The Human Person Flourishing

in Terms of
Science and Technology:

Technology as a Way of
Revealing
Learning Objectives
• Defined and explained what
technology and its essence;

• Understand the human condition and

analyze the effects of science and
technology to this condition
Introduction
Technology has always been defined as means to an
end and human activity. It has long filled the world.
Everyday routines are marked with technological advances
that reflect what a society is good at or known for.
Technology has well advanced since the middle of the 20th
century especially after the end of World War II. It is not
surprising for technology to involve questions of knowledge
which lead to its formation as one of the branches of
philosophy. This also led to the furtherance of technology
based on how it is viewed and understood. But there is
more to that.
Aristotle, was born 304 B.C., and ancient Greek
philosophy scientist and one of the most significant
thinkers and has contributed so much to science,
technology, political theory, and aesthetics of the
world; follows that knowledge of the world begins by
looking and examining that which exists. To
understand the human person flourishing in terms of
science and technology it is good to first examine
technology in its essence.
“Generation Gap” is attributed mainly to the
changes brought about by technology. Although the original
idea is for technology to help everyone, it cannot be denied
that until today, not everyone is comfortable in using the
different kinds of technologies.
Mostly, those who belong to the older generation 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 different puzzle to them.
THE HUMAN CONDITION BEFORE THE COMMON ERA
Our early ancestors’ primal need to survive paved for the
invention of several developments. As it is difficult to
pinpoint the particular period where technology is said to
have started, one can say that at the very least, the
motivation to make things easier has been around since
humans are.

Homo erectus have been using fire to cook, through

chipping one flint over the other to produce a spark, all
the while without realizing that the laws of friction & heat.
Tools from stone & flints marked the area of the Stone
Age.
Homo sapiens, and humans began
to sharpen stones as one would a
knife; an example of this is the
simple machine called wedge. There
is little to no written accounts except for
several cave drawings & unearthed
artifacts from various parts of the world
that how their culture came to be. It then
proves that there is little capacity for our
ancestors to contemplate & perceive
things outside themselves in a more
reflective manner.
For instance, there are several
excavations in different parts of Europe of
miniature statues prevalent during the
Paleolithic Period, the so-called “Venus”
figure It depicts a rudimentary carving of a
voluptuous woman out of ivory stone The
reason behind this is still unknown to
archaeologists & anthropologists alike; they
can only infer that the humans of yesterday
have a certain fixation on the female
anatomy. What did this fascination translate
to? Lack of conclusive evidence hinders us
from proceeding any further.
People soon discovered minerals and began
forging metalwork. They realized that these
substances are more durable, malleable, and have
more luster than the previous material. For a long
time, humans were content with their relationship
with nature. Earliest case of man-made extinction
occurred over 12,000 years ago, possibly brought
upon by hunting and territorial disputes.
The Holocene extinction – also
called the 6th extinction or more aptly the
Anthropocene extinction, occurred from
as early as between 100,000 to 200,000
years up to the present. It pertains to the
ongoing extinction of several species –
both flora and fauna – due to human
activity. Driven by their primal need to
survive & gaining the upper hand in
terms of development & adaptability,
humans were prompt to find ways to
drive off megafaunas threatening a
prospective hunting spot & eventually,
settling grounds.
Growing population also necessitated finding additional resources
leading to overhunting and overfishing common prey, some of which were
endemic to the area. Hunting, coupled with a changing terrain that the
humans began cultivating when agriculture emerged some 9,000 years
ago, caused several species to lose competition in territory and food
resources.
Formation of communities caused humans to expand more in territory
and more people to feed; large, separate communities hailing from the
same ancestors & residing in the same large community paved way for
civilizations. Position-wise humans of today are much better off compared
to humans several centuries ago. Advancements in medicine, technology,
health & education ushered in humanity’s best yet, and show no sign of
stopping.
(1) 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 & develop normally, while proper maternal care ensures
that mothers can fully recover and remain empowered.

