GE 5 : Science, Technology and

Society
Chapter 2: Science Technology
and Society and the Human
Condition
MS. IVY JOY S. SERRANO, LPT

1
 CHAPTER 2
Science Technology and Society and the Human Condition

HUMAN FLOURISHING

TECHNOLOGY AS A WAY OF REVEALING

THE GOOD LIFE

WHEN TECHNOLOGY AND HUMANITY CROSS

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 HUMAN FLOURISHING

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 LESSON OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:
• 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.

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 INTRODUCTION
EUDAIMONIA
 Literally “good-spirited”
 Term coined by renowned
Greek philosopher Aristotle
(385-323 BC)
 used to describe the pinnacle
of happiness that is
attainable by humans.
 Often translated to “human
flourishing” in literature,
arguably likening humans to
flowers achieving their full
bloom.
5 Aristotle
  According to the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle’s
human flourishing arises as a result of different
components such as:
a) Phronesis
b) Friendship
c) Wealth
d) Power

 In the Ancient Greek society, they believe that

acquiring these qualities will surely bring the seekers
happiness, which in effect allows them to partake in
the greater notion of what we call the Good.

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  As times change, elements that comprise human
flourishing changed, which are subject to the
dynamic social history as written by humans.
 Live more comfortably, explore more places and
make more money and repeating the process in full
circle
 Before, people relied on simple machines to make
hunting and gathering easier. (Erich Fromm-humans
are the freaks of the universe)
 Sophisticated machines were now developed which
eventually lead to space explorations, medicine
innovations and venture of life after death or life-
extension therapies and anti-aging researches
(Filipino life expectancy (M-66.2 ; F-72.6, Total-69.3,
7 source: WHO, 2018)
  The concept of human flourishing today
proves to be different from what Aristotle
originally perceived then.
 Humans of today are expected to become
a “man of the world”.
 He is supposed to situate himself in the 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
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trend. (Adler‘s striving for success, social
interest)
  There exists a discrepancy between
eastern and western conception regarding
society and human flourishing.
 Western Civilization tends to be more focused on
the individual (Individualism)
 Eastern Civilization are more community-centric
(Collectivism)
• Human flourishing as an end is primarily more
of a concern for western civilizations over
eastern ones.
• People in the east emphasized that
community takes the highest regard that the
individual should sacrifice himself for the sake
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of the society.
  Apparent in the Chinese
Confucian System or the
Japanese Bushido.
 The primary purpose of the
practice of Confucianism is to achieve
harmony, the most important social
value .
 It strongly emphasizes mercy, social
order and fulfillment of responsibilities.
 This is achieved by everyone having well
defined roles and acting towards others
in proper way.
 “Do not do to others what you do not Confucius
want done to yourself.”
 “ The family is the center and comes
10 before the individual.”
  Both of which view the whole as greater than
their components. (seems like Gestalt Psychology)

 The Chinese and Japanese encourage studies of

literature, science and art, not entirely for oneself
but in service of a greater cause. (social interest)

 The Greek Aristotelian view, on the other hand,

aims for eudaimonia as the ultimate good; there
is no indication whatsoever that Aristotle entailed
it instrumental to achieve some other goals.

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  A person who has achieved such state would want to
serve the community, but that is brought upon
through deliberation based on his values rather than
his belief that the state is greater than him, and thus
is only appropriate that he should recognize it as a
higher entity worthy of service.

 Such stereotypes cannot be said to be true given the

current stance of globalization.

 Flourishing borders allowed people full access to

cultures that as a result, very few are able to
maintain their original philosophies.
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 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY and
HUMAN FLOURISHING
 One of the most prevalent themes is human’s
perpetual need to locate himself in the world
by finding proofs to trace evolution.
 Uncovering the secrets of the universe
answers the questions of our existence and
provides us with something to look forward
to.
 Having a particular role, which is uniquely
ours, elicits our idea of self-importance.

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  Human flourishing is deeply intertwined with goal setting
relevant to science and technology.
 Technology is a human activity that we excel in as a result of
achieving science. (Heidegger)
 The end goals of both science and technology and human
flourishing are related, in that the good is inherently related to
the truth.

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 The following are the
concepts about science
which ventures its claim on
truth.

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 Science as Methods and Results
 Science’s reputation stems from the objectivity brought upon
by an arbitrary, rigid methodology whose very character
absolves it from any accusation of prejudice.
 Science is raised in a pedestal untouchable by other
institution.

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 The 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 to reject the null hypothesis and accept
the alternative hypothesis for the study “to count as
significant”.
4) Conduct experiment by setting up dependent and
independent variables, and trying to see how 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.
17 6) Formulate conclusion and provide recommendation
 Example
Mass Media Using Plus-sized Models on
the Body Image, Self-Assessment and
Academic Performance of Overweight
Males

Parcon, Deborah (2016)

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 Example
Mass Media Using Plus-sized Models on
the Body Image, Self-Assessment and
Academic Performance of Overweight
Males

Parcon, Deborah (2016)

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  Experimentation and empiricism are the two distinct
features that give science edge over other schools of thought.
 The line separating science and the so-called pseudoscience
becomes more muddled.

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 VERIFICATION THEORY
 The earliest criterion that distinguished philosophy and science
is verification theory.
 Proposes that:
“a discipline is science if it can be confirmed or interpreted in
the event of an alternative hypothesis being accepted.”
 Said theory gives premium to empiricism
 Only takes into account those results which are measurable
and experiments which are repeatable.

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  It was espoused by the Vienna Circle in the early 20th century.

 The group believed that only those which can be observed

should be regarded as meaningful and reject those which
cannot be directly accessed as meaningless.

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 Advantage and Disadvantages of Verification
Theory
Advantage
• Proved to be attractive due to general consensus from people,
which happened to see for themselves how the experiment
occurred, solidifying its validity and garnering supporters from
esteemed figures.

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 Advantage and Disadvantages of Verification
Theory
Disadvantages
• Several budding theories that lack empirical results might be
shot down prematurely, causing slower innovation and
punishing ingenuity of newer, novel thoughts.
• Strong verification means that you cannot make statements
about history as we cannot sense them empirically even
though we know that they happened

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 Advantage and Disadvantages of Verification
Theory
Disadvantages
• Scientific laws would also be meaningless, you cannot verify
that the gravity is constant all over the Earth as you can only
be in one place at once.
• No universal statements can be verified e.g. All ravens are
black, as we cannot empirically observe all ravens at once.
• There is no room for opinion e.g. saying something is beautiful
is pointless as it may not be beautiful to all people.

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 Advantage and Disadvantages of Verification
Theory
Disadvantages
• Completely fails to weed out bogus arguments
that explain things coincidentally.
 Example: Since one already has some sort of expectations
on what to find, they will interpret events in line with the
said expectations.
 Thomas Kuhn, an American Philosopher, warned us
against bridging the gap between evidence and theory by
attempting to interpret the evidences according to our
own biases, that is whether or not we subscribe to the
theory. (Example will be on the next slide)

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 EXAMPLE
• Suppose for instance, this girl Lea has a (not-so-scientific) 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
gesture 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.

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 EXAMPLE cont’d
• 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.

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 QUESTION
• Based from the story, is it justified for Lea to think that Ian does not like
her?

• Not quite.

