UNIVERSITY OF MINDANAO

College of Arts and Sciences Education

General Education

Physically Distanced but Academically Engaged

Self-Instructional Manual (SIM) for Self-Directed Learning (SDL)

Course/Subject: GE 5 Science, Technology, and Society

Week 4 – 5
(June 13 – June 26)

Name of Teacher: ____________________

THIS SIM/SDL MANUAL IS A DRAFT VERSION AND IS NOT FOR COMMERCIAL

USE.REPRODUCTION OR DISTRIBUTION OUTSIDE OF ITS INTENDED USE IS
PROHIBITED. THIS IS INTENDED ONLY FOR THE USE OF THE STUDENTS WHO ARE
OFFICIALLY ENROLLED IN THE COURSE/SUBJECT.
EXPECT REVISIONS OF THIS MANUAL.

Prepared by: MARIFE MACANLAY, MS

 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Week 4 – Week 5

IV. Human Flourishing in Science and Technology

a. Technology As Mode of Revealing ………………………………… 33

b. Technology As Poiesis ………………………………………………. 34
c. Questioning As A Piety Of Thought ………………………………… 34
d. Enframing: Way of Revealing Modern Technology ………………. 34
e. Human Person Swallowed by Technology ………………………… 35
f. Art as a Way Out of Enframing …………………………………….. 36

Let’s Check Activity 4…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 37

Let’s Analyze Activity 4…………………………………………………………………………………………. 37
In a Nutshell Activity 4………………………………………………………………………………………….. 38

V. Explain human flourishing as reflected in progress and development …… 40

Let’s Check Activity 5….………………………………………………………… 42

Let’s Analyze Activity 5…………………………………………………………. 45
In a Nutshell Activity 5 …..……………………………………………………... 46
 College of Arts and Sciences Education
General Education – Science
2nd Flr. DPT Building,Matina Campus, Davao City
Phone No. : (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 134

Big Picture (For 2nd Exam)

Week 4-5: Unit Learning Outcomes (ULO): At the end of the unit, you are
expecting to

A. Discuss what technology reveals and its role in human flourishing; and
B. Explain human flourishing, as reflected in progress and development.

Big Picture in Focus: ULOa. Discuss what technology reveals and

its role in human flourishing

Metalanguage

The essential terms below are operationally defined for you better understand
and to demonstrate ULOa. You will encounter these as we go through this chapter.

Alethea – unhidden or disclosure; the state of not being hidden; the state
of being evident." It also means factuality or reality.

Poiesis – is defined as bringing forth.

Techne – means skill, art, or craft.
Revealing - means that technological things have their novel kind of
presence, endurance, and connections among parts and
wholes. They have their way of presenting themselves and the
world in which they operate.

Enframing – means that way of revealing which holds sway in the essence of
modern technology and is itself nothing technological.

Piety – is obedience and submission, described as a comprehensive

attempt to interrogate the idea of technology to understand the
essence of the thing rather than merely following it as an
instrument or a means.

Calculative thinking is the more special kind of human thought, in which people
gather information and put it together to put it to some specific use.

Meditative thinking - involves something much more profound than practical

calculation, and it takes much more effort. Reflective thinking tells us why we should
do something, beyond the simple calculative process of actually doing it.

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General Education – Science
2nd Flr. DPT Building,Matina Campus, Davao City
Phone No. : (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 134

Essential Knowledge

The progress or development of human civilizations throughout history mirrors

the development of science and technology. Us, both the bearer and beneficiary of
science and technology, flourishes and finds meaning the builders. In this topic, we
are going to understand the person's way of flourishing technology to pursuit having
a good life. I may unconsciously acquire, consume, or even destroy what the world
has to offer.

Martin Heidegger (a German Philosopher) - wrote a book "The Question of

Technology," discusses and urges us to question about the invention of technology
and see beyond people's shared understanding of it.

