UNIT 2: STS and the Human Condition - Happiness is a vague idea, emphasizing that

not all desires are worth pursuing.

 Science and technology enabled humanity to
 Epicrus and other notable hedonists agreed
evolve and advance a species to length that
with Aristotle that eudaimonia is the highest
were once unimaginable.
good. However, Epicrus associated this with
 Humanity is currently surrounded by its own
the idea of “pleasure for pleasure’s sake.”
technological innovations and the world
continues to witness scientific advancements
that affect almost every facet of human life and
THE HISTORY OF EUDAIMONIA
society.
Human flourishing according to Aristotle

CHAPTER 1: HUMAN FLOURISHING AND

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY  Nicomachean Ethics
- Dates back to 4th century BC.
 Eudaimonia
- Comes from the Greek work eu meaning
“well,” and daimon or daemon meaning
 Democritus, Socrates, and Plato presented
“spirit”
similar concepts.
- Defined as a contented state of being
happy, healthy, and prosperous.
 Socrates believed that virtue is a sort of
- State that characterizes the well-lived life
knowledge (the knowledge of good and evil)
as an individual’s ideal emotional state.
that is needed to achieve the ultimate good all
- Highest human good that is good-in-itself.
human desire.

 Eudaimonism
 Plato claimed that mind must govern the spirit,
- Refers to pursuing the right actions that
emotions, and physical desires to attain
lead to one’s “well-being.”
eudaimonia.
- Virtual ethics – normative ethical theories
that emphasizes the virtues of mind and
 Aristotle
character.
- departed from the Socrates view that
- Arete – means “excellence of any kind that
happiness is based on leading a life of
is necessary in order for one individual to
virtue
flourish and attain the good life.”
- Stated that such happiness is conditional
for it is dependent on other conditions.
 Hedonism
- In Aristotle’s point of view, the individual’s
- Aristippus, a Greek philosopher who was
worldly condition is important in his or her
convinced that life’s objective is to
pursuit of eudaimonia.
experience maximum pleasure.
- Stated that eudaimonia is not an
- Pleasure is the most valuable pursuit of
instrumental good but rather, the ultimate
mankind and everything that one does is to
good for it is intrinsically good or good in its
gain pleasure.
own sake.

 Eudaimonic well-being
- Historical and philosophical teaching of
Aristotle
Human flourishing in the Christian perspective
  St. Augustine of Hippo and St. Thomas Aquinas - Makarios is commonly used as a synonym
- Proposed that eudaimonia or human for eudaimonia because both connote
flourishing requires one to have knowledge happiness, peace of mind, joy, and the
of God. good life.
 John Locke
- Derived fundamental principles of his  Scot McKnight
philosophy from the Bible, stressed that - Highlighted in his discussion of the
happiness is pursued through prudence. Beatitudes that “the entire philosophy of
the good life’ and the late-modern theory
of “happiness”
OLD TESTAMENTS

 Shalom
Human flourishing in the socio-psychological
- Means peace, harmony, and completeness
perspective
- Sense of wholeness involving an
individual’s relationship with God that he  Carol Ryff
has already set from the beginnings of - 1995
creation. - A psychology professor, studies different
models and theories of happiness in
 Dr. Neal Plantinga different subfield of psychology.
- Educating for Shalom (2015) – the word
shalom is the webbing together of God,
humans, and all creations in justice,
fulfillment, and delight.

 The bible equates “shalom” to universal

flourishing and delight – a rich state of affairs
that inspires wonder and joy for every creature
on Earth reigned over by the creator and savior.

NEW TESTAMENTS Ryff’s model of psychological well-being

 Makarios (plural makarioi)