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 FALSIFICATION THEORY
 Perhaps the current prevalent methodology in science,
falsification theory asserts :

“that as long as an ideology is not proven to be false and can

best explain a phenomenon over alternative theories, we would
accept the said ideology. “
 Due to its hospitable character, the shift to this theory allowed
emergence of theories otherwise rejected by verification
theory.

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 FALSIFICATION THEORY
 It does not promote ultimate adoption of one theory but
instead encourages research in order to determine which
among the theories can stand the test of falsification.
 The strongest one is that which is able to remain upheld
amidst various tests, while being able to make particularly
risky predictions about the world.

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 FALSIFICATION THEORY
 Karl Popper is the known
proponent of this view.
 He was notorious for stating that
up-and-coming theories of the
time, such as Marx’s Theory of
Social History and Sigmund
Freud’s Psychoanalysis, are not
testable and thus not falsifiable,
and subsequently questioning
their status as scientific.
 The danger is by interpreting an
otherwise independent evidence Karl Popper
in light of their pet theory.
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 EXAMPLE
• To illustrate, previous story is restated.

 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.

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 EXAMPLE cont’d
• 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 are 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 (as a person) is wrong and thus said proposition is rejected.

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 Disadvantages of Falsification Theory
Disadvantages
• Prone to the same generalizations committed by the verification method.
• 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.
• Similarly, there is no assurance that observable event or “evidences” are
indeed manifestations of a certain concept or “theories”.
• Thus, even though, theoretically, falsification method is more accepted,
scientists are still not convinced that it should be regarded as what makes a
discipline scientific.

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 Science as a Social Endeavor
 Due to inconclusiveness of the methodologies previously cited,
a new school of thought on the proper demarcation criterion
of science emerged.
 Several Philosophers such as Paul Thagard, Imre Lakatos,
Helen Longino , David Bloor and Richard Rorty, among others,
presented an alternative demarcation that explores the social
dimension of science, and effectively technology.

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 Science as a Social Endeavor
 Sciences ceases to belong solely to
gown-wearing, bespectacled scientists
at laboratories.
 The new view perpetuates a dimension which
generally benefits the society.
 Uncontacted tribe(do not regard western
science as their science, no way inferior to
that of globalized people’s science, e.g.
Filipino Psychology )
 Present an alternative notion that goes
beyond cold and hard facts of science—
manifestation of shared experience forging
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solidarity over communities
 Science and Results
 For the most part, people who do not
understand science are won over when the
discipline is able to produce results.
Jesus performed miracles and garnered followers, people are
sold over the capacity of science to do stuff they cannot fully
comprehend
• Science is not the only discipline which
is able to produce results—religion, luck
and human randomness are some of its
contemporaries in the field.
 No access to science, thus divination and superstition are
employed and still get the same results
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 Science is not entirely foolproof
 Science as Education
 There is no singular scientific method, offering
instead a variety of procedures that scientists can
experiment with to get results and call them science.
 Discoveries in physics, specifically quantum
mechanics, appeared to have debunked the idea of
objectivity in reality, subscribing instead to alternative
idea call Intersubjectivity.
 With objectivity gone, it has lost its number one
credence.
 Nevertheless, there still exists a repressing concept
that comes about as a result of unjustified irreverence
of science—our preference of science-inclined
students over those which are less adept.
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 Science as Education
 Entrance exams that are dedicated to science
and mathematics.
 Large distribution of science high schools can be
found all over the country.
 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
(STEM) offered in G11 an G12
 Accounting and Business coming in as close second.
 One might infer that there are more demand in
this field as students are preconditioned that
the field would later land them high-paying
jobs and a lucrative career after graduation.

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 Science as Education

“ If one is really in pursuit of human flourishing,

it would make sense for them to pursue it
holistically. Simply mastering science and
technology would be inadequate if we are to,
say, socialize with people or ruminate on our
inner self.”

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 Science as Education
 Aristotle’s eudaimonic person is required to be
knowledgeable about science, among other
things of equal importance.
 They are supposed to possess intellectual
virtues that will enable them to determine
truth from falsehood or good reasoning from
poor reasoning.
 A true eudaimon recognizes that flourishing
requires one to excel in various dimensions,
such as linguistic, kinetic, artistic and socio-
civic.
 Thus, he understands that he should not
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focus on one aspect alone.
 How Much is Too Much?
 In 2000, world leaders signed the Millenium
Development Goals (MDG) that targets eight
concerns, one of which states that they
should be able to forge a global
partnership for development.
 Inasmuch as the institutes imposing them do
so in good faith, the primary goal to achieve
growth for all might prove to be fatal in
the long run.
 Growth is the primary indicator of
development, as both go hand in hand, and
has put forth their resources in trying to
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achieve such.
 How Much is Too Much?
 Technology has been a primary instrument in
enabling to pursue the said goal, utilizing
resources, machineries and labor.
 Growth presents an illusory notion of
sustainability—the world’s resources can
only provide so much, it cannot be expected
to stretch out for everybody’s consumption
over a long period of time.
 Growth is not infinite—there is no
preordained ceiling once the ball starts rolling.

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 How Much is Too Much?
 “Developed countries should not push forth
more growth but instead adopt “de-
development” policies or else, everybody
loses.” –Joseph Hickel
 The rapid pace of technological growth allows
no room for nature to recuperate, resulting in
exploitation and irreversible damages to
nature. E.g. climate change, affecting flora
and fauna driving half of the latter extinct in
less than a 100 year from now.

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 PLAN DE-GROWTH
 We cannot have infinite growth in a finite planet. We are already
overshooting our planet‘s biocapacity. The consequences are all
around us, climate change, deforestation, and rapid rates of
extinction. This is due to overconsumption in rich countries.

 Planned de-growth promotes a scaling down of consumption. The

goal is increase human well-being and happiness while reducing
our economic footprint. Examples of what we could do is to reduce
our consumption and shorter working week.

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 GE 5 : Science, Technology and
Society
Chapter 2: Science Technology
and Society and the Human
Condition
MS. IVY JOY S. SERRANO, LPT

47
 CHAPTER 2
Science Technology and Society and the Human Condition

HUMAN FLOURISHING

TECHNOLOGY AS A WAY OF REVEALING

THE GOOD LIFE

WHEN TECHNOLOGY AND HUMANITY CROSS

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 TECHNOLOGY AS A WAY OF
REVEALING

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 LESSON OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:
• Explain the concept of human condition before science and
technology;
• Identify the change that happened in human condition after
science and technology; and
• Name ways on how technology aided in revealing the truth
about the human being.

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 INTRODUCTION
 Comparing the lives of the people before and now will
make anyone realize the changes that happened in
society not just in terms of culture, language, or rights
but more importantly, changes in people’s way of life
due to the existence of science and technology.

 GENERATION GAP—is a term attributed mainly to

the changes brought about by technology. Although
the original idea is for technology to help everyone, it
cannot be denied that until today, not everyone is
comfortable in using the different kinds of
technologies.

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  Most of from the older generation think that these
technologies are too complicated to operate.
They were used to simple living in the past and these
available technological devices, though very
appealing, are a difficult puzzle to them.

 The gap is not something to be worried about. This

does not in any way make technology a villain.
Instead, it is a challenge for people in the field of
science and technology to make these
technological advancements more accessible
and less confusing for people who are not as
young anymore.

