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Group 2 STS - Chapter Ii

This document contains a summary of a lesson on Science, Technology, and Society from a class on this topic. It discusses: 1) Human flourishing according to Aristotle and how the concept has changed today. It also contrasts eastern and western views of society and human flourishing. 2) It examines the scientific method, theories of seeking truth, and considers science as a social endeavor. 3) It discusses technology as a way of revealing truth and the human condition before and after science and technology. 4) It notes the dangers of rapid technological growth and ways technology has aided in revealing truth.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
277 views14 pages

Group 2 STS - Chapter Ii

This document contains a summary of a lesson on Science, Technology, and Society from a class on this topic. It discusses: 1) Human flourishing according to Aristotle and how the concept has changed today. It also contrasts eastern and western views of society and human flourishing. 2) It examines the scientific method, theories of seeking truth, and considers science as a social endeavor. 3) It discusses technology as a way of revealing truth and the human condition before and after science and technology. 4) It notes the dangers of rapid technological growth and ways technology has aided in revealing truth.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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GEN ED 6

Science, Technology, and Society

2nd Semester SY 2022-2023

Science, Technology, and Society and the Human Condition


CHAPTER III

GE 382
GE No.

BS-CRIM1/BLOCK1N
YR. & SEC

Submitted by:
GROUP 2
Group Leader
 Del Rosario, Reyshell S.
Group Members:
 Aporto, Geovana C.
 Daño, Dea line
 Lacaba, Mary Rose S.
 Biron, Ken Justine
 Ballon, Dariel Jr.
 Benico, Leslie T.
 Maceda, Ralph L.
Submitted to:
MRS. ALICIA A. BALAGAPO
Instructor
LESSON 1: Human Flourishing

1.) A. What is meant by human flourishing according to


Aristotle?
Answer
Eudaimonia, literally "good spirited," is a term coined by renowned
Greek philosopher Aristotle (385-323 BC) to describe the pinnacle of
happiness that is attainable by humans. This has often been
translated into "human flourishing" in literature, arguably likening
humans to flowers achieving their full bloom. As discussed in the
Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle's human flourishing 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 will surely bring the seekers happiness, which in effect
allows them to partake in the greater notion of what we call the Good.

B. Discuss the concept of human flourishing today?


Answer
Our 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 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 trend.

C. Discuss the difference between the eastern and western


conception of society and human flourishing?
Answer
Interestingly, there exists a discrepancy between eastern and
western conception regarding society and human flourishing. It has
been observed that western civilization tends to be more focused on
the 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. This is not to discredit our
kinsfolk from the east; perhaps in their view, community takes the
highest regard that the individual should sacrifice himself for the sake
of the society.
2.) The end goals of both science and technology and human
flourishing are related, in
that the good is inherently related to the truth.
A. Discuss the steps in the scientific method of seeking the
truth;
Answer
In school, the scientific method is introduced in the earlier part of
discussions. Even though the number of steps varies, it presents a
general idea of how to do science:
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" (can also be separated into additional steps
such as "to generate prediction" or "to infer from past experiments").
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.
6. Formulate conclusion and provide recommendation in case others
would want to broaden the study.

B. Discuss the verification theory and the falsification theory


of seeking the truth in contrast to the scientific method.
Answer
The earliest criterion that distinguishes philosophy and science is
verification theory. The idea proposes that a discipline is science if it
can be confirmed or interpreted in the event of an alternative
hypothesis being accepted. In that regard, said theory gives premium
to empiricism and only takes into account those results which are
measurable and experiments which are repeatable. this theory also
completely fails to weed out bogus arguments that explain things
coincidentally. A classic example is astrology, whose followers are
able to employ the verification method in ascertaining its reliability.
The idea is that since one already has some sort of expectations on
what to find, they will interpret events in line with said expectations.
C. Explain the concept of science as a social endeavor,
science and results, and science as education.
Answer
 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. Sciences cease to
belong solely to gown- wearing, bespectacled scientists at
laboratories. The new view perpetuates a dimension which generally
benefits the society. For instance, far-off places in South America
where many of the tribes remain uncontacted, do not regard western
science as their science. Whatever their science is, it can be
ascertained that it is in no way inferior to that of globalized peoples'
science. Thus, it presents an alternative notion that goes beyond the
boundaries of cold, hard facts of science and instead projects it in a
different light, such as a manifestation of shared experience forging
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. Similar to when
Jesus performed miracles and garnered followers, people are sold
over the capacity of science to do stuff they cannot fully comprehend.
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. Weather reports, for
one, illustrate fallibility and limitations of their scope, as well as their
inability to predict disasters. The best that can be done during an
upcoming disaster is to reinforce materials to be more calamity proof
and restore the area upon impact. It can be then concluded that
science does not monopolize the claim for definite results.
 Science as education
Aforementioned discussion notes that there is no such thing as a
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 in quantum mechanics,
appeared to have debunked the idea of objectivity in reality,
subscribing instead to alternative idea called 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.

