FM-AA-CIA-15 Rev.

0 10-July-2020

Study Guide in GE 6: Science, Technology, and Society Module No. 8

STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE NO. 8

WHEN TECHNOLOGY AND HUMANITY CROSS

MODULE OVERVIEW

Humans aiming for a good life should cautiously think while dealing with science and technology.
This module presents documents that have very high importance in ensuring the consideration and protection
of human rights and the well-being of the human person in the advancements in science and technology. This
section focuses on S. Romi Mukherjee's article on human rights-based approach to science, development,
and technology, and the cited documents in the article that contain their key principles.

MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this Module, you should be able to:

1. Distinguish documents and their principles that protects the well-being of humans amid scientific and
technological advancements
2. Analyze human rights in order to sustain such rights in technological ethical dilemmas

Diagnostics

Before we proceed on this Module, let us determine your beliefs concerning human rights and science
and technology. Choose the statements below that you agree on.
1. Rights upheld in the context of science and technology should be the same for every human being.
2. To attain science and technological advancement, it is sometimes necessary to disregard human
rights.
3. It would be a violation of human rights if the scientific community does not include the public in its
decisions.
4. Human rights should be considered when making decisions and policies where science and
technology is concerned.
5. The foremost responsibility of the scientific community is to avoid that human rights are violated
during scientific endeavors.

HUMAN RIGHTS-BASED APPROACH TO SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND DEVELOPMENT

You cannot deny that most of the comfort you are experiencing wherever you are is because of science
and technology. At this moment, you can choose a comfortable way on reading this text maybe through your
phone or laptop or printed on a paper.

Indeed, scientific and technological advancement today is associated to having a good life, however, it
can be perilous in upholding human rights. Exponential technologies have truly amazing potential for
humanity, but we may squander it if we forget that the purpose of all technology should be to promote human
flourishing. Thus, it is important that in the developments in science and technology, human rights should
always be kept in mind. This is the main objective of the human rights-based approach to science, technology,
and development.

The said approach was explained by S. Romi Mukherjee, a senior lecturer at the Paris Institute of
Political Studies in his article Linking science and human rights: Facts and figures. According to him, a human
rights-based approach to science technology, and development:

“seeks to place a concern for human rights at the heart of how the international
community engages with urgent global challenges. The UN Development Programme
characterizes this approach as one that ‘leads to better and more sustainable outcomes
by analyzing and addressing the inequalities, discriminatory practices and unjust power
relations which are often at the heart of development problems. It puts the international
human rights entitlements and claims of the people (the 'right-holders) and the

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Study Guide in GE 6: Science, Technology, and Society Module No. 8

corresponding obligations of the state (the 'duty-bearer) in the center of the national
development debate, and it clarifies the purpose of capacity development.’”

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1.1 (Asynchronous)

Read more about the human rights-based approach to science and technology, its aims, and its
assertions by visiting this link:
https://www.scidev.net/global/human-rights/feature/linking-science-and-human-rights-facts-and-
figures.html#:~:text=A%20human%20rights%2Dbased%20approach%20to%20science%2C%20technology
%20and%20development,engages%20with%20urgent%20global%20challenges

Then share your thoughts to the class based on the following questions.
1. What is human rights-based approach to science, technology, and development?

2. Where do these documents and their key principles place human rights in the intersection of
technology and humanity?

3. In your opinion, in times of the COVID-19 pandemic, do you think a human rights-based approach to
science, technology, and development is being implemented? Why? Or why not?

KEY DOCUMENTS AND THEIR PRINCIPLES THAT ENSURE THE WELL-BEING OF HUMANS

In his article, Mukherjee also identified some key documents and their principles that ensure the well-
being of humans and human rights protection amidst science and technology development. These are the
following:

1. Universal Declaration of Human Rights - 1948. On December 10, 1948, the United Nations General
Assembly proclaimed the UDHR as the human rights standard. The UDHR tells us that one’s worth is
because of being human.
2. UNESCO Recommendation on the Status of Scientific Researchers - 1979. The UNESCO
Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers sets the standards by which science should
operate and asserts that for science to progress, proper support should be given to it. This also
emphasizes the need to develop policies to ensure that developments are aimed towards to
betterment of society.
3. UNESCO Declaration on the Use of Scientific Knowledge -1999. This document touches on several
important issues that touches both humanity and science and technology.
Among other documents cited in his article include the following:
4. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966)
5. Declaration on Social Progress and Development (1969)
6. Declaration on the Use of Scientific and Technological Progress in the Interest of Peace and for the
Benefit of Mankind (1975)
7. Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights (2005)
8. The Declaration of Dakar (2007)
9. The Cairo Declaration (2006)

The contents of the said documents and their implications, Mukherjee believed, should not be only
written on paper but practiced by the different nations that impose them. By applying a human rights-based
approach, the society will flourish as science and technology does.

Now that you have seen the importance of a human rights-based approach to science and technology, we
will look at specific issues that concerns the intersection between humanity and technology. This includes
issues between humanity and robots and humanity, gadgets, and the Internet.

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HUMANS AND ROBOTS

Computerization, or the increasing complexity of computers, and mechanical devices have gone so far
from its initial objective which is to aid humans to its present condition that may already be a threat to human
usefulness and employment. Another example is the improvement of artificial intelligence that may give robots
the human-like capability or decide like humans. With this possible risk, ethical issues concerning robots
should be reflected on.
It is very difficult to actually define of what a robot is, and many people may disagree of what a robot
really is. Generally speaking, a robot is an “autonomous machine capable of sensing its environment,
carrying out computations to make decisions, and performing actions in the real world”. Autonomy in robots
may vary, from having some outside control to having virtually no external influence.

Based on ”The ethical dilemma of robotics”, an article written by Dylan Evans, there are nations that are
outlining ethical codes and legislation involving the negative interactions between human and robots. The
advancement in emotional robotics also adds to the ethical dilemma of robots and humans, these
advancements make robots distinguish human expressions of emotion.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1.2 (Asynchronous)

In his article, Evans outlined some of the problems that humanity may face as robotics flourishes. Read
the article “The ethical dilemmas of robotics” through the link
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6432307.stm

Then share your thoughts to the class based on the following questions.
a. What are the ethical dilemmas posed by robotics?
b. using a human rights-based approach to science and technology, how can we solve these problems or
issues?

HUMANS, TECHNOLOGY, AND THE INTERNET

Almost every household contain television sets, mobile phones, and computers. There are hundreds of
millions of mobile phone subscription, millions of active Facebook accounts, and several hours of mobile
phone and computer interface. Currently, the Philippines is one of the countries with the most number of
world’s digital populations and is the fastest-growing application market in Southeast Asia.

These devices are used as platforms for advertisements, propaganda, and advocacies for
communication, for information dissemination, as recreational activity and stress reliever, and as way to bond
with family members. Though there are uses, some argue that there are ethical dilemmas that these
advancements bring forth.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 2 (Asynchronous)

Audio-visual Presentation (Group Activity)

The class will be divided into six groups where each group must produce an 3-5-minute audio-visual
presentation. The AVP must have a concept showing what would happen when HUMANITY and
TECHNOLOGY cross.

You will be graded using the following rubric:

CRITERIA 4 3 2 1
Content The AVP shows The AVP is clear The AVP shows The AVP lacks a
high degree clarity and concise, with a some degree clear point of view
and conciseness, very logical clarity and and logical
with a very logical sequence of conciseness, with sequence of
sequence of complete ideas a very logical information.
complete ideas about the topic. sequence of
about the topic. complete ideas

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Study Guide in GE 6: Science, Technology, and Society Module No. 8

about the topic.

