Human Flourishing as Reflected in Progress and Development Other countries would think this as repulsive because it runs against

s repulsive because it runs against the

deepest frame we use to think about human progress, and the purpose of life
-Jason Hickel itself.
Dr. Jason Hickel: anthropologist at the London School of Economics It’s like asking people to stop moving positively through life, to stop
learning, improving, growing
More often than not, development is equated with growth and greater
consumption. BUT, this is not about giving anything up. And it’s certainly not about
living a life of voluntary misery or imposing harsh limits on human potential. On
The more that a population is able to consume, the wealthier it is.
the contrary, it’s about reaching a higher level of understanding and
Likewise, the more that a person is able to buy stuff, the higher he/she is consciousness about what we’re doing here and why
on the development scale.
“What’s more, it will allow people to invest more of their time and
The planet, however, is already overburdened with human activities. It is effort into things that matter: caring for their loved ones, growing their own
about time that we rethink our standards of development if we truly want to live food, nourishing communities, and rebuilding degraded environments”.
the good life.
-J. Hickel
Forget ‘developing’ poor countries, it’s time to ‘de-develop’ rich
Necessary and unavoidable part of any reasonable plan to curb global warming.
countries-Jason Hickel. Challenges us to rethink and reflect on a different
paradigm of “de-development.” -The answer is not just to find alternative energy sources, but also to
reduce energy use, and thus reduce the depletion of natural resources.
Criticizes the failure of growth & development efforts to eradicate
poverty. Sustainable degrowth strategies
Overconsumption- consuming more than we need creates a demand that -• “This will occur not only from increasing efficiency (such as
the planet can’t cope with switching to electric cars) but more importantly by promoting truly sustainable
alternatives (such as walking and biking instead of driving cars)
Recent researchers found that 70% of people in middle- and high-income
countries believe overconsumption is putting our planet and society at risk The Earth Provides Enough Resources For Every man, Woman, And Child To Live
Comfortably. However, There Are People In Power That Choose To Hoard It All.
At current levels of average global consumption, we’re overshooting our
planet’s bio-capacity by more than 50% each year.

The bio capacity or biological capacity of an ecosystem is an estimate of SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY AND THE HUMAN CONDITION
its production of certain biological materials such as natural resources, and its
absorption and filtering of other materials such as carbon dioxide from the SECTION 1
atmosphere.
TECHNOLOGY AS A WAY OF REVEALING

The Essence of Technology- can be captured in its definition. In his treatise, The
ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT Question Concerning Technology, Martin Heidegger (1977) explains the two
widely embraced definitions of technology.
-Impact of a person or community on the environment, expressed as the
amount of land required to sustain their use of natural resources 1. Instrumental definition: Technology is a means to an end.

-The ecological footprint measures human demand on nature, i.e., the 2. Anthropological definition: Technology is a human activity.
quantity of nature it takes to support people or an economy
Technology as a Way of Revealing: The Question of Technology by Martin
-The ecological footprint tracks the use of six categories of productive Heidegger
surface areas: cropland, grazing land, fishing grounds, built-up land, forest area,
and carbon demand on land -The essence of a thing is considered to be what the thing is.

Human demand (Ecological Footprint) can be directly compared to -One says Technology is a means to an end while the other says
nature’s supply (biocapacity) to determine whether we are in overshoot Technology is a human activity

- Productive Capacity (to produce what we require) -Heidegger stressed that the true can only be pursued through the
correct.
- Assimilative Capacity (to absorb the waste generated)
-Bringing forth can be understood through the philosophical concept,
poiesis.

WE DEPEND ON NATURE -Poiesis refers to the act of bringing something out of concealment.

Nature- 74bsorbs our wastes Prox ides climate stability Protects us from -Aletheia is translated as unclosedness, unconcealedness, disclosure, or
ultra violet radiation. In cities we tend to think of“ nature as a collection of truth.
commodities we ob1ain fvom avoun4 1ke wovJ4. Bul nature is the x ery source
of oziv lives and well-being. -Techne means skill, art, or craft.

