GE-STS: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
CHAPTER 2: HUMAN
FLOURISHING AND
HUMAN CONDITION
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TOPIC OUTLINE
▪ 2.1 Human Flourishing
▪ 2.1.1
Verification and Falsification
Theory
▪ 2.2 Human Condition
▪ 2.2.1
Quotes that Deeply Critique
Human Condition
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LEARNING OUTCOMES:
✔ LO1 Summarize the concepts in human flourishing.
✔ LO2 Construct a relevant idea that embodies the perception to
the human condition.
✔ LO3 Demonstrate understanding on human flourishing and
human condition.
✔ LO4 Value the learnings in human flourishing and human
condition through reflective writing.
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LIVE IT!
A great philosopher once said:
▪ “Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees the
others.”
▪ “Those that know, do. Those that understand, teach.”
▪ “Change in all things is sweet.”
▪ “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.”
▪ “Quality is not an act, it’s a habit.”
▪ “Happiness is activity.”
[Link]
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OVERVIEW
▪ We have tackled the relationship of Science, Technology, and Society and the
paradigm shifts throughout history in our previous chapter. We also mentioned the
effects of scientific and technological advancements in our society and environment. Now,
let us talk about how human instincts work to adapt to their harsh environment to survive.
In a world full of disasters and scarcity, humanity is slowly bartering the environment into
convenience.
▪ Human flourishing is a way of embodying the Greek term eudaimonia – the notion of
personal life and political planning that is usually translated as “happiness” in English.
I know every one of us has a different perception of happiness; it may be anchored to
our personal preferences and experiences. The human condition depends on how
we handle our state of flourishing. Every person in this world is living the way he wanted
or decided to live.
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THINK THROUGH
Should We Continue Flourishing? Why
or Why not?
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2.1 Human Flourishing
▪ Eudaimonia, literally “good-spirited,” is a term coined by
renowned Greek philosopher Aristotle (385-323 BC) to
describe the pinnacle of happiness that humans attain. This
has often 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 from different components such as phronesis,
friendship, wealth, and power. In Ancient Greek society, they
believe that acquiring these qualities will surely bring the
seekers happiness, which allows them to partake in the more
significant notion of what we call the Good. (Serafica, et al.,
2018).
Image from google
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2.1 Human Flourishing
▪ Aristotle said that there is an end to all of the actions that we perform, which we
desire for itself. That desire is known as eudaimonia, flourishing, or happiness,
which desires its own sake, with all other things being desires on its account.
Eudaimonia is a property of one’s life when considered as a whole. Flourishing
is the highest good of human endeavors and that toward which all action aim. It
is a success as a human being. The best life is one of excellent human activity.
(Doria, et al., 2018)
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2.1.1 Verification Theory vs. Falsification
Theory
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2.2 HUMAN CONDITION
Image from google
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2.2 HUMAN CONDITION
▪ We could argue many traits, but our emotions stand out when
compared to other living things. We are animals that roam the planet
looking for purpose, but humans transcend the animal world's
boundaries. Our emotions define us, and it is our emotions that create
the idea of the human condition. This aspect of being human - our
emotional responses - create conflict, which becomes the foundation
of the plot arc of every story ever written. (Carnevale, n.d.)
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2.2 HUMAN CONDITION
▪ The human condition is all the characteristics and critical events that
compose the essentials of human existence, including birth, growth,
emotion, aspiration, conflict, and mortality. As a literary term, the human
condition is used in ambiguous subjects such as the meaning of life or
moral concerns.
▪ The human condition arises from the existence of so-called ‘good and
evil.’ We, humans, are capable of shocking acts of inhumanity like rape,
murder, and torture, and our agonizing predicament or ‘condition’ has
been that we have never been able to explain and understand why.
Even in our everyday behavior, we are competitive, aggressive, and
selfish when life’s ideals are the complete opposite: cooperative, loving,
and selfless.
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2.2.1 Quotes that Deeply Critique Human
Condition
“It is not the consciousness of men that determines their being, but, on the
contrary, their social being that determines their consciousness.”
• – Karl Marx, A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy
“Our behaviour is a function of our decisions, not our conditions.”
• – Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful
Lessons in Personal Change
“Humanity is lost because people have abandoned using their conscience as
their compass.”
• – Suzy Kassem, Rise Up and Salute the Sun: The Writings of Suzy
Kassem
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Assignment #2
You have encountered good quotes that can move readers. Now, you are tasked to create
your quote embodying the human condition. And explain your selection briefly.
Quote:
Explanation:
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Thank You!