Republic of the Philippines

UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN PHILIPPINES

University Town, Northern Samar
Website: [Link]; Email: uepnsofficial@[Link]

GE 7: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND

SOCIETY First Semester, SY 2020 – 2021

Prepared and Compiled by:

RUTH L. SAYDE
PAULA MAE M. CAPARIC
JERICK BESALO
IRVIN MORALES
CAC, Part-Time Lecturers

NAME OF STUDENT:
_______________________________________________________________ COURSE & YEAR:
__________________________________________________________
UNIT-1 GENERAL CONCEPTS AND HISTORICAL EVENTS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY
AND SOCIETY
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
UNIT-1 GENERAL CONCEPTS AND HISTORICAL EVENTS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY

MODULE 7 – THE GOOD LIFE …...………………………...……………………………………... 4

INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………………………………… 4

OUTCOMES ………………………………………………………………………………………... 4

ARISTOTLE AND HOW WE ALL ASPIRE FOR A GOOD LIFE ………………………………. 5

HAPPINESS AS THE GOAL OF A GOOD LIFE ………………….…..……………………….. 6 I.

Materialism ……………………………………………...………………………………….. 6 II.

Hedonism ……………..………………………………...………………………………….. 6 III.

Stoicism ….……………………………………………...………………………………….. 7 IV.

Theism …..……………………………………………...………………………………….. 8 V.

Humanism ……………………………………………...………………………………….. 8 WHAT

IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF A GOOD LIFE? ……………………………………….. 9 WHAT IS

THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN ACHIEVING GOOD LIFE? ………………….. 9 LET’S TAKE

A BREAK ……………………………………………………….………………… 10 Summary

………………………………………………………………………………………..... 12

References ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 12

Suggested Readings …………………………………………………………………………… 12

GE7 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY | UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN

 PHILIP

PINES
2
UNIT-1 GENERAL CONCEPTS AND HISTORICAL EVENTS IN SCIENCE,

TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY UNIT 1

GENERAL CONCEPTS AND HISTORICAL EVENTS

IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY
 GE7 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY | UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN

PHILIP

PINES
3
UNIT-1 GENERAL CONCEPTS AND HISTORICAL EVENTS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY
AND SOCIETY

7
THE GOOD LIFE
 INTRODUCTION

Good day! Are you ready for today’s discussion?

Well, do not worry. We will get through this. I hope you have fun!

In the previous module, you have learned how the idea of human flourishing

can affect the idea of how science can work against us rather than for us and

create a conflict on the search for the truth and for the good. In Ancient Greece,

one must understand the self and the good life in order to understand the world and

the reality. Many philosophers have attempted unlocking the old philosophical

question, “What is the good life?”, “How should one live well?”, “What does it take

to live fruitfully?” In this 7th module, these questions will be answered as we

understand and learn all about achieving the good life, what every individual strives

throughout their life.

OUTCOMES

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

∙ examine shared concerns that make up the good life

∙ create innovative and creative solutions to contemporary issues guided by

ethical standards

∙ identify how humans attempt to attain what is deemed to be a good life ∙

recognize possibilities available to human being to attain the good life

GE7 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY | UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN

PHILIP

PINES
4
UNIT-1 GENERAL CONCEPTS AND HISTORICAL EVENTS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY
 AND SOCIETY

ARISTOTLE AND HOW WE ALL ASPIRE FOR A GOOD LIFE

Aristotle is known as the first philosopher who approached the problem of

reality from a scientific point of view. He is also the
first thinker who looked into the concept of the
goal of life and the pursuit of happiness.

Compared to his teacher, Plato believed

that change is so perplexing that it can only make
sense if there are two realities:

1. The World of Forms (things are changing)

2. The World of Matter (the entities are only
copies of the ideal and the models, and the
forms are the only real entities)

Plato recognized change as a process and as a phenomenon that happens

in the world. Change is constant. He also claimed that despite the reality you remain
to be you despite the changes that happen to you.