-Each one of us has an ecological footprint. All the food we eat, the Technology as Poiesis: Does Modern Technology Bring Forth or Challenge Forth?
clothes we wear, the products we buy and the waste we generate – they all use
-Heidegger considers modern technology’s way of revealing as way of
up our natural resources and affect our environment.
challenging forth.

-Heidegger characterizes modern technology as a challenging forth since

Instead of pushing poor countries to 'catch up' with rich ones, we should be it is very aggressive in its activity.
getting rich countries to 'catch down'
-Modern technology confronts nature and its resource demands that are
- Economist Peter Edward forcefully exploited for human consumption and storage much of the time.

de-developing’ framework is the opposite of traditional framework. -With modern technology, revealing never comes to an end.

De-developing- means catching down of the rich countries. However, -Heidegger described modern technology as the AGE OF SWITCHES,
when we think about the word “catching down”, some might think that it is about standing reserves and storage for his own sake.
giving up all your ownership or possessions.
Enframing as Modern Technology’s Way of Revealing
Catching down- it is about reducing our needs in order to meet the
Enframing is akin to two ways of looking at the world:
appropriate levels of development or the living standards
-calculative thinking
 -meditative thinking role, which is uniquely ours, elicits our idea of self-importance. It is in this regard
that human flourishing is deeply intertwined with goal setting relevant to science
The Dangers of Technology and technology. In this case, the latter is relevant as a tool in achieving the former
or echoing Heidegger's statement, technology is a human activity that we excel in
-The dangers of technology lie in how people let it overtake them.
as a result of achieving science. Suffice to say that the end goals of both science
Although humans are looped into the cycle of bringing forth or bringing forth
and technology and human flourishing are related, in that the good is inherently
challenges, it is their responsibility to recognize how they become technological
related to the truth. The following are two concepts about science which ventures
instruments.
its claim on truth.
Art as the Saving power

-Friedrich Holderlin, a German poet quoted by Heidegger, said: “ But

SECTION 3
where danger is, grows the saving power also” (1977).
THE GOOD LIFE
-Heidegger proposed art as the saving power and the way out of
enframing: “And art was simply called techne. Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics and the Good Life

In Nichomachean Ethics, Aristotle stated:

SECTION 2 “All human activities at at some good. Every art and human inquiry, and
similarly every action and pursuit, is thought to aim at some good; and for this
HUMAN FLOURISHING IN PROGRESS AND DE-DEVELOPMENT
reason the good has been rightly declared as that at which all things aim”
Human Flourishing (Nichomachean Ethics 2:2).

Eudaimonia, literally "good spirited," coined by renowned Greek philosopher -Everyone is moving towards the good.
(385—323 BC) to describe the pinnacle of happiness that is attainable by humans.
-Good life is more than these countless expressions of what is good.
-This has often been translated into "human flourishing" in literature,
-The ancient Greeks called this concept of “living well and doing well” as
arguably likening humans to flowers achieving their full bloom.
eudaimonia.
-As discussed in the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle's human flourishing
-Happiness is the ultimate end of human action.
arises as a result of different components such as phronesis, friendship, wealth,
and power.

-In the Ancient Greek society, they believe that acquiring these qualities Eudaimonia: The Ultimate Good
will surely bring the seekers happiness, which in effect allows them to partake
in the greater notion of what we call the Good. -Aristotle explained that every action aims at some good. However, some
actions aim at an instrumental good while some aim at an intrinsic good.
As times change, elements that comprise 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. Eudaimonia: Uniquely Human?

This development allowed them to make grander and more sophisticated -Eudaimonia or happiness is unique to humans for it is a uniquely human
machines to aid them in their endeavors that eventually led to space function.
explorations, medicine innovations, and ventures of life after death
-Aristotle’s notion of a tripartite soul illustrates a nested hierarchy of the
Our concept of human flourishing today proves to be different from what functions and activities of the soul
Aristotle originally perceived then— humans of today are expected to become a
"man of the world." He is supposed to situate himself in a global neighborhood,
working side by side among institutions and the government to be able to reach a Arête and Human Happiness
common goal. Competition as a means of survival has become passé;
coordination is the new trend. -Eudaimonia is what defines the good life.

