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CHAPTER 7
HUMAN BEING
- Human being is the highest form of these living organisms, said to have
characteristics which cannot be substantiated through mere science.
- Biologists describe human as having the attributes of living organisms, including
plants and animals. This designates that human being is a complex matter
capable of performing in sustaining processes.
Smith (2012)
- Smith shared that, we can’t turn to science for an answer because in the first
place, science identified human with varied opinion and limited evidence.
- But further stressed that “Biologists aren’t equipped to tell us whether an
organism is a human organism because “human” is a folk- category rather a
scientific.
Blakemore and Greenfield (1987; as cited in Bernaldez, 2001),
- recognized the human as the possession of intellect distinguishes a human being

from another creature.
- The intellect supports self-consciousness and awareness sufficient for the
achievements, human’s function, discovery of truth, and development of
mankind.
Heidegger
- According to Heidegger, it was originally the fundamental question of philosophy,

which was pursued by the ancient Greek philosophers but later on neglected, if
not forgotten, in western philosophy.
- He argued that asking for the meaning of the term “BEING” doesn’t suggest that
the “inquirer” has no idea about it because in the first place, the meaning of
“being” is associated with the concept of existence, which means that the
“inquirer” already has the idea on the term “however vague or incomplete”.
- The “inquirer obviously refers to “man” as “being”, focuses to the “what” of
human existence. This somehow justifies human being’s adaptability to
environmental changes and ability to manipulate environment in the interest of
survival.
Heidegger used the term “dasein” which literally means “being there” focuses on the
“modes of existence” or the “who” of “Dasein”. The “modes of existences” is
fundamentally established by two things.
1. Dasein exist in a world

2. Dasein has a self that it defines as it exists in such world.
UNDERSTANDING HUMAN FLOURISHING
ON ARISTOTLE’S VIEWPOINT
- Aristotle’s teachings suggest that each man’s life has a purpose and that the
function of one’s life is to attain that purpose.
- For Aristotle, happiness (earthly) is the highest desire and ambition of all human
beings. And to achieve it, one must cultivate the highest virtues within one self.
- Aristotle believed that human beings have a natural desire and capacity to know
and understand the truth, to pursue moral excellence, and to instantiate their
ideals in the world through action.
- these actions are geared toward one’s proper and desired end- flourishing,
happiness or eudemonia.
WHAT IS EUDAIMONIA?
- Etymologically speaking eudemonia is consists of Greek words “eu” which

means “good” and “daemon” which means “spirit”. This literally defines as
“the state of having good indwelling spirit; a good genius”
- Eudaimonia (also known as Eudaemonism) is a Greek word, which refers a
state of having a good indwelling spirit or being in a contented state of being
healthy, happy and prosperous.
- In general sense, eudaimonia can perceived as any theory that places the
personal happiness of an individual that his or her complete life at the core of
ethical concern.
ON EPICURUS’S VIEWPOINT
- Epicurus born 341 B.C and he was the Greek philosopher who contradicted
metaphysical philosophers.
- He believed that balance and temperance were created a space or
happiness. His view is not more of how happiness can be define but more on
theory about the real source to experience it. Furthermore, it agrees that ethical
doctrine which claims pleasure in the norm of morality- hedonism
- reiterates the intelligent choice and practical wisdom to measure pleasure
against pain to attain well-being.
ON NIETZSCHE’S VIEWPOINT
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900)

- was a German philosopher and cultural who published intensively in the 1870s
and 1880s.
- He is known for his criticism psychological analysis that resulted to opposing

ideas on the people’s receive. As expected, Nietzsche viewed happiness in
different way.
- For many philosophers, happiness could be a “constant state of well-being”,

