common good, then he or she will

HUMAN flourish.
3. By living the four cardinal virtues
FLOURISHING • He believes that there are four
cardinal virtues: Wisdom, Courage,
Temperance, and Justice
• Ancient Greek Philosophers were some • For the virtue of wisdom, one must
of the first thinkers who tried to answer pursue learning that is based on
the question. curiosity.
• Also known as Eudaimonia • This would lead to more efficacy
• According to Plato and Aristotle, and self-mastery which are needed
happiness is the result of Eudaimonia or to have fulfilling life.
Human Flourishing. • Courage is important in just society
because justice needs courageous
PLATO (428/427 – 348/347BCE) individuals to stand what is right
and to correct what is wrong.
• All human beings naturally desire
• It is also needed in order to face
eudaimonia or human flourishing.
life’s challenges.
• He believed that in order to flourish, one
• Temperance or self-restraint is
must have moral thoughts and virtuous
important in society because it
action.
prevents corruption and chaos.
• He referred the value to “excellence.”
• A man without temperance will not
• He believed that the well-being of a
flourish because it will lead to vices
human individual must not depend on
and violence.
external goods such as fame, wealth, and
appearance. ARISTOTLE (384 – 322 BCE)
HUMAN BEINGS CAN DEVELOP VIRTUE • He argues that eudaimonia is the
BY: highest good of human beings.
1. Humans are physical beings.
1. By examining things and thinking more.
o As physical beings, humans
• He believes that a human being who
need air, water, food, rest,
does not examine his or her life and
and exercise to keep the
surroundings will not flourish.
body functioning.
• He said that humans can reason and
2. Humans are emotional beings.
must use it to become wiser in order
o Humans have urges, wants,
to flourish. desires and reactions.
2. By masterly using reason.
3. Humans are social beings.
• He believes that a human is good if o It is inherent that humans
he or she uses his or her reason over need friendship,
his desires. cooperation, and a sense of
• Limiting One’s reason may result to belongingness in society.
negative consequences. 4. Humans are rational beings.
• Reasoning allows the control of o Rationality is what
oneself. differentiates humans from
• If a human is able to control oneself other animals.
through reason and act for the
 o It allows humans to express o Justice
themselves, be creative, or o Shame
obey reason. • Phronesis
• According to Aristotle, virtue is a o Also known as practical
character trait that enables a person wisdom
to flourish. o It enables an individual to
• He believes that humans through apply the appropriate virtue
reason seek knowledge about the in a particular situation.
world. • A virtuous life can be attained
• He believed that by gaining through education and habit.
knowledge, humans will flourish. • Intellectual virtues + Virtues
• He called this “Intellectual virtue.” Character = Eudaimonia
• He made an important distinction
about knowledge and human MODERN CONCEPT OF
flourishing.
o Theoretical Knowledge
HUMAN FLOURISHING
▪ It is about the
nature of principles. • In Psychology, happiness, life
▪ It allows us to satisfaction, mental and physical
manipulate nature, health, meaning and purpose,
however, without character and virtues, close social
practical relationships, and financial and
knowledge, it material stability are all components of
cannot be done. Human Flourishing.
o Practical Knowledge
▪ It is the knowledge
of applying these
1. Flourishing is intrinsically
principles.
worthwhile.
▪ Knowledge is
o Flourishing is an intrinsic good,
important in life,
and that flourishing is worth
but it is the
striving for.
application of this
2. The actualization of the human
knowledge that
potential.
leads to flourishing.
o Human flourishing is when an
• He also believes that in order to
individual is optimally using his
flourish, one must possess the 11
or her potential and capabilities.
virtuous traits of the virtue of
o Every individual has different
character.
potential and encounters
o Courage
different possibilities. Hence,
o Temperance
different individuals’ level of
o Liberality
flourishing cannot be compared.
o Magnificence
o Magnanimity CRITERIA FOR HUMAN FLOURISHING
o Patience
o Truthfulness 1. Life as a whole
o Wittiness o In considering an individual’s
o Friendliness flourishing, his or her whole life
 must be considered. ‘Whole life’ o Technological developments
means the totality of human life, made possible industrialization.
not just some parts. o Industrialization made humans
2. Human flourishing is a dynamic state become ‘machine-like’ workers,
o Human flourishing is dynamic. depriving them of the full
It requires an on-going actualization of their potential.
developmental process to o It also caused pollution that will
actualize the human potential. In turn to diseases that caused
other words, one must lives.
continuously develop to become o Technologies such as nuclear
a flourishing human being. weapons also caused the
3. Objective Goods extermination of humans.
o These are things that are good
TECHNOLOGY AS A WAY OF
for everybody, such as good
REVEALING
social relationships. These good
things or objective goods, if Martin Heidegger (1889 – 1976)
developed will contribute to
human flourishing. • One of the most original and important
philosophers in the 20th Century.
HUMAN PERSON FLOURISHING IN • In the essay, ‘The Question Concerning
TERMS OF SCIENCE AND Technology’, he suggested how we can
TECHNOLOGY establish a ‘free relationship’ with
• Science – it explains the nature or technology. He focused on our
principles behind an object, event or orientation to technology, not on the
phenomenon. form or function.
• Technology – It applies theoretical • Technology is a means to an end
knowledge in order to have an output. (Instrumental) or a human activity
• Through science, the antibiotic nature of (Anthropological).
Penicillum notatum was discovered. • Heidegger discussed the concept of
causality to understand the “technology
• Through technology, penicillin medicine
as means to an end.”
was developed and provided cures to
o Causa Materialis – refers to the
many diseases.
material used to create the
• Progress in science and technology had
object.
many positive impacts to human life
o Causa Efficiens – refers to
such as the following:
which brings about the effect.
o Made work easier, efficient, or
o Cause Formalis – refers to the
practical.
form or shape of the object.
o Made us happy or entertained.
o Cause Finalis – refers to the
o Kept us healthy and safe.
end or outcome.
