Module 6

I. Lesson 1: The Human Person Flourishing in terms of Science and Technology

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this chapter, the students should able to:

1. Define and explain what technology is and its essence

2. Understand the human condition and analyze the effects of science and technology to this
condition
3. Perceive in the Face of Science and Technology
II. PRETEST
Answer the following questions:
1. What is the essence of technology in the society?
2. What is the danger cause by technology?
III. CONTENT
Technology has always been defined as a mean to an end and being a human activity. It
has long filled the world. Everyday routines are marked with technological advances that reflect
what a society is good or known for. Technology has well advanced since the middle of the 20 th
century especially after the end of World War II. It is not unexpected for technology to involve
questions of knowledge which lead to its formation as one of the branches of Philosophy. This also
led to furtherance of technology based on how it is viewed and understood. But there is more to
that. Aristotle, was born on 304 B.C. an Ancient Greek philosophy scientist and one of the most
significant thinkers and who contributed so much to science, technology, political theory, and
aesthetics world; followed that knowledge of the world begins by looking and examining that which
exists. To understand the human person flourishing in terms of science and technology, it is good to
first examine technology in its essence.
SELECTED VIEWS ON TECHNOLOGY
It has been said that there are many views or ways as to how technology is understood.
These philosophies contributed on how technology is understood and utilized by society. Some of it
will be discussed briefly below.
Aristotelianism
This views technology as basically a mean to an end. To Aristotle, technology
is the organizing of techniques in order to meet the demand that is being
posed by humans. This may seem that technology will be judged as either
good or bad based on the value given to the product base on its use and
effect to the society.

Technological Pessimism
This view is extremely supported by French philosopher Jacques Ellul (1912-1994). Technological
Pessimism holds that technology is progressive and beneficial in many ways, it is also doubtful in
many ways. It is said that technology is a means to an end but this view, technology has a become a
way of life. Technique has become a framework which human cannot escape. It has introduced ways
on how to make things easy.Ellul’s pessimistic arguments are(1)technological process has a price (2)
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technological process creates more problems, (3) technological progress creates damaging effects,
and (4) technological progress creates unpredictable devastating effects.
Although Ellul has strongly spoken of his arguments, they are still found to be weak and not true at all
times, like when he said that technological progress can create more problems than it solves, he
seems to have underestimated the objective decisions a technician, and other technological
agencies makes regarding the technology where they weigh the good and bad effects it can have in
the society.

Technological Optimism
This view is strongly supported by technologist and engineers
and also by ordinary people who believe that technology can
alleviate all the difficulties and provide solutions for problems
that may come. It holds that even though technological
problems may arise, technology will still be the solutions to it.
The extreme version of this philosophy is technocratism,
which holds technology as the supreme authority on
everything.

Existentialism
The main concern of this view is the existence or the mode of being of someone or something which
is governed by the norm of authenticity. This view basically investigate the meaning of existence or
being and is always faced with the selection must make with which the existent will commit himself
to.
Martin Heidegger, a philosopher who was briefly introduced in Unit I is one of the most known
supporters of this philosophy. He did not stop defining what technology is but has dealt with its
essence. To Heidegger, the real essence of technology lies in enframing, the gathering of settling
upon which challenges man to bring the unconcealed to unconcealment and this is a continuous
revealing. The next section will further discuss the view of Heideggar that technology is a way of
revealing.
Martin Heidegger on Science and Technology
Martin Heidegger(1889-1996), a well known German Philosopher,
examined the two usual definitions of technology: means to an end and
a human activity, because he believed that this kind of confusing and
there are questions to it that we easily overlook. These two definitions
cannot be separated from each other. He called it the instrumental and
anthropological definition of technology or simply means by which the
human ends are realized. To Heidegger, this may not be a false
definition but it is misleading one because this limits our thinking.
The Instrumental Definition of Technology
According to Heidegger, the instrumental definition of technology
encourages us to view technology from different periods of time as not having fundamental
differences. But he claimed that this does not show the the true essence of technology. He explained
that while technology is geared towards meeting a human need, still there is a difference between
older handicraft technologies with modern technology. As it is “ a saw mill on a secluded valley of the
Black Forest is a primitive means compared with the hydroelectric plant on the Rhine River”
(Heidegger, 1977, p.1). Heidegger also argued that “ technology is by no means technological” and
should not be seen as merely neutral. The problem begins when humans see it only as a means to
an end and disregard the fact that there is a good technology and a bad technology.

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Another problem Heidegger saw in thye instrumental definition of technology is that it only invites
man to a continual desire to master it which unconsciously may be makingtechnology go out of hand.
Heidegger said, “Everything depends on our manipulating technology in the proper manner as a
means. We will, as we say, ‘get’ technology ‘spiritually in hand’. We will master it. The will to mastery
becomes the more urgent the more technology threatens to slip from human control.”
(Heidegger,1977, p.1) With this, he argued that the problem does not fall on making technology
better but on how man sees upon technology, his thoughts that makes him blind to the real essence
of technology.
For Heidegger, this correct definition of technology is insufficient as it does not bring out its real
essence. He said, “In order that we may arrive at this, or at least come to close to it, we must seek
the true by way of the correct. We must ask: What is the instrumental itself? Within what do such
things as mean and end belong? (1977, p.2) In answering those questions, Heidegger arrived at a
discussion of causality which to him in reality initially involves four ways that leads for something to
exist or to be “caused”.