(2) Average Lifespan – Aside from the reason that people

engage less in combat & are less likely to die in treatable
diseases now as opposed to then, science is able to prolong lives
by enhancing living status discovering different remedies to most
diseases. Distribution of medicines is also made easier and faster.
(3) LITERACY RATE – Access to education provided to more
individuals generally creates a more informed public that could
determine a more just society.

(4) GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT – Although no indicator

of an average person’s lifestyle in a certain country, it is often
used determine the value of the country’s goods & 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.
Selected Views on Technology
It has been said that there are many views or ways as to how technology is
understood. These philosophies contributed on how technology is understood
and utilized by the society. Some of it will be discussed briefly below.

➢ Aristotelianism
This views technology as basically a means to an end. To Aristotle, technology
is the organizing of techniques in order to meet the demand that is being
posed by humans. This may seem that technology is primarily concerned with
the product. Technology will be judged as either good or bad based on the
value given to the product based on its use and effect to the society.
Technology’s initial promises proved to be true, regardless of its ramifications.
All in all, the 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. In Aristotle’s conception of human
flourishing, his notions entertains the idea of holistic enrichment of a person
situated in his society.
➢ Technological Pessimism
This view is extremely supported by French philosopher Jacques Ellul (1912-
1994). Technological Pessimism holds that although technology is progressive
and beneficial in many ways, it is also doubtful in many ways. It is said that
technology is a means to an end but with this view, technology has become a
way of life. Technique has become a framework which humans cannot escape.
It has introduced in many ways on how to make things easy. Ellul’s pessimistic
arguments are (1) technological progress has a price, (2) technological
progress creates more problems, (3) technological progress creates damaging
effects, and (4) technological progress creates unpredictable devastating
effects.Although Ellul has strongly spoken of his arguments, they are still found
to be weak and not true at all times. Like when he said that technological
progress can create more problems than it solves, he seems to have
underestimated the objective decisions a technicians, and other technological
agencies makes regarding the technology where they weigh the good and bad
effects it can have in the society.
➢ Technological Optimism

This view is strongly supported by technologists

and engineers and also by ordinary people who
believe that technology can alleviate all the
difficulties and provide solutions for problems that
may come. It holds that even though technological
problems may arise, technology will still be the
solutions to it. The extreme version of this
philosophy is technocratism which holds technology
as the supreme authority on everything.
➢ Existentialism

The main concern of this view is the existence or the mode of

being of someone or something which is governed by the norm
of authenticity. This view basically investigate the meaning of
existence or being and is always faced with the selection must
make with which the existent will commit himself to.

Martin Heidegger, a philosopher is one of the most known

supporters of this
philosophy. He did not stopped at defining what technology is
but has dealt with its essence. To Heidegger, the real essence of
technology lies in enframing: the
gathering of the setting upon which challenges man to bring the
Martin Heidegger on Science and Technology

Martin Heidegger (1889-1996), a well-known German

philosopher, examined the two usual definitions of technology:
means to an end and a human activity, because he believed that
this kind of confusing and there are questions to it that we easily
overlook. These two definitions cannot be separated from each
other. He called it the instrumental and anthropological definition
of technology or simply means by which the human ends are
realized. To Heidegger, this may not be a false definition but it is
a misleading one because this limits our thinking.
➢ The Instrumental Definition of Technology

According to Heidegger, the instrumental definition of technology

encourages us to view technology from different periods of time as
not having fundamental differences. But he claimed that this not
show the true essence of technology. He explained the while
technology is geared towards meeting a human need, still there is a
difference between older handicraft technologies with modern
technology. As it is, “a saw mill on a secluded valley of the Black
Forest is a primitive means compared with the hydroelectric plant on
the Rhine River” (Heidegger, 1977, p.l). Heidegger also argued that
“technology is by no means technological” and should not be seen as
merely neutral. The problem begins when humans see it only as a
means to an end and disregard the fact that there is a good
technology and a bad technology.
Another problem Heidegger saw in the instrumental definition of technology is that it only
invites man to a continual desire to master it which unconsciously may be making
technology go out of hand. Heidegger said, “Everything depends on our manipulating
technology in the proper manner as a means. We will, as we say ‘get’
technology ‘spiritually in hand’. We will master it. The will to mastery becomes the more
urgent the more technology threatens to slip from human control.” (Heidegger 1977, p.l)
With this, he argued that the problem does not fall on making technology better but on how
man sets upon technology, his thoughts that makes him blind to the real essence of
technology.