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  This is also a challenge for the younger
generation to take the older generation to an
exciting journey in science and technology.

 In this way, everyone can experience what it is

like to live with ease and comfort because of
the availability of modern technology.

 Fascination with science led to numerous

magnificent inventions that people in the
present are to enjoy and benefit from.

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  People who lived in the past and people who
are living in the present all have different
views of what means to flourish, primarily
due to the kind of environment and the
period one is.

 People’s way of life and how the society works

also affect how one construes the concept of
human flourishing.

 The environment needs to be assessed in

order to know the possibility of human
54 flourishing and to what extent it is possible.
  Since there have been drastic changes in
people’s way of life, it can be inferred that
there have been drastic changes not only
in the conception of human flourishing but
to people’s actual human condition.

 These changes were brought about by the

interplay of different factors but
essentially, it was brought about by science
and technology.

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 The Human Condition Before
Common Era
 Our early ancestors’ primal need to survive
paved way for the invention of several
developments.
 Gifted with brains more advanced than other
creatures, humans are able to utilize
abundant materials for their own ease and
comfort.
 It is difficult to pinpoint the particular period
where technology is said to have started, one
can say that at the very last, the motivation
to make things easier has been around
56 since humans are.
  HOMO ERECTUS
(upright man)
 Have been using fire
to cook, through
chipping one flint over
the other to produce a
spark
 All the while without
realizing the laws of
friction and heat

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  HOMO SAPIENS
 Tools from stone and
flints marked the era of
the Stone Age, during
the advent of our very
own Homo Sapiens.
 Human began to
sharpen stones as one
would a knife
 Example of this is a
simple machine called
wedge.

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59
  This particular period proved to be difficult for our
ancestors, but in a remarkably distinct way.

 There is little to no written accounts except for

several cave drawings and unearthed artifacts
from various parts of the world that narrate how their
culture came to be.

 It then proves that there is little capacity for our

ancestors to contemplate and perceive things
outside themselves in a more reflective
manner.

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  For instance, there are several excavations in
different parts of Europe of miniature statues
prevalent during the Paleolithic period, the so
called “Venus” figure.
 It depicts a voluptuous woman out of ivory or
stone. Meaning is still unknown. (maybe
fixation to female anatomy).

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  Soon enough, people discovered minerals and
began forging metalwork.

 They realized that these substances are more

durable, malleable and have more luster than
previous materials.

 On the other hand, there are some indicators that

humans in the past share the same concerns
and interests, suggesting that these inclinations
persist through multitudes of generation over
several millennia.

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  Fur clothing and animal skin
are primarily used from
comfort against harsh winds—
our ancestors are able to draw the
connection between their being
naked and vulnerable due to some
lack of fur or protective covering
which would otherwise allow them
to withstand extreme weather
conditions.

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  They begin to cover
themselves up out of
necessity, and gradually,
added several more to
their garments.
 Some of those found at
excavation sites are
reminiscent of early
accessories, suggesting that
our ancestors have been
deeply engaged in the
concept of beauty.
 Perhaps, they had taken a
liking to a certain shiny
stone, or a perfectly shaped
bone, and wanted to wear it
64 as trophy.
 QUESTIONS
 What does this tell of them and their philosophies?
 Were they perhaps proud to show off their hunt and how good
of a hunter they were?
 Were they concerned with social standing and stratification?
 How about the meaning of life? Were they also curious on
finding explanations to certain phenomena?

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  At least for the last question, it seems that they have
found their answer in the person of religion.

 Excavations on the latter half of the Stone Age include

several figures thought to be ceremonial, meaning,
that perhaps people of the time had also painstakingly
wrought and hewed said figures in honor of some
deity.

 This notion, as it was then and as it is now, is often

people’s resort to make sense of events
happening outside their control.

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67
 Stonehenge
Salisbury , Wiltshire , England
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  The initial Roster of primitive
gods includes objects they
encounter through their
day-to-day lives, so it is not
surprising that different tribes
may have different gods.
 Those who might have lived
alongside majestic creatures,
such as elephants and
mammoths, might have been
awed for blessings in their
hunting ground.
 On the contrary, they might
have hunted the mammoths for
their woolly coat and meat,
taking down the animal for the
69
entire community to eat.
70
  In windy places near
mountains, they might have
had a mountain god to
explain wind currents and
ask for provisions.

 On the other hand, those who

were near coastal areas or
bodies of water might have had
water gods they referred to
when asking for a good catch.

 However, it might be also the

case that people of prior
civilizations shared several
generic gods, such as the
sun.
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 • Nevertheless, it can be positively inferred that
like the people of today, our ancestors also
found the need to explain things in away
that makes sense to them.

• They quickly realized that there are events

outside of their control and attempted to
justify things as being a work of a supernatural
being.

• Throughout the history, religion remains to be

the strongest contender to science arguably
due to its being the most easily grasped.
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 The Human Condition In the Common Era
• For a long time, humans were content with their
relationship with nature.
• Earliest case of man-made extinction occurred
over 12, 000 years ago, possibly brought upon
by hunting and territorial disputes.
• The Holocene extinction—also called the sixth
extinction or more aptly Anthropocene extinction,
occurred from as early as between 100, 000 to
200, 000 years up to the present. It refers to the
ongoing extinction of several species—both flora
and fauna—due to human activity.
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74
75
 • Driven by their primal need to survive and
gaining the upper hand in terms of
development and adaptability, humans were
quick to find ways to drive off other
megafaunas threatening a prospective
hunting spot and eventually, settling grounds.

• Growing population also necessitated

finding additional resources, leading to
overhunting and overfishing common prey,
some of which were endemic in the area.

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 World Population as of May 8, 2020 | 9:50 AM
77 Source: http://www.worldometers.info/world-population/
 World Population as of May 7,
2020
Source:
http://www.worldometers.info/
philippine-population/

78
79
 • Hunting, coupled with a changing terrain that the humans
began cultivating when agriculture emerged some 9, 000
years ago, caused several species to lose competition in
territory and food resources.

80
• Formation of
communities caused
humans to expand more
in territory and more
people to feed; large,
separate communities
hailing from the same
ancestors and residing in
the same large community
paved way for
civilizations.

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 • Even as a community, the people realized that though they
were at most self-sufficient, they were in constant need of
resources.
• Albeit waging wars with other tribes seemed to be the
early solution, they were able to find out some 5,000 years
ago that engaging in a peaceful negotiation was also a
possible and less bloody method.
• They realized that they could get hold of things not
present in their towns by offering something of same value
present in theirs.

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 • It is in this process that trade emerged, leading to
cross-town and even cross-cultural interaction as
more products were exchanged and the initial needs
extended to wants.

• People then had a new objective—gather as much

products as possible. They have turned to wealth
as one of their goals as humans and ultimately
as civilizations, for they perceived that those who
have many live comfortably and thus are generally
happier than those who do not have sufficient wealth.

• Thus they began to hunt, farm and produce things

with prospect of profit.

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  A nuclear community which is initially self-
sufficient has to accommodate their growing
population with depleting resources, leading
them to be reliant to other communities’ produce
which keep them surviving.

 In return, these communities have to make use

of their current resources twice as much to
provide for other communities’ needs.

