Chapter II –Science, Technology, and Society and the Human Condition

CHAPTER II

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, and SOCIETY and the HUMAN CONDITION

Lesson 1: Human Flourishing

Learning Outcomes

 Identify different conceptions of human flourishing

 Determine the development of the scientific method and validity of science
 Critic human flourishing vis-à-vis progress of science and technology to be
able to define for themselves the meaning of a good life

Introduction

Eudaimonia, literally “good spirited,” is a term coined by renowned Greek

philosopher Aristotle (385-323 BC to describe the pinnacle of happiness that is attainable by
humans, often translated into “human flourishing” in literature, likens humans to flowers
achieving their full bloom.

Aristotle’s human flourishing as discussed from the Nicomachean Ethics, arises as a

result of different components such as phronesis, friendship, wealth, and power. In the
Ancient Greek society, they believe that acquiring these qualities will surely bring the
seekers happiness, which in effect allows them to partake in the greater notion of what we
call the Good.

In the beginning, early people relied on simple machines to make hunting and
gathering easier. This development allowed them to make grander and more sophisticated
machines to aid them in their endeavors that eventually led to space explorations, medicine
innovations, and ventures of life after death. Humans of today are expected to become a
“man of the world”. He is supposed to situate himself in a global neighborhood, working side
by side among institutions and the government to be able to reach a common goal.
Competition as a means of survival has become passé; coordination is the new trend.

Interestingly, there exists a discrepancy between eastern and western conception

regarding society and human flourishing. It has been observed that western civilization tends
to be more focused on the individual, while those from the east are more community-
centric. The Chinese and the Japanese encourage studies of literature, sciences, and art, not
entirely for oneself but in service of a greater cause.

For Aristotle, a person who has achieved such state would want to serve the
community, but that is brought upon through deliberation based on his values rather than
his belief that the state is greater than him, and thus is only appropriate that he should
recognize it as a higher entity worthy of service.

Science, Technology, and Human Flourishing

Human flourishing is deeply intertwined, with goal setting relevant to science and
technology. In this case, technology is a tool in achieving the knowledge, Heidegger’s

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the end goals of both science and technology and human flourishing are related, in that the
good is inherently related to the truth

Science as a Method and Results

Commonly, science’s reputation stems from the objectivity brought upon by an

arbitrary, rigid methodology whose very character absolves it from any accusation of
prejudice.

The school, presents a general idea of how to do science:

 Observe and determine if there are unexplained occurrences unfolding

 Determine the problem and identify factors involved
 Through past knowledge of similar instance, formulate hypothesis that could
explain the said phenomenon. Ideally, the goal is to reject the null hypothesis and
accept the alternative hypothesis for the study “to count as significant” (can also be
separated into additional steps such as “to generate prediction” or “to infer from
past experiments”).
 Conduct experiment by setting up dependent and independent variables, and trying
to see how independent ones affect dependent ones.
 Gather and analyze results throughout and upon culmination of the experiment.
Examine if the data gathered are significant enough to conclude results
 Formulate conclusion and provide recommendation in case others would want to
broaden the study

In the students’ formative years, the above routine is basic methodology when
introducing them to experimentation and empiricism – two distinct features that give
science edge over other schools of thought.

Verification Theory

 distinguishes philosophy and science

 proposes that a discipline is science if it can be confirmed or interpreted in the event
of an alternative hypothesis being accepted
 gives premium to empiricism and only takes into account those results which are
measurable and experiments which are repeatable
 espoused by the Vienna Circle who believed that those which can be observed
should be regarded as meaningful and reject those which cannot be directly
accessed as meaningless

Falsification Theory

 asserts that as long as an ideology is not proven to be false and can best explain a
phenomenon over alternative theories
 does not promote ultimate adoption of one theory but encourages research in order
to determine which among the theories can stand the test of falsification
 Karl Popper is the known proponent

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Science as a Social Endeavor

 Philosophers like Paul Thagard, Imre Lakatos, Helen Longino, David Bloor, and
Richard Rorty, presented this alternative demarcation that explores the social
dimension of science and effectively, technology
 Presents an alternative notion that goes beyond the boundaries of cold, hard facts
of science and instead projects it in a different light, such as manifestation of shared
experience forging solidarity over communities