TECHNOLOGY AS A MODE OF REVEALING

Martin Heidegger urged people to envision technology as a mode of revealing

as it shows so much more about a human person and the world. By considering
technology as a mode of explaining, then truth is brought forth since technology is a
way of bringing forth, a making-of something. The 'true' entails so much meaning
and significance. For instance, knowing the truth about the Earth is weeping
revealed from the information and data taken by modern devices. The fact that
uncovered will make something meaningful and significant than the practical or
superficial use of technology.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcBt9N-kIns

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General Education – Science
2nd Flr. DPT Building,Matina Campus, Davao City
Phone No. : (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 134

TECHNOLOGY AS POIESIS: APPLICABLE TO MODERN TECHNOLOGY?

Heidegger characterizes modern technology as a challenging forth since it is

very aggressive in its activity. As defined poiesis as bringing forth. Advanced
technology challenges the nature and demands of its resources, which, most of the
time, is forcibly extracted for human consumption and storage 'setting upon' of the
land. Examples of these are mining. It removes minerals from the Earth and
forcefully assigns the property as means to fulfill the never-ending demands of
people, information at our fingertips, harvested foods even out of season, gravity
defied to fly off space, etc. It is not working anymore with the rhythms of nature
because we have learned to control it. Heidegger described modern technology as
the age of switches, standing reserve, and stockpiling for its own sake. It manifests
many aspects of life, like mechanization and digitization of individual. For this,
agriculture and communication and transportation would compromise each other.

QUESTIONING AS PIETY OF THOUGHT

Addressing what technology has brought forth, one can be submissive or

assertive to what his/her thoughts and reflections elicit. Thinking brings forth insights
that the mind has not yet fully understood or developed. It is evoked by questioning
until understanding or answers had met. It builds the way towards knowing the truth
of who he/she is as a being.
Questioning serves as the loyalty of thought because we keep asking out of
curiosity, we keep on searching and discovering in search for the meaning of truth.

ENFRAMING: It is the way of Revealing In Modern Technology

The way of revealing (disclosure) in modern technology is an enframing. In

simpler terms, it is as if nature is put in a box or frame so that it can be better
understood and controlled according to the desire of people. Enframing is the mode
in which everything comes into the open and makes sense for us because people
want security, even if the ordering in enframing is violent. Thus, we used every
resource on the planet as a standing reserve, put an order by extracting, stockpiling,
and whatever means beneficial to humans. These things are part of modern
technology that has to be free through enframing.

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General Education – Science
2nd Flr. DPT Building,Matina Campus, Davao City
Phone No. : (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 134

Heidegger distinguished between two types of thinking:

Calculative thinking – it is one order and puts a system to nature to be better

understood and controlled. It is the more special kind of human thought, in which
people gather information and put it together to put it to some specific use.

Example of calculative thinking:

Whenever a professor displays a task, everyone will get their smartphones,

click the camera button, and take photographs. We perceive nature as seeing and
listening technically by saving ourselves a picture of instructions so that if we miss
something, which is unnecessary, we can easily see and review what is in it. We
take in everything most quickly and cheaply as possible.

Meditative thinking allows nature to reveal itself to him/her without forcing it;
it helps us to understand our life's meaning, placing significance on the individual
rather than the collective. It tells us why we should do or should not do a thing,
beyond the simple calculative process of actually doing it.

Example of meditative thinking:

Instead of doing the example written above (calculative thinking), one click of
a camera is indeed making things useful. However, the negative side is that we
oversee the importance of absorbing what is being displayed and discussed.
People in the past invented the camera because they see the importance of what
they are seeing.

Hence, the human person has the capacity for both calculative thinking and
meditative thinking and would do well in synergy. However, people want to control a
lot of things but sometimes afraid of unpredictability. Therefore, there is a
collaboration between calculative thinking and meditative thinking.

