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Human Flourishing and Progress Paradigms

This document provides an overview of module 5 of the course Science, Technology and Society. The module discusses human flourishing in the context of progress and development. It introduces Jason Hickel's paradigm of "de-development" as an alternative to traditional notions of economic growth and consumption. Hickel argues that rich countries need to reduce their levels of consumption in order for poorer countries to flourish sustainably within planetary boundaries. The objectives of the module are to critique human flourishing in relation to science and technology, explain Hickel's de-development paradigm, and differentiate it from traditional growth models.

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Marviane Sigrid Gayotin
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60 views4 pages

Human Flourishing and Progress Paradigms

This document provides an overview of module 5 of the course Science, Technology and Society. The module discusses human flourishing in the context of progress and development. It introduces Jason Hickel's paradigm of "de-development" as an alternative to traditional notions of economic growth and consumption. Hickel argues that rich countries need to reduce their levels of consumption in order for poorer countries to flourish sustainably within planetary boundaries. The objectives of the module are to critique human flourishing in relation to science and technology, explain Hickel's de-development paradigm, and differentiate it from traditional growth models.

Uploaded by

Marviane Sigrid Gayotin
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

FILAMER CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

College of Arts and Sciences


Accredited level III – ACSCU – ACI
Roxas City, Capiz

GEC7

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY

Module 5: Human Flourishing as Reflected in Progress and Development

Overview

The quest for human progress and flourishing has always been at the center of civilization.
People always seek to live better lives and provide a better life. In the process, they seek to
live lives of meaning and aspire to fulfill their potential. Although societies are made up of
heterogeneous individuals with different preferences, people reliably organize themselves into
groups, communities or nations in an effort to improve the status quo (progress).

According to Nicholas Christakis, human flourishing in its broadest sense means that it is
about everyone having a chance to climb the ladder of success. In essence, the dream is about
aspiration, opportunity, progress, and not just material comfort alone. It is something greater
than yourself while still maintaining a strong sense of personal agency.

By “progress” means the combination of economic, technological, scientific, cultural, and


organizational advancement that has transformed our lives and raised standards of living over
the past couple of centuries.

Humans of today are expected to become “man of the world”, supposed to situate himself
in a global neighborhood, working side by side among institutions and the government to be
able to reach a common good.

Objectives

At the end of this module, the students should be able to:

1. Critique human flourishing vis-à-vis the progress of science and technology;


2. Explain Hickel’s paradigm of “de-development”, and
3. Differentiate it from the traditional notions of growth and consumption.
Module Contents

Human Flourishing as Reflected in Progress and Development (Jason Hickel)

 Jason Hickel challenges us to rethink and reflect on a different paradigm of de-


development.

 It is about time that we rethink our stands of development if we truly want to live a
good life.

 SDGs are about to offer a fresh plan for how to save the world, but beneath all the
types, its business as usual. The main strategy for eradicating poverty is the same
growth.

 Growth isn’t an option any more- we’ve already grown too much. Scientists are now
telling us that we’re blowing past planetary boundaries at break week speed. And the
hard truth is that this global crisis is due almost entirely to over consumption in rich
countries.

 Instead of pushing poorer countries to “catch up” with rich ones, we should be thinking
of ways to get rich countries to “catch down” to more appropriate levels of
development. We should look at societies where people live long and happy lives.

 Jason HIckel was a famous Anthropologist who said that advanced science and
technology means finding ways to enhance human flourishing with minimal pressure on
the planet.

 He also said that we need to do and invest in more efficient technology and a team
scientists who can come up with good technology in order to enhance human
flourishing such as in advertising, promotion of products and resources.

 He also explained how human condition affects economic growth; that is human
flourishing in harmony with the planet.

 He said that “developing” poor countries means to re-develop poor countries, meaning
that instead of pushing poorer countries to “catch up” with rice ones, we should be
thinking ways to get rich countries to “catch down” to more appropriate levels of
development.
 He further described that there is clear racial imbalance at play as average; the votes of
people of colour are worth only a tiny fraction of their counterpart. It is called as a
racial dictatorship.

Self-Evaluation

After reading and understanding the article of Jason Hickel, answer the following questions
on the space provided.

1. What is the main objective of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United
Nations?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

2. What is the standardized unit that measure resource and waste?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

3. What is the standard response to eradicating poverty?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

4. What is the threshold of the Earth for adequately sustaining life?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________
5. What are two indicators of the quality of life given in the article (Jason Hickel)?