For Heidegger, this correct definition of technology is insufficient as it does not bring out its
real essence. He said, “In order that we may arrive at this, or at least come close to it, we
must seek the true by way of the correct. We must ask: What is the instrumental itself?
Within what do such things as means and end belong? (199=77, p.2) In answering these
questions, Heidegger arrived at a discussion of causality which to him in reality initially
involves four ways that leads for something to exist or to be “caused”.
➢ Aristotle’s Four Causes
Heidegger further studied Aristotle’s Four Causes and illustrated it using a
silver chalice which he said owes its make up form the four causes.

1. Causa Materialis or the Material Cause

The material by which the silver chalice was made of: silver.

2. Causa Formalis or the Formal Cause

The form or the shape that gave the silver chalice its image.

3. Causa Finalis or the Final Cause

The purpose or the primary use by which the silver chalice was made
for: to be used during the Holy Communion as a vessel for the wine that
represents the blood of Christ.

4. Causa Efficiens or the Efficient Cause

The agent that has caused for the silver chalice to come about: the
silversmith.
The four causes are all deemed responsible for the bringing forth
of the silver chalice. This bringing forth of something is termed as
poiesis and this is characterized by an external force. It is bringing
something concealed to unconcealment which then makes
technology as not only means to an end but also a mode of
revealing. The silver chalice was brought forth by the silver, by its
form, for its purpose, by the silversmith. External factors have
caused for the silver chalice to be brought forth.

On the other hand, something that came about without external

force, like a flower blooming in the field or a tree bearing its fruit is
termed physis. The flower blossomed and the tree bore fruit even
without external help
➢ Heidegger’s Technology as a Way of Revealing

Heidegger believed that the genuine substance or the real essence

of technology is found in enframing. This is the continuous
bringing forth of the concealed to unconcealment. This is a non-
stop revealing. Heidegger saw technology as a way of revealing
because it continues to demand for something to be brought out
into the open. This bringing forth into the open is a two-way
relationship: the concealed is calling out for someone to set upon it
and bring it to unconcealment and the one who receives the call
sets upon and acts upon to unconceal the concealed.
The further illustrate this, he gave some examples through contrasting
ancient and modern technology. First, he talked about the ancient windmill
which only relies on the wind blowing for immediate energy consumption but
cannot store up while the modern windmill unlocks the energy which can be
used immediately and can also be stored up for future use.
Second, was about the peasant planting seeds who only waits for the
bringing forth of the planted seed because there is no challenge set upon the
soil. Modern technology of cultivation on the other hand, challenged the field
that has caused for agriculture to be revolutionized. Now, food is not only
produced for immediate use but can be stored as well for future use and
could cater more population.
Third, is about the wooden bridge that is built to join river banks for hundreds
of years without challenge being set upon the river. While on the other hand
the hydroelectric plant that was set on the Rhine River dammed the river
into the hydroelectric plant so that electrical energy can be stored and
distributed.
Because of this continuous revealing, Heidegger also
pointed out the danger that comes with technology. The call
to unconceal the concealed is also causing something to be
concealed even more. And as one tries to understand
something, there is the tendency to be close to the
counterpart of that which is being opened to him. There
also is the tendency for man to misunderstand the thing
that is unconcealed before him. Here, Heidegger calls for
man to be more discerning and considerate of the things
that is being unconcealed before him and those that have
relationship with that thing being unconcealed.
➢ The Mode of Revealing in Modern Technology
Heidegger explained that technology as a mode of revealing does
not stop and continues to be seen in modern technology but not
in the bringing-forth sense. This is a nonstop revealing. Modern
technology is revealed by challenging nature, instead of bringing
forth, it is setting upon challenges or demands on nature in order
to:

▪ Unlock and expose. It carries the idea that nature will not
reveal itself unless challenge is set upon it. This is true with the
hydroelectric plant set upon the Rhine River which unlocked the
electricity concealed in it.