Science and Results

 Is not the only discipline which is able to produce results –religion, luck and human
randomness are some of its contemporaries in the field
 For some communities without access to science, they can turn to divination and
superstition nod still get the same results
 Does not monopolize the claim for definite results

Science as Education

 Educational system can hone and preserve students’ capacity to entertain other
options and decide for themselves the best among all presented
 Reinforce their imagination and allow some level of unorthodoxy, bringing forth
novel discoveries that otherwise would not be considered had they stuck to the
default methodology
 Innovations are brought forth by the visionaries
 Aristotle’s eudemonic person is required to be knowledgeable about science,
possessing intellectual virtues that will enable them to determine truth from
falsehood or good reasoning true eudaimon recognizes that flourishing requires one
to excel in various dimensions, such as linguistic, kinetic, artistic, and socio-civic from
poor reasoning

How much is Too Much?

 Economists believe that growth is the primary indicator of development

 Technology has been a primary instrument in enabling them to pursue said goal,
utilizing resources, machineries, and labor
 Joseph Hickel contemplates that developed countries should not push forth
more growth but instead adopt “de-development” policies or else, everybody
loses
 Rapid pace of technological growth allows no room for nature to recuperate,
resulting in exploitation and irreversible damages to nature like the climate
change, which would snowball and affect majority of flora and fauna, driving
half
of the latter extinct in less than a hundred year from now.

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THINK ABOUT THESE QUESTONS

1. Is our reverence of science justified? Explain.

2. Were we successful so far in trying to tie down technology with what we conceive
as human flourishing?
3. What do you think constitutes human flourishing?

ACTIVITY

1. State a brief history or discovery that brought about the invention or discovery of
the things stated below. State their contributions in our scientific development.
 Gravity
 Telescope
 Processed Food
 Microscope
 Radio
REFERENCES  Benzene Ring
 Large Hadron Collider
 Guns
 Internet
 Cell phones

REFERENCES

Dayrit, F.M. (2011). “Sustainable Development: An Evolving Paradigm for the 21st
Century.” Stellar Origin Human Ways. Ed. Ma Assunta C. Cuyegkeng. 231-57.

Hickel, J. (2015). “Forget Developing’ Rich Countries, It’s Time to “De-Develop’ Rich
Countries,” Accesses February 10, 2017. https:///www.the guardian.com/global-
Development-professionals-network/2015/sep/23/developing-poor-countries-de-
Develop-rich-countries-sdgs.

Thomson, J.A. (2003). The Nicomachean Ethics.London: Penguin.

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Lesson 2: Technology as a Way of Revealing

Learning Outcomes

 Explain the concept of human condition before science and technology

 Identify the change that happened in human condition after science and
technology
 Name ways on how technology aided in revealing the truth about the
human being

Introduction

Comparing the lives of the people before and now will make anyone realize the
changes that happened in society not just in terms of culture, language, or rights but more
importantly, changes in people’s way of life due to the existence of science and technology

The term “generation gap” is attributed mainly to the changes brought about by
technology. Originally, technology is to help everyone, it cannot be denied that until today,
not everyone is comfortable in using the different kinds of technologies. Older generations
think that these technologies are too complicated to operate. They have been used to the
simple living in the past and these available technological devices, though very appealing,
are a difficult puzzle to them.

Technology is a challenge for people in the field of science and technology to make
these technological advancements more accessible and less confusing for people who are
not as young anymore, at the same time, is a challenge for the young ones to take the older
generation to an exciting journey in science and technology.

People’s way of life and how the society works also affect how one construes the
concept of human flourishing. The environment need to be assessed in order to know the
possibility of human flourishing and to what extent it is possible. These changes were
brought about by the interplay of different factors but essentially, it was brought about by
science and technology

The Human Condition Before Common Era

 Ancestors’ primal need to survive paved way for the invention of several
developments
 Human erectus – used fire to cook, through chipping one flint over the other to
produce a spark, without realizing the laws of friction and heat
 Tools from stone and flints marked the era of the Stone Age, during the advent of
our very own Homo sapiens, humans began to sharpen stones as one would a knife,
an example of this is the simple machine called wedge
 During this stone age, there exists several cave drawings and unearthed artifacts
from various parts of the world that narrate how their culture came to be
 Soon people discovered minerals and began forging metalwork realizing that these
substances are more durable, malleable and have more luster
 Fur clothing and animal skin re primarily used for comfort against harsh winds