It has been observed that western civilization tends to be more focused on the -For Aristotle, eudaimonia is only possible by living a life of virtue.
individual, while those from the east are more community-centric. Human
flourishing as an end then is primarily more of a concern for western civilizations
over eastern ones.
Arête defined as “excellence of any kind” and can also mean “moral virtue”. Two
This is apparent in the Chinese Confucian system or the Japanese Bushido, both types of virtue:
of which view the whole as greater than their components. The Chinese and the
-Intellectual virtue
Japanese encourage studies of literature, sciences, and art, not entirely for
oneself but in service of a greater cause. -Moral virtue
The Greek Aristotelian view, on the other hand, aims for eudaimonia as the SECTION 4
ultimate good; there is no indication whatsoever that Aristotle entailed it
instrumental to achieve some other goals. Perhaps, a person who has achieved WHEN TECHNOLOGY AND HUMANITY CROSS
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 The quintessential documents that safeguard human rights in the face of
greater than him, and thus is only appropriate that he should recognize it as a scientific and technological advances and ensure the welfare of the human
higher entity worthy of service. individual. Indeed, if humans are to journey toward living the good life, they have
to make informed choices in dealing with science and technology.
Nevertheless, such stereotypes cannot be said to be true given the current stance
of globalization. Flourishing borders allowed people full access to cultures that The ever-growing society has made people see technology as some form
as a result, very few are able to maintain their original philosophies. It is in this of necessity. Tracing back its origins, the word "technology" came from the
regard that we would tackle ide human flourishing—in a global perspective and as Greek words techne and logos which means art and word, respectively. Taking
a man of the world. the two words together, technology means a discourse on arts (Buchanan,
2010).

It first appeared in the seventeenth century where the concept was only
Science, Technology, and Human Flourishing 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
In the previous chapters, contributions of science and technology have been laid art is no longer the only topic included. Concepts like machine and tools were
down thoroughly. Every discovery, innovation, and success contributes to our also attached to the word "technology" which is the more popular sense of the
pool of human knowledge. Perhaps, one of the most prevalent themes is human's concept nowadays.
perpetual need to locate himself in the world by finding proofs to trace evolution.
The business of uncovering the secrets of the universe answers the question of The roles played by technology these days are very crucial not only to a
our existence and provides us something to look forward to. Having a particular few but also to everyone. In one way or another, each person in the society is
directly or indirectly affected by technology whether he wills it or not. In fact, -A professional service robot or a service robot for professional use is a
most people survive their everyday lives with great reliance to the different service robot used for a commercial task, usually operated by a properly trained
technological advancements already available to the masses. While there may operator. Examples are cleaning robot for public places, delivery robot in offices
be some who would claim that their lives are not greatly affected by or hospitals, firefighting robot, rehabilitation robot, and surgery robot in
technology, the fact cannot be denied that technology is already an inevitable hospitals. In this context, an operator is a person designated to staff, monitor,
part of the society. and stop the intended operation of a robot or a robot system.

It is with great effort that people were able to achieve such great
inventions. It makes life so much easier and more convenient than ever before.
It can clearly be seen from the simplest task at home to the most complicated Germany was one of the first countries to develop service robots. As part
ones inside the office or laboratory. Technology these days enjoys such fame and of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research's "Service Robotics
glory because of the many different benefits it brings to mankind. Some would Innovation Lead Initiative," it sponsored a collaborative project called DESIRE
even say that it does not only bring convenience but also pleasure and happiness (Deutsche Servicerobotik Initiative—Germany Service Robotics Initiative) which
to people. This is because of the different leisure activities that technology can was launched on October 1, 2005. DESIRE has the following individual objectives
offer to people. For example, it allows people to listen to good music wherever (DESIRE, 2009):
they are. Another is, it allows them to communicate with their loved ones
-To achieve a technological edge toward attaining key functions and
anywhere in the world; but most of all, it allows them to surf and play games
components that are suited for everyday use
anytime, anywhere.
-To create a reference architecture for mobile manipulation
The act of pinpointing a single activity that does not in any way require
the use of technology has become very hard because almost all activities that -To promote the convergence of technologies through integration into a
humans perform already require the assistance of some kind of technological common technology platform
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 -To conduct pre-competition research and development activities for new
work very hard in order to save money to buy these "necessities" while in the products and technology transfer in start-up enterprises in the field of service
past, people only used their money for the things that would help them survive robotics
like food, housing, and clothing. In effect, anything outside these categories was
considered a luxury. However, that is no longer the case at present.

