SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY
SUBJECT CODE: GEC 007
TOPIC OR LESSON: THE GOOD LIFE
WEEK: 7
SUB-TOPIC/S: NONE
OVERVIEW OF THE TOPIC
This lesson gives understanding in order to answer question such as “what does
it really mean to live a good life?”. This lesson aims to examine shared concerns
that make up the good life in order to come up with innovative, creative
solutions to contemporary issues guided by ethical standards.
Are you ready? Prepare your pen and paper and be ready to explore your journey
in learning!
LEARNING
OUTCOMES
After going through this module, you are expected to:
a. Examine shared concerns that make up the good life in order to come up
with innovative, creative solutions to contemporary issues guided by
ethical standards.
LEARNING
OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
a. examine what is meant by a good life;
b. identify how humans attempt to attain what is deemed to be a good life;
and
c. recognize possibilities available to human being to attain the good life.
ENGAGE
In the previous lesson, you learned about the Greek word “eudaimonia” which
means “happiness”. Write down at least five (5) things that you think will help
you achieve eudaimonia on a personal level.
EXPLORE
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For this activity you will be needing the following: Papers, marker, coloring
materials, colored magazines, glue, pictures from the internet, etc.
Using the materials listed above, make collage by cutting pictures in magazines
or newspapers that demonstrate how technology has made the man’s desire for
a happy life more realizable. You may opt to make a digital collage by using
pictures from the internet. Write a short paragraph describing your collage.
EXPLAIN
The Good Life as Perceived by Different School of Thoughts
1. Aristotle and the Good Life
Aristotle is first thinker who dabbled into the complex problematization of
the end goal of life: happiness. Unlike his teacher and predecessor, Plato, who
thought that that things in this world are not real and are only copies of the real
in the world of forms, Aristotle claimed that this world is all there and that this
world is the only reality we can all access. In contrast to Plato, he forwarded the
idea that 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.
Source: [Link]
Just as a seed undergoes change from being a potential plant, eventually
germinates, and grows into an actual plant, so do human beings with potential
aspire for their actuality. Aristotle argues that every human being moves
according to some end. Based from the previous lessons, this end is happiness.
The happiness that Aristotle means is not the usual happiness that you
feel when you win a contest or get a high grade. What he actually means is
human flourishing, the kind of contentment in knowing that one is getting the
best out of life.
2. Materialism
This school of thought started with the
atomists of 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. Accordingly, the world
including human beings, is made up of matter
and there is no need to possess immaterial
entities as sources of purpose. Atoms simply
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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.
The material things we possess give us ultimate happiness. We see this at work
with most people who are clinging on to material wealth as the primary source of
meaning of their existence.
Source: [Link]
3. Hedonism
The Hedonists believe that the end goal of life is in acquiring pleasure. To
them life is obtaining and indulging in pleasure because life is limited. They
believe that pleasure give meaning to their life without thinking of the future.
The mantra of this school of thought is the famous, “Eat, drink and merry for
tomorrow we will die”.
4. Stoicism
Another school of thought led by Epicurus, the stoics, exposed the idea
that to generate happiness, one must learn to distance oneself and be apathetic.
The original term apatheia, precisely means to be indifferent. These group
believe that they can do things at their own and believe that happiness can only
be attained by a careful practice of apathy. In this point of view, people should
accept that there are some things that are simply not within our control and the
sooner they realize it, the happier they will become.
5. Theism
Most people find the meaning of their lives using God as the fulcrum of
their existence. The Philippines, as 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. They believe that this world is only temporary, and
that eternal bliss can be achieved when we they finally return to the hands of
God.
6. 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. They see themselves not merely as stewards of the creation but as
individuals who are in control of themselves and the world outside them.
As a result of the motivation of the humanist current, scientists eventually
turned to technology in order to ease the difficulty of life. Scientists of today
meanwhile are ready to confront more sophisticated attempts at altering the
world for the benefit of humanity. Some people now are willing to tamper with
time and space in the name of technology.
ELABORA
TE
In this activity, you will be asked to watch the documentary entitled “That Sugar
Film” (2014).
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Afterwards, write a short essay answering the question:
Is there a need to regulate the production of sugar-based products for
consumers to reduce their consumption if they are to journey toward the good
life?
EVALUAT
E
In this activity, you will be asked to write a reflection paper on the relationship of
good life and science.
RUBRIC FOR ESSAY
5 4 3 2 COMMENTS
Focus The topic is The topic is The topic is too The topic is not
focused narrowly focused but lacks broad for the clearly defined.
enough for the direction. scope of this
scope of this assignment.
assignment.
Content The paper The paper The paper The paper does
demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates not
that the author that the author, that the demonstrate
fully understands for the most part, author, to a that the author
and has applied understands and certain extent, has fully
concepts learned has applied understands understood and
in the lesson. concepts learned and has applied
in the lesson. applied concepts
concepts learned in the
learned in the lesson.
lesson.
Structur Ties together For the most part, Sometimes ties Does not tie
e information from ties together together together
all sources. No information from information information.
spelling and all sources. from all Unacceptable
grammar mistake Minimal spelling sources. number of
&/or grammar Noticeable spelling and/or
mistakes. spelling & grammar
grammar mistakes.
mistakes.
REFERENC
ES
Serafica, J. J., Pawilen, G. T., Caslib, B. N., Jr., & Alata, E. P. (2018). Science,
Technology, and Society (1st ed.). Manila: Rex Book Store.
Youtube: That sugar film açúcar_ legendado 2014.mp4. (2018, April 07).
Retrieved from [Link]
Images:
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[Link]
growing-ground-green-plants-soil-spring-sprout-blooming-stage-illustration-set-
germination-sprout-timeline-garden-seedling-process_229548-[Link]
[Link]
vector-609793
ADDITIONAL
MATERIALS
Reading Material:
Book VI and Bk X Nichomachean ethics of Aristotle
Prepared By:
EDMUN T. ANDRADE
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