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 Excavations on the latter half of this stone age, include several figures thought to be
ceremonial, meaning, that perhaps people of the time had also painstakingly
wrought and hewed said figures in honor of some deity

The Human Condition in the Common Era

 Earliest case of man-made extinction occurred over 12,000 years ago, brought about
by hunting and territorial disputes
 Holocene extinction- pertains to the ongoing extinction of several species-both flora
and fauna-due to human activity
 Growing population also necessitated finding additional resources, leading to
overhunting and overfishing common prey, some of which were endemic to the area
 Formation of communities caused humans to expand more in territory and more
people to fed; large, separate communities hailing from the same ancestors and
residing in the same large community paved way for civilizations
 People realized that thy could get hold of things not present in their towns by
offering something of same value present in theirs
 Trade emerged, leading to cross-town and eventually cross-cultural interaction as
more products were exchanged and the initial needs extended to wants
 Turned to wealth as one of their goals as humans and ultimately s civilizations
because they perceived that those of who have many live comfortably and thus are
generally happier than those who do not have sufficient wealth
 when not selling products, they used their skills and got compensated for it- bringing
forth a specialized group of artisans
 Humanity became more complex, the primary goal was not merely to survive, but to
live the good life
 Technology has been instrumental because in searching for good life, people were
able to come up with creations that would make life easier, more comfortable, and
more enriching
 Perceived death as unpleasant and concocted potions to ward evil off from their
kinsmen, often appealing to their god for blessings
 Early leaders portrayed exceptional strength among their group-which was carried
on for generation to generation, physical strength was valued at most, although
there appeared to be as many intellectually gifted figures just the same.

Notable Comparison Then and Now:

 Mortality Rate – due to technology, lesser women and children die during birth,
assuring robust population and strong workforce
- Medical care for premature infants allows them to survive and
develop normally, while proper maternal care ensures that mothers
can fully recover and remain empowered
 Average Lifespan – people engage less in combat and are less likely to die in
treatable diseases now as opposed to then, science is able to prolong lives by
enhancing living status and discovering different remedies to most diseases and
distribution of medicines is also made easier and faster
 Literacy Rate – access to education provided to more individuals generally creates a
more informed public that could determine a more just society

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 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – not an indicator of an average person’s lifestyle in

a certain country, it is often used to determine the value of the country’s goods and
services produced within the territory given a certain time period. Higher country
income is brought upon by high productivity, often an indicator of presence of
technology

The Essence of Technology

 Humanity has come a long way from our primitive ways,

 Modern humans are reliant on technology in their search for the good life
 Proves to be goal-oriented, assumes to be an instrumental in achieving a goal in
mind, that it is purposeful, deliberate craft humans steer in order to reach some
greater good
 Martin Heidegger arguments on technology:
- Perceived as a means to achieve man’s end
- Constitutes human activity
 Allows human to confront the unknown and see how they would react
 Science and technology gave us explanations, which worked for us and benefited us

Backtracking the Human Condition

 Human condition improved, only if by improving we measure the level of comfort,

various scientific breakthroughs, and improved lifestyles of those who had the
luxury to afford to do so
 Different machineries aid in prolonging lives-assisting those with disabilities, honing
efficiency in industrial workplaces, and even exploring the universe for places we
can thrive once all the earth’s resources are depleted
 Turned their worships to reverence of science
 Human condition which is more or less sophisticated is nothing but a rehashed
version of its former self.
 Technological advancements are seemingly occurring in a rapid pace that our
morality cannot quite keep up, no such consideration was given in this approach in
achieving the good life

THINK ABOUT THESE QUESTIONS

1. What would have happened to humankind if technology did not exist

2. Do you agree with Martin Heidegger in his idea that technology should only be
seen as one of the approaches in perceiving truth? What are other people
approaches we should consider?
REFERENCES

Blitz, M. (2014). “Understanding Heidegger on Technology.” The New Atlantis, Number

41, Winter, pp. 63-80.

De Vries, M.J. (2005). Teaching About Technology for Non- Philosophers. Switzerland:
Springer.

