STS: Technology and the Human Condition

• STS 01 relates to Science, Technology, and Society

Unit II: STS and the Human Condition

• Topic A concerns how the human person flourishes relative to science and technology

Learning Objectives

• Define and explain technology and its essence
• Understand the human condition
• Analyze the effects of science and technology on the human condition
• Perceive the danger of technology's controlling power over humans

Outline

• Selected views on technology are discussed
• Martin Heidegger's views on science and technology are presented
• Consideration of society as it faces science and technology

Selected Views on Technology

Aristotelianism

• Technology serves as a means to an end
• It involves organizing techniques to fulfill human needs
• The primary focus is on the product itself
• Technology's value is judged as good or bad based on the product's use and societal impact

Technological Pessimism

• Acknowledges technology’s progressive and beneficial aspects
• Expresses doubts about technology in many contexts
• Technologies have become integral to daily existence
• Technique has become a framework humans cannot escape
• Technologies make things easier

Jacques Ellul's Pessimistic Arguments

• Technological progress has a price
• Technological progress generates more problems
• Technological progress has damaging effects
• Technological progress results in unpredictable and devastating effects
• These arguments are often considered weak and not universally true

Technological Optimism

• Technology is viewed as a solution to all problems
• Technologists and engineers heavily support this view
• Technocratism assumes technology's supreme authority
• Technology is both beneficial and potentially harmful

Existentialism

• Technology is viewed as a double-edged sword
• Meaning of existence is investigated as one constantly makes choices
• Philosopher Martin Heidegger is a well known supporter of existentialsim

Martin Heidegger (1889-1996) on Science and Technology

• Heidegger encourages questioning, considering it essential for thought

Heidegger's Examination of Technology

• He examined technology's common instrumental (means to an end) and anthropological (human activity) definitions
• He thought these definitions may mislead and limit thinking

Instrumental Definition of Technology

• Viewing technology from different periods as fundamentally alike is problematic
• There is a genuine difference between older handicraft technologies and modern technology

Instrumental Definition of Technology: Sawmill vs. Hydroelectric Plant

• A sawmill in the Black Forest represents a primitive means, compared to a hydroelectric plant on the Rhine River
• The windmill, standing in a specific location and harnessing the wind, represents "poiesis," craftsmanship
• The dam, a modern technology example, represents "enframing," an infrastructure project harnessing water for efficient energy

Problems with the Instrumental Definition

• A disregard for whether a technology is inherently good or bad
• It invites humans to master technology potentially leading it out of control

Aristotle’s Four Causes: Understanding Technology’s Essence

• Causa Materialis: the material cause, like silver in a chalice
• Causa Formalis: the formal cause, the shape or form
• Causa Finalis: The final cause or purpose
• Causa Efficiens: the efficient cause, the agent or silversmith

Four Causes: Bringing Forth

• The four causes create the bringing forth of a silver chalice
• Bringing forth is termed poiesis, characterized by an external force
• Something from nature, like a flower blooming in a field, is termed physis

Revealing: Bringing Forth vs Challenging Forth

• Unconcealment happens more slowly with bringing forth
• Bringing forth always requires causality
• Challenging forth suits modern technology's aggressive nature

Modern Technology

• It challenges nature to get treasures
• It positions yields of nature for human use
• This becomes part of a standing reserve

Enframing and Technology as Revealing

• Heidegger finds technology's essence in "enframing," which reveals an object's capacity to function
• Enframing continuously brings forth into unconcealment.
• Heidegger viewed technology as demand to bring things out into the open, a two-way relationship

Heidegger's Examples

• He uses examples to contrast ancient and modern technology
• Examples include the ancient windmill, peasant planting seeds, and a wooden bridge

The Mode of Revealing in Modern Technology

• Modern technology unlocks and exposes nature only upon challenge
• Revealing becomes on-demand with stockpiles for future use, contrasting with practices like sawmills

Modern Technology

• The hydroelectric plant uses the Rhine to produce hydraulic pressure
• This pressure turns turbines to generate electricity

Heidegger on Challenges

• Energy concealed in nature is unlocked
• Unlocked energy is transformed
• Transformed energy is stored
• Stored energy is distributed and switched about

Essence of Technology

• The continuous revealing happens when humans allow for challenges to nature
• Heidegger argues that this is more than human action
• He finds enframing in technology's essence, revealing nature's resources to serve human use
• Unlike science, it works poorly as new material needs discovery often

Dangers of Unstopped Revealing

• The understanding of deeper realities, like spirituality, is prevented
• A risk of interpreting the world solely as a resource
• Misinterpretation arises when humans see themselves before their environment
• A society may become enslaved to technology

The Society in the Face of Science and Technology

• People find their happiness in modern technology's works
• People must question technology
• Contemporary art reflects technology's impact on humanity

Solutions According to Heidegger

• Reflect on technology for more than utility
• Understand technology and its impact
• One must understand where technology is beyond means
• Avoid allowing technology to dominate human existence

Human Flourishing

Learning Objectives

• Define the concept of human flourishing
• Analyze the human condition
• The student should reflect on philosophical ramifications
• Conceptualize individual views on human flourishing

What is Happiness?