Meanwhile, Aristotle claims that this

world is
all there is to it and that this world is the only
reality
we can all access. He also claimed that
there is no
reality over and above what the senses can
perceive. It is only by observation of the
external
world that one can truly understand what
reality is
all about. Change is a process that is inherent in
things. Every human being moves according to sine
end. Every action that emanates from a human
person is a function of the purpose (telos) that the
person has. Every human person aspires for an end.
This end is happiness or human flourishing.
Happiness is the be all and end all of everything
that we do. The end goal of everything that we do
is happiness. He claims that humans want to obtain human flourishing, a kind of
contentment I knowing that one is getting the best out of life. A kind of feeling that
one has maxed out his potentials in the world, that he has attained the crux of his
humanity.

GE7 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY | UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN

PHILIP

PINES
5
UNIT-1 GENERAL CONCEPTS AND HISTORICAL EVENTS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY
AND SOCIETY

HAPPINESS AS THE GOAL OF A GOOD LIFE

I. Materialism

⮲ The world is made up of and is controlled by the tiny indivisible units in the world
called atomos or seeds.

⮲ Atomos are indivisible particles, assembled by chance and in a purely

mechanical way.

⮲ The founders and the first materialists were Democritus and Leucippus. ⮲ For
Democritus, the world, including human beings, is made up of matter. There is no
need to posit immaterial entities as sources of purpose.

⮲ Atomos simply comes together randomly to form the things in the world. Only
material entities matter.

⮲ This is when most people are clinging on to material wealth as the primary
source if the meaning of their existence.
 ⮲ Materialists does not believe in the afterlife.

⮲ This belief aims that comfort, pleasure, and wealth are the only highest goals.

II. Hedonism

⮲ The hedonists see the end goal of life acquiring pleasure. Pleasure is their
priority.

⮲ This school of thought is led by Epicurus. He continued the theory of materialism,

which does not buy any notion of afterlife.

⮲ Life is about obtaining and indulging in pleasure because life is limited.

GE7 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY | UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN

PHILIP

PINES
6
UNIT-1 GENERAL CONCEPTS AND HISTORICAL EVENTS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY
AND SOCIETY

⮲ Their mantra is, “Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die.” Or in modern
terms, YOLO.

⮲ They strive to maximize their total pleasure the difference of pleasure and pain,
and if the pleasure was finally gained, happiness remains fixed.

⮲ Hedonists does not believe in the afterlife.

III. Stoicism

⮲ Stoicism is created for those who live their lives in the real world. ⮲ It was
founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium. And this school of thought was led by
Epicurus.

⮲ The stoics espoused the idea that to generate happiness, one must learn to
distance oneself and be apathetic.

⮲ Apatheia means indifferent.

⮲ It asserts that virtue is happiness and judgment should be based acts on

behavior rather than words. People do not have any control and must not rely
on external events, only for themselves and their responses. This philosophy,
helps a person to overcome destructive emotions and acts on what can be
acted upon.

⮲ For stoics, happiness can only be attained by a careful practice of apathy. ⮲

We should adopt the fact that some things are not within our control. The sooner
we realize this, the happier we can become.

⮲ Stoicism differs formother school of thought with its purpose as a practical

application rather than intellectual ebterprise.

GE7 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY | UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN

PHILIP

PINES
 7

UNIT-1 GENERAL CONCEPTS AND HISTORICAL EVENTS IN SCIENCE,

TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY

IV. Theism

⮲ Most people find the meaning of their lives using God as a fulcrum of their
existence.

⮲ The ultimate basis of happiness for theists is the communion with God. ⮲ They
believe that they can find the meaning of their lives by using God as the creator
of their existence.

⮲ Theism is a belief that one or more gods exist within the universe, and that gods
are often omniscient (all-knowing), omnipotent (all-powerful), and
omnipresent (all-pervasive). This belief also incorporates monotheism 9belief in
one god) and Polytheism (belief in many gods).