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

6. How would the different areas of the world react to the idea of “de-development”?

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Questions for Reflection

1. How do we improve our lives and yet reduce consumptions?


2. Why must we change our paradigm of growth and consumption to that of “de-
development”?

Supplemental Activity

Watch the video clip titled “The Magician’s Twin”: CS Lewis and the Case Against Scientism.
Reflect on the notions of development that may evolve into scientism. In pairs, discuss and
take note of your thoughts on the video clip with the following guide questions:

1. What is scientism?
2. Why is science more dangerous to magic?
3. What do we need for the sciences to be good?

References

McNamara, D.J., Valverde, V.M., and Beleno, R. III. (2018). Science, Technology and Society,
Philippines. C & E Publishing House, Inc.
Video Clips/Slides. The Magician’s Twin: CS Lewis and the Case Against Scientism.

Common questions

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Hickel believes that advanced science and technology can minimize environmental impact by focusing on efficiency and innovation that elevates human welfare without depleting natural resources. He advocates for technological solutions that are designed to consume fewer resources while providing greater benefits. Hickel also emphasizes the importance of fostering a team of scientists dedicated to developing such technologies, which includes alterations in areas like advertising and product promotion to reflect sustainable practices .

Hickel argues that the current growth paradigm exacerbates the breach of planetary boundaries due to overconsumption, particularly in rich countries. He claims that the relentless pursuit of economic growth leads to unsustainable resource extraction and environmental degradation, ultimately threatening planetary health. Hickel advocates reevaluating growth-related ambitions and pursuing strategies that prioritize ecological sustainability while maintaining human prosperity. His argument calls for an urgent need to transition from traditional growth models to sustainable practices that align with natural limits .

In Jason Hickel's view, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) may face criticism for perpetuating a 'business as usual' approach that relies heavily on economic growth as the primary means to eradicate poverty. Hickel argues that this approach overlooks the ecological limits and global issues caused by the overconsumption in rich countries. He suggests a shift towards 'de-development' where rich nations curtail their developmental excesses to achieve sustainability, rather than poorer nations striving to reach unsustainable levels of consumption and development .

Hickel's 'catch down' approach contrasts with traditional goals by suggesting that rich countries should reduce their developmental excesses rather than poorer countries catching up to unsustainable levels. This necessitates a restructuring of societal values and economic systems towards sustainability rather than perpetual growth. Societal changes might include redefining success in non-material terms, adopting equitable resource distribution, and enhancing technological efficiencies that support both human development and environmental integrity .

Jason Hickel highlights racial imbalances in development strategies, referring to a 'racial dictatorship' where the votes and decisions of people of color hold less weight compared to their counterparts. This imbalance reflects in global development policies where predominantly rich, often Western, countries dictate terms of development that do not necessarily reflect the needs or realities of developing, often non-Western countries. Hickel suggests that justice in development should address these disparities by shifting focus from growth-centric policies imposed by rich nations to supporting equitable and sustainable development paths for all .

Jason Hickel's paradigm of 'de-development' suggests that instead of encouraging poorer countries to 'catch up' with richer ones, rich countries should 'catch down' to more sustainable levels of development. His critique of current growth practices points out that continued reliance on growth is unsustainable, as it primarily causes global crises through overconsumption in rich countries. He argues for enhanced human flourishing with minimal environmental impact, urging investment in efficient technology and the reevaluation of growth as a means to promote a good life .

According to Nicholas Christakis, human flourishing involves everyone having a chance to climb the ladder of success, focusing on aspiration, opportunity, and progress, rather than just material comfort. It relates to progress, which encompasses economic, technological, scientific, cultural, and organizational advancements that improve living standards. Human flourishing is about achieving something greater than oneself while maintaining personal agency and working towards a common good within a global framework .

Personal agency, according to the document, is central to human flourishing as it emphasizes the importance of individuals having the ability to aspire and achieve meaningful progress. Societies can facilitate personal agency by providing opportunities and environments conducive to growth and self-improvement. This includes ensuring access to education, economic opportunities, and participating in societal advancements that prioritize both personal growth and collective well-being. The idea is to enable individuals to navigate and contribute productively to the broader objectives of progress .

Jason Hickel implies that advanced science and technology should enhance human flourishing without exerting excessive pressure on the planet. He suggests that this balance can be achieved through the development and investment in more efficient technology and building teams of scientists to innovate in ways that promote human flourishing sustainably. Hickel emphasizes that such advancements should consider both economic growth and ecological stability to harmonize human condition with planetary health .

The concept of 'racial dictatorship' mentioned by Hickel refers to a situation where the influence and decision-making power is skewed against people of color, rendering their votes and voices less impactful. This has significant implications for democratic processes in development planning, as it can lead to marginalized groups being excluded from important decisions affecting their communities and countries. It suggests a need for inclusive and equitable development policies that consider and integrate diverse cultural and socioeconomic perspectives to achieve fairer and more effective development outcomes .

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