84
  Products of every kind were exchanged, ranging
from necessary ones such as crops, cattle,
poultry others of kind, and clothing materials, up
to metals, accessories, weapons, spices, literature
and entertainment.

 They were able to find and create niches for

interests. When they could not sell products, they
used their skills and got compensated for it—
bringing forth a specialized group of artisans.

 Humanity became more complex. The

primary goal was not merely to survive, but
85
to live a good life.
  Technology has been instrumental in all of these
because in searching for the good life,
people were able to come up with
creations that would make easier, more
comfortable, and more enriching.

 Although the good life envisioned before might

be pale in comparison to multifariousness of
today, it offered us the initial intricacies of how
today came to be.

 Such intricacies are also evident in the machines

created and causes endeavoured by the people
86
of long ago.
 • They perceive death as, at the very least,
unpleasant and concocted potions to ward
evil off from their kinsmen, often appealing to
their gods for blessings.

• Medicine was thus born, although it would

take a considerably long time before it part
ways with potion.

87
 • They became fixated with gold and
were adamant in procuring more, trying
to use incantations with mixtures of
substances to turn lead into one.

• This ultimately paved way for the

emergence of chemistry in its primitive
form, not quite distinct from alchemy.

88
 • Initially, the early leaders were those who
portrayed exceptional strength among
the group—this condition carried on for
generations.

• Physical strength was valued at most,

although there appeared to be as many
intellectually gifted figures just the same.

• These innovators were primarily the ones

behind discoveries and triumphs of these
civilizations.

89
 • Position-wise, the humans of today are much better off
compared to humans several centuries ago.

• Advancement in medicines, technology, health and education

ushered in humanity's best yet, and show no sign of
stopping.

90
 Below are some of he notable comparisons
then and now.
1) Mortality Rate
• due to technology, lesser women and children die
during birth, assuring robust population and strong
workforce.
• Medical care for premature infants allows them to survive
and develop normally, while proper maternal care ensures
that mothers can fully recover and remain empowered.

91
 Below are some of he notable comparisons
then and now.
2) Average Life span
• Aside from the reason that people engage less in combat
and are less likely to die in treatable diseases now as
opposed to then, science is able to prolong lives by
enhancing living status and discovering different
remedies to most diseases.
• Distribution of medicines is also made easier and faster.
• (Filipino life expectancy (M-66.2 ; F-72.6, Total-69.3,
source: WHO, 2018)

92
 Below are some of he notable comparisons
then and now.
3) Literacy Rate
• Access to education provided to more individuals
generally creates a more informed public that could
determine a more just society.
• Scholarships available

93
 Below are some of he notable comparisons
then and now.
4) Gross Domestic Product(GDP)
• Although not an indicator of an average
person's lifestyle in a certain country, it is
often used to determine the value of
the country's goods and services
produced within the territory given a
certain time period.
• Higher country income is brought upon by
high productivity, often an indicator of
presence of technology.

94
 The Essence of Technology
 Humanity has indeed come a long way from our
primitive ways, and as a general rule, it is said
that we are more “developed'‘ than we were
before.

 There are no signs of stopping.

 Modern humans are reliant on technology in their

search for the good life.

 We see ways and means from nature to

utilize and achieve growth—a goal that we
95 believe would bring forth betterment.
 The Essence of Technology
 Apart from its purpose, what is technology?
 Was the history of technology brought
purposeful choices for man in his search for
the ultimate good?
 Some tried to redefine technology away from
its purpose.

96
  Martin Heidegger—a philosopher that argued that
technology’s essence, or purpose, and being are different
from each other.

 He was able to expound on this point upon identifying that

technology can either be perceived at:
first, a means to achieve man's
end(instrumental)
and second, that which constitutes
human activity(anthropological)

97
 A MEANS TO AN END(Instrumental)

 Technology is instrumental in achieving a

goal in mind, that it is a purposeful,
deliberate craft humans steer in order to
reach some greater good.

98
 HUMAN ACTIVITY (Anthropological)

 Unconcealment=bringing forth from

nothing. We think of an idea and
turn this into something tangible.
 Unconcealment = aletheia = truth
 Technology is a mode of revealing.

99
 How is technology revealing?
 We must think of revealing as bringing
forth or:
1) Poieses. We must be sensitive and poetic
to “what is”.
2) Techne . Skill (techniques). Arts of the
mind and fine arts

Technology’s essence is that it

reveals aletheia (truth).
100
 • This is not a good thing altogether though, for
technological revelation is but one of the
many ways to perceive the world.

• However, as long as humans are invested in

growth and development, we cannot distance
ourselves from this perspective.

• In the name of growth, we view the

world as a field of resources, vent on
attributing monetary value on seemingly
101
priceless entities.
  We begin to categorize nature as renewable
and non-renewable instead of seeing it as it
is.
 Humans are reduced into the amount of
productivity they are able to render
during their lifetime, and our current
mindset is geared toward which would utilize
our own skills.

 A good life is one which is practical in

essence; a life which makes use of our labor
and which we get compensated fairly upon.
102
  Humans appear not to really know what
they are seeking for, the search
continues.

 It is a looming fear, however, that the path we

are treading will not take us to the right
direction, leading us to endless circles
instead in our pursuit of the good life.

103
  This is the danger presented by too much
reliance on technology.
 Human lose track of things that matter,
reducing their surroundings to their
economic value.
 The point of Heidegger is that, we are
creating a technology that is now used for
destruction. He suggest that we should start
questioning about the problem here.
 Technology can work against us. Not only we
are harming nature, we are also harming
ourselves.
104
  We cannot escape the fate of technology but we must
always question technology in order to avoid such
catastrophe. (e.g. global warming)
 We must question how to use technology without
hurting the world around us.
 We can use technology to save us from technology.

105
 Backtracking the Human Condition
 Technology's initial promises proved to be true,
regardless of its ramifications.

 All in all the human condition improved, only if

by improving we measure the level of comfort,
various scientific breakthroughs, and improved
lifestyles of those who had the luxury to afford to do
so.

 Different machineries aid in prolonging lives—

assisting those with disabilities, honing efficiency in
industrial workplaces, and even exploring the universe
for places we can thrive once all the Earth's resources
106
are depleted.
 Backtracking the Human Condition
 As to the initial aims , it appears that things
really did not much differ.
 Some places in the world are still
battling for their daily survival—diseases,
tribe wars, lack of habitable territories, and
competitions on resources are several factors
contributing to such.
 People still wage wars on the basis of races,
belief, and abundance of resources and/or
territory; except that now, they are able to
inflict such in a global scale.
107
 Backtracking the Human Condition
 A lot of people still subscribe to religion in
explaining things that they do not know.

 For those who have ceased to do so, they

have turned their worships to reverence of
science.

 Whether science or religion, these people are

still bent on trying to make sense of the
events happening in the world on the
basis of either of these two paradigms.
108
 Backtracking the Human Condition
 They are still trying to discover and
rediscover things that would give
meaning to their lives—whether it be
honor, strengths, or merit.

 People are still trying to make sense of

their existence in the world, and
technology does little to aid their pursuit
of life's meaning.

109
 Backtracking the Human Condition

 Technological advancements are

seemingly occurring in a rapid
pace that our morality cannot
quite keep up; no such
consideration was given in this
approach in achieving the good life.