• Psychology describes it as mental and emotional well-being with positive emotions
• Behaviorists view it as emotions from good actions Neurologists view it as hormonal rewards released by the brain

Destination or Journey?

• Hedonistic view means happiness is the absence of pain, maximizing happiness and minimizing misery
• Eudaimonia means seeking to engage in enriching activities
• There should be balance between Destination and Journey

Technology Reveals Paths to Happiness

• Technology caters to human needs and desires
• Hedonic adaptation increases pleasure and enjoyment
• Examples of this include movies and games.
• Eudaimonic Happiness (achievement and growth)
• It also supports self-actualization
• Examples of this include education and platforms

Human Being

• The human being is a Homo sapiens with development and articulate speech
• Aristotle defines humans as rational animals destined for spiritual and physical word
• Rational choices make up what a human is

Human Flourishing

• It is an ongoing effort
• The aim is to achieve fulfillment
• There is right to pursue personal growth

Context of Community

• The journey includes both positive and loss, with illness, suffering, and coping

Aristotle’s View

• Actions and desires should be performed for ourselves
• The highest good is encompassing one another
• There should be a balance between emotional states

Martin Seligman

• It involves beyond well-being on hope, joy, gratitude
• Engagement means being in a state with music
• People should be supported and loved
• An aim should be to have greater fulfillment

Sciences' effect

• Increased healthspan
• Reduced the risk of mortality
• Improved level of education

Risks

• The environment may degrade
• Ethical problems can arise
• Societies are at risks with environmental isolation

The Good Life: Understanding Shared Concerns and Ethical Standards

Aristotle's Perspective

• Happiness is the end goal of life
• He explored eudaimonia (happiness) as a purpose
• He differed from Plato by viewing the material world
• Claiming sensory perception constitutes reality
• Understanding arises through observing the world

Philosophical Views: What Constitutes the Good Life?

Materialism

• The world consists of atoms
• Humans are physical
• No immaterial forces exist

Hedonism

• Meaning focusing on enjoyment and pleasure
• There is minimal care for the consequences

Stoicism

• Happiness comes from detachment and emotions
• Apathy and discipline are key

Theism

• Focused on meaning and divinity
• Achieving through and through faith

Humanism

• carving on destiny
• Progress makes up its name

When Technology and Humanity Cross: The Intersection

Technology Defined

• The Greeks described techne and logos as art

The Role of Communication Platforms

• Television is used as that and for advertising
• Kantar Media, in the Philippines, showed urban and rural homes' usage
• As of 2012 there were a little over approximately 15 Million households

Television History

• Success in transferring images through a metal disc (Gottlied)
• Electric telescope led way to a higher quality
• (Campbell-Swinton and Rosing) were successful in using a mechanical system

Mobile Phones Usage

• Are used for calling and texting

Digital vs Laptop

• Used for online for personal access

Babbage Charles

• Credited for the first laptop/ digital information

1981

-Was the first laptop in the history

Robotics and Its Humanity

• Germany Robotics Initiative had a degree of expectation of some robot performance
• Robotics help out by helping people

Modern Ethical Problems

• The issues rise when technology advances
• Important because it is needed to be addressed during this ethical challenge

AI becomes the Key Ethical Isuues

• Some ethical questions revolve around risk to humans
• Societal risk is an Ethical issue
• This means what is is becoming less of an issue

Technology and Humanity: Competing or Complementary?

Benefits of Technology

• Better literacy
• Lower the high death risk
• Improving standards

View of society

• Can isolate people and create less real interaction with one another

Humanities Side

• Advance in science
• Advance the future
• A source of power due to electricity

Humanity's Future

• Radical shifts are coming to one another
• Radical ships can make changes to humans

These transformations will include

• Great cognition
• Low suffering
• Improve sensory

Possibilities' Impacted

• One of Bostrom 4 areas is what's to happen in the future
• Technology may lead to one another on a post human condition

Concluding Message

• The world will greatly change due to these ethical technology effects
• Humanity must improve the world with kindness to help those