERIFICATION THEORY
• Earliest criterion that distinguished philosophy and science
• Proposes that a discipline is a science if it can be confirmed or
interpreted in the event of an alternative hypothesis being accepted.
• Espoused by a movement in the early twentieth century called Vienna
Circle.
• American philosopher Thomas Kuhn warned us against bridging the
gap between evidence and theory.
 FALSIFICATION THEORY
• Current prevalent methodology in science.
• Asserts that as long as an ideology is not proven to be false and can
best explain a phenomenon over alternative theories- ACCEPT THE
IDEOLOGY.
• Emergence of theories rejected by verification theory.
• Karl Popper- known proponent of this view.
• Believed in theories of Marx’s theory of Social History and Sigmund
Freud Psychoanalysis- not testable and thus not falsifiable.
SCIENCE AS A SOCIAL ENDEAVOR
• Science as a social endeavor means the application of
science to figuring out how the world
works/exist/originated etc.
• As a social endeavor, science aims to solve various
problems, satisfy various needs and sustainable
development of society with the help of scientific
knowledge.
 SCIENCE AND RESULTS
Science is not entirely foolproof, such that it correct 100% of
the time.
Weather reports, for one illustrates fallibility and limitations of
their scope as well as their inability to predict disasters.
It can be concluded that science does not monopolized the
claim for definite results.
 SCIENCE AND RESULTS
People who cannot comprehend science tends to believe in other
discipline that is also able to produce results such as:
Religion
Luck
Human Randomness and other contemporaries in the field
Some communities without access to science- believe to divination
and superstition and still get the same results
 SCIENCE AS EDUCATION
There is no such thing as a singular scientific methods, offering
instead a variety of procedures that scientist can be experiment
with to get results and call them science.
If one is really pursuant of human flourishing, it needs to be
pursue holistically. Simply mastering science and technology
would be inadequate if we are to, say, socialize with people or
ruminate on our inner self
 SCIENCE AS EDUCATION
Aristotle’s eudaimonic person is required to be knowledgeable
about science, among other things of equal importance.
A true eudaimon recognizes that flourishing requires one to
excel in various dimensions, such as linguistic, kinetic, and
socio-civic. Thus, he understands that he should not focus on
one aspect alone.
-end-