Aristotle Four Causes

Heidegger further studied Aristotle Four Causes and illustrated it using a silver chalice which he said
owes its make up from the four causes.
1. Causa Materialis or the Material Cuase
The material by which the silver chalice was
made of silver.
2. Causa Formalis or the Formal Cause
The form or the shape that gave the silver
chalice its image.
3. Causa Finalis nor the Final Cause
The purpose or the the primary use by
which the silver chalice was made for, to be uysed
during the Holy Communion as a vessel for the
wine that represents the blood of Christ.
4. Causa Efficiens or the Efficient Cause
The agent that has caused for the silver
chalice to come about; the silversmith.
The four causes are all deemed responsible for the
bringing forth of the silver chalice. This bringing forth of something is termed as poiesis and this
is characterized by an external force. It is bringing something concealed to unconcealment which
then makes tehnology as not only a means to an end but also a mode of revealing. The silver
chalice was brought forth by the silver, by its form, for its purpose, by the silversmith. External
factors have caused for the silver chalice to be brought forth.
On the other hand, something that came about without any external force, like a flower blooming
in the field or a tree bearing its fruit is termed physis. The flower blossomed and the tree bore
fruit even without external help.
Heidegger’s Technology as a Way of Revealing
Heidegger believed that the genuine
substance or the real essence of technology is
found in enframing. This is the continuous
bringing forth into unconcealment that which is
concealed. This is a non-stop revealing.
Heidegger saw technology as a way of revealing
and continues to demand for something to be
brought out into the open. This bringing forth into
the open is a two-way relationship. The concealed
is calling out for someone to set upon it and

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bringing it to unconcealment and the one who receives the call sets upon and acts upon to
unconceal the concealed.
To further illustrate this, he gave some examples
through contrasting ancient and modern technology.
First, he talked about the ancient windmill unlocks
the energy which only relies on the wind blowing and
does not store energy while the modern windmill
unlocks the energy which can be for immediate use
and can also be stored up for future use. Second,
was about the peasant planting seeds who only waits
for the bringing forth of the planted seed because
there is no challenge set upon the soil. Modern
technology of cultivation on the other hand,
challenged the field that has caused for agriculture to
be revolutionized. Now, food is not only produced for
immediate use but can be stored as a well for future use and could cater more population. Third,
is about the wooden bridge that is built to join river banks for hundreds of years without challenge
being set upon the river. While on the other hand, the hydroelectric plant that was on Rhine River
into the hydroelectric plant so that electric energy can be
stored and distributed.
Because of this continuous revealing, Heidegger also
pointed out the danger that comes technology. The call
to unconceal that which is concealed is also causing
something to be concealed even more. And as one tries
to understand something, there is the tendency to be
closed to the counterpart of which is being opened to
him. There is also tendency for man to misunderstand
the thing that is being unconcealed before him. Here,
Heidegger calls for man to be more discerning and
considerate of the things that is being unconcealed
before him and those that have relationship with that thing being unconcealed.
The Mode of Revealing in Modern Technology
Heidegger explained that technology as a
mode of revealing does not stop and continues to
be seen in modern technology but not in the
bringing-forth sense. This is a nonstop revealing.
Modern Technology is revealed by challenging
nature, instead of bringing forth, it is setting upon
challenges or demands on nature in order to:
Unlock and expose. It carries the idea that
nature will not reveal itself unless challenge is set
upon it. This is true with the hydroelectric plant set
upon the Rhine River which unlocked the
electricity concealed in it.
Stock piles for future use. As technology is a means to an end, it mains to meet future
demands. The electricity produced by the hydroelectric plant set upon the Rhine River is being
stored for future use in the community.
Modern technology are now able to get more from nature by challenging it. As Heidegger
(1977) said, “ Such challenging happens in that energy concealed in nature is unlocked, what is
unlocked is transformed, what is transformed is stored up, what is stored up is in turn distributed,
and what is distributed is switched about ever a new” (p.5)
The Essence of Technology