Heidegger, M. (1977). The Question Concerning Technology, and Other Essays New York:
Harper & Row.

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Lesson 3: The Good Life

Learning Outcomes

 Examine what is meant by a good life

 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
Introduction

In Ancient Greece, long before the word “science” has been coined, the need to
understand the world and reality was bound with the need to understand the self and the
good life. For Plato, the task of understanding the things in the world runs parallel with the
job of truly getting into what will make the soul flourish.

Among the theoretical disciplines, Aristotle included logic, biology, physics, and
metaphysics among others. Among the practical ones, Aristotle counted ethics and politics.
Whereas, “truth” is the aim of the theoretical sciences, the “good” is the end goal of the
practical ones. Rightly so, one must find the truth about what the good is before one can
even try to locate that which is good. What does it really mean to live good life? What
qualities as a good existence? Granting this understanding, we are assumed to be in a better
position to reconcile our deepest existential needs as human beings and science as tool to
maneuver around the world.

Aristotle and How We All Aspire for a Good Life

 First philosopher who approached the problem of reality from a “scientific” lens, is
also the first thinker who dabbed into the complex problematization of the end goal
of life: happiness
 Compared to his predecessor, Plato, Aristotle embarked on different approach in
figuring out reality, Plato who thought things in this world are not real and re only
copies of the real in the world of forms
 Aristotle puts everything back to the ground in claiming that this world is all there is
to it and that this world is the only reality we can all access
 Plato- change is so perplexing that it can only make sense if there are two realities:
the world of forms where the entities are only copies of the ideal and the models,
and the forms are the only real entities and the world of matter where things are
changing and impermanent. Here is an example when you try to see yourself in front
of the mirror, you normally say and think that you are looking in yourself-that is you
are the person who slept last night and you are the same person looking at yourself
now, despite the occasional changes like a new pimple that grows on your nose.
 Still Plato further claims that despite the reality of change, things remain and they
retain their ultimate “whatness”, that you remain to be you despite the pimple that
now sits atop your nose.
 Plato was convinced that reality is full of these contrasting manifestations of change
and permanence
 Aristotle, on the other hand, disagreed with Plato, and believed that idea that there
is no reality over and above what the senses can perceive, which means, it is only by
observation of the external world that one can truly understand what reality is all
about

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 Aristotle extends the analysis from the external world into the province of the
human person and declares that every human being are potentialities who aspire for
their actuality, and this actuality or end is happiness or human flourishing.

Happiness as the Goal of a Good Life

 John Stuart Mill declared the Greatest Happiness Principle which says that action is
right as far as it maximizes the attainment of happiness for the greatest number of
people – individual happiness should be prioritized and collectively dictates the kind
of action that should be endorsed.
 When an action benefits the greatest number of people, said action is deemed
ethical leading us to the good and happy life

Different Schools of Thought

Materialism

 Democritus and Leucippus led a school whose primary belief is that the world is
made up of and is controlled by tiny indivisible units in the world called atomos or
seeds
 Democritus believed that the world, including human beings is made up of matter,
that in terms of human flourishing, matter is what makes us attain happiness

Hedonism

 Sees the end goal of life in acquiring pleasure.

 Life is about obtaining and indulging in pleasure because life is limited
 Is famous for its mantra “Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die.”
 Led by Epicurus, this school of thought does not buy any notion of afterlife just like
the materialists

Stoicism

 Led by Epicurus which espoused the idea that to generate happiness, one must learn
to distance oneself and be apathetic
 Original term of apatheia, precisely means to be indifferent.
 Happiness can only be attained by a careful practice of apathy, the fact is some
things are not within our control, the sooner we realize this, the happier we can
become

Theism

 Most people find the meaning of their lives using God as a fulcrum of their existence
 Philippines, as a predominantly Catholic country, is witness to how people base their
life goals on beliefs that hinged on some form of supernatural reality called heaven
 Ultimate basis of happiness is the communion with God
 The world where we have to maneuver around while waiting for the ultimate return
to the hands of God.

