The Greek concept of the essence of technology was investigated by Martin

Heidegger. The meaning of technology for the Greeks was assumed to be part of our
everyday life. To clarify further, the term technology was defined into two categories.

1. Technology is a means to an end.

2. Technology is a human activity.

The first definition treated technology as an instrument to achieve a

purpose or end. For example, student A bought a laptop and smartphone to be used for
online learning since students were not allowed to attend a face to face learning.
Laptops and smartphones are instruments for the student to achieve his/her purpose
which is to participate in online learning.

The second definition pointed out that technology is part of our daily
activities of the human person which is to invent technology such as gadgets for
online learning, protective equipment to fight COVID-19, agricultural machines to
produce foods and etc.

The two definitions of technology are interconnected with each other in

such a way that the outcomes of human activities are meant to serve their purpose.
However, this definition of technology became problematic when technology does not
serve its purpose (essence). For example, imagine that COVID-19 will die naturally.
You might think that those PPEs and gadgets for learning are meaningless because
the purpose is not being served. The revival of face-to-face learning will make a
gadget for online learning less significant in the traditional classroom.

The Greek definition of technology as a human activity designed for a

specific purpose was restructured in modern times. Technology in the modern
era was reduced to calculative thinking that controls nature. For instance, the
invention of the telescope, the steam machine, and other devices were used to
master nature. In the mastery of nature, we used technology to manipulate
things around us. To see a clear picture, Heidegger provided three revelations
on modern technology as challenging forth, enframing and dangerous;

Modern Technology as Challenging Forth

Heidegger claimed that ancient and modern technology are revealing.
However, modern technology is revealing not in the sense of bringing forth but
rather challenging nature. Modern technology challenges nature through
extracting, transforming, storing, and distributing it. Challenging forth reduced
nature as standing 'reserve' or something to be disposed of by the people. For
example, people exploited the natural resources without minding the negative
effects on the ecology, the modernization of extracting gold, coal, and
petroleum from the ground compromised the bodies of water, using of
synthetic dyes and artificial flavoring jeopardize human health, and the use of
chemicals in the agriculture poses threat to food safety and health security.

Modern Technology as Enframing

According to Martin Heidegger, modern technology is enframing. The
term 'enframing' derives from the word 'frame' which means putting something
into a box. This metaphorical term of Heidegger connotes that modern
technology put nature into a box through scientific knowledge. Enframing,
according to Heidegger, is akin to two ways of looking at the world; calculative
thinking and meditative thinking. Humans put an order to nature and control it
through calculative thinking.

The Dangers of Technology

Heidegger at this point is critical to the dangers of modern technology by
pointing out its defects as enframing nature, challenging forth, treat nature as
a standing reserve. In this case, modern technology deviated from the
essential notion of technology and revealing or poiesis. Heidegger sees this as
a danger to humanity.

Recognizing the dangers of technology requires critical and reflective

thinking on its use. For example, social media has indeed connected people in
the most efficient and convenient way but it is prone to abuse such as the
invasion of privacy, online disinhibition, and proliferation of fake news.

The real threat of technology comes from its essence, not its activities
or products. The correct response to the danger of technology is not simply
dismissing technology altogether. Heidegger explained that people are
delivered over to technology in the worst possible way when they regard it as
something neutral (Heidegger, 1997).

In summary, we discussed technology as a way of revealing. We learned from

this topic that Martin Heidegger clarified the concept of technology from the
ancient, modern, and contemporary periods. In the ancient period, technology
was viewed from its essence while modernity shaped technology as enframing
that posed a danger to nature. The problem with the essential notion of
technology and technological enframing was far from the ideal concept of
technology based on revealing what Heidegger retrieved from the ancient
concept of poiesis. Technology as a way of revealing provided us with a new
perspective on how we relate to technology from art and questioning thought.

A brief overview of Aristotle's Life

Aristotle, who lived from 384 - 322 BC, is probably the most
important ancient Greek philosopher and scientist. He was a student of Plato
and founded a school named Lyceum. In his own school, Aristotle's students
compiled their lecture notes and came up with a book entitled Nichomachean
Ethics. This Nichomachean Ethics, dedicated to his son Nichomachus, became
a foundation of Aristotle's ethics composed of ten books.

What is a good life?

The term 'good life is one of the concerns of Greek thinkers like
Aristotle. In the Nichomachean Ethics, Aristotle says that every action aims at
some good. Some goods are classified as instrumental or intrinsic. The
instrumental good is a means to achieve something else while intrinsic good is
good in itself or ultimate good (Eudaimonia or human flourishing/happiness). At
this point, Aristotle is suggesting that if we want to live a good life then we
must develop intellectual and moral virtues.

