Philosophy of Technology and Human Flourishing

Introduction to Science, Technology and Society

• Course title: STS 01
• Instructor: Camille Rafal
• Department: Physical Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, MMSU
• University: Marcos State University (MMSU)

Unit II: STS and the Human Condition - A

• Subtopic: The Human Person Flourishing in Terms of Science and Technology
• Objective: Analyze the human condition in order to deeply reflect and express philosophical ramifications that are meaningful to the student as a part of society.

Understanding Happiness

• Psychology defines happiness as a mental or emotional state of well-being, encompassing emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.
• Behaviorists describe happiness as a cocktail of emotions experienced when doing something good or positive.
• Neurologists view happiness as the brain releasing hormones as a reward for behavior that promotes survival.

Happiness: A Destination or a Journey?

• Hedonistic View: Happiness is the absence of pain; the purpose of life is maximizing happiness and minimizing misery.
• Eudaimonia: A pursuit of becoming a better person by engaging in activities that enrich us spiritually and intellectually.
• A balanced approach is needed, combining enjoyment and achievement, to avoid sluggishness or burnout.

Technology and Happiness

• Technology facilitates advancements that cater to human needs and desires.
• Enabling Hedonic Happiness: Technology provides leisure-oriented avenues, such as movies, games, and travel.
• Enabling Eudaimonic Happiness: Technology supports self-actualization via education, skill-building platforms, and intellectual challenges.

Selected Views on Technology

• Outline:
  • Selected Views on Technology
  • Martin Heidegger on Science and Technology
  • The Society in the Face of Science and Technology

Aristotelianism

• Technology is a means to an end, used to meet human demands efficiently.
• The quality of technology is judged based on its product and effect on society. 

Technological Pessimism

• Technology is beneficial, but also doubtful, becoming an integral part of life.
• Technology’s techniques are a framework that restricts human freedom.
• According to Jacques Ellul, technological progress has a price, creates more problems and damaging effects and is unpredictable.

Technological Optimism

• Technology is seen as the solution to all problems.
• Technologists and engineers support technology's supreme authority.
• Technology is beneficial in many ways, but can also be harmful.

Existentialism

• Existentialists view technology as a double-edged sword, needing careful investigation into reality and existence.
• They question how humans will use the abilities that technology gives them.
• Heidegger supports this view that technology must be carefully considered to respect the importance of humanity.

Technology as a Way of Revealing

• Heidegger's view:
  • Technology as Poiesis: Bringing forth, a form of creation.
  • Aletheia: Truth as unconcealedness.
• Modern technology, however, challenges and exploits nature.
  • Challenging Forth: Exploiting resources for efficiency.
  • Enframing: Ordering nature for manipulation, turning nature into a standing reserve.

Dangers of Technology

• Humans risk being consumed by technology.
• Critical thinking is required to prevent nature and humanity from being viewed as mere instruments of technology.

Solutions According to Heidegger

• Reflect on the value of technology, not just its utility.
• Understand technology beyond its means to also encompass its impact.
• Avoid letting technology dominate human existence, or dictate the actions of humanity.

Activity

• Choose an artwork exemplifying the role and place of humans in the face of modern technology, while highlighting responsible use.
• Document should include:
  • Name of student
  • Artwork
  • Essay with title on the importance of responsible use of technology

Unit II: STS and the Human Condition - B

• Subtopic: Human Flourishing
• Objective: Define and explain human flourishing, analyze the human condition to deeply reflect and express philosophical ramifications that are meaningful to the student as a part of society, and conceptualize their own views on human flourishing.

Understanding Human Beings

• Humans are members of the Homo sapiens species and distinguished from other animals by developed mental processes, articulate speech, and upright posture.
• Aristotle viewed humans as rational animals with a destiny to live in both the spiritual and physical world, as a creature with a material body.
• Rational choices are the basis for all human activities.

Human Flourishing

• Human flourishing involves the effort to achieve full self-actualization.
• This flourishing takes place within the context of a greater community where everyone has the right to personal growth.
• This is a lifelong journey encompassing hopes, achievements, regrets, loses, illnesses, sufferings and coping mechanisms.

