SCIENCE,

TECHNOLOGY, AND
SOCIETY
 Table of Contents
Chapter II: Science, Technology, and Society
and the Human Condition
Lesson 1: Human Flourishing
Lesson 2: Technology as a Way of Revealing
Lesson 3: The Good Life
Lesson 4: When Technology and Humanity
Cross
 Chapter II
Science, Technology, and
Society and the Human
Condition
 LESSON 1:
HUMAN FLOURISHING
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.
 Science, Technology, and Human Flourishing
- Eudaimonia, literally “good spirited,” a term coined
by Aristotle to describe the pinnacle of happiness
that is attainable by humans; has often been
translated into “human flourishing”
- Western civilization tends to be more focused on
the individual; based on an individual’s values
rather than his belief that the state is greater than
him.
- The east are more community-centric; community
takes the highest regard that the individual should
sacrifice himself for the sake of the society.
- Every discovery, innovation, and success
contributes to our pool of human knowledge;
human’s perpetual need to locate himself in the
world by finding proofs to trace evolution;
- the end goals of both science and technology and
human flourishing are related; in that the good is
inherently related to the truth, are two concepts
about science which ventures its claim on truth.
 Science as Method and Results
• The Scientific Method:
1. Observe
2. Determine the problem
3. formulate hypothesis; reject the null
hypothesis
4. Conduct experiment
5. Gather and analyze results
6. Formulate conclusion and provide
recommendation
• Verification Theory
- The earliest criterion that distinguishes philosophy
and science
- The idea proposes that a discipline is science if it can
be confirmed or interpreted in the event of an
alternative hypothesis being accepted.
- Several budding theories that lack empirical results
might be shot down prematurely, causing slower
innovation and punishing ingenuity of newer, novel
thoughts.
- This theory completely fails to weed out bogus
arguments that explain things coincidentally.
• Falsification Theory
- Karl Popper is the known proponent of this view.
- Asserts that as long as an ideology is not proven to
be false and can best explain a phenomenon over
alternative theories
- Allowed emergence of theories otherwise rejected
by verification theory
- Encourages research in order to determine which
among the theories can stand the test of falsification
 Science as a Social Endeavor
- A new school of thought on the proper
demarcation criterion of science emerged.
- Explores the social dimension of science and
effectively, technology
- The new view perpetuates a dimension which
generally benefits the society. Sciences cease
to belong solely to gown wearing,
bespectacled scientists at laboratories.
 Science and Results
People who do not understand science are won over
when the discipline is able to produce results.
- In this particular argument, however, 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.
- For some communities without access to science,
they can turn to divination and superstition and still
get the same results.
- Science is not entirely foolproof, such that it is
correct 100% of the time.
 Science as Education
In the Philippines, a large distribution of science high
schools can be found, forging competition for aspiring
students to undergo rigorous science and mathematics
training based on specialized curricula.
- As students are preconditioned that the field would later
land them high-paying jobs and a lucrative career after
graduation.
- Simply mastering science and technology would be
inadequate if we are to, say, socialize with people or
ruminate on our inner self.
- A true eudaimon recognizes that flourishing requires
one to excel in various dimensions, such as linguistic,
kinetic, artistic, and socio-civic.
DISCUSSION POINTS
1. What do you think constitutes human
flourishing?
2. Were we successful so far in trying to tie
down technology with what we
conceive as human flourishing?
PROCESSING QUESTIONS
1. Is our reverence of science justified? Explain.
2. Group Presentation. For each group, state a brief history
or discovery that brought about the invention or
discovery of the things stated below. State their
contributions in our scientific development.
a. Gravity f. Benzene Ring
b. Telescope g. Large Hadron Collider
c. Processed Food h. Guns
d. Microscope i. Internet
e. Radio j. Cell phones
ANSWER KEYS
Human flourishing arises as a result of different
components such as phronesis, friendship,
wealth, and power. As times change, elements
that comprise human flourishing changed.
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.
LESSON SUMMARY
• Human flourishing is defined as being “good
spirited” in the classical Aristotelian notion.
• While it is true that science equips its knower
some details about the world, its main claim
to objectivity and systematic methodology is
at the very least flawed.
• We have to rethink of our perception of a
good life apart from one presented in this
regard.
 LESSON 2:
TECHNOLOGY AS A WAY OF
REVEALING
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.
 The Human Condition Before Common Era
- Homo erectus have been using fire to cook, all the while
without realizing the laws of friction and heat.
- Tools from stone and flints marked the era of the Stone
Age, during the advent of our very own Homo sapiens.
- People discovered minerals and began forging