 Anthony Bradley
- Means “blessed” or “happy”
- 2013
- Professor at the King’s College in New York,
 Beatitude
echoed Ryff’s idea in his article “The Bew
- Comes from the Latin beatus meaning
Legalism”
“blissful,” “happy,” “fortunate,” or
“flourishing”
- Begin with the phrased “Blessed are…” or
THE CONSEQUENCES OF HUMAN FLOURISHING
“Happy are…”
 Gerd Leonhard
 Makar - “avalanche of technological changes that
- From Makarios refer to the state of living a could reshape the very essence of
life of happiness without struggles and humanity and every aspect of life on our
difficulties. planet (2016, i).”
  Stephen Hawking, Stuart Russell, Max  Bringing-forth
Tegmark, and Frank Wilcsek - Taking of each of the causes with
- Published an open letter in the meticulous consideration to create the final
independent on may 24 stating that the product
emergence of AI (Artificial Intelligence) - Falls under two categories:
- They pointed out the possibility that such o Poiesis – bringing forth of an object
technology can outsmart humans in terms into existence from creation or art,
of business and research. practiced by craftsmen and poets
o Physis – bringing forth of an object
from nature, which is a self-
CHAPTER 2: TECHNOLOGY AS WAY OF producing process of coming into
existence.
REVEALING

 Technology
 Martin Heidegger
- Comes from the Greek term Technikon,
- German philosopher
related to the Greek term techne.
- A man acclaimed for his works on
- Techne – is a both a skill of manufacture
metaphysics, phenomenology, and
and art
existentialism.
- Plato – linked the term techne to episteme
- Seminal essay, The Question Concerning
for which the word “epistemology” stems
Technology (1954) – criticizes technology
from. In this sense, techne means “know-
because of its limiting nature that prevent
how”
further understanding of its true essence.

TWO DIFFERENT WAYS TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGES

 From the technical standpoint, technology can
NATURE TO PROVIDE ENERGY
be understood based on its two functions:
o Instrumental - because it is a
means to an end
1. How modern technology unlocks the energy from
o Anthropological – because it is
natural resources and exposes the object for whatever
human activity.
purpose it may hold

 Aristotle’s four causes in parallel to Heidegger

perspective
2. How modern technology is able to maximize the use
o Material cause (causa materialis) –
of a given object while using the bare minimum
material out of which an object is made
expenditure.
o Formal cause (causa formalis) – the
shape or form of the object as it was
produced.
 How humanity is involved in the revealing
o Final cause (causa finalis) – purpose or
process and to what extent it can be done?
function of the object
- The standing-reserve comes from the
o Efficient cause (causa efficiens) – causes
potential energy produced and reserved for
change in an object
 purposes that either humans or technology o The best kind of pleasure is derived from being
may change and manipulate for future use. involved in some worthwhile activity

CHAPTER 3: THE GOOD LIFE 3. Relationships

o Cultivating good relationships within different

aspects of one’s life contributes to the quality of
 Susan Wolf one’s life
- 2011
- Presented a few theories that explain the
4. Reason and virtues
meaning of the good life from various
perspectives o Reason is the contemplation of unchangeable
truths and the development of virtues of
 Hedonistic theory character includes learning to act according to
- One’s good is a matter of how he or she reason.
feels regarding the quality of his or her
experience.
5. Character and Spirituality

 Preference theory o According to Dr. Ron Jenson (1995) – an

- A person’s good is what one wants most for individual’s character is the root of his or her
himself or herself. inner strength.
o King Solomon – who led Israel, authored the
 Objective list theory Book of Ecclesiastes in which he stated that to
- A person’s goof includes at least some fear God and keep His commandments and
elements that are independent or personal fundamental duties of man.
preferences and consists of “valuable”
experiences.
STEPS TOWARD THE GOOD LIFE
 Antonia Macaro
- 2018
- Listed some components of a good life
based on the writing of Aristotle:

1. Success and material comfort

o 5Ps: power, prestige, pleasure, position, and

prosperity.
o Success and material possession are not
inherently bad; however, material is not the
final good, but only a means to and end. According to the model, the most central step towards a
Success is not the ultimate good because it is good life concerned relationships, the second is
still dependent on the validation of society. balance, contentment, and safety. The third step of the
good life is concerned with health, while the fourth step
2. Pleasure is about secure income or finances. The next steps are
o Is not the ultimate good, but it is good in somewhat the abstract elements of the good life. The
moderation fifth step is about fulfilling oneself. Meaningfulness is
the most significant theme. The next step is concerned
with values, spirituality, and being at peace. Two most
central themes are peace and safety in a rather literal
sense. The last step of the good life concerns having
meaningful work and/or hobbies.