⮲ The world where we are in is only just a temporary reality where we have to

maneuver around while waiting for the ultimate return to the hands of God. ⮲
The Abrahamic faiths such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, as well as Hinduism are
all theistic religions.

V. Humanism

⮲ Humanism is the school of thought with the belief

that human beings have the right and
responsibility to give meaning and shape their
own lives.

⮲ The man is free 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.

⮲ Humanists see themselves not merely as stewards of the creation but as

individuals who are in control of themselves and the world outside them. ⮲ Most
scientist dwell on this thought that the true world is a place for discovery in
seeking ways on how to improve the lives of its inhabitants. And as a result,
scientists eventually turn to technology to ease the difficulty of life, that is, to live
comfortably.

GE7 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY | UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN

PHILIP

PINES
8
UNIT-1 GENERAL CONCEPTS AND HISTORICAL EVENTS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY
AND SOCIETY

WHAT IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF A GOOD LIFE?

Aristotle created the concept of eudaimonia (from daimon – true nature). He

deemed happiness to be a vulgar idea, stressing that not all desires are worth
pursuing as, even though some of them may yield pleasure, they would not produce
wellness. He thought that true happiness is found by leading a virtuous life and doing
what is worth doing. He argued that realizing human potential is the ultimate goal.

However, Boniwell emphasized that feeling good is not good enough for a
good life. Each person must realize his/her potentialities which would lead him/her to
the greatest fulfilment – daimon.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN ACHIEVING GOOD LIFE?

Vergrart believed that technology will support and enhance a “good life” for
all citizens without compromising the earth’s ecosystem or the prospects of later
generations. According to Stutz, a good life requires essentially basic human needs
are met and aspirations for freedom, belonging, and self-realization are fulfilled as
much as possible. Vergrart noted that technological innovation in the context of the
hood life and how it can be supported or threatened, depending on the way
technological innovations are influenced and steered by human decisions and
institutions.

However, technology allowed us to tamper time and space. Communication

has been a lot easier for people from different parts of the world. They can talk and
see each other in real time and send messages instantly without waiting for a letter
mail to arrive. Whether we use such technological advancements or not, these are
all in the pursuit of attaining a good life. It is the question of how we decide on what
kinds of technology to use or not to use as well as the balance between the good
life, ethics, and technology has to be achieved.

And we are done with Module 7!

But do not be too excited. Take a deep breath.
Sharpen your pencil for another learning exercise.
You can do it!

GE7 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY | UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN

PHILIP

PINES
9
UNIT-1 GENERAL CONCEPTS AND HISTORICAL EVENTS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY
AND SOCIETY

LET’S TAKE A BREAK!

Learning Exercise

Let us pause for a while and think.

1. Define, in your own words, the meaning of a good life.

___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________ .

2. Can technology lead us to a good life? Explain your answer.

___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________ .

3. What is the relationship between the good life and science? Explain your answer.

___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
.

GE7 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY | UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN

PHILIP

PINES
 10
UNIT-1
GENERAL
CONCEPTS AND HISTORICAL EVENTS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY

Here is the criteria for written requirements.

CRITERIA 4 3 2 1

Organization Information is very Information is slightly Information is The information

organized in a well organized in a well organized but appears to be
constructed paragraph constructed paragraph paragraph(s) are disorganized.
or paragraphs. or paragraphs. not well-
constructed.

Content Information relates to Information relates to Information Information has little

the topic. It provides a the topic. It provides partially relates to or nothing to do
lot of supporting details few supporting details the topic. No with the topic.
and/or examples. and/or examples. details and/or
examples are given.

Development Main points well Main points well Main points are Main points lack
developed with high developed with quality present with limited detailed
quality and quantity supporting details and detail and development. Ideas
support. Reveals high quantity. Critical development. Some are vague with little
degree of critical thinking is weaved into critical thinking is evidence of critical
thinking. points. present. thinking.