110
 Backtracking the Human Condition
 It seem that the human condition,
although more sophisticated, is nothing
but a rehashed version of its former self.

 Nothing much has changed since

then, and it appears that nothing
will change in the times to come if
we fail to shift our view elsewhere.

111
 GE 5 : Science, Technology and
Society
Chapter 2: Science Technology
and Society and the Human
Condition
MS. IVY JOY S. SERRANO, LPT

112
 CHAPTER 2
Science Technology and Society and the Human Condition

HUMAN FLOURISHING

TECHNOLOGY AS A WAY OF REVEALING

THE GOOD LIFE

WHEN TECHNOLOGY AND HUMANITY CROSS

113
 THE GOOD LIFE

114
 LESSON OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:
• Examine what is meant by a good life;
• Identify how humans attempt to attain what is deemed to be
a good life; and
• Recognize possibilities available to human being to attain the
good life.

115
 INTRODUCTION
 In Ancient Greece, long before the word “science” has
been coined, the need to understand the world
and reality was bound with the need to
understand the self and the good life.

 For PLATO, the task of understanding the things in

the world runs parallel with the job of truly getting
into what will make the soul flourish.

 In attempt to understand reality and the external

world, man must see to understand himself, too.

116
  ARISTOTLE—gave a definitive distinction between the
theoretical and practical sciences.

a) Theoretical disciplines
—logic, biology, physics, and metaphysics.
—”truth” is the aim
b) Practical disciplines
—ethics and politics.
—”good” is the goal.
 Every attempt to know is connected in some way
in an attempt to find the “good” or as said in the
previous lesson, the attainment of human flourishing.

 One must find the truth about what the good is before
117
one can even try to locate that which is good.
  We have seen how a misplaced or an erroneous
idea of human flourishing can turn tables for all
of us, make the sciences work against us rather
than for us, and draw a chasm of between the
search for truth and for good.

 What does it really mean to live a good life?

 What qualifies as a good existence?

118
 Aristotle and How We All Aspire for
a Good Life
 Aristotle—the first philosopher who
approached the problem of reality from
a "scientific“ lens. He is also the first
thinker who dabbled into the complex
problematization of the end goal of
life: happiness.

119
  Aristotle embarked on a different approach
in figuring out reality.
 Unlike Plato, who thought things in this
world are not real and are only copies
of the real in the world of forms,
Aristotle puts everything back to the
ground in claiming that this world is all
there is to it and that this world is the
only reality we can all access.
 For Plato, change is so perplexing that it
can only make sense if there are two
realities: the world of forms and the
120
world of matter.
 Consider yourself(the human person).
 When you try to see yourself in front of the
mirror, you normally say and think that you are
looking at yourself—that is, you are the person
who slept last night and you are the same
person looking at yourself now, despite the
occasional changes like a new pimple that
grows on your nose.

 The same is true for a seed you threw out of

the garden last month. When you peek into the
same patch of land where the seed ingrained
itself into, you may be surprised to see a little
121
plant showing it self to you and to the sun.
  Plato recognized to change as a process and as
a phenomenon that happens in the world, that
in fact, it is constant.

 However, Plato claims that despite the reality of

change, things remain and they retain their
ultimate “whatness”; that you remain to be you
despite the pimple that now sits atop your nose.

 Plato is convinced that reality is full of these

seemingly contrasting manifestations of
change and permanence.

122
  For Plato, this can only be explained by postulating
two aspects of reality, two worlds if you wish
:the world of forms and the world of matter.

a) World of matter—things are changing and

impermanent

b) World of forms—the entities are only copies of the

ideal and the models, and the forms are the only real
entities. (e.g. things are red in this world because
they participate in what it means to be red in the
world of forms)

123
  Aristotle disagreed with Plato’s position and
forwarded the idea that there is no reality over
and above what the senses can perceive.

 It is only by observation of the external world

that one can truly understand what reality is
all about.

 Change is a process that is inherent in things. We

along with all other entities in the world, start
as potentialities and move toward actualities.
The movement, of course, entails change. (e.g. seed
to plant, Carl Roger’s formative and actualizing)
124
  Aristotle extends this analysis from the external
world into the province of the human person and
declares that even human beings are
potentialities who aspire for their actuality.

 Every human being moves according to some

end.

 Every action that emanates from a human person

is a function of the purpose (telos) that the
person has. (e.g. boy-burger, girl-finish study)

 Every human person, according to Aristotle,

aspires for an end. This end, is happiness or
125 human flourishing.
  No individual—young or old, fat or skinny, male or
female—resists happiness. We all want to be
happy.

 Happiness is the be all and end all of everything

we do. We may not realize it but the end goal of
everything that we do is happiness.

 When Aristotle claim that we want to be happy, he

does not necessarily mean the everyday
happiness that we obtain when we win a
competition or we eat our favorite dish in a
restaurant.
126
 Happiness actually means human
flourishing—a kind of contentment in
knowing that one is getting the best out of
life. A kind of feeling that one has maxed
out his potentials in the world, that he has
attained the crux of his humanity.
Aristotle

127
 Happiness as the Goal of Good Life
 In the 18th Century, John Stuart Mill, declared
the Greatest Happiness Principle by saying that an
action is right as far as it maximizes the
attainment of happiness for the greatest
number of people.(e.g. Alfred Adlers’s striving
for success, social interest, Gemeinschaftsgefuhl)

 Individual happiness of each individual should be

prioritized and collectively dictates the kind of
action that should be endorsed.
128
 QUESTIONS
(Mining)
 When an action benefits the greatest number of people, said
action is deemed ethical.

Does mining benefit rather than hurt the majority?

Does it offer more benefits than disadvantages?
Does mining result in more people getting happy rather than
sad?

129
  If the answers to the said questions are in the affirmative,
then the said action, mining, is deemed ethical.

 The ethical is, of course, meant to lead us to the good and

happy life.

 Through the ages, as has been expounded in the previous

chapters, man has constantly struggled with the
external world in order to reach human flourishing.

 History has given birth to different schools of thought, all

of which aim for the good and happy life.

130
 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT
(In relation to the concept of happiness)

 MATERIALISM
• The first materialists were the atomists in Ancient Greece,
Democritus and Leucippus.
• Primary belief is that the world is made up of and is controlled by the
tiny indivisible units in the world called atomos or seeds.
• For Democritus and his disciples, the world including human beings,
is made up of matter.
• There is no need to posit immaterial entities as sources of purpose.
• Atomos, simply comes together randomly to form the things in the
world.
• As such, only material entities matter.
• In terms of human flourishing, matter is what makes us attain
happiness.
• We see this at work with most people who are clinging on to material
wealth as the primary source of the meaning of their existence.
131
 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT
(In relation to the concept of happiness)

 HEDONISM
• The hedonists, for their part, see the end goal of
life in acquiring pleasure.
• Pleasure has always been the priority of hedonists.
• For them, life is about obtaining and indulging in
pleasure because life is limited.
• The mantra of this school of thought is the famous,
“Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.”
• Led by Epicurus, this school of thought also does
not buy any notion of afterlife like the materialists.