Eudaimonia
Eudaimonia is a Greek word that means human flourishing or
happiness. Eudaimonia as ultimate good is the final end of our action.
However, Aristotle categorized well into different aspects; instrumental good
and intrinsic good. Instrumental good aims at something else while intrinsic
good is the final end or good in itself. For example, enrolling in this course is
good because you will learn something and get a grade at the end of the day.
Why do you want a grade? because I want to get a college degree. Why do you
want to get a degree? to secure a job. As you push the question, you will end
up in the final end which is the eudaimonia. So studying in college is
instrumental good if it helps you to achieve happiness. On the other hand,
studying in college is intrinsic good if you are happy with what you are doing
right now. Sometimes, there are people who wrongly assumed bodily pleasure
or wealth, fame, and honor as eudaimonia. This assumption is wrong because
eudaimonia is exclusive only to a human being who exercises the faculty of
reason.

Human Person
The table above reflects Aristotle's concept of the human soul and its
hierarchy of functions and activities. The soul was divided into three; rational,
sensitive, and nutritive. The rational part of the soul is the ability of a human
person to think either based on theoretical or practical knowledge. Aristotle
formulated the principle of 'man as a rational animal' to achieve
eudaimonia/happiness. Achieving eudaimonia/happiness is possible only when
a human person learns to identify and choose the mean of their action between
excess and deficiency. By doing this, we can moderate our actions to achieve
the ultimate good or virtuous action. For example, integrating advanced
technology into human activities aided workers to produce outputs faster and
easier. Almost everything is run by machines. But, too much dependent on
machines has negative effects on human well-being. However, those societies
that never upgrade their technology were left behind in the fast-changing
industrial revolution and considered backward societies. Between the two
extremes of actions, a rational animal who aims to reach eudaimonia should
choose the mean of action of the advanced technocratic society and backward
society. Aristotle's method can be applied to the action of generosity, courage,
anger and etc. to make them virtuous.

Arete
 Arete is one of the significant concepts of Aristotle in achieving a good
life/Eudaimonia or happiness. Arete is a Greek term that means 'excellence of
any kind in terms of intellectual and moral virtues. Intellectual virtue is
achieved through education and experience. On the other hand, moral virtue is
developed through the constant practice of an action that promotes good life.
For instance, courage became a virtue when it is properly displayed at the
right time, right manner, and right place in the face of danger. A person who
does not properly assess the danger and reserve any fear may develop the vice
of foolhardiness or rashness. However, a person may develop the vice of
cowardice if he/she becomes fearful and incapable of acting on the problem in
the face of danger.

Science, Technology, and Good Life

The rapid development of science and technology is manifested through
the current trend in integrating machines into human affairs. The automation of
communication, transportation, food production, education, modernization of
medicine, etc. must be geared towards a good life. Guided by the concept of a
good life, policymakers, state leaders, and technocrats can work hand-in-hand
to make our world a better place to live in. A world is in a state of balance
between excess and deficiency.

Summary
To wrap up the discussion, the good life as a final end of human actions
is an indispensable ethical theory that advocates happiness along with the
development of science and technology. Connecting good life, science and
technology requires us to set our goal which is to achieve eudaimonia.
Achieving eudaimonia is possible through the constant practice of moral
virtues guided by the rational part of the soul.

In this module, we explored the philosophy of Aristotle about the good life.
According to him, the good life as the final end of human actions is an
indispensable ethical theory that advocates happiness along with the
development of science and technology. Connecting good life, science and
technology require us to set our goal which is to achieve eudaimonia.
Achieving eudaimonia is possible through the constant practice of moral
virtues guided by the rational part of the soul.

Although there is no standard measure of inequality, the report claimed that

most indicators suggest that the widening of the growth gap slowed during the
financial crisis in 2007 but is now growing again. The increasing inequality
appears paradoxical having in mind the efforts that had been poured onto the
development programs designed to assist poor countries to rise from absence
to slow progress.

With this backdrop and in the context of unprecedented scientific and

technological advancement and economic development, a human must ask
themselves whether they are indeed flourishing, individually or collectively. If
development efforts to close out the gap between the rich and the poor
countries have failed, is it possible to confront the challenges of development
through a nonconformist framework?

Jason Hickel, an anthropologist at the London School of Economics,

criticized the failure of the growth and development efforts of the UN to
eradicate poverty several decades ago. He conceptualized a nonconformist
perspective toward growth and development.

Here is the outline of Jason Hickel's article on 'Forget developing poor

countries, it's time to de-develop rich countries. Hickel's article will be
discussed in detail in assignment 3.1.