but for him, happiness “ideal state of laziness”. Consequently, laziness for him
is described as to any worries or distress in life.
SCIENCE AN TECHNOLOGY AND HUMAN FLOURISHING
- We lived in the world where science and technology are the face point of the
changing society, advances and continuous technological growth are the results
of the intensified application of scientific knowledge to deliver progress in the
society.
- The rise of information technologies has made global communications
possible. The introduction of gene therapy, stem cells and cloning has improved
the medical and health sectors.
- Nanotechnology and robotics made industries flourished. Economic growth and
global standing were achieved through innovations. Scientific applications
continuously provide convenience to human lives. All these and more completes
the story of changes, innovations, and progress which impacts the ethical and
moral preference of human in the modern Society.
CHAPTER 8
THE CONCEPT OF BEING GOOD
• The term “good” is commonly used interchangeably with the term “right”. Traes
explained that the adjectives good and right are related in meaning, but are not
synonyms. It makes no sense to speak of a “right person” when we mean a “good
person” or the right action as a meaning for good action.
Taking the right action means correctly applying a norm, premise, presupposition, rule,
standard, or law. This explains that the term “right” reasons are being used to justify
the principle and its application.
Being good involves having the character and personal qualities that were justified by
reason as having moral worth.
Morals refer to an individual's own principle regarding right and wrong.
Aristotelean View
- In Aristotelean view, “the understandability of the good is based on the idea of

what is good for the specific entity under consideration”.
- As Younkin's expounded, that the view of Aristotle states that the good is what is
good.
- For Aristotle, the good is what is good for purposeful, goal-directed entities. He
defines the good proper to human being as the activities in which the life
functions specific to human beings are most fully realized.
- It acknowledges the fact that human being is endowed with his own rational mind
and free will. Timbreza (2008), as elucidated by Gripaldo (2013), explained that
in natural ethician’s view, “good is that which is suitable to and proper for human
nature. Whenever it is not proper for human nature, it is bad and must be
avoided.” Acting rightly means doing the right thing based on the voice of
conscience, otherwise, feeling of guilt, self-reproach, and remorse well be felt. It
follows that a person, as human being, has his own consciousness of functions,
survival, and means of having the life he envisioned.
- Thus, considering the aspect of human nature, the term “good”

denotes a more objective meaning of “a state or way of being.”
THE GOOD LIFE

- The meaning of this term up to the present times resign vague. Is meaningful
life also a happy one.? And “Is living with happiness means living a good life?
“Are still part of the debates even the philosophers. Socrates declared that “the
unexamined life is not worth living for” the idea of worthwhile living should be
filtered with experience and vice versa. Aristotle, being the student of Socrates,
viewed the good life as a life of relationships. It is the nature of man to seek good
life with and for others rather than experiencing it by himself.
- Aristotle further elucidated the idea of relating the essence of happiness to

achieving well-being and experiencing good life.
- In relation to psychological foundations, Steve Mueller (2016), the founder of
planet of success defined the term as a (desirable) state that is primarily
characterized by a high standard of living of the adherence to ethical and moral
laws.
- Martin Heidegger, an existentialist philosopher, also has a different view on the
aspect of life. He dealt more on how we live an “authentic life” rather dealing
with the “good life”.
- For Heidgger, living an authentic life means living with deep acceptance on the
facticity of “death” and resulting to a “life lived according to what it’s has clearly
decided as its meaning and purpose.
- No one can deny that fact science and technology has profound impact on how
modern man thinks and appreciates matter. It can be concretely seen in the
present conditions of man in the society. The desire to feel satisfaction of
research and development through genetic engineering, cloning, and the likes
opened endless doors for the skeptics.

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CHAPTER 7

Blakemore and Greenfield (1987; as cited in Bernaldez, 2001),

- recognized the human as the possession of intellect distinguishes a human being

- According to Heidegger, it was originally the fundamental question of philosophy,

1. Dasein exist in a world

UNDERSTANDING HUMAN FLOURISHING

- Etymologically speaking eudemonia is consists of Greek words “eu” which

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900)

- He is known for his criticism psychological analysis that resulted to opposing

- For many philosophers, happiness could be a “constant state of well-being”,

SCIENCE AN TECHNOLOGY AND HUMAN FLOURISHING

THE CONCEPT OF BEING GOOD

Morals refer to an individual's own principle regarding right and wrong.

- In Aristotelean view, “the understandability of the good is based on the idea of

- Thus, considering the aspect of human nature, the term “good”

THE GOOD LIFE

- Aristotle further elucidated the idea of relating the essence of happiness to

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