132
 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT
(In relation to the concept of happiness)

 STOICISM
• Led by Epicurus
• The stoics espoused the idea that to generate
happiness, one must learn to distance oneself and
be apathetic.
• The original term, apatheia, precisely means to be
indifferent.
• For the stoics, happiness can only be attained by a
careful practice of apathy.
• We should, in this world view, adopt the fact that
some things are not within our control.
• The sooner we realize this, the happier we can
133
become.
 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT
(In relation to the concept of happiness)

 THEISM
• Most of the people find the meaning of their lives
using God as the fulcrum of their existence.
• The Philippines, as a predominanty Catholic country,
is witness to how people base their life goals on
beliefs that hinged on some form of supernatural
reality called heaven.
• The world where we are in is only just a temporary
reality where we have to maneuver around while
waiting for the ultimate return to the hands of God.

134
 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT
(In relation to the concept of happiness)
 HUMANISM
• Espouses the freedom of man to carve his own
destiny and to legislate his own laws, free from the
shackles of a God that monitors and controls.
• For humanists, man is literally the captain of his
own ship.
• Inspired by the enlightenment in 17th century,
humanists see themselves not merely as stewards
of the creation but as individuals who are in control
of themselves and the world outside them.

135
 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT
(In relation to the concept of happiness)
 HUMANISM
• As a result of the motivation of the humanist, current
scientists eventually turned to technology in order to
ease the difficulty of life as illustrated in the previous
lessons.
• Scientists of today meanwhile are ready to confront
more sophisticated attempts at altering the world for
the benefit of humanity.
• Some people now are willing to tamper with time and
space in the name of technology.
• Social media, as an example, has been so far a very
effective way of employing technology in purging time
and space.
136
  Not very long ago, communication between two people form two continents
in the planet will involve months of waiting for a mail to arrive.
 Seeing each other real time while talking was virtually impossible.
 Now, communication between two people wherever they are, is not just
possible, but easy.

 The Internet and smart phones made real-time communication possible not
just between to people, but even with multiple people simultaneously.

137
  Technology allowed us to tinker with our sexuality.

 Biologically male individuals can now undergo medical

operation if they so wish for sexual reassignment.

 Breast implants are now available and can be down with

relative convenience if anyone wishes to have one.
Hormones may also be injected in order to alter the
sexual chemicals in the body.

 Whether or not we agree with these technological

advances, these are all undertaken in the hopes of
attaining the good life. The balance, however, the good
life, ethics and technology has to be attained.

138
 CONCLUSION
 Science and technology has been, for the most part, at the
forefront of man‘s attempts at finding this happiness.
 The only question at the end of the day is whether science is
taking the right path toward attaining what it really means to
live a good life.

139
 GE 5 : Science, Technology and
Society
Chapter 2: Science Technology
and Society and the Human
Condition
MS. IVY JOY S. SERRANO, LPT

1
 CHAPTER 2
Science Technology and Society and the Human Condition

HUMAN FLOURISHING

TECHNOLOGY AS A WAY OF REVEALING

THE GOOD LIFE

WHEN TECHNOLOGY AND HUMANITY CROSS

2
 WHEN
TECHNOLOGY AND
HUMANITY CROSS

3
 LESSON OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:
• Know the different technological advancements in society;
• Discuss the development of science and technology in the
Philippines;
• Discuss the effects of the interplay between technology and
humanity through the dilemma (s) they face.

4
 INTRODUCTION
 The ever-growing society has made people see technology as
some form of necessity. Tracing back its origins, the word
“technology“ came from the Greek words technē and
logos which means art and word respectively.

 Taking the two words together, technology means a

discourse on arts.

 It first appeared in the 17th century where the concept was

only used to talk about the arts, specifically applied
arts.

 However, as technology progressed, the concept also started

to have a wider range of meaning where art is no longer the
only topic included.
5
  Concepts like machine and tools were also attached to the
word “technology“ which is the more popular sense of
the concept nowadays.

 In one way or another, each person in the society is

directly and indirectly affected by technology
whether he wills it or not.

 In fact, most people survive their everyday lives with

great reliance to the different technological
advancements already available to masses.

 While there may be some who would claim that their lives
are not greatly affected by technology, the fact cannot be
denied that technology is already an inevitable part
6
of the society.
  Technology these days enjoys such fame because
of the many different benefits it brings to
mankind.

 Some would even say that it does not only bring

convenience but also pleasure and happiness to
people.

 This is because of the different leisure activities that

technology can offer to people.
Example: it allows people to listen to good music
wherever they are. Another is, it allows them to
communicate with their loved ones anywhere in
the world; but most of all, it allows them to surf
7 and play games anytime, anywhere.
  The act of pin-pointing a single activity that does
not in any way require the use of technology has
become very hard because almost all activities that
humans perform already require the assistance of some
kind of technological advancement.

 But this is not all, for there are people who would even
argue that technology has become a necessity and
no longer a want.

 At present, people work very hard in order to save

money to buy these '‘necessities'' while in the past,
people only used their money for the things that would
help them survive like food, housing and clothing.

8
  In general, technology keeps on progressing
due to not only the changing times and
environment but also to the ever-progressing
mind of mankind.

 It would not be possible for all these

technological advancements to exist if it were
not for the brilliance, creativeness, and power
of the mind.

9
  However, it is also important to note that anything
too much is too bad.

 Although it has been very helpful to people, it is still

not immune to criticisms and backlash.

 Usually, different problems arise when either the

technological device available is misused or if in the
first place, it was invented to produce bad
results.

10
 Television Sets, Mobile Phones, Computers,
and Humanity

11
 TELEVISION
 92% of urban homes and 70% of rural homes own
at least one television set(Kantar Media)
 Television remains to be the ultimate medium for
advertisement placements (The Manila Times, 2014)
 These surveys show that almost all Filipinos use this
particular type pf device. In fact, Filipinos believed to have
this big fascination for television.

12
  People watched television during their free
time or any time of the day when they
have nothing important to do.
 The current count of households with
television set in the Philippines already
reached 15. 135 million (Noda, 2012)
13
  Paul Gottlieb Nipkow—
a German student, in the
late 1800s was successful
in his attempt to send
images through wires
with the aid of a
rotating metal disk.
The invention was the
called “electric
telescope” that had 18
lines of resolution.
14
  In 1907,
• two inventors, Alan
Archibald Campbell-
Swinton who was an
English scientist and
Boris Rosing who was Alan Archibald Campbell-Swinton

a Russian Scientist,
created a new system of
television by using the
cathode ray tube in
addition to the
mechanical scanner
system.
15
Boris Rosing
16
 • These experiments inspired other scientists to
improve the previous inventions, which led to
the modern television people now have.

 However, it is important to remember that

several scientists and several experiments were
performed first before finally achieving the
modern television at present.