HUMAN PERSON SWALLOWED BY TECHNOLOGY

Example:
They are always plugged online and no longer have the capacity for authentic
personal encounters (dependent on gadgets/social media);
Cannot let go of the conveniences and profits brought about by processes and
industries that pollute (biochemical) the environment and cause climate change, then
technology has consumed our humanity.

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 College of Arts and Sciences Education
General Education – Science
2nd Flr. DPT Building,Matina Campus, Davao City
Phone No. : (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 134

Heidegger stated that the essence of technology is not found in the

instrumentality and function of machines constructed, but in the significance of such
technology unfolds.

ART AS A WAY OUT OF ENFRAMING

We should look at nature as an art, and we should not customize it to fit in our
needs. Instead, we should use a sustainable technology that does not harm the
environment and keep it as it is. Like a windmill, it uses wind but not alters it. With
art, we are better able to see the poetic in reality.

Aristotle’s conception of the four causes:

a. Causa materialis – the material, the matter out of which, for example, a
silver chalice
b. Causa formalis – the form, the shape into which the material enters
c. Causa finalis – the end, for example, the sacrificial rite about which the
chalice required is determined by its form and matter.
d. Causa efficiens – refers in which brings about the effect that is finished,
actual chalice.

Self-Help: You can also refer to the sources below to help you
further understand the lesson:

Mark Blitz (2014). "Understanding Heidegger on Technology," The New Atlantis,

Number 41, Winter 2014, pp. 63-80. Retrieved from
https://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/understanding-heidegger-
on-technology43

Joy Vigonte (2020). Calculative VS Meditative Thinking. Retrieved from

https://www.scribd.com/document/402478977/Calculative-vs-Meditative-
Thinking

McNamara, Daniel Joseph SJ, Valverde, V.M., Beleno, R. (2018). Science

Technology and Society.1st ed. C and E. Pub

Soren Riis (2011). Towards the Origin of Modern Technology: Reconfiguring Martin
Heidegger’s Thinking. Retrieved from
https://search.proquest.com/docview/858917921/4F1A526818F04687PQ/1?a
ccountid=31259

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 College of Arts and Sciences Education
General Education – Science
2nd Flr. DPT Building,Matina Campus, Davao City
Phone No. : (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 134

Let’s Check

Activity 4. Classify the following practices of the human flourishing of the technology it
provides mentioned in the essential knowledge part of this unit.

e.g., Human Person Swallowed by technology 1. Cannot do the assignment or can’t do

research without gadgets and the internet.

_________________________ 1. Swab testing to determine if positive to COVID.

_________________________ 2. Tissue culture is applied to produce new

seedlings.
_________________________ 3. Creating GMO (genetically modified organisms)
products.
_________________________ 4. Power plants using renewable resources.

_________________________ 5. Consistently studying and finding the cure of

COVID.
_________________________ 6. Mining coal to provide electricity.

_________________________ 7. Doing exercise regularly to have a healthy body.

_________________________ 8. Apply aesthetics to maintain beauty.

_________________________ 9. Undergo medical procedures like surgery to solve

health problem and extend life

_________________________ 10. Determining the weather conditions through

satellites.

Let’s Analyze

Activity 4. In this part, you are once again required to elaborate your answer thoroughly on
the questions below:

1. How is technology a mode of revealing?

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

2. Why should technology be questioned?

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

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 College of Arts and Sciences Education
General Education – Science
2nd Flr. DPT Building,Matina Campus, Davao City
Phone No. : (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 134

Explain why Heidegger manifest the calculative thinking towards meditative thinking?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

Describe technology as a means to an end, and technology is a human activity.

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

In a Nutshell

Activity 4.
Heidegger's questioning the technology brought a big realization on flourishing
technology, especially nowadays. All of us seem dependent on the presence of
technology. However, we cannot cover or hide the truth that there are ways already
that technology brought both positive and negative effects on humanity. In this
activity, you require to draw conclusions or write your perspectives about this matter.
Again, I will supply the first item, and you will continue the rest.