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 The continuous revealing takes place as man allows himself to be an agent in the setting
upon of challenges to nature but Heidegger (1977) argues that this is not mere human doing.
Man is able to set upon which was already unconcealed as he responds to the call of
unconcealment but “ when man, investigating, observing, pursues nature as an area of his own
conceiving, he has already been claimed by a way of revealing that challenges him to approach
nature as an object of research, until even the object disappears into the objectlessness of
standing-reserve(p.6)”
This gathering of the setting-upon which challenges man to bring the unconcealed to
unconcealment is called enframing with which according to Heidegger, also shows the essence
of modern technology. Enframing is basically putting in order whatever is presented to the man
who sets upon the unconcealed but it is a two-way relationship: man cannot set himself upon
unconcealment without unconcealments call and the unconcealed will not go injto
unconcealment without the man responding to its call.This makes modern technology not a mere
human doing and with this Heidegger argued that the essence of technology lies in enframing.
The Danger of the Nonstop Revealing
As said earlier, the mode of revealing does not stop in modern technology. It continually calls
man to respond to what is presented to him or to the demand for a better and efficient means to
an end. With this comes the continuous challenging forth for the unconcealed to be unconcealed
even more. Here lies the danger that Heidegger talked about.
Revealing opens up a relationship between man and the world but an opening up of
something means a closing down of something which means as something is revealed, another
is concealed. An example given by Heidegger on this” the rise of a cause-effect understanding of
reality closes off an understanding of God as something mysterious and holy: God reduced to
‘the god of hilosphers” (Cerbone, 2008).
Another danger is when man falls into a misinterpretation of that which is presented to him.
That is when he sees himself in the object before him rather than seeing the object itself. There
is also the tendency for man to be fully engrossed with the enframing that he fails to weigh the
results and consequences of his setting upon an object which may be destructive not only to
himself but even to the surroundings and other people. This happens when he starts to believe
that everything in the human condition can be answered by technology and that even man’s
happiness is dependent on the continuous modernization of technology.
The Society in the face of Science and Technology
When one looks around him now, he will see that man tends to find his happiness in the
works of modern technology. Smart phones, tablets, laptops that come in different shapes and
sizes with distinct features seem to be the measure of man’s value. Social media has also
affected the life of many. Face to face social interactions are being lessened and people keep
working hard to update their gadgets. There seems to be no contentment as every time a new
product is released, man finds another need that can only be answered by a new product. These
new products also tend to replace man in the society as the demand for manual labor is
becoming less and less because of the availability of machineries.
This human condition is not of without hope. Heidegger argued that this can be prevented if
man will not allow himself to be overwhelmed with the enframing that he was set upon, but he
pause for a while and reflect on the value of what is presented before him. A balance has to be
struck between technology being instrumental and anthropological. One has to understand that
technology does not only concern the means but also the end as one proverb goes, “ The end
does not justify the means.” For Heidegger, the solution for this is that man would not be
controlling and manipulative of what he was set upon but to also allow nature to reveal itself to
him. With this, according to Heidegger, man will have a free relationship with technology.

 Alawa,P.(2015). Martin Heidegger om science and technology:Its implication to the

society.IOSR Journal of humanities and social science(IOSR-JHSS), 12(6), 1-5.Retrived
from http://www.iosrjournals.org./iosr-jhss/papers/Vol12-issue6/A01260105.pdf?id=2272

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  Wisecrack. (2015). Is technology dangerous?(Star Wars + Heidegger) -8-Bit
Philosphy[Video File].Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/weatch?v=1_JOM-sVbKI
 The School of Life. (2-14). PHILOSOPHY-Heidegger[Video File]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrlsGrA7XTU

IV. LEARNING ACTIVITY

Activity 1.
Using the word TECHNOLOGY, make an acrostic that will summarize the arguments of
Martin Heidegger on the essence of technology incorporating the current situation of your society.

Rubrics
Criteria 5 4 3 2 1
Presentation
1. The purpose and focus are clear and consistent.
2. The main claim is clear, significant, and challenging.
3. Organization is purposeful, effective and appropriate.
4. Sentence form and word choice are varied and
appropriate.
5. Punctuation, grammar, spelling and mechanics are
appropriate.
Content
6. Information and evidence are accurate, appropriate, and
integrated effectively.
7. Claims and ideas are supported and elaborated.
8. Alternative perspectives are carefully considered and
represented.
Thinking
9. Connections between and among ideas are made.
10.Analysis/synthesis/evaluation/interpretations are effective
and consistent.
11. Independent thinking is evident.
12. Creativity/ originality is evident.

V. ASSESMENT
Activity
1. It was said that technological advances have provided immense improvements in our lives,
but often with hidden cost. How does Heideggers Argument relate to this?
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2. Technology as a way of revealing has something to do with the concept of unlocking and
stocking. How is this so?
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 3. How can you as a student, help spread awareness about the danger of technology in such a
way that technology is not condemned in the process?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
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VI. REFERENCES
 Alawa,P.(2015). Martin Heidegger om science and technology:Its implication to the
society.IOSR Journal of humanities and social science(IOSR-JHSS), 12(6), 1-5.Retrived
from http://www.iosrjournals.org./iosr-jhss/papers/Vol12-issue6/A01260105.pdf?id=2272
 Wisecrack. (2015). Is technology dangerous?(Star Wars + Heidegger) -8-Bit
Philosphy[Video File].Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/weatch?v=1_JOM-sVbKI
 The School of Life. (2-14). PHILOSOPHY-Heidegger[Video File]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrlsGrA7XTU

Prepared and Submitted by:

BRIAN M. ELAYDO
Assistant Professor I

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