In general, technology keeps on progressing due to not only the Some-of the expected work to be performed by DESIRE are the following:
changing times and environment but also to the ever-progressing mind of
1. “Clear up the kitchen table” — all objects on top of the kitchen table will
mankind. It would not be possible for all these technological advancements to
be moved to where they belong;
exist if it were not for the brilliance, creativeness, and power of the mind.
However, it is also important to note that anything too much is bad. The same 2. "Fill the dishwasher" — the dirty dishes will be sorted correctly into the
problem is faced by technology. Although it has been very helpful to people, it is dishwasher; and
still not immune to criticisms and backlash. Various ethical dilemmas have been
identified throughout time involving the use of different technological devices 3. “Clear up this room” — all objects that are not in their proper places will
and its effects to humanity. Usually, different problems arise when either the be moved to where they belong (Mock, n.d.).
technological device available is misused or if in the first place, it was invented to
produce bad results. People who are aware of the possible dangers of the use or The earliest conception of robots can be traced around 3000 B.C. from
misuse of technology are not keeping still. They lay these dilemmas for the public the Egyptians. Their water clocks used human figurines to strike the hour bells.
to see and realize what they are in for. 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 in the present. For example, there
was a wooden pigeon that could fly, a talking doll, steam-powered robots, and
SECTION 5 hydraulically-operated statues that could speak and gesture. However, the
earliest robots as people know them were created in the early 1950s by George
WHY THE FUTURE DOES NOT NEED US
Devol. "Unimate" was his first invention from the words "Universal
This section tackles the danger posed by science and technology Automation." Unfortunately his attempt to sell his product to the industry did
unchecked by moral and ethical standards. It primarily draws insights from not succeed. After Unimate, several robots were also invented which were
William Nelson Joy’s (2000) article, Why the future doesn’t need us?, in better versions of the previous ones (Stanford, n.d.). Ever since, people never
evaluating contemporary human experience in the midst of rapid developments stopped their quest in the field of robotics.
in science and technology. Such experience will be discussed to see whether it
strengthens and enlightens the human person functioning in society or not.
TECHNOLOGY AS A MODE OF REVEALING PART I

The Question Concerning Technology

Robotics and Humanity
MARTIN HEIDEGGER
Another great product of the innovative minds of the people is the
robot. Robots are now widely used. For example, there are the so-called service -German philosopher
robots. These particular robots do specific tasks but focus mainly in assisting their
masters in their everyday tasks. The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) and -seminal thinker
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) made it their task to
formulate a working definition for service robots -philosophical hermeneutics - refers to the detailed examination of
human understanding

-seminal work or classical paper

A preliminary extract of the relevant definition is (IFR, 2012):
-describe a study that changes our understanding of a topic
-A robot is an actuated mechanism programmable in two or more axes
with a degree of autonomy, moving within its environment, to perform -published in 1954 The Question of Technology
intended tasks. Autonomy in this context means the ability to perform intended
- urges us to question technology and see beyond people’s common
tasks based on current state and sensing without human intervention.
understanding of it
-A service robot is a robot that performs useful tasks for humans or
- Heidegger urges us to question technology and see beyond people’s
equipment excluding industrial automation application. Note: A robot may be
common understanding of it.
classified according to its intended application as an industrial robot or a service
robot.

-A personal service robot or a service robot for personal use is a service The Essence of Technology
robot used for a noncommercial task, usually by laypersons. Examples are
domestic servant robot, automated wheelchair, personal mobility assist robot, Defining Technology
and pet exercising robot.
-instrumental definition: Technology is a means to an end = aimed at
getting done things
 -anthropological definition: Technology is a human activity -The use of ripening agents in agriculture that poses threats to food
safety and health security.