1. Flourishing of technology could be bad or good depends on the person using

it. Utilizing technology would be beneficial when there’s a demand for food,
medicine, especially if there's pandemic, etc. to survive. But when it is utilized
to create destruction to humanity and the environment, that’s when it became
terrible. All these, it depends on one's person's action in flourishing
technology.
2. ______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

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General Education – Science
2nd Flr. DPT Building,Matina Campus, Davao City
Phone No. : (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 134

5. ___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Do you have questions for clarification?

Questions/Issues Answers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Enframing Poiesis
Art Piety of thought
Calculative thinking Meditative thinking
Revealing Swallowed by technology

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 College of Arts and Sciences Education
General Education – Science
2nd Flr. DPT Building,Matina Campus, Davao City
Phone No. : (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 134

Big Picture in Focus: ULOb. Explain human flourishing, as

reflected in progress and development.

Metalanguage

In this unit, you will encounter these essential definitions as you study human
flourishing, as reflected in progress and development. Always go back to these
definitions to further understand the topic.

SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) – life-changing goals outlined by United

Nations (UN) in 2015. Include ending extreme poverty, giving people better
healthcare, and achieving equality for women.

A paradigm shift is a significant change in the concepts and practices of how

something works or accomplished.

De-develop - does not tell us to give things up. It is merely about reducing
consumption while maintaining happiness and achieving a long life expectancy. It
may also be viewed as "slowing down." Rapid growth is partly wrong because we
tend to ignore the laws of nature.

Global Hectare (gha) - A unit of measured productivity used to report both the
biocapacity of the Earth, and the demand on biocapacity or ecological footprint.

Essential Knowledge

• Jason Hickel, an economic anthropologist from the University of London,

wrote an article, "Forget developing poor countries, it's time to de-develop rich
countries."

In this article, He said:

a. UN’s new sustainable development goals SDGs) is to eradicate poverty by
2030.

b. Growth or increasing population has been the main object of development

and progress for the past 70 years, even though it is not working. Since
1980, the global economy has grown by; three hundred eighty percent
(380%). Still, the number of people living in poverty level on less than $5
(£3.20) a day has increased by more than 1.1 billion.

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General Education – Science
2nd Flr. DPT Building,Matina Campus, Davao City
Phone No. : (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 134

c. at current levels of average global consumption; we’re overshooting our

planet's bio-capacity by more than fifty percent (50%) each year.

d. Growth isn't an option anymore – we've already grown too much. Most of
the scientists are now telling us that we're blowing past planetary
boundaries at a faster speed. And the hard truth is that this global crisis is
due almost entirely to overconsumption in rich or develop countries.

e. 'Instead of pushing poor countries to 'catch up' with rich ones, we should
be getting rich countries to 'catch down.'

f. Our planet (Earth) only has enough resources for each of us to consume
1.8 "global hectares" annually – a standard used unit that measures
resource use and waste.

g. The 'theory of development' argued by economist Peter Edward, that

instead of pushing poorer countries (less developed) to "catch up" with
rich ones, we should be thinking of ways to get rich countries to "catch
down" to more appropriate development levels.

h. 70% of middle- and high-income countries believe that overconsumption is

putting our planet and society at risk.

i. The two indicators of quality of life are life expectancy (living a long life)
and happiness. Then. How much do we need to live long and happy
lives?
US – 79 years life expectancy, GDP per capita $53,000

Cuba – comparable to the US the life expectancy; they have the

highest literacy rate, but GDP per capita is $6,000 and
consumption of 1.9 hectares (threshold of ecological
sustainability).

However, many countries have reached the same life expectancy as

compared to the US but with a mere fraction of this income per capita.

j. De-development not literally means de-growth or zero growth (to stop

moving positively thorough life, to stop learning, improving, growing) but to
reduce consumption of the resources.

k. I am taking cue with the Latin Americans, organizing alternative visions of

'vien Vivir ‘ (right living).