o Helped to address social issues
• The latin word ‘causa’ means “that
and concerns.
which brings it about.”
o Helped in the development of
human talent and abilities. • Heidegger prefers the Greek word,
aition which means “that which is
• However, science and technology can be
responsible for something else.”
exploited which can result in serious
negative impact. • He also used the terms hyle (material),
eidos (Form or shape), telos (Drawing
 of the clear boundaries), and logos (to as mathematical equations, physical
reveal) as replacement to the four laws, sets of classifications.
causes. • He also introduced the concept of
• He also introduced the word ‘poeisis’, enframing, which stems from the human
which means ‘bringing forth’. It is the drive for a “precise” and “scientific”
way of making something that was not knowledge of the world.
present be present. • Enframing is the essence of technology
• He also introduced the word ‘alethia’, o It may set main on a destructive
which means “unveiling” or “revealing”. and self-destructive course.
It is also the Greek word for “Truth”. o It may be a “saving power” by
• Heidegger argued that technology is a showing clearly the possibility
king of poeisis, a way of bringing forth of human beings to the world.
or revealing – and, as such, is “the o It will help us understand that
realm of truth”. we are a part of the world, but
• The word “technology” was deprived that the world “needs” us to care
from the Greek “Technikon”, which is of it.
related to the word techne.
o Techne refers to both
manufacturing and to the arts. THE GOOD
o Techne is a kind of knowing. It
may refer to “expertise” or
“know-how”.
LIFE
• He explained the difference between
older forms of technology and modern • There are three dominant ideas on what
technology which has a different kind of is good life is:
‘revealing’ and ‘challenging’. o The Moral life – Socrates and
• Heidegger introduced the idea of Plato
‘standing reserve’. Technology o The fulfilled Life – Aristotle
transforms the world into ‘standing o The life of Pleasure – Epicurus
reserve’. • According to Socrates and Plato, a
• It can be said that for technology, moral life is a good life.
nothing in the world is “good” in and o In this concept, one who has a
of itself, but only “good for” good life is someone who
something. possesses and practices most of
• However, humans will never completely the important virtues such as
become as ‘standing reserve’ since they kindness, courage, loyalty, and
are responsible for technological generosity.
advances. o Examining, reflecting, and
• In addition, nature and nature’s mode of questioning the nature of
revealing will never completely become things is important to have a
under human control since it reveals good life.
itself to humanity on its own terms. o Servitude to others is
• Heidegger suggested that the human important.
impulse is to enclose all experiences of o One must control his or her
the world within categories of passions and desires through
understanding that are controllable such reason in order to have a good
life.
 • According to Aristotle, the fulfilled life for one’s self and society. It addresses
is a good life. For someone to have a the following dilemmas”
good life, he or she: o How to live a good life
o Must be morally virtuous. o Rights and responsibilities
o Have a good health and long o The language of right and
life. wrong
o Should be prosperous. o What is good and bad
o Must have good friends. • Ethics can provide a framework for
o Should respect others. answering complex questions, allowing
o Must have good luck. humans to act based on moral principles.
o Must use his or her talents,
ROLE OF ETHICS IN INNOVATION
abilities, and capacities.
• Acccording to Epicurus, a life of 1. Divergence
pleasure is a good life. • Innovation seeks to change the
o This concept states that life is status quo. It aims to generate new
worth living because of ideas, concepts and methods, hence,
pleasures. diverging from the current and
o The view that pleasures will common.
lead to good life is known as • In this way, problems and concerns
hedonism. can be solved using new and
o He recognized all kinds of different approaches.
pleasures such as wealth, sexual 2. Curiosity
pleasures and fame. • It allows us to search for our
o However, he also believed that intellectual virtues. Curiosity drives
one should not lose us to explore and examine things
himself/herself to pleasure and ultimately enables us to gain
because: new knowledge.
▪ This will diminish one’s 3. Multi-disciplinary
pleasure in the long run. • It provides a deeper and more
▪ There are other more holistic discourse about the problem
important pleasures to and potential solutions. This is made
consider such as possible through teams composed of
friendship and people with diverse backgrounds
education. and skills.
▪ Should live a virtuous 4. Resilience
life. • It is usually the end product of many
• The 3 aspects of Good life experiments. Innovators need this to
o A good life is the integration of continue processing and testing
these three aspects: self- ideas despite many previous
mastery, contemplation and failures.
learning, and servitude to 5. Effect to people
society. • Innovators should consider the
Ethics effect of their innovation to people.
After all, innovations are intended to
• It can be defined as the system of moral benefit the end-users, and the end-
principles concerned with what is good users are the ultimate judge if the
 innovation is useful and relevant to
them.
6. Shared Responsibility
• Innovation is a shared responsibility
between the innovator and the
community. The innovator’s intent
for his innovation should be for the
common good of the community.
On the other hand, the community
should use the innovation in a
responsible manner.
TECHNOLOGY – It is a possible product of
innovation. It is also important in the
development of innovation.
INNOVATION – It is a human-centered
perspective and process. It is the generation of
new ideas, concepts, or methods in order to
solve problems.

• It should not just consider the

technological or economic gains.
• Innovation affects people and the
many aspects of life, like health,
politics, communication, and justice
system.
• Innovation should be done within
the ethical framework.
• Ethical innovations are:
o Humanistic – The
innovation should be
human-centered which
means that it should be
relevant to humans.
o Participatory – The design
of the innovation was done
with the people, not just for
the people.
o Sustainable – The
innovation could sustain for
a long time considering
social, economical, political
and environmental aspects.