Science, Technology, and Society & Human Condition PDF

# Chapter 3: Science, Technology, and Society and the Human Condition ## Science, Technology, and Human Flourishing * **Eudaimonia** * Literally means good spirited * Coined by Greek philosopher Aristotle (385-323 BC) the pinnacle of happiness that is attained by humans. * This has oft...

# Chapter 3: Science, Technology, and Society and the Human Condition ## Science, Technology, and Human Flourishing * **Eudaimonia** * Literally means good spirited * Coined by Greek philosopher Aristotle (385-323 BC) the pinnacle of happiness that is attained by humans. * This has often been translated into human flourishing in literature * **Human Flourishing** * An effort to achieve self-actualization and fulfillment within the context of a larger community of individuals, each with the right to pursue his or her own such efforts. * Human flourishes and finds meaning in the world that he/she builds. * Human may unconsciously acquire, consume or destroy what the world has to offer. ## Science as Method and Results The following is a diagram describing the Scientific Method: * Formulate question * Generate hypothesis  * Gather/Generate data * Analyze data/draw conclusion * Communicate results/take action ## Falsification Theory * As long as an ideology is not proven to be false and can best explain a phenomenon over alternative theories, we should accept the said ideology. ## Verification Theory * A discipline is science if it can be confirmed or interpreted in the event of an alternative hypothesis being accepted. ## Science as A Social Endeavor * Several philosophers like Paul Thagard, Imre Lakatos, Helen Longino, David Bloor and Richard Rorty presented science as a social endeavor. * This new view perpetuates a dimension which generally benefits society. ## Science and Results * People who do not understand science are won over when the discipline is able to produce results. * Such disciplines are religion, luck, and human randomness ## How Much is Too Much? * In 2000, world leaders signed the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) that targets eight concerns, one of which states that they should be able to forge global partnership for development. * However, there are some setbacks in this. Economists believe that growth is the primary indicator of development. In that, resources are needed. * Technology has been a primary instrument in enabling the global community to pursue such goal like utilizing resources, machineries and labor. * What is missing in this equation is, growth presents an illusory notion of sustainability. * The same analogy applies to the capacity of nature to accommodate our needs. ## Technology as a Way of Revealing A diagram displays a group of people holding ropes, each connected to a social media icon (twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram) with the text "Toolbox" and "Summary" at the top and bottom of the image respectively. It has a heading of "Technology as a Way of Revealing." # Chapter 4: The Good Life ## Aristotle and How We All Aspire for a Good Life A picture of Aristotle is shown. * "Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence." - Aristotle ## Plato: Good of Life A picture of Plato is shown ## Happiness as the Goal of a Good Life A picture of four people jumping in the air with their arms interlocked while the sun sets in the background is shown.  ## John Stuart Mill A picture of John Stuart Mill is shown. * Saying that an action is right as far as it maximizes the attainment of happiness for the greatest number of people. ## Materialism A cartoon of a man sitting at his desk, thinking about things like money and a trophy, is shown. * Why materialism makes you miserable? ## Hedonism A picture of a bottle of wine, a piece of chocolate, and a gauge is shown.  * What is Hedonism? * A person who believes that the pursuit of pleasure is the most important thing in life; a pleasure seeker.  ## Stoicism A picture of a statue depicting a person is shown. * Recognise what you can and cannot control * You determine your reaction to a crisis * Ignore people dominated by their own negative emotions * Master yourself and aim to be virtuous * Learn to move on ## Theism A picture of a person raising their hands in air on a field with blue sky and white clouds in the background is displayed. * Theism is the belief in the existence of a god or gods, specifically of a creator who intervenes in the universe. * Accepts miracles or supernatural revelations * Appeals to people from both ends of the religious spectrum ## Humanism A picture of a graphic with many words surrounding the text "Humanism in a nutshell" is shown. The words are primarily about humanism. * Putting human beings and other living things at the center of your moral outlook * Seeing the world as a natural place and looking to science and reason to make sense of it * Promoting and supporting human flourishing across all frontiers, and championing human rights for everyone # When Technology and Humanity Cross A cartoon of a robot and a human arm-wrestling is shown. ## Roles Played by These Technological Advancements A picture of a laptop, a smartphone, a tablet, and a smart watch are shown. ## Ethical Dilemma Faced By These Technological Advancements * Most parents would argue that these devices make their children lazy and unhealthy. * Moral Dilemma * Taking credit for others' work. ## Robotics and Humanity A picture of a robot and a human hand shaking is displayed. * 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. ## Roles Played by Robotics * Ease the workload of mankind * Perform complicated activities which humans are incapable of doing * There are also robots which are made for pleasure. ## Ethical Dilemmas Faced by Robotics * **Safety** * Who should be 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? * **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? ## Thank You A blurry picture with the text "Thank you" is shown.