At the end of this Module, you should be able to:
1. describe the characteristics of human flourishing in the context of science and technology; 2.
explain what de-development means; and differentiate traditional notions of progress and de-
development
HUMAN FLOURISHING
What is human flourishing? Eastern and western conceptions regarding society and human.
Flourishing seem to differ: western civilization seemed to be more individualistic (exemplified by the
Aristotelian. View of a good life) while eastem civilizations are more centered on the community
(such as the Chinese and Japanese emphasis on learning for the greater good). However, in the
context of globalization, this apparent difference in perspectives seems to disappear. However, it is
important to note that human flourishing is still given focus.
According to Bandarlipe, et al. (2019), the following are some characteristics of human flourishing:
1. All humans aim to flourish.
2 Human flourishing depends on free will.
. Human flourishing involves putting into action one’s capacities, capabilities, and virtues.
Human flourishing is sustained over time.
5. Human flourishing involves doing well in broad domains of human life.
Humans have attained certain progresses that we lack before. Mortality rates are lowered due to less
death due to diseases and childbirth. Life spans have increased because of better medical care and
health conditions. Literacy rates also increased through better access to education and more
alternatives or modes. Of learning. Productivity has also increased, though differing in levels in many
countries, which increased food supply and income of families.
However, determining the ways on how to attain a flourishing human life is not an easy endeavor,
especially in the context of science and technology. Though, as from previous lessons, we have
learned that science and technology are instrumental in human flourishing, some may say that
overdependence to the point in deifying science may pose a threat to human flourishing.
To leam more about this threat of science to human flourishing, watch the documentary film The
Magician’s Twin: C.S. Lewis and the Case against Scientism (https://www.youtube.com/watch?
V=FPeyJvXU68k).
The following leaming points summarize what you have learned in this section:
Different cultures have different views on human flourishing. Nevertheless, human flourishing has.
Certain characteristics such as the involvement of practice, sustainment across time, and being
involved in different domains of life.
Science and technology have certain roles to play in human flourishing. However, letting science be
corrupted may lead to negative impacts with respect to human flourishing.
Jason Hickel claimed more growth or shifting growth from developed to developing nations are
inadequate strategies to finally end the problem of poverty. He asserted we have continually going
past our capacity to generate supply of renewable resources and to absorb surplus. Developed
countries are also over-consuming.
Hickel said that instead of poor countries catching up to grow as much as rich countries, rich
countries could consider reaching more appropriate levels of development. Living long and happy
lives, despite low incomes, could be the target or goal instead of increasing growth. This means that
though countries might have high incomes, this does not equate to a long lives, literate citizens, and
generally happy lives.
He asserted that countries may consider de-development, a shift of focus from economic growth to
life expectancy and happiness. The idea is for people to aim for having a better value of life instead of
acquiring and producing more: quality over quantity. Though many believe that material gain is not
overly necessary to achieve over-all happiness and many question the current way of thinking about
progress, it is difficult to “sell the concept of de-development because of the connotations of the
language used by those who promote it, terms such as de-growth, zero growth, de-development,
which implies a backwards way of living. However, the goal is actually becoming appropriately.
Developed.
According to Hickel, solutions to achieving this goal include banning advertising, a shorter working
week, and a basic income. Hickel warned us that if we insist of too much growth, the environment
will stop us from growing, and that we will up on poverty, something that we aimed to escape from.
After watching the video, one could legitimately question whether humans are really flourishing in
the present time. Jason Hickel, an anthropologist at the London School of Economics, also
questioned this in the context of economics. Recent reports show that the gap between developed
and developing countries. Continues to widen. There is also an unclear way on how to measure these
gaps. Many solutions have been put forward to attain this and to really determine whether we are
flourishing. Jason Hickel proposed a solution. That is different from what is usually thought of. In his
article Forget ‘developing poor countries, it’s time to de- develop rich countries, he looked into
poverty and how current measures in eradicating this global problem. Fails and instead the gap
between rich and poor countries are continuing to widen. He questions the need for continuing
growth and how this growth negatively affects countries. He also introduced the concept of de-
development as a way of bridging the gap between countries of different levels of development.