D. Explain the danger of the rapid race of technological growth.


Answer
The rapid pace of technological growth allows no room for nature to
recuperate, resulting in exploitation and irreversible damages to
nature. Right now, we are experiencing repercussions of said exploits
in the hands of man-made climate change, which would snowball and
affect majority of flora and fauna, driving half of the latter extinct in
less than a hundred year from now. If this continues in its currently
alarming rate, we might bring about our own extinction.

LESSON 2: Technology as a Way of Revealing

A. Explain the concept of human condition before science and


technology.
Answer
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. As it is difficult to pinpoint the
particular period where technology is said to have started, one can
say that at the very least, the motivation to make things easier has
been around since humans are. Homo erectus 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. Tools from
stone and flints marked the era of the Stone Age, during the advent of
our very own Homo sapiens, and humans began to sharpen stones
as one would a knife; an example of this is the simple machine called
wedge. This particular period proved to be difficult for our ancestors,
but in a remarkably distinct way.
B. Explain the concept of human condition after science and
technology.
Answer
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 life easier, more comfortable, and more
enriching. Although the good life envisioned before might be pale in
comparison to the 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 endeavored by the people of
long ago.

C. Name ways on how technology aided in revealing the truth


about the human being.
Answer
Position-wise, the humans of today are much better off compared to
humans several centuries ago. Advancements in medicine,
technology, health, and education ushered in humanity's best yet,
and show no sign of stopping. Below are some of the 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.

2. Average Lifespan. 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.

3. Literacy Rate. Access to education provided to more individuals


generally creates a more informed public that could determine a more
just society.

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.

LESSON 3: The Good Life

A. Discuss Aristotle's and Plato's approach to reality.


Answer
Compared to his teacher and predecessor, Plato, Aristotle
embarked on a different approach in figuring out reality.

 For Plato, change is so perplexing that it can only make sense


if there are two realities: the world of forms and the world of
matter. Consider 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 that 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 plant showing itself to you and to the sun. Plato
recognized change as a process and as a phenomenon that
happens in the world, that in fact, it is constant. However, Plato
also 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 was
convinced that reality is full of these seemingly contrasting
manifestations of change and permanence. 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. 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, for his part, disagreed with his teacher's position and
forwarded the idea that there is no reality over and above what
the senses can perceive. As such, 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. Consider a seed that eventually germinates and grows
into a plant. The seed that turned to become the plant
underwent change- from the potential plant that is the seed to
its full actuality, the plant. 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. When a boy
asks for a burger from a Filipino burger joint, the action that he
takes is motivated primarily by the purpose that he has,
inferably to get full or to taste the burger that he only sees on
TV. When a girl tries to finish her degree in the university,
despite the initial failures she may have had, she definitely is
being propelled by a higher purpose than to just graduate. She
wants something more, maybe to have a license and land a
promising job in the future. Every human person, according to
Aristotle, aspires for an end. This end, we have learned from
the previous chapters, is happiness or human flourishing. No
individual-young or old, fat or skinny, male or female-resists
happiness. We all want to be happy. Aristotle claims that
happiness is the be all and end all of everything that we do. We
may not realize it but the end goal of everything that we do is
happiness. If you ask one person why he is doing what he is
doing, he may not readily say that it is happiness.