▪ Stock piles for future use. As technology is a means to an

end, it aims to meet future demands. The electricity produced by
Modern technology is now able to get more from nature by challenging it.
As Heidegger (1977) said, “Such challenging happens in that energy
concealed in nature is unlocked, what is unlocked is transformed, what is
transformed is stored up, what is stored up is in turn distributed, and what
is distributed is switched about
every anew” (p. 5).

➢ The Essence of Technology

The continuous revealing takes place as man allows himself to be an agent
in the setting upon of challenges to nature but Heidegger (1977) argues
that this is not mere human doing. Man is able to set upon which was
already unconcealed as he responds to the call of unconcealment but
“when man, investigating, observing, pursues nature as an area of his own
conceiving, he has already been claimed by a way of revealing that
challenges him to approach nature as an object of research, until even the
object disappears into the objectlessness of standing-reserve (p. 6)
This gathering of the setting-upon which challenges man to bring
the unconcealed to unconcealment is called enframing with which
according to Heidegger, also shows the essence of modern
technology. Enframing is basically putting in order whatever is
presented to the man who sets upon the unconcealed. In other
words, enframing is how man looks at any matter and seeing how
it can be an answer to a need or want. But it is a two-way
relationship: man cannot set himself upon unconcealment without
unconcealment’s call and the unconcealed will not go into
unconcealment without the man responding to its call. This makes
modern technology not a mere human doing. Heidegger then
argues that the essence of technology lies in enframing.
➢ The Danger of Nonstop Revealing

As said earlier, the mode of revealing does not stop in modern

technology. It
continually calls man to respond to what is presented to him or to
the demand for a better and efficient means to an end. With this
comes the continuous challenging forth for the unconcealed to be
unconcealed even more. Here lies the danger that Heidegger talked
about.

Revealing opens up a relationship between man and the world but

an opening up of something means a closing down of something
which means as something is revealed, another is concealed. An
example given by Heidegger on this “the rise of a cause-effect
understanding of reality closes off an understanding of God as
something mysterious and holy: God is reduced to ‘the god of the
Another danger is when man falls into a
misinterpretation of that which is presented to him.
That is when he sees himself in the object before
him rather than seeing the object itself. There is also
the tendency for man to be fully engrossed with the
enframing that he fails to weigh the results and
consequences of his setting upon an object which
may be destructive not only to himself but even to
the surroundings and other people. This happens
when he starts to believe that everything in the
human condition can be answered by technology
and that even man’s happiness is dependent on the
The Society in the Face of Science and
Technology

When one looks around him now, he will see that man
tends to find his happiness in the works of modern
technology. Smart phones, tablets, laptops, that come
in different shapes and sizes with distinct features
seem to be the measure of man’s value. Social media
has also affected the life of many. Face to face social
interactions are being lessened and people keep
working hard to update their gadgets. There seems to
be no contentment as every time a new product is
released, man finds another need that can only be
These new products also tend to replace man in the
society as the demand for manual labor is becoming less
and less because of the availability of machineries. This
human condition is not of without hope. Heidegger
argued that this can be prevented if man will not allow
himself to be overwhelmed with the enframing that he
was set upon, but he pause for a while and reflect on the
value of what is presented
before him. A balance has to be understand that
technology does not only concern the means but also
the as one proverb goes, “The end does not justify the
means.” For Heidegger, the solution for this is that man
would not be controlling and manipulative of what he
THANK YOU
&
GOD BLESS!!!