17
 MOBILE PHONES
 Used in different
purposes other than
communication
 More than half of the
Filipino population own
at least one mobile
phone regardless of
type.
 There is a 67%
product in the country
(Synovate, 2010)

18
  A must have among young Filipinos (ABS-CBN news,
2010)

 1 in every 3 Filipinos cannot live without a

mobile phone(Ipsos Media Atlas Phil. Nationwide
Urban 2011-2012)

 30% of Phil. Urban population nationwide said

that mobile phones are necessities in life.
19
  On April 3, 1973,
Martin Cooper, a
senior engineer at
Motorola, made the
world’s first mobile
phone call.
 He called their rival
telecommunications
company and properly
informed them that he
was making the call
from a mobile phone. Martin Cooper

20
  It weighted 1.1 kg and measured 228.6
x 127 x 44.4 mm.
 This was capable of a 30-minute talk
time.
 However, it took 10 hours to charge.
 In 1983, Motorola made their first
commercial mobile phone available to
the public.
 It was known as the Motorola
DynaTAC 8000X

21
 COMPUTERS AND LAPTOPS
 Have also become part of many of the Filipino households.
 There are some Filipino families who own more than one
computer or laptop while some own at least one
computer or laptop.
 However, the number of computers or laptops sold
per year may not be as high as the number of mobile
phones and television sets. This is because of the
relatively higher cost of computers and laptops.
 It is not possible for all Filipino families to own at least one
computer or laptop.
 Most of the profits gained by computer and laptop
manufacturers come from offices, businesses or schools
where such devices have become part of their necessities.
22
  In 2010, 3.6 trillion was the estimated total value output of
all manufacturing establishments.
 Semi-conductor devices and other electronic components took
more than half of the total value output of all manufacturing
establishments.
 To be more specific, 5.4 percent of the total value output
came from computers and peripheral equipment and
accessories (PSA, 2013)

23
  In line with the growing number of computer
and laptop sales, there has also been a
growing number of Internet users in the
Philippines.

 Although there have been problems regarding

the Internet providers, this never hindered
Filipinos from continuously using the Internet.

 Just like television sets and mobile phones,

computers and laptops also have along
background history of trial and error.
24

  It was Charles Babbage,
a nineteenth-century
English Mathematics
professor, who designed
the Analytical Engine
which was used as the
basic framework of the
computers even until the
present time.
Charles Babbage
25
 Analytical Engine

26
 • Laptops have been available to the public for even less
time than personal computers.

• Before, the first design of computer was so big that it

could occupy whole floors of buildings.

27
 • It was not long before people started dreaming
that they could bring their devices to any place
they wished. They hoped that someday it would
be possible for these devices to a be portable.

• It was believed that the transition from personal

computer to a laptop was only a matter of
design, an improvement and a little deviation
from the standard design of a personal computer.

28
 • The first true portable computer
was released in April 1981.
• It was called the Osborne 1.
• From that moment on, the evolution
of laptops continued until the present
time where various designs and
models are already available.

29
 A typical Household owns at least:
(Philstar, 2013)

• A mobile phone ( 89%)

• Smartphone (53%)
• Tablet (14 %)
• Desktop (39%)
• Laptop or netbooks (37%);
and
• Smart TV (4%)
30
 Here are some facts about Filipinos
and their use of gadgets and the
Internet
(Rappler, n.d.)
 Mobile phone subscription is at 119
million.
 Filipinos spend approximately 3.2 hours on
mobile and 5.2 hours on desktop daily.
 Currently, the Philippines has one of the
highest digital populations in the world.
 There are now 47 million active Facebook
accounts in the Philippines.
31
 The Philippines is the fastest-growing
application market in Southeast Asia.
 ROLES PLAYED BY THESE
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS
• Television sets, mobile phones and
computers or laptops all have different
functions and roles played in the lives of
the people, although some may be a little
similar.
• These roles have become so essential that
people, more specifically Filipinos
developed a strong inclination
toward technology and its products.
32
 TELEVISION
1. Television is mainly used as a platform for
advertisements and information
dissemination.
2. It also serves as a recreational activity and
good stress reliever to most families,
especially to Filipino families.
3. Also a good platform for different
propagandas and advocacies.
4. Good way to bond with family members.

33
  Not very long ago, communication between
two people form two continents in the planet
will involve months of waiting for a mail to
arrive.
 Seeing each other real time while talking was
virtually impossible.
 Now, communication between two people
wherever they are, is not just possible, but
easy.
 The Internet and smart phones made real-
time communication possible not just between
to people, but even with multiple people
simultaneously.
34
 MOBILE PHONES
1. Primarily used for communication.
2. Offers service like texting and calling
but there are already additional
features. (e.g. surf Internet and take
pictures more than text or call, music
player, calendar, radio, television and
photo editor, among others) (All in one
device)
3. Portable and convenient because
it can fit into any space, may it be
35
inside the pocket or bag.
 PERSONAL COMPUTERS AND LAPTOPS
1. Can be used to surf the Internet and
communicate.
2. Just like the mobile phones, these devices also
have features like calendar, calculator, music
player, camera and many more)
3. Some prefer to use laptops than mobile
phones because of the wide screens and
keyboards.
4. For the youth and those who love to play
different computer games, personal computers
or laptops are really better choice because they
36
allow them to play with comfort and
convenience.
 Ethical Dilemmas Faced by These
Technological Advancements
1. Most parents would argue that these devices make
their children lazy and unhealthy. It makes them
reclusive, alienating themselves from other people.
2. Moral dilemma: People, especially the children who are
not capable yet of rationally deciding for themselves
what is right or wrong, are freely exposed to
different things on television, mobile phones,
laptops, or computers. This makes them very
vulnerable to character change and can greatly
affect the way they view the world and the things
around them.
3. Although some could argue that technology brings
people together, but this is not always the case in the
real world because it may bring them virtually
37
closer but not physically or personally.
 How to solve these dilemmas?
 It is not the fault of technological devices but
the agents using them or the ones making
them.
 This is why the ethics of responsibility is
an appropriate theory that can be used in
these dilemmas.
 The word “responsibility” in the sense of
being accountable for and accountable to, is
very appropriate to the ethics of technology
because it makes each and every person in
the scientific-technological development a
proxy with reference to one another.
38
 How to solve these dilemmas?
 In other words, each person must indicate the
priorities, values, norms and principles that
constitute the grounds for one’s contribution
to the scientific-technological event.

 The ethics of responsibility focuses on the

positive rather than the negative. Instead of
asking “What ought not to be allowed?”
ask “What ought to be allowed?”

39
 How to solve these dilemmas?
 To put it in another way, people who are part
of the scientific development ought to let the
public know the good in their respective
technological contribution/s.
 In this way, the people will have an idea how
the devices ought to be used in order to
maximize their positive results.
 It is also important for the people in the
scientific world to inform the masses of the
dangers of their contribution/s to the
world of technology.
40
 How to solve these dilemmas?
 In this way, the people will be sufficiently
aware of what to do and what not to do.

 In addition to this, the agents using the

devices should also be accountable to and
accountable for their use of their gadgets.

41
 Analyzing the Dilemmas
DILEMMA # 1:

Most parents would argue that these devices make their

children lazy and unhealthy. It makes them reclusive,
alienating themselves from other people.

BALANCED VIEW FOR DILEMMA # 1:

• The undesirable consequences are brought about

by the misuse of the agent.
• Talking about alienation, it can be concluded that
the people in the scientific-technological world are
blameworthy because they tell the people
something that seems positive but when examined
closely, brings more bad than good.
42
 Analyzing the Dilemmas
DILEMMA # 2:

People, especially the children who are not capable yet

of rationally deciding for themselves what is right or
wrong, are freely exposed to different things on
television, mobile phones, laptops, or computers. This
makes them very vulnerable to character change and
can greatly affect the way they view the world and the
things around them.

