What do you think is the best way to teach decision making skills to students? What challenges may arise in teaching decision making skills?
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
Title: Empowering Students: The Art of Decision-Making
Introduction:
In modern society, the ability to make informed decisions is a crucial life skill. Decision-making skills not only shape our personal lives but also play a fundamental role in academic success, career advancement, and overall well-being. Therefore, it is imperative that educators prioritize the teaching of decision-making skills to students. This essay will explore the best approaches to teaching decision-making skills and address potential challenges that may arise in the process.
Thesis Statement:
The integration of experiential learning, critical thinking strategies, and real-world applications creates an effective framework for teaching decision-making skills to students, while ensuring their engagement and ability to address challenges.
Body:
I. Experiential Learning: Engaging Students in Real-Life Scenarios
To effectively teach decision-making skills, educators should employ experiential learning methods. This approach allows students to actively engage with real-life scenarios, enabling them to develop practical decision-making abilities. By providing students with opportunities to make choices and assess the consequences, they can learn from both their successes and failures.
II. Critical Thinking Strategies: Nurturing Analytical Minds
Teaching students critical thinking strategies is another effective way to enhance their decision-making skills. By encouraging students to think critically, analyze information, consider multiple perspectives, and evaluate the potential outcomes of their decisions, educators empower them to make informed choices. Critical thinking also equips students with the skills to recognize biases and fallacies, enabling them to make more objective and rational decisions.
III. Real-World Applications: Bridging Theory with Practice
One of the challenges in teaching decision-making skills is bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. To overcome this hurdle, educators should incorporate real-world examples and relevant case studies into their curriculum. By connecting theoretical concepts with practical scenarios, students can better understand how decision-making principles apply to real-life situations.
IV. Challenges in Teaching Decision-Making Skills
While teaching decision-making skills is crucial, several challenges may arise during the process. These challenges include:
a) Information overload: In today’s digital age, students are bombarded with vast amounts of information, making it difficult for them to filter and analyze data effectively. Educators must teach students how to identify reliable sources of information and critically evaluate them.
b) Emotional intelligence: Decision-making is not solely based on logic; emotions also play a significant role. Teaching students emotional intelligence will help them understand and manage their emotions when making decisions, leading to more balanced and well-thought-out choices.
c) Fear of failure: Many students fear failure and may avoid making decisions altogether as a result. Educators should create a supportive environment that encourages risk-taking and views failures as valuable learning experiences.
Conclusion:
Teaching decision-making skills is essential for empowering students to become capable and confident individuals in today’s complex world. By combining experiential learning methods, critical thinking strategies, and real-world applications, educators can effectively equip students with the necessary tools to make informed decisions. Despite challenges such as information overload, emotional intelligence, and fear of failure, by addressing these obstacles directly, educators can ensure that students are well-prepared to face the complexities of decision-making in their lives.