Humanism

 And to legislate his own laws, free from the shackles of a God that monitors and
controls

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 Man is literally the captain of his own ship

 See themselves not merely as stewards or the creation but as individuals who are in
control of themselves and the world outside them
 Scientists eventually turned to technology, like social media, a very effective way of
employing technology in purging time and space
 Internet and smart phones made real-time communication possible not just
between two people, but even with multiple people simultaneously
 Technology allowed us to with our sexuality, biologically, male individuals can now
undergo medical operation if they so wish for sexual reassignment
 Breasts implants are now available and can be done with relative convenience if
anyone wishes to have one
 Hormones may also be injected in order to alter the sexual chemicals in the body
 Balance, between the good life, ethics, and technology has to be attained

THINK ABOUT THESE QUESTIONS

1. What is the good life?

2. What is the relationship between the good life and science?
3. Does technology always lead us to the good life? How and why?

ACTIVITIES

1. Good Life Collage – Cut out pictures in magazines or newspapers that

demonstrate how technology has made the man’s desire for a happy life more
realizable. You may also opt to print out pictures from websites and other
sources. Explain how these technological advancements have made the campaign
for the attainment of good life easier or otherwise.
2. Compare and Contrast – Identify two modes of doing the same thing where one
involves a more technologically advanced method. Example would be snail; mail
vs. e-mail. List down as many examples. Is the more technologically advanced
always better?

REFERENCES

Macat Thinking News. (2016). Aristotle’s Secret to Happiness: What will make us Happy
Now? Accessed February 3, 2017. https://www.macat.com/blog/aristotle-secret-
happiness.

Psychology Today. (2013). Aristotle on Happiness. Accessed on February 3, 2017.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/hide-and-seek/201301/Aristotle-happiness.

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (2001). Aristotle’s Ethics. Accessed on February 3, 2017

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle-ancient.

The Basics of Philosophy. (2008). Theism. Accessed February 3, 2017. http://www.philoso

phybasics.com/branch_theism.html.

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Lesson 4: When Technology and Humanity Cross

Learning Outcomes

 Know the different technological advancements in society

 Discuss the development of science and technology in the Philippines
Discuss the effects of the interplay between technology and humanity
through the dilemma(s) they face

Introduction

The ever-growing society has made people see technology as some form of
necessity. Tracing back its origins, the word “technology” came from the Greek words technē
and logos which mean art and word respectively. Taking the two words together, technology
means a discourse on arts. As technology progressed, the concept also started to have a
wider range of meaning where art is no longer the only topic included. Concepts like
machine and tools were also attached to the word “technology” which is more popular
sense of the concept nowadays

The roles played by technology these days are very crucial not only to a few but also
to everyone. Most people survive their everyday lives with great reliance to the different
technological advancements already available to the masses. Where there may be some
who would claim that their lives are not greatly affected by technology, the fact cannot be
denied that technology is already an inevitable part of the society.

Technology these days enjoys such fame and glory because of the many different
benefits it brings to mankind. Some would even say that it does not only bring convenience
but also pleasure and happiness to people.

In general, technology keeps on progressing due to not only the changing times and
environment but also the ever-progressing mind of mankind. It would not be possible for all
these technological advancements to exist if it were not for the brilliance, creativeness, and
power of the mind. However, it is also important to note that anything too much is bad. The
same problem is faced by technology.

Various ethical dilemmas have been identified throughout time involving the use of
different technological devices and its effects to humanity. Usually, different problems arise
when either the technological device available is misused or if the in the first, it was
invented to produce bad results.

Television Sets, Mobile Phones, Computers, and Humanity

 A number of technological devices can be easily found inside the home, the most
accessible place to anyone, the most popular and most commonly used types of
devices across all age groups:
- Television sets
- Mobile phones
- Computers