-The rise and depletion of petroleum as a strategic resource

The 2 widely embraced definitions of technology.

However, neither touches on the true essence of technology.

TECHNOLOGY AS A MODE OF REVEALING Part II

According to Heidegger there are 2 characteristics of modern technology as a

Technology as a way of revealing revealing process.
According to Heidegger… -FIRST The mode of revealing modern technology is challenging.
-The true can only be pursued through the correct. = challenge forth
-The experience and understanding of what is correct lead us to what is -Things are revealed by challenging or demanding them.
true.
-It is putting to nature the unreasonable demand that it supply energy
-“Revealing” is one of the terms Heidegger developed himself in order to that can be extracted and stored.
make it possible to think what, according to him, is not thought anymore.
-The mining technology today is a good example of this mode of revealing
-It is his translation of the Greek word alètheia, which means things
unhiddenness or disclosure.
- Tracks of land reveals as something challenged because man sees them
disclosure – something that is made as object where coal and ore can be demanded.
-Heidegger urged people to envision technology as a mode of revealing – -Man sees them as source of energy. It can be stored so that man can
a mode of “bringing forth”. summon them at his bidding.
-Bringing forth can be understood through the Ancient Greek - Nature reveals itself in modern technology as things of manipulation,
philosophical concept, poiesis, which refers to the act of bringing something out as things that yield energy whenever man demands them
of concealment.
-“Challenging” as a mode of revealing nature could sharply contrasted to
-By bringing something out of concealment, the truth of that something “Physis,” which is the arising of something from itself, a bringing forth or
is revealed. poiesis.
-For instance, the truth that the Earth is weeping could be revealed by -The Katsura leaves change color with the season, in spring expect
the information and data taken by modern devices. bronze- pink tones, summer foliage is green and autumn fiery yellow and orange
shades.
-Whenever truth is uncovered, it will be something more meaningful and
significant than the superficial or practical use of technology. -The revelation has its own autonomy, and at least man can only
witness.
-Techne (the Greek root word for technology) is understood in different
contexts: -This is a natural way of revealing.
In philosophy, techne resembles the term episteme that refers to the -A flower blossoming is an example of this form of revealing.
human ability to make and perform.

Techne also encompasses knowledge and understanding.

TECHNOLOGY as POEISIS:
In art, it refers to tangible and intangible aspects of The Greeks
understood techne in the way that it encloses not only craft, but other acts of the Applicable to modern technology?
mind, and poetry.
-Heidegger characterizes modern technology as a challenging forth since
it is very aggressive in its activity.

Technology (etymology) -The second characteristic of MT as a revealing process is that of

challenging, which brings forth the energy of nature as “expediting.”
-Techne (the Greek root word for technology) means skill, art, or craft.
-Expediting = means to hasten the movement of something
-It is a means of bringing forth something. Thus, in Heidegger’s work,
Technology is a poeisis that discloses or reveals the truth.

Heidegger uses a technical word to name the things that are revealed in modern
technology as “standing reserve.”
In Heidegger’s work
We no longer need to work with the rhythms of nature because we have
-Considers modern technology’s way of revealing as a way of learned to control it. – Martin Heigegger
challenging forth.

-Modern technology challenges forth, because it makes people think

how to do things faster, more effectively, and with less effort For example,

- It prompts people into dominating and enframing the earth’s natural -We challenge the land to yield coal, treating the land as nothing but a
resources. coal reserve.