B. Discuss the following schools of thought for a good and


happy life: materialism, hedonism, stoicism, theism, and
humanism.
Answer
 MATERIALISM
The first materialists were the atomists in Ancient Greece.
Democritus and Leucippus led a school whose 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.
 HENDONISM
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 just like the
materialists.
 STOICISM
Another school of thought 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 worldview, adopt the fact that
some things are not within our control. The sooner we realize this, the
happier we can become.
 THEISM
Most people find the meaning of their lives using God as a fulcrum of
their existence. The Philippines, as a predominantly Catholic country,
is witness to how people base their life goals on beliefs that hinged
on some form of supernatural reality called heaven. 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
 HUMANISM
Humanism as another school of thought 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 seventeenth 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. This is the spirit of most
scientists who thought that the world is a place and space for freely
unearthing the world in seeking for ways on how to improve the lives
of its inhabitants.

LESSON 4: When Technology and Humanity Cross


Answer
A. Discuss how these technological devices affect the lives of
people positively and negatively:
1. TV sets, mobile phones, and computers;
 ADVANTAGE
Tv sets - television is mainly used as a platform for advertisements
and information dissemination. In fact, television remains to be the
most used avenue by different advertising companies not only in up
the Philippines but also all over the world. Various advertising
companies trust that television is still one of the most used
technological devices until today. However, it is important to note that
these are just some of the roles played by television. Aside from the
ones mentioned above, it also serves as a recreational activity and
good stress reliever to most families, specifically to Filipino families.
Television also is a good platform for different propagandas and
advocacies. Lastly, it can also be a good way to bond with one's
family members.

Mobile phones- Mobile phones, on the other hand, also have their
own roles in the lives of the people. They are primarily used for
communication. Mobile phones offer services like texting and calling.
In the past, these were the only functions of the mobile phone but as
technology progressed, there have been many additional features
included on mobile phones. For example, in the present, people use
their mobile phones to surf the Internet and to take pictures more
than to text or to call people. This is the reason why more and more
people all over the world prefer to buy smartphones over the old
models where such features are not available. Other applications
include music player, calendar, radio, television, and photo editor,
among others. These are just some of the additional features of
mobiles phones in the present. These make this particular
technological device very appealing to the masses. It is like an all-in-
one device. In addition, it is very portable and convenient because it
can fit into any space, may it be inside the pocket or bag.

Computers- Personal computers and laptops also have useful set of


functions and roles. Although most of the functions found in these
technological devices are now also available in mobile phones, they
still offer their own unique features that make them attractive. For
example, personal computers and laptops can be used to surf the
Internet and communicate. Just like the mobile phones, these devices
also have features like calendar, calculator, music player, movie
player, camera, and many more. However, for a lot of people, they
prefer to do their job using either a personal computer of a laptop
than a mobile phone. One reason is that a personal computer or a
laptop has wide keyboard than using a mobile phone, especially
when the mobile phone has a small screen. Contrary to mobile
phones, personal computers and laptops have wide screens and
separate keyboards, although some mobile phones can now be
connected to a keyboard. Another reason is that the availability of a
mouse or a touchpad made these two technological devices easier to
maneuver than mobile phones. Lastly, for the youth and those who
love to play different computer games, personal computers or laptops
are really the better choice because these allow them to play with
comfort and convenience. However, it cannot be denied that some
would even prefer laptops over personal computers for the simple
reason that personal computers are not portable and there are times
when they need to bring such devices to different places.

 DISADVANTAGE
While it is true that these technological devices are useful and
beneficial, the fact remains that there are several dilemmas faced by
these "necessities." First, most parents would argue that these
devices make their children lazy and unhealthy. This is because of
the fact that people who are fixated on these technological
advancements start and end their day by using such devices. They
have a great tendency to sit and chill all day long without doing
anything productive in their homes, thus making them unhealthy
because they do not just skip meals sometimes but also lack exercise
or any bodily movements. Here, it can be inferred that these types of
people are already overly dependent on these technological devices.
For example, those who love to watch television shows stay in front
of the television for more than six hours a day while those who love to
surf the Internet or play computer games stay on their laptops,
computers, or mobile phones for more than half a day. These people
have the tendency to be unaware of the time because they are so
engrossed with the use of technological device. In fact, if they get
disturbed, there is a great chance that they will get mad or annoyed.
Moreover, these are the same people who are more likely to
experience alienation because they no longer take time to get out of
their houses and mingle with other people.