Grammar Essay is free of Essay has few Most spelling, Spelling,

& Mechanics distracting spelling, punctuation and punctuation, and punctuation, and
punctuation, and grammatical errors grammar correct grammatical errors
grammatical errors; allowing reader to allowing reader to create distraction,
absent of fragments, follow ideas clearly. progress through making reading
comma splices, and Very few fragments or essay. Some errors difficult; fragments,
run-ons. run-ons. remain. comma splices, run-
ons evident. Errors
are frequent.

Format Meets all formal and Meets format and Meets format and Fails to follow format
assignment assignment assignment and assignment
requirements and requirements; margins, requirements; requirement; cover
evidences attention to spacing, and generally correct format, incorrect
detail; all margins, indentations are margins, spacing, indentations;
spacing and correct; essay is neat and indentations; neatness of essay
indentations are and correctly essay is neat but needs attention.
correct; essay is neat assembled. may have some
and correctly assembly errors.
assembled with
professional look.

Don’t walk out on me right now –

this is a bit of mental work but look at this as a challenge

– and work through it. ☺

COMMENT FOR LEARNING EXERCISE

How well did you do this time?

I hope it was a cinch!
 GE7 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY | UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN

PHILIP

PINES
11
UNIT-1 GENERAL CONCEPTS AND HISTORICAL EVENTS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY
AND SOCIETY

SUMMARY

Every man is currently in pursuit of their happiness in order to have a good life.
Every man has different perspective on how to achieve a good life. Throughout the
years of pursuit, man has discovered different ways and things to equate to having a
good life. Some believe that happiness can be attained by fulfilling what is good for
the soul, that it must attain a certain balance in order to have a good life. While
others believe that happiness can be gained by acquiring material things and
satisfying one’s desire. Science and technology attempts to aid man at finding this
happiness. However, it is still up to mankind if science does fulfills this path and gives
a truthful fulfilling good life.

REFERENCES
∙ Serafica, Pawilen, Caslib, Alata. “Science, Technology, and Society”. Rex Book
Store, Inc. Manila, Philippines. 2018

∙ Prieto, Vega, Felipe, Meneses. “Science, Technology, and Society”. Lorimar

Publishing Inc. Quezon City, Manila. 2019

∙ [Link] ∙
[Link]

∙ [Link]

∙ [Link]

∙ [Link]
principles/

∙ [Link]

SUGGESTED READINGS
 ∙ Book VI and Book X Nichomachean Ethics of Aristotle

∙ What is and what should be the role of scientific culture in the modern society –
Richard Feynman in the Pleasure of Finding Things Out: The Best Short Works of
Richard Feynman 1999 Perseus Books. USA pp. 97-115

∙ The Concepts of the Public Good: A view from the Filipino Philosopher by
Rolando Gripaldo in the Making of a Filipino Philosopher and Other Essays,
2009, National Bookstore pp. 82-101

∙ Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing in Ethics and Human Dignity by Christopher

Ryan Maboloc). Manila, 2010. Rex Bookstore pp. 15-23

∙ That Sugar Film (2015) (documentary) Ppt: towards a green economy: pathway
to sustainable development and poverty eradication – UNEP

∙ Serafica, Pawilen, Caslib, Alata. “Science, Technology and Society”. 2018. RBS.
pp. 75-83

GE7 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY | UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN

PHILIP

PINES
12
UNIT-1 GENERAL CONCEPTS AND HISTORICAL EVENTS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY
AND SOCIETY

Now, you can take a break!

Watch your favorite Korean Drama,
browse and check your social media
accounts or play your favorite games.
Because why not?
You worked hard.
You deserve a break.
Enjoy!

A DAILY REMINDER:

“Success is no accident.
It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice
and most of all, love of what you are
 doing or learning to do.”
- Pete

GE7 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY | UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN

PHILIP

PINES
13