- Challenging forth reduces objects as standing reserve or something to -The coal is then stored, “on call, ready to deliver the sun’s warmth that is
be disposed who enframe them – humans. stored in it,” which is then “challenged forth for heat, which in turn is ordered to
deliver steam whose pressure turns the wheels that keep a factory running.”
- challenging forth- This is evident in the way people exploit natural
resources with very little concern for the ecological consequences that come
with it.
ENFRAMING: way of revealing in modern technology
The challenging forth of modern technology is seen everywhere:
-It is as if nature is put in a box or in a frame so that it can be better
-The introduction and use of synthetic dyes, artificial flavorings, and toxic understood and controlled according to people’s desires.
materials into the consumer stream that bring about adverse effects on human
health -Nature is viewed as orderable & calculable system of information

- This “frame” of modern technology is the network or interlocking things

standing in reserve. It is the world centered on man caprices and demands.
Enframing is akin to 2 ways of looking at the world : -For example: It is a known truth that we, human beings & everything
around us, are made of the same substances that constitute the stars. Therefore,
Calculative thinking and Meditative thinking we actually are star dusts
- Human is capable of both calculative thinking and meditative thinking -“All matter is made up of atoms.”
-Human would do well to use them in synergy. - It is when we start questioning that we submit ourselves to our
thoughts.
-However, people also want control and are afraid of unpredictability, so
calculative thinking is more often used. - Through this process that one builds a way towards knowing the truth
of who he/she is as a being in this world.
•Calculative thinking = humans desire to put an order to nature to better
understand and control it .
•Meditative thinking = humans allow nature to reveal itself to them without the THE QUESTION CONCERNING TECHNOLOGY
use of force or violence
- Thus, humans need to take a step back and reassess who they were,
Calculative thinking tends to be more commonly utilized primarily because who they are becoming in the midst of technology.
humans’ desire to control due to their fear of irregularity
- Paulo Coelho said, “It is boastful for humans to think that nature needs
Enframing is done because people want security, even if the ordering to be saved, whereas Mother Nature would remain even if humans cease to
that happens in enframing is violent and even if the earth is made as a big exist.”
gasoline station from which we extract, stockpile, and put standing-reserve,
ready to be used as we see it. - As mere tenants on Earth, people must not allow themselves to be
consumed by technology lest they lose the essence of who they are as human
The role humans take as instruments of technology through enframing is beings.
called destining. Human, are challenged forth by enframing to reveal what is
real.

However, this destining of humans to reveal nature carries with it the ART AS A WAY OUT OF ENFRAMING
danger of misconstruction or misinterpretation.
With art, we are better be able to see the poetic in nature in reality. It
leads us away from calculative thinking and towards meditative thinking.

THE DANGER OF TECHNOLOGY

-Though it is true that the individual takes part in the revealing of nature, Through meditative-thinking, we will recognize the nature is art par excellence.
limits must still be recognized. Hence, the nature is the most poetic.

-If we allow ourselves to get swallowed by modern technology, we lose One will begin to question the significance of technology in our lives, more than
the essence of who we are as beings in this world in its instrumental use.

HUMAN PERSON SWALLOWED BY TECHNOLOGY Technology is normally thought of as that which solves problems, but Heidegger
asserted that it is something that must be questioned. It is in questioning that
-If we are constantly plugged online and no longer have the capacity for we build a way to understand.
authentic personal encounters, then we are truly swallowed by technology
It is meditative thinking that provides a way for us to remain rooted in
Don’t let your cell phone become an addiction, pope warns high schoolers the essence of who we are. It grounds us so as not to let our technological devices
affect our real core and warp our nature
- The mobile phone is of great help, it is a great progress. It should be
used. But when you become slave to your phone, you lose your freedom.

- If we cannot let go of the conveniences and profits brought about by

processes and industries that pollute the environment and cause climate
change, then technology has consumed our humanity.

-example: Mining extracts minerals from the Earth & forcefully assigns
the land as a means to fulfill the never-ending demands of people.

WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY

-Revealing never comes to an end. The revealing always happens on our

own terms as everything is on demand.

- food harvested even out of season

- We no longer need to work with the rhythms of nature because we

have learned to control it.

-We order nature, and extract, process, make ready for consumption, and
store what we have forced it to reveal.

Questioning as the piety of thought

-Piety is associated with being religious.

according to Heidegger,

-Piety means obedience and submission.

-Sometimes, thinking brings forth insights that the mind has not yet fully
understood or developed.

-There are times when one’s thinking brings forth eureka moments.