Aristotle’s View on Human Flourishing

• Aristotle believed all human actions are aimed towards self-fulfillment.
• Eudaimonia, or the highest good, encompasses happiness through flourishing and fulfillment.
• Life is a balance of spiritual and physical realms that can be achieved through rational choices.

Seligman’s Well-Being Theory

• Seligman’s theory focuses on psychological well-being, going beyond happiness.
• Elements include:
  • Positive Emotions (hope, joy, gratitude.)
  • Engagement (being “one with the music,” flow.)
  • Relationships (feeling supported, loved, valued.)
  • Meaning (serving something greater than oneself.)
  • Achievement (mastering skills, achieving goals.)

Science, Technology, and Flourishing

• Advancements: Increased lifespan; reduced mortality improved education
• Risks: Environmental degradation; ethical dilemmas; social isolation

Unit II: STS and the Human Condition - C

• Subtopic: The Good Life

Learning Objectives

• Examine shared concerns to develop innovative and creative solutions to contemporary problems using ethical guidelines.

Aristotle’s View of the Good Life

• Happiness is the ultimate purpose of human life.
• Reality and observation are essential for understanding the physical world.
• True understanding comes through observing the external world, and acknowledging that everything changes and moves from possibility to actuality.

Philosophic Views of the Good Life - Materialism

• The world is composed of matter.
• Purpose arises from physical reality.
• Immaterial entities are not needed to explain the concept of purpose.

Philosophic Views of the Good Life- Hedonism

• The end of life is acquiring pleasure.
• Lifestyle revolves around enjoyment and indulgence.
• Minimal long-term consequence consideration.

Philosophic Views of the Good Life - Stoicism

• Happiness is achieved by distancing oneself from emotions.
• Apathy involves being free from negative emotions and passions, leading to fulfillment.
• Focus on what you can control, not on external things.

Philosophic Views of the Good Life - Theism

• Life's meaning is centered on God and spiritual existence.
• Happiness is achieved through communion with God and faith.
• Predominantly religious societies often tie life goals to supernatural ideas, like beliefs about heaven.

Philosophic Views of the Good Life - Humanism

• Humans are free to create their own destiny, laws, and purposes.
• Humans are the captains of their own ship and control their own destinies.
• Focus on improving human life through innovation and technology.

Unit II: STS and the Human Condition - D

• Subtopic: When Technology and Humanity Cross

Technology

• The meaning of technology encompasses the concepts of "techne" (art) and "logos" (reason, discourse).
• Concepts like machines and tools are inextricably linked to technology.

Television

• Television used mainly as a platform for advertising and information dissemination.
• In the Philippines, 92% of urban and 70% of rural homes have at least one television set.

Brief History of Television

• Key figures like Paul Gottlieb Nipkow (1860-1940) and Alan Archibald Campbell-Swinton, along with Boris Rosing contributed to the development of television.
• Nipkow developed an early system of television.
• Campbell-Swinton and Rosing contributed to the development of television using cathode ray tubes.

Mobile Phones

• Mobile phones serve primarily as communication tools, allowing for texting and calling.
• Mobile phones transitioned from a luxury item to a daily necessity.

Computers and Laptops

• Computers and laptops facilitate internet usage and communication.
• Early pioneers, like Charles Babbage (1791-1791), who conceived of automatic digital computers were crucial to computing development.

Robotics and Humanity

• Robotics aim to solve certain types of tasks and automate them.
• Examples of expected tasks for robots are "Clear up the kitchen table"; "Fill the dishwasher"; and “Clear up this room.”
• Robotics have their own ethical dilemmas and safety concerns (autonomy and safety).

Ethical Dilemmas in Robotics

• Safety concerns: Robots are becoming increasingly autonomous, raising questions about accountability in case of malfunction or accidents.
• Emotional component: Advanced technology might lead robots to have emotions, which raises challenging questions on the rights and protection of sentient robots.

Moral and Ethical Issues in Advanced Technology

• Ethical dilemmas arise from the use of technology, especially regarding issues like privacy, biotechnology (genetic engineering, in vitro fertilization), and nuclear technology.
  • Privacy issues are involved in the sharing and manipulation of private information.
  • Issues in biotechnology include genetic engineering causing harm,  and in vitro fertilization that may be opposed by some beliefs.
  • Nuclear technology has the potential for widespread destruction and environmental harm.
• Modern challenges include the risk of artificial intelligence surpassing human intelligence, the ethical questions surrounding artificial intelligence and the potential for job displacement.