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 According to kantar Media , in the Philippines, 92% or urban homes and 70% of rural
homes own at least one television set, the reason why it remains to be the ultimate
medium for advertisement placements.
 Television was a product of different experiments by various people, Paul Gottlieb
Nipkow, a German student, in the late 1800’s was successful in his attempt to send
images through wires with the aid of a rotating metal disk, this was then called
“electric telescope” that had 18 lines of resolution
 Two inventors, Alan Archibald Campbell-Swinton – English scientist and
- Boris Rosing – a Russian scientist, they both created a new system of
television by using the cathode ray tube in addition to the mechanical
scanner system. This story gave rise to two types of television
systems: mechanical and electronic television
 Filipinos love to use their mobile phones anywhere, anytime, using it for different
purposes other than for communication
 The Ipsos media Atlas Philippines Nationwide Urban 2011-2012 survey result
showed that one in every three Filipinos cannot live without a mobile phone
 Martin Cooper, senior engineer at Motorola, made the world’s first mobile phone
call from a mobile phone
 Computers and lap tops have also become part of many of the Filipino household
 There are some Filipino families who own more than one computer or laptop while
some own at least one computer or laptop
 Charles Babbage – English mathematics professor, designed the analytical engine
used as the basic framework of the computers
 In general, computers can be classifieds into three generations, each generation of
the computer was used for a certain period of time and each gave people a new and
improved version of the previous one.
 Laptops have been available to the public for even less time than personal
computers
 Before, the first design of computer was so big that it cold occupy whole floors of
buildings
 Transition from a personal computer to a laptop was only a matter of design, an
improvement and a little deviation from the standard design of a personal computer
 First true portable computer was released in April 1981, called as the Osborne 1,
from that moment on, the evolution of laptops continued until the present time
where various designs and models are already available.

Roles Played by Thee Technological Advancements

 Television sets, mobile phones, and computers or laptops have different functions
and roles played in the lives of the people, these roles become so essential that
people, more specifically, Filipinos developed a strong inclination toward technology
and its products
 Television is mainly used as a platform for advertisements and information
dissemination
 Television remains to be the most used avenue by different advertising companies
 Television serves as a recreational activity and good stress reliever to most families
 Television is a good platform for different propagandas and advocacies
 Mobile phones are :

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- primarily used for communication

- offer services like texting and calling
- used for surfing the internet and to take pictures more than to text or to call
people, - other applications include: music player, calendar, radio, television, and
photo editor
 Personal computers and laptops can be used to surf the internet and communicate
- Wide keyboard
- Wide screens and separate keyboards
- Has an availability of a mouse or touchpad
- Allows one to play with comfort and convenience
- Not portable

Ethical Dilemma Faced by These Technological Advancements

 Make the children lazy and unhealthy

- Develop different kinds of sickness because of too much use of
technological devices
- Causes them to become reclusive, alienating themselves from other
people
- Undesirable consequences are brought about by the misuse of the
agent
- people in the scientific-technological world are blameworthy because
they tell the people something that seems positive but when
examined closely, brings more bad than good.
 Moral dilemma – people especially the children, who are not capable yet of
rationally deciding for themselves what is right or wrong, re freely exposed to
different things on television, mobile phones, laptops, or computers
- can just easily go to any website without any restrictions and allows
them to see read, or hear things which are not suitable for their very
young age
- very vulnerable to character change and can greatly affect the way
they view the world and the things around them
- the ones to be blamed are the adults who allowed the children to
have access to such devices in the first place without any supervision
- it is the recklessness and overconfidence of the adults that cause the
character change in children
 ethics of responsibility is an appropriate theory that can be used in these dilemmas
- “responsibility” in the sense of being accountable for and
accountable to is very appropriate to the ethics of technology
because it makes each and every person in the scientific-
technological development a proxy with reference to one another
- Each person must indicate the priorities, values, norms, and
principles that constitute grounds for one’s actions and defines one’s
contribution to the scientific-technological event
- Focuses on the positive rather than negative
- People who are part of the scientific development ought to let the
public know the good in their respective technological contribution/s

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- Inform the masses of the dangers of their contributions/s to the