metalwork.
- Fur clothing and animal skin are primarily used for
comfort against harsh winds. They begin to cover
themselves up out of necessity.
- People of the time had also painstakingly wrought and
hewed said figures in honor of some deity; initial roster
of primitive gods includes objects they encounter
through their day-to-day lives.
 The Human Condition in the Common Era
- Driven by their primal need to survive, humans were quick
to find ways to drive off other megafaunas threatening a
prospective hunting spot.
- The ongoing extinction of several species—both flora and
fauna—due to human activity
- They began to hunt, farm, and produce things with
prospect of profit.
- When they could not sell products, they used their skills
and got compensated for it—bringing forth a specialized
group of artisans.
- Physical strength was valued at most, although there
appeared to be as many intellectually gifted figures just the
same.
 The Essence of Technology
- Modern humans are reliant on technology in their search for
the good life. Humans are reduced into the amount of
productivity they are able to render during their lifetime.
- By too much reliance on technology, humans lose track of
things that matter, reducing their surroundings to their
economic value.
- Martin Heidegger argued that its essence, or purpose, and
being are different from each other.
- Technology can either be perceived as first, a means to
achieve man’s end and second, that which constitutes human
activity.
- The second perspective paints technology in such a way that
each period reveals a particular character regarding man’s
being.
DISCUSSION POINTS
1. What would have happened to
humankind if technology did not exist?
2. Do you agree with Martin Heidegger in
his idea that technology should only be
seen as one of the approaches in
perceiving truth? What are other
possible approaches we should
consider?
PROCESSING QUESTIONS
1. Role-playing. Try to imagine the world without
technology. How do you think your day-to-day life
would be like? Do this by illustrating a scenario
where a certain technological innovation does not
exist. Below are examples you could use:
a. Watch
b. Phone
c. Light bulbs
d. Cars
e. Printing Press
f. Electricity
2. Philosophical Debate. Discuss whether technology
is a means to an end or an end in itself. The class will
be divided into two groups. The first group supports
the notion that technology is an instrument to
achieve human goals, and the second group
supports the notion that technology is what
humanity does. List down pertinent points and
construct an individual position paper regarding
your stance.
 LESSON SUMMARY
• Science and technology has been part of human activity
since the beginning of our species.
• It has aided us in survival and helped us outsmart our
adversaries.
• However, it also leads us to a paradox in which we are
only able to see the world in the lenses of technological
innovations.
• Advancements in the field expose us to previously
unknown predicaments, effectively helping us to reveal
our own natures and enforcing one perspective in
finding the truth.
 LESSON 3:
THE GOOD LIFE
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.
Aristotle and How We All Aspire for a Good Life
Plato and Aristotle embarked on a different approach in
figuring out reality.
Plato thought that things in this world are not real and are
only copies of the real in the world of forms. Change is so
perplexing that it can only make sense if there are two
realities: the world of forms and the world of matter:
- In the world of matter, things are changing and
impermanent;
- In the world of forms, the entities are only copies of the
ideal and the models, and the forms are the only real
entities.
Aristotle forwarded the idea that there is no reality over
and above what the senses can perceive, claiming that
this world is all there is to it and that this world is the only
reality we can all access.
- Declares that even human beings are potentialities
who aspire for their actuality
- Every action that emanates from a human person is a
function of the purpose (telos) that the person has.
- Every human person, according to Aristotle, aspires for
an end. This end is happiness or human flourishing.
- Claims that happiness is the be all and end all of
everything that we do
- Human flourishing, a kind of contentment in knowing
that one is getting the best out of life
 Happiness as the Goal of a Good Life
• Materialism
- The first materialists were the atomists in Ancient
Greece.
- Democritus and Leucippus 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.
- Only material entities matter. In terms of human
flourishing, matter is what makes us attain happiness.
• Hedonism
- The hedonists, for their part, see the end goal of life in
acquiring pleasure.
- 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.”
• Stoicism
- The idea that to generate happiness, one must learn to
distance oneself and be apathetic.
- For the stoics, happiness can only be attained by a
careful practice of apathy.
• Theism
- The ultimate basis of happiness for theists is the
communion with God.
- 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.
• Humanism
- 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.
- Humanists see themselves not merely as stewards of the
creation but as individuals who are in control of
themselves and the world outside them.
DISCUSSION POINTS