Balancing Technology and Ethics

• Should we pursue technological advancement simply because we can?
• Is there a risk of losing our humanity by relying too heavily on technology?

Unit II: STS and the Human Condition - E

• Subtopic: Why Does the Future Not Need Us?

Human Experience in Technology

• How has technology changed the experience of humans in healthcare, education and social interactions?
• Emerging technologies (e.g. AI for medical diagnosis, virtual reality) and other technologies are transforming human experiences.
• This is in conjunction with the possibilities of global change in the future that affect humans.

Human and Societies

• The evolution of society, encompassing hunter-gatherer, agrarian, industrial, and information societies.
• The debate on societal progress - some see improvements in healthcare, technology, and communications while others point to environmental degradation, social inequality, and over-reliance on technology.
• Current and future societal challenges involved in maintaining human moral fabric amidst rapid technological advancements.

Technology and Humanity: A Positive Side

• Technological changes have positively contributed to world population growth, higher life expectancy, and the development of different learning and educational platforms.
  • Improvements in health care, agriculture and sanitation have led to improvements in population sizes.
  • Medical advancements have led to higher life expectancy
  • Online learning platforms have allowed increased global access to knowledge.
• Modern citizens enjoy a higher quality of life compared with previous generations.
• Technology also has an impact on how societies function in terms of governance, entertainment, relationships, and human interactions.

The Positive View of Technological Development

• Improved living standards, reducing untimely deaths from accidents, epidemics, and violence.
• Reduced instances of social issues like poverty, inequality, or oppression.
• Evolution of society towards a better future through technological and social engineering, and welfare systems.
• Technology brings about improved living conditions and leads to reducing human suffering, as well as enhances quality of life.

The Negative View of Technological Development

• Problems and potentials of technology that may lead to negative consequences
• Human dependency- Societal losses in critical thinking skills, impatience and real-life interactions due to heavy reliance on technology
• Human greed and abuse- Technological advancements are often misused for selfish purposes, leading to ethical issues like harm or damage, and unforeseen issues.
• Contemporary social problems - Criminality, drug use, and other social issues are exacerbated by modern technology.
  • Social conflicts (labor disputes, political unrest.)
  • Social isolation (reduced face-to-face interactions.)
• Society drifting away from human nature- Technology pushing society away from human values.
  • Bill Joy's concerns about robotics, genetic engineering, and nanotechnology irreversibly leading humanity to a point of no return threatening survival and the essence of being human.

The Future of Humanity

• Possible Paths of the Future:
  • Extinction (due to self-destructive technology)
  • Recurrent Collapse (cycles of societal rise and fall)
  • Plateau (stable state with slow growth)
  • The Longer-Term View (likelihood of transcending the current human condition.)
• Potential developments involving virtual reality, biotechnology, nanotechnology, and machine intelligence are transformative.
  • Technological Singularity, potentially leading to machines surpassing human intelligence, marking the end of humanity's era.

How Technology is Transforming the Human Experience

• Groundbreaking inventions once considered science fiction include hearing in color, hearing at arm's length, and implantable technology like eye cameras - Examples of present-day technologies like these are explored for their influence and impacts.
• The New Pandora's Boxes
  • Technologies like genetics, nanotechnology, and robotics represent powerful forces that could redefine what it means to be human.
• The potential for "knowledge itself" as the most powerful tool, highlighting both the potential risks and benefits of highly advanced technologies like these.

Posthumanity Theory

• Posthumanity as a radical transformation concerning biological and technological or economic developments.
  • Key features include a growing population, increasing life expectancy, further enhancement of cognitive and sensory abilities.
• A scarcity of issues related to psychological suffering.
• This marks a radical change in humanity.

Message to Humanity

• Technology is a double-edged sword (benefits and negative consequences).
• It is the responsibility of the current generation to ensure that technological progress is used responsibly for the betterment of humanity while avoiding catastrophic outcomes.