BALANCED VIEW FOR DILEMMA # 2:

The ones to be blamed are the adults who allowed
the children to have access to such devices in the first
place without any supervision. It is the reckless and
overconfidence of the adults that cause the character
43 change in children.
 ROBOTICS AND HUMANITY

44
 ROBOTICS AND HUMANITY
 Another great product of the innovative
minds of the people is the robot.

 Robots are now widely used. (e.g. there

are so called service robots—these
particular robots do specific tasks but
focus mainly in assisting their masters in
their everyday tasks.

45
 ROBOTICS AND HUMANITY
ROBOTICS AND HUMANITY

 The International Federation of Robotics

(IFR) and United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe (UNECE) made it
their task to formulate a working
definition for service robots. A
preliminary extract of the relevant
definition is (IFR, 2012)

46
 ROBOTICS AND HUMANITY
 A robot is an actuated
mechanism programmable
in two or more axes with a
degree of autonomy,
moving within its
environment, to perform
intended tasks. Autonomy
in this context means the
ability to perform intended
tasks based on current state
and sensing without human
intervention.
47
  A service robot is a
robot that performs
useful tasks for
humans or
equipment excluding
industrial automation
application. Note: a
robot may be
classified according
to its intended
application as an
industrial robot or a "Robocop" joins Dubai police to fight
48 service robot. real life crime
  A personal service robot or a service robot for
personal use is a service robot used for non-
commercial task usually buy laypersons. Examples
are domestic servant robot, automated wheelchair,
personal mobility assist robot and pet exercising robot.

Aeolus Robot can clean homes, memorize objects and even bring you a
beer from your fridge. The machine’s creators say it will be available for
49 purchase by the end of this year. (Courtesy of Aeolus Robotics)
  A professional service robot or a service robot
for professional use is a service robot used for a
commercial task, usually operated by a properly
trained operator.

 Examples are cleaning robot for public places,

delivery robot in offices or hospitals, fire-
fighting robot, rehabilitation robot and
surgery robot in hospitals.

 In this context, an operator is a person

designated to start, monitor and stop the intended
50
operation of a robot or a robot system.
 Meet Troika, the Chinese-speaking robot helping tourists
at a South Korean airport—helping travellers find their
boarding gates and keep its floors clean.

51
 ROBOTICS AND HUMANITY
 Germany was one of the first countries to develop service robots.
 As part of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research’s
Service Robotics Innovation Lead Initiative, it sponsored a
collaborative project called DESIRE (Deutshce Servicerobotik
Initiative-Germany Service Robotics Initiative) which was launched
on October 1, 2005.

52
53
54
 ROBOTICS AND HUMANITY
 DESIRE has the following individual
objectives:
1. To achieve a technological edge toward attaining
key functions and components that are suited for
everyday use
2. To create a reference architecture for mobile
manipulation
3. To promote the convergence of technologies
through integration into a common technology
platform
4. To conduct pre-competition research and
development activities for new products and
technology transfer in start-up enterprises in the
55
field of service robotics.
 ROBOTICS AND HUMANITY
 Some of the expected work to be
performed by DESIRE are the following:
1. “Clear up the kitchen table” —all objects
on top of the kitchen table will be moved to
where they belong.
2. “Fill the dishwasher” —the dirty dishes will
be sorted correctly into the dishwasher; and
3. “Clear up this room” —all objects that are
not in their proper places will be moved to
where they belong.
56
 ROBOTICS AND HUMANITY
 The earliest conception of robots can be traced around 3000 B.C.
from the Egyptians.
 Their water clocks used human figurines to strike the
hour bells.
 This mechanical device was built to carry out a specific physical
task regularly.

 From that time on, different machines were already built that
displayed the same mechanism and characteristics as the robots
57
in the present.
 ROBOTICS AND HUMANITY
 However, the earliest robots as
people know them were created in
the early 1950s by George Devol.
 “Unimate” was his first invention
from the words “Universal
Automation”.
 Unfortunately, his attempt to sell his
product to the industry did not
succeed.
 After Unimate, several robots were
also invented which were better
versions of the previous ones.
 Ever since, people never stopped
their quest in the field of robotics.
58
59
60
61
 Roles played by Robotics
1. They are primarily used to ease the workload
of mankind. They were invented to make life
more efficient and less stressful.
2. Perform complicated activities which human
beings are incapable of doing.
3. They perform the simplest tasks at home so
that their masters can perform the complex ones
without stressing themselves over the simple
tasks.
4. Made to perform activities to entertain people.
(e.g. can be found in amusement parks or
exhibits)
62 5. Served as toys.
 RULES AND CHARACTERISTICS THAT
DEFINE WHAT A GOOD ROBOT IS
(Isaac Asimov, 1940)
A robot may not injure a human being or,
through inaction, allow a human being to come
to harm.
LAW 1

A robot must obey the orders given by human

beings except where such orders would conflict
with first law.
LAW 2

A robot must protect its own existence as long

as such protection does not conflict with the
first and second law.
63 LAW 3
 Ethical Dilemma/s Faced by
Robotics
1. Safety: Who should be held accountable if
someone’s safety is compromised by a
robot? Who should be blamed, the robot, the
agent using the robot, or the maker/
inventor of the robot?

2. Emotional component: “ What if robots

become sentient? Should they be granted
robot rights? Should they have their own set
of rights to be upheld, respected, and
64 protected by humans?
 In the field of Robotics, there
are so-called:
1. PARTIAL AUTONOMY—includes active
human-robot interaction

2. FULL AUTONOMY—excludes active human-

robot interaction. These can perform actions
or activities even without a master telling it
what should be done or what should be
performed next.

65
 Analyzing the Dilemmas

DILEMMA # 1:

Safety: Who should be held accountable if

someone’s safety is compromised by a robot?
Who should be blamed, the robot, the agent
using the robot, or the maker/ inventor of the
robot?

66
 Analyzing the Dilemmas
BALANCED VIEW FOR DILEMMA # 1:

However, if the agent using the technology misuses

the robot to achieve personal agendas, then without a
doubt, the agent should be held accountable for any
consequences it may bring.

If the problem arise when the robot deviates from the

laws specified, then the maker or the inventor of the
machine should be blameworthy.

Other problems may arise when the machine develops

the ability to think for itself. In this case, the one that
should be blamed can both be the maker, or
67 inventor and the robot itself.
 Analyzing the Dilemmas

DILEMMA # 2:

Emotional component: “ What if robots

become sentient? Should they be granted
robot rights? Should they have their own set
of rights to be upheld, respected, and
protected by humans?

68
 Analyzing the Dilemmas
BALANCED VIEW FOR DILEMMA # 2:

It is just right for the robots

to be given their own set of
rights should they develop the
ability to feel differ.

69
 Analyzing the Dilemmas
BALANCED VIEW FOR DILEMMA # 2:

It can be argued that the same

thing happened with animals. Before,
animals did not have their won set of
rights because people believed that they
were not capable of having emotions. It
is for this reason that people decided to
give them rights that are due to them.

70
 Analyzing the Dilemmas
BALANCED VIEW FOR DILEMMA # 2:

The same should be done to

robots without any reservations.
Should that time come, they ought
to be treated differently and they
ought to have new laws to follow in
order to accommodate the new
characteristic they have developed
different kinds of emotion.
71