Chapter II.

Science, Technology,
and Society and Human
Conditions
Lesson 1
HUMAN
FLOURISHING
Objectives:
at the end of the lesson the students should be able to:

Identify the different conceptions of

human flourishing

Determine the development of the scientific method

and validity of science

Critic human flourishing vis - a - vis progress of science and

technology to be able to define for themselves the meaning of the
good life.
 What is Human
Flourishing?

Eudaimonia , literally “ a
good spirit” is a term
coined by renowned
Greek philosopher
Aristotle ( 385-323 BC) to
describe the pinnacle of
happiness that is
attainable by Humans
• This was translated to “ Human
Flourishing” in literature O Phronesis

arguably likening humans to O Friendship

O Wealth
flowers achieving their full
O And power
bloom.
O In Ancient Greek society ,
• As it discussed to they believe that acquiring
Nicomachean Ethics, those qualities will surely
Aristotle concepts of bring the seekers happiness
human Flourishing and the effect of it was the
arises results: greater notion of “Good.”
 Nichomachean Ethics
O Aristotle held that eudaimonia consists of philosophical
or
scientific contemplation in accordance with the intellectual
virtues of (theoretical) wisdom and understanding, but he
also allowed that action in the political sphere, in
accordance with (practical) wisdom and the moral
virtues, such as justice and temperance, is eudaimon
(“happy”) in a “secondary degree”
 Eudemian Ethics
O He maintained that eudaimonia consists of
activity of the soul in
accordance with “perfect” or “complete” virtue,
by which he meant (according to some
interpretations) all the virtues, both intellectual
and moral
O According to both answers, it should be noted, eudaimonia is
an activity (or a range of activities) rather than a state, and it
necessarily involves the exercise of reason.
O Eudaimonia must be the achievement of a “complete
life,” or at least much of a life: “For one swallow does not make
a summer, nor does one day; and so too one day, or a short time,
does not make a man blessed and happy”
 Science, Technology, and Human
Flourishing
OHuman flourishing involves the rational
use of one’s individual human
potentialities, including talents, abilities,
and virtues in the pursuit of his freely and
rationally chosen values and goals
 Science, Technology, and Human
Flourishing
OHuman flourishing is defined as an effort to
achieve self-actualization and fulfillment
within the context of a larger community of
individuals, each with the right to pursue
his or her own such efforts.
 Other Concepts of Human Flourishing
Socrates thought all human beings wanted eudaimonia more
than anything else and that virtue was both the seed and the
fruit. Virtues such as self-control, courage, justice, piety and
wisdom guaranteed a good and happy life. He contrasted
eudaimonia with the life that seeks after honor (modern
fame) and pleasure (modern hedonism) because that does
nothing for the state of ones soul and thus can never lead to
the ‘incomparably more important’ eudaimonia.
 Human flourishing in Buddhism
O These views are also present in Buddhism where wisdom and
compassion are the two highest virtues, both of which are
achieved by walking the eightfold path. Right view and right
intention will lead to wisdom, or, in other words, seeing reality
as it is and act accordingly. Right speech, right action and right
livelihood leads to compassion where self and other overlap of
happiness and fulfillment in life.
 Eight fold path
Orightness of belief
O resolve
O speech
O action
O livelihood,
O effort
O thought,
O and meditation
 A principles of
Human flourishing
Restoring the culture to the glory
of God: it’s the reason we are
working to inspire Christians to
live out a theology that integrates
faith, work, and economics. If
Christians do this, together we can
bring about human flourishing.
As time Goes by Human Flourishing was
changed :
O which are the dynamic social history as written by humans.
O people found to live comfortably, explore more places, developed more
products and make moneys.
O Development that allowed them to make grander and more sophisticated
machines to bring innovations, explorations and ventures life after
death.
O Humans today are expected to become the “Man of the world”
O Competitions as means of Survival has become pass and coordination is a
new trend.
 Example
O The discrepancy between eastern and western conception
regarding the society and human flourishing . It has been
observed that the western civilizations tends to be more
focused on the individuals, while those from the eastern are
more community –centric.
O More concerned for western civilization over eastern ones.
But for them community is the highest regards that the
individuals should sacrifice himself for the sake of the
society.
 Science, Technology and Human Flourishing

O Science and technology contributes a pool of human

knowledge and the uncovering the secrets of the
universe that gives us answers to the questions and
what we look forward to.
O one of the most prevalent theme of Human’s
perpetual need is to locate himself in the world by
finding proof to trace evolutions.
O Every discoveries, innovations and success will
provide us something new to look forward that
having a particular role, which is uniquely ours, elicits
our idea of self importance.
O Suffice to say that the end goals of both science and
technology and human flourishing are related, in that
the good life is inherently related to the truth.
 According to
Heidegger’s statement O “Technology is a
human activity that we
excel in as a results of
achieving science .”
and a goal of both
science and technology
and human flourishing
.
 Science as Method and Results
It presents a general idea of how to do science:

1. Observe and determine if there are unexplained

occurrences and unfolding.
2. Determine the problem and identify factors involved.
3. Formulate hypothesis that could explained the said
phenomenon . The goal is to reject the null hypothesis
and accept the alternative hypothesis for the study.
4. Conduct experiment by
setting up the dependent
and independent variables

5. Gather and analyze

results
6. Formulate conclusions
and provide
recommendations
 The two Distinct Features of
Scientific method
Verification theory
O Earliest criterion that
distinguished philosophy and
science.
O It gives premium to empiricism
and only takes into account of
results which measurable and
experiments which repeatable.
Falsification theory
O Asserts that as long as an
ideology is not proven to be
false and can be best explained
a phenomenon over alternative
theories. The ideology is
accepted.
 Example Falsification
Verification Theory
O Astrology, whose followers are able to
employ the verification method in
ascertaining its reliability. They will
interpret events in line with the said
expectations.
O American philosopher Thomas Kuhn
warned us against the gap between the
evidence and theory. (Example,
suppose to the instance that this girl,
Lea has a theory that her classmate Ian
likes her, she thought, I like him too but
do I know that he likes me?)
Theory
O It does not promote ultimate adoption of
one theory but instead encourages
research in order to determine which the
theories can stand the test of
falsification. ( the story of Ian and Lea)
O There is no known rule as to the
number of instance that theory is
rejected or falsified in order for it to be
set aside
O And falsification method is more
accepted .
Thank You