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Phone No. : (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 134

l. Edward and Robert Skidelsky –wrote the book "How Much Is Enough?',
where they lay out the possibility of different interventions such as a
shorter working week, banning advertising, and a basic income, all of
which would improve our lives while reducing the consumption.

m. Either we slow down voluntarily, or climate change will do it for us. We

can’t go on ignoring the laws of nature. But rethinking our theory of
progress is not only an ecological imperative but also a development one.
If we do not act soon, all our hard-won gains against poverty will
evaporate, as food systems collapse and mass famine re-emerge to an
extent not seen since the 19th century.

It is not about giving anything up. And it's certainly not about living a life of voluntary
misery or imposing harsh limits on human potential. On the contrary, it's about
getting into a higher level of understanding and consciousness about what we're
doing here and why.

Self-Help: You can also refer to the sources below to help you
further understand the lesson:

Sightsavers (2020). Global Goals. Retrieved from

https://www.sightsavers.org/policy-and-advocacy/global-
goals/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw-
r71BRDuARIsAB7i_QPWZQzx9seLMlFVaPi4L9elvjz97Sp7DFVKCL3dNanGV
AaAagGajw0aAua3EALw_wcB

The Guardian (2015). Forget 'developing' developing countries, and it's time to de-
develop rich countries, Jason Hickel. Retrieved from
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-
network/2015/sep/23/developing-poor-countries-de-develop-rich-countries-
sdgs

Let’s Check

Activity 5. Now that you've understood Hickel's concept of de-development. You require
to explain the following ideas of the essential knowledge part of this unit.
1. What is the primary objective or purpose of the Sustainable Development
Goals of the United Nations?
__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

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General Education – Science
2nd Flr. DPT Building,Matina Campus, Davao City
Phone No. : (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 134

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

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

3. What is the standard response to eradicate poverty?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

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

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

5. According to the majority of middle-and high-income countries, what puts the

planet and society at risk?
__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

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General Education – Science
2nd Flr. DPT Building,Matina Campus, Davao City
Phone No. : (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 134

6. How many hectares should each of us consume annually based on the

resources available on the planet?
___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

7. In this article, what are the two items about the quality of life?

8.

9.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

10. What crisis on the planet would force us to slow down if we do not do so
voluntarily?
___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

11. According to Dr. Jason Hickel, what must be done instead of urging
developing countries to 'catch up" with rich ones?
___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

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General Education – Science
2nd Flr. DPT Building,Matina Campus, Davao City
Phone No. : (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 134

12. How would the different areas of the world react to the idea of de-
development?
___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Let’s Analyze

Activity 5. In this part, you are once again required to explain your answer
thoroughly on the questions below:

1. Why must we change our Paradigm of Growth and consumption to that of" de-
development?
___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2. Why are the terms, de-development, de-growth, and zero seemingly unacceptable
to the common framework of human progress?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

3. How has the notion of growth enframed us?

_________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

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General Education – Science
2nd Flr. DPT Building,Matina Campus, Davao City
Phone No. : (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 134

4. How do we improve our lives and yet reduce our consumption?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

5. What are the similarities and differences between Heidegger’s The Question
Concerning Technology and Hickel’s article?
___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

In a Nutshell

Activity 5.
Clearly, Hickel from his article showed us how progress and development are
equated with growth and higher consumption, which could be the development
indicator. In this portion of the unit, you require again to give your synthesis,
conclusions, or arguments relevant to the topic presented. I will supply the first item,
and you will continue the rest.

1. De-development or reducing the use of resources for impoverished country to

catch up would be the right paradigm shift, especially when it limits climate
change. But, there might be no stopping or shifting by rich countries since growth
is always be the strategy for economic rise.
2.

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

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General Education – Science
2nd Flr. DPT Building,Matina Campus, Davao City
Phone No. : (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 134

Do you have questions for clarification?

Questions/Issues Answers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

De-development Paradigm shift

SDG Global hectare
GDP consumption
Economic growth

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