Assumptions:

1. UN's new sustainable development goals (SDGs) assumed that growth

based on the traditional economic model is an effective strategy to
eradicate poverty.
2. Gross Domestic Products (GDP) is a measure of human development.
3. Questions;
1. How much do we really need to live long and enjoy a happy life?
1. According to Peter Edward, instead of pushing poor 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.
2. Genuine Progress is anchored on quality instead of quantity
2. What is a good life or good living?

1. Latin Americans organized themselves and envision the indigenous

concept of Buen Vivir, or good living.
2. Robert and Edward Skidelsky conceptualized the good life through the
possibility of interventions like banning advertising that promotes
consumerism and shortens the working hour, and basic income.

Summary
This topic shows you a radical model of equalizing the poor and rich
countries through eradicating poverty as a perennial problem. Jason Hickel's
criticized the existing UN model popularly known as new sustainable
development goals (SDGs) and he provided us with a nontraditional framework
for solving the problem of poverty.

In summary, a radical model of equalizing the poor and rich countries

through eradicating poverty is a perennial problem. Jason Hickel's criticized
the existing UN model popularly known as new sustainable development goals
(SDGs) and he provided us with a nontraditional framework for solving the
problem of poverty which is the de-development framework.
H - human beings'
U - unequivocal
M - means
A - and privilege that
N - need to be
R- respected
I - in order to
G - gain success for humanity
T - today and tomorrow in relation to
S- Science and Technology
What are human rights?
Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our
nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, color, religion,
language, and the like.

Human rights in the face of technological and scientific advancement are

critical factors in one's journey toward a good life. Protecting the well-being
and protecting the dignity of the human person must be at the core of
continued scientific and technological progress and development. Such is the
focus of the human rights-based approach to science, technology, and society
by S. Romi Mukherjee.

The following are the three important documents:

1. Universal Declaration of Human Rights -This document affirms everyone's

right to participate in and benefit from scientific advances, and be protected
from scientific misuse. The right to the benefits of science comes under the
domain of 'culture,' so it is usually examined from a cultural rights
perspective.

1. UNESCO Recommendation of the Status of Scientific Researchers- This

document that all advances in scientific and technological knowledge
should solely be geared toward the welfare of the global citizens, and calls
upon member states to develop necessary protocol policies to monitor and
secure this objective. Countries are asked to show that science and
technology are integrated into policies that aim to ensure a more humane
and just society.

1. UNESCO Declaration on the Use of Scientific Knowledge- This document

states, "Today, more than ever, science and its applications are
indispensable for development. All levels of government and the private
sector should provide enhanced support for building up adequate and evenly
distributed scientific and technological capacity through appropriate
 education and research programs as an indispensable foundation for
economic, social, cultural, and environmentally sound development. This is
particularly urgent for developing countries." This declaration encompasses
issues such as pollution-free production, efficient resources use,
biodiversity protection, and brain drains.

A human rights- approach to science, technology, and development sets the

parameters for the appraisal of how science, technology, and development
promote human well-being.

Thus, the discussion on human rights in the face of the changing scientific and
technological contexts must not serve as merely a decorative moral dimension
of scientific and technological policies but rather the very heart of sustainable
futures.

Human rights should be integrated into the journey toward the ultimate good.
They should guide humans not only to flourish as individual members of society
but also to assist each other in flourishing collectively as a society. Human
rights are rights to sustainability, as Mukherjee put it. They may function as
the "golden mean," particularly by protecting the weak, poor, and vulnerable
from deficiencies and excesses of science and technology. By imposing upon
science and technology the moral and ethical duty to protect and uphold
human rights, there can be a more effective and sustainable approach to
bridging the gap between poor and rich countries on both tangible and
intangible aspects. Ultimately, all these will lead humans to flourish together
through science and technology.

Summary
In summary, the good life entails living in a just and progressive society whose
citizens have the freedom to flourish. The human person has the autonomy to
make choices that may enable the flourishing of his/her self and society. To be
able to attain such a good life, one must need to exercise, and to protect his or
her rights for human dignity is the ultimate core of man's existence. Thus, the
United Nations proclaimed UDHR as a global standard to ensure that the
rights of a person are recognized and appreciated by individuals regardless of
race, gender, religion, and education. Also, whatever endeavors one
undertakes, whether scientific or not, one must be aware that human rights
must be respected.

In summary, the good life entails living in a just and progressive society whose
citizens have the freedom to flourish. The human person has the autonomy to
make choices that may enable the flourishing of his/her self and society. To be
able to attain such a good life, one must need to exercise, and protect his or
her rights for human dignity is the ultimate core of man's existence. Thus, the
United Nations proclaimed UDHR as a global standard to ensure that the
rights of a person are recognized and appreciated by individuals regardless of
race, gender, religion, and education. Also, whatever endeavors one
undertakes, whether scientific or not, one must be aware that human rights
must be respected.