2. Robotics
 ADVANTAGE
Robots play different roles not only in the lives of the people but also
in the society as a whole. They are primarily used to ease the
workload of mankind. They were invented to make life more efficient
and less stressful. On one hand, they perform complicated activities
which human beings are incapable of doing. On the other hand, they
perform the simplest tasks at home so that their masters can perform
the complex ones without stressing themselves over the simple tasks.
There are also robots which are made for pleasure. To be more
specific, these types of robots perform activities to entertain people.
They can usually be found in amusement parks or exhibits. In
addition, there are also some robots which were made to serve as
toys. They also perform different activities but they are usually child-
friendly.

 DISADVANTAGE
Just like any other technological advancements, robotics also faces
different problems and dilemmas. Although the idea is to help people
and make their lives a lot easier than before, it is still not immune to
different ethical dilemmas and possible undesirable outcomes. One of
the dilemmas faced by robots is 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? It is important to know who should be
blamed and who should be held responsible if such thing happens.

Do a research through the internet to answer the following:


1. What is meant by a good life? Discuss several elements
that constitute your idea of a good life.
 One basic way we use the word “good” is to express moral
approval. So when we say someone is living well or that they
have lived a good life, we may simply mean that they are a
good person, someone who is courageous, honest,
trustworthy, kind, selfless, generous, helpful, loyal,
principled, and so on. They possess and practice many of the
most important virtues. And they don’t spend all their time
merely pursuing their own pleasure; they devote a certain
amount of time to activities that benefit others, perhaps through
their engagement with family and friends, or through their work,
or through various voluntary activities.

2. Science and technology can lead humanity to either


prosperity or degradation. Using the internet and other
sources discuss this thoroughly in relation to;
a) communication and social media,
Sending messages through social networking sites is their most
popular method for communicating with friends; 94% of content
creators who use social network sites have sent a message to friend
through a social network site, compared with 86% of non-content-
creators. Even though email is on the decline among teens in
general, email is the surprise second most popular way of
communicating with friends, with 79% of content creators saying that
they’ve sent email to friends, compared with a little more than half
(56%) of non-content-creators. Instant messaging is nearly as
popular as email, with 77% of content creators saying that they have
sent and received instant messages, compared with just 53% of non-
creators. Text messaging is another frequently cited communication
tool, with 61% of content creators text messaging friends, compared
with just 40% of non-creators. Voice-based communication tools –
landline telephones and calls made on a cell phone – are
communication choices made equally by content creators and those
who do not create content.
b) Transportation
Smart parking, automatic traffic light system and smart accident
assistance are the few applications of IoT that help the traffic and
patrolling officers in managing the traffic efficiently and reducing the
risk of accidents.
c) Education
For educational purposes, it is widely used to gather information and
to do research or add to the knowledge of various subjects. Internet
plays a very vital role in education. It is no doubt that in this modern
era everyone prefers Google for their queries, problems or doubts.
Popular search engines like Google, Yahoo, etc. Are the topmost
choice of people as they offer an easy and instant reach to the vast
amount of information in just a few seconds. It contains a wealth of
knowledge that can be searched at any time. The internet has
introduced improvements in technology, communication, and online
entertainment.
d) Agriculture
In an agricultural context refers to the use of sensors, cameras, and
other devices to turn every element and action involved in farming
into data.
e) Medicine
The role relationship between doctor and patient is also changing. By
using the internet, the patient can obtain information on health issues
before medical treatment and, by obtaining information on the
internet, make a concrete decision with the specialist.
f) Economics
Theoretically internet access can drive economic development
through its impacts on both the supply-side and the demand-side of
an economy. Digital connectivity can directly affect the productivity of
firms, workers, and other inputs in the production process.
g) Environment
Sending an email, Using search engines, storing data pollute: the
web generates today 2% of the CO2 emissions of the planet. And this
is just the beginning of this new form of pollution.

REFERENCES;
https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov
https://www.diva-portal.org
https://www.sciencedirect.com
Science, Technology and Society First Edition book

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