1. What is the good life?

2. What is the relationship between the
good life and science?
3. Does technology always lead us to the
good life? How and why?
PROCESSING QUESTIONS
1. Good Life Collage. Cut out pictures in magazines or
newspapers that demonstrate how technology has
made the man’s desire for a happy life more
realizable. You may also opt to print out pictures
from websites and other sources. Explain how
these technological advancements have made the
campaign for the attainment of good life easier or
otherwise. Present it in class.
2. Compare and Contrast. Identify two modes of doing
the same thing where one involves a more
technologically advanced method. Example would
be snail mail vs. e-mail. List down as many
examples. Brainstorm with a partner if a less
technologically sophisticated mechanism can
actually turn out to be better in terms of reaching
for the good life. Is the more technologically
advanced always better?
LESSON SUMMARY
• Every person has his perspective when it comes to
what comprises the good life;
• classical theorists thought that happiness has to do
with the insides of the human person. The soul, as the
seat of our humanity, has been the focus of attention
of this end goal;
• At present, we see multitudes of schools of thought
that all promise their own key to finding happiness;
• Science and technology has been, for the most part,
at the forefront of man’s attempts at finding this
happiness.
 LESSON 4:
WHEN TECHNOLOGY AND
HUMANITY CROSS
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; and
• Discuss the effects of the interplay between
technology and humanity through the
dilemma(s) they face.
Television Sets, Mobile Phones, Computers, and
Humanity
People all over the world use these technologies every
day to accomplish different purpose;
- Television was a product of different experiments by
various people;
- Paul Gottlieb Nipkow’s invention was called the
"electric telescope" that had 18 lines of resolution;
- Alan Archibald Campbell-Swinton and Boris Rosing
their experiment gave rise to two types of television
systems, namely, mechanical and electronic
television.
- On April 3, 1973, Martin Cooper, a senior engineer at
Motorola, made the world’s first mobile phone call;
- In 1983, Motorola made their first commercial mobile phone
available to the public., It was known as the Motorola DynaTAC
8000X.
- Charles Babbage who designed the Analytical Engine which
was used as the basic framework of the computers even until
the present time;
- The first design of computer was so big that it could occupy
whole floors of buildings;
- The first true portable computer was released in April 1981. It
was called the Osborne 1;
- The evolution of laptops continued until the present time
where various designs and models are already available.
 Roles Played by These Technological
Advancements
- Television is mainly used as a platform for advertisements and
information dissemination;
- Television also is a good platform for different propagandas and
advocacies.
- Mobile phones are primarily used for communication;
- People use their mobile phones to surf the Internet and to take
pictures more than to text or to call people;
- Other applications include music player, calendar, radio,
television, and photo editor, among others.
- Personal computers and laptops can be used to surf the Internet
and communicate;
- the availability of a mouse or a touchpad made these two
technological devices easier to maneuver than mobile phones.
 Ethical Dilemma Faced by These Technological
Advancements
- People who are fixated on these technological
advancements start and end their day by using
such devices. It causes them to become reclusive,
alienating themselves from other people.
- Children who are not capable yet of rationally
deciding for themselves what is right or wrong
are freely exposed to different things on
television, mobiles phones, laptops, or
computers.
 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.
• A service robot is a robot that performs useful tasks for
humans or equipment excluding industrial automation
application.
• A personal service robot or a service robot for personal
use is a service robot used for a noncommercial task,
usually by laypersons.
• 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.
 Roles Played by Robotics
- They are primarily used to ease the workload of mankind.
- They were invented to make life more efficient and less
stressful; perform activities to entertain people; made to serve
as toys.
- Robots also have their own set of rules and characteristics that
define what a good robot is:
Law One: A robot may not injure a human being or, through
inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
Law Two: A robot must obey the orders given by human
beings except where such orders would conflict with the First
Law.
Law Three: A robot must protect its own existence as long as
such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
 Ethical Dilemma/s Faced by Robotics
- Safety. Who should be held accountable if
someone’s safety is compromised by a robot?
- 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?
DISCUSSION POINTS

1. Do people really need technology in

their lives? Is it really a necessity?
2. Should there be an ethics of
technology?
PROCESSING QUESTIONS
1. Philosophical Discussion. Discuss the different
ethical dilemmas faced by technological
advancements in the society through a
philosophical discussion. Do this by forming three
groups. The first group will serve as the facilitators
of the discussion. The second group will be the
supporting side and the third group will be the
opposing side. A topic shall be chosen before the
planned date of discussion. The facilitators should
present a paper detailing the topic without
choosing any side. The discussion will start after
the reading of the paper presented by the
facilitators. Each side will lay their arguments and
questions, and then in an orderly manner, each
group will take turns answering the questions or
rebutting the other side’s arguments. The
facilitators will make sure that the arguments and
questions remain true to the topic. Suggested
topics:
a. Do technological devices bring more good than bad to
people?
b. Should there be more budget for technological
researches despite the dilemmas they are currently
facing?
c. Should there be a limit to technological
advancements?
2. Group Skit. Form groups with equal number of
members depending on the class size. Each group
should choose a unique topic and its perceived
effects and the dilemma it entails. Show your
stand on a technological dilemma through a skit.
Do not forget to show the role or roles played by
the technological advancement in the lives of the
people. Suggested topics:
a. Robots that are capable of having emotions
b. Google and stupidity
c. Filipinos’ addiction to different technologies
d. Waze application
LESSON SUMMARY
• In modern times, there are different technological
advancements in all forms and sizes may it be inside
the home, the workplace, the learning place, or simply
on the streets.
• Simple types of machines that can perform simple task
regularly can already be considered a form of
technology.
• There are still some problems faced by the different
technological advancements.
• Ethics should still be enforced in the field of
technology so as to ensure the safety and morality of
these devices to people.