Introduction
What effects do changes in supply and demand have on equilibrium price and quantity? Suppose that the supply of some good (for example, health care) is constant and demand increases. As a result, the new intersection of the supply and demand curves is at higher values on both the price and
the quantity axes. Clearly, an increase in demand raises both equilibrium price and equilibrium quantity. Conversely, a decrease in demand reduces both equilibrium price and equilibrium quantity.
Directions
Real (inflation-adjusted) tuition costs were nearly constant during the 1960s despite a huge increase in the number of college students as the very large Baby Boom generation came of age. What do these constant tuition costs suggest about the supply of higher education during that period? When the much smaller Baby Bust generation followed in the 1970s, real tuition costs fell. What does that fact suggest about demand relative to supply during the 1970s?
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Thesis Statement: The constant tuition costs during the 1960s despite a significant increase in the number of college students suggest that the supply of higher education during that period was able to meet the growing demand. Conversely, the decrease in real tuition costs during the 1970s, when the Baby Bust generation emerged, indicates a decline in demand relative to supply.
Introduction: During the 1960s, despite a substantial increase in the number of college students as the Baby Boom generation came of age, real tuition costs remained relatively constant. This phenomenon raises questions about the supply of higher education during that period. On the other hand, in the 1970s, when the Baby Bust generation followed, real tuition costs actually decreased. This fact suggests that demand for higher education declined relative to supply. In this essay, we will explore the reasons behind these trends and the implications they have on the supply and demand dynamics of higher education during these decades.
Body:
Constant Tuition Costs During the 1960s:
Despite a significant increase in the number of college students, tuition costs remained relatively constant.
This suggests that the supply of higher education was able to meet the growing demand during this period.
The constant tuition costs may have been influenced by government policies and subsidies aimed at expanding access to higher education.
Additionally, the surge in demand for higher education during this time might have been anticipated and accommodated by colleges and universities, leading to a balanced equilibrium between supply and demand.
The availability of scholarships and grants could have also played a role in making college more affordable for the Baby Boom generation.
Decrease in Real Tuition Costs During the 1970s:
In contrast to the 1960s, real tuition costs fell during the 1970s when the Baby Bust generation emerged.
This implies that demand for higher education declined relative to supply during this period.
The smaller number of college-aged individuals resulted in decreased competition for admission, leading to a decrease in tuition costs.
Colleges and universities had to adjust their pricing strategies to attract students from a smaller pool, which contributed to the decrease in real tuition costs.
The declining demand may have also been influenced by economic conditions, such as high unemployment rates and a stagnant job market, which made pursuing higher education less attractive for individuals.
Conclusion:
The constant tuition costs during the 1960s despite a significant increase in college students suggest that the supply of higher education was able to meet the growing demand. This could be attributed to government policies, subsidies, and proactive planning by educational institutions. However, during the 1970s, when the Baby Bust generation followed, real tuition costs decreased, indicating a decline in demand relative to supply. Economic factors and a smaller pool of college-aged individuals likely contributed to this decrease in demand. The trends observed during these decades highlight the dynamic nature of supply and demand in higher education and how external factors can shape equilibrium price and quantity.