Quality AVP can be seen AVP can be seen AVP is mostly AVP is unclear, it
and/ or heard easily and/ or unclear, it can’t be cannot be seen
easily and clearly clearly and but easily seen and/ or and/ or cannot be
can’t be heard or heard heard.
vice versa
Time AVP was AVP was AVP was AVP was
submitted before submitted on the submitted an hour submitted more
the given due time given due time or a day after the than a day after the
given due time given due time

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1 (In-person)

Document Analysis (Group Activity)

After reading the article in your asynchronous activity 1.2, answer the following questions:
1. Read the identified documents in the article Linking science and human rights: Facts and figures and
look for the articles that pertains specifically for science, technology, and human rights. For the first
three documents, the articles have been identified for you. However, for other documents cited
(documents 4 – 9), you will have to read the content of the document to determine the particular
section or article that science and technology and human rights are concerned. You will be grouped in
six and will be assigned the document to read and will be shared to the class. In reading the
documents, answer the following:
a. What is the document all about?
b. What section or article of the document focuses on science, technology, and human rights?
c. How does the document ensure that human rights are being protected in the context of science
and technology?
2. What do you think are the challenges in implementing the contents of these documents? How can we
overcome these challenges?

Your work will be graded using the following rubric:

CRITERIA 4 3 2 1
Depth of Content Shows a Shows a Shows a basic Lacks knowledge
comprehensive comprehensive knowledge of the of the subject for
knowledge of the knowledge of the subject for reflection.
subject for subject for reflection.
reflection and work reflection.
can be used as an
example for others.
Originality and Work is insightful Work is insightful Work shows some Work is not unique.
Insight and shows a high and shows insight and some
degree of ingenuity. degree of
ingenuity. ingenuity.
Style and Clarity Ideas are clearly Ideas are clearly Ideas show some Ideas are not
expressed and well expressed and well degree of conveyed clearly
developed. developed. clearness but are nor are they well
not well developed. developed.
Organization and Writing is well- Writing is well- Writing has some Writing is
Grammar organized with no organized with few degree of unorganized and
spelling and spelling and organization with contains many
grammatical errors. grammatical errors. some spelling and spelling and
grammatical errors. grammatical errors.
Timeliness Work was Completed work Completed work Completed work
submitted earlier was submitted on was submitted the was submitted
than the given due the given due time. day after the given more than a day
time. due time. after the given due

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Study Guide in GE 6: Science, Technology, and Society Module No. 8

time.

SUMMARY

The following learning points summarize what you have learned in this section:

 Human rights are vital and should be highly considered when examining on how science, technology,
and development can foster human well-being. Human rights are also poors’ and vulnerables’ rights
and protection from the negative impacts of science and technology, uneven distribution of goods,
services, to natural and intangible resources. This can be an effective approach in bridging the gaps
between the rich and poor people or countries and it will lead them to flourish together through
science and technology.
 In other words, Human rights-based approaches should not be only printed or merely decorative on
paper but performed by the nations that enact them.
 With regards science and technology, the approach demands scientists to think ahead on how their
work and the knowledge they make affects, secure and affirm human rights.
 A rights-based approach to science follows to establish equitable participation of everyone such as
the access to scientific information and benefits of scientific advancement.
 There are certain issues on humanity on robotics. Issues on safety, blame, rights, and value of
humanity are just some of the issues that one can identify. He said that some are concerned
regarding robots that can show and perceive emotion, which might make us feel more machine-like.
He questioned on whether imposing the right of humans to robots might decrease our own
specialness. He was also worried on the use of robots in the military.
 The internet and other gadgets also impose some issues on humanity. These include issues on
communication, behavioral influence, information, and effects on intelligence.

REFERENCES

 Evans, D. (2007, March 9). The ethical dilemmas of robotics. BBC News. Retrieved from
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6432307.stm
 Leonard, Gerd (2016). TECHNOLOGY vs. HUMANITY: The coming clash between man and
machine. pp. 18-20. Fast Future Publishing Ltd 2016. Retrieved from:
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?
hl=tl&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=en+technology+and+humanity+cross&btnG=
 Mukherjee, S. R. (2012). Linking Science and Human Rights: Facts and Figures. SciDevNet.
Retrieved from https://www.scidev.net/global/human-rights/feature/linking-science-and-human-rights-
facts-and-figures.html#:~:text=A%20human%20rights%2Dbased%20approach%20to%20science
%2C%20technology%20and%20development,engages%20with%20urgent%20global%20challenges.
 Quinto, Edward Jay M. and Nieva, Aileen D. (2019). Science, Technology, and Society. pp 111-122.
Quezon City: C&E Publishing.

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