world of technology

Robotics and Humanity

 Robot is a great product of the innovative minds of the people

- Service robots- do specific tasks but focus mainly in assisting their
masters in their everyday tasks
 International Federation of Robotics (IFR) and United Nations Economic Commission
for Europe (UNECE) made it their task to formulate working definition for service
robots:
- A robot is an actuated mechanism, programmable in two or more
axes with a degree of autonomy, moving within its environment, to
perform intended tasks based on current state and sensing without
human intervention
- A service robot is a robot that performs useful tasks for humans or
equipment excluding industrial automation application: a robot may
be classified according to its intended application as an industrial
robot or a service robot
- A personal service robot or a service robot for personal use is a
service robot used for noncommercial task, usually by laypersons.
Examples are domestic servant robot, automated wheelchair,
personal mobility assist robot, and pet exercising robot
- A professional service robot or a service robot for professional use is a
service robot used for a commercial task, usually operated by s
properly trained operator. Examples are cleaning robot for public
places, delivery robot in offices or hospitals, fire-fighting robot,
rehabilitation robot, and surgery robot in hospitals. An operator is
person designated to start, monitor, and stop the intended operation
of a robot or a robot system
 Germany was one of the first countries to develop service robots, as part of the
German Federal Ministry of Education and Research’s “Service Robotics Innovation
Led Institute,” – sponsored a collaborative project called DESIRE (Deutsche
Servicerobotik Initiative-Germany Service Robotics Initiative) has the following
individual objectives:
- To achieve a technological edge toward attaining key functions and
components that are suited for everyday use
- To create a reference architecture for mobile manipulation
- To promote the convergence of technologies through integration into
a common technology platform
- To conduct pre-competition research and development activities for
new products and technology transfer in start-up enterprises in the
field of service robotics

Roles Played by Robotics

 Play different roles not only in the lives of the people but also in the society as a
whole
 Primarily used to ease the workload of mankind

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 Invented to make life more efficient and less stressful

 Perform complicated activities which human beings are incapable of doing
 Perform the simplest tasks at home so that their masters can perform the complex
ones without stressing themselves over the simple tasks

 Some are made for pleasures like entertainment and are usually found in the
amusement parks or exhibits
 Made to serve as toys
 Perform different activities but they’re usually child-friendly
 Isaac Asimov formulated laws for robots:
-Law One:
A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human
being to come to harm
-Law Two:
A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such
orders would conflict with the first law
-Law Three:
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not
conflict with the First or Second Law

Ethical Dilemma/s Faced by Robotics

 Safety – who should be held accountable if someone’s safety is compromised by a

robot? Who should be blamed, the robot, the agent using the robot, or the
maker/inventor of the robot? It is important to know who should be blamed and
who should be held responsible if such thing happens
 Emotional component – not completely impossible for robots to develop emotions-
“What if robots become sentient? Should they be granted robot rights? Should they
have their own set of rights to be upheld, respected, and protected by humans?”

In the field of robotics, there are so-called partial autonomy and full autonomy. Partial
autonomy includes active human-robot interaction while full autonomy excludes active
human-robot interaction.

In other words, a robot with full autonomy can perform actions or activities even
without a master telling it what should be done or what should be performed next.

 Using Asimov’s laws for robots, it can be concluded that robots are ethical but only if
they strictly follow the laws specified, however, if the agent using the technology
misuses the robot to achieve personal agendas, then without a doubt, the agent
should be held accountable for any consequences it may bring
 If the robot deviates from the laws specified, then the maker or the inventor of the
machine should be blameworthy, which means the robot was not programmed vey
well because it violated the laws
 Another problem may arise when the machine develops the ability to think for itself,
the one that should be blamed can both the maker or inventor and the robot itself,
because the maker gave the robot the capacity to think for itself so he should be
very much aware of its possible consequences

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 It is just right for the robots to be given their own set of rights should they develop
the ability to feel different kinds of emotion

THINK AOUT THESE QUESTIONS

1. Do people really need technology in their lives? Is it really a necessity?

2. How do you reconcile the ‘need’ for technology and the dilemma/s it faces?

3. Should there be an ethics of technology?

REFERENCES

ABS-CBN News. (2010). “Young Pinoys Inseparable from Cellphones: Survey.” Accessed
February 3, 2017. http://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/08/12/10/young-pinoys-
Inseparable-cellphones-survey

Buchanan, R.A. (2010). “History of Technology.” Accessed February 3, 2017. https://www.

Britannica.com/technology/history-of-technology.

Goodwin, R. (2016). “The History of Mobile Phones from 1973-2008: The handsets that
Made it All Happen.” Accessed February 3, 2017 from http://www.knowyour
yourmobile.com/nokia/nokia-3310/19848/history-mobile-phone-1973-2008-
handsets-made-it-all-happen.

International Federation of Robotics. (2012). “Service Robots.” Accessed February 6,

2017. http://www.ifr.org/servoce-robots.

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