How do children trade off between exploration and teaching?
We know that adults can be an important source of information for children, but also that children are capable explorers and that sometimes adults don’t teach perfectly. Under which conditions are children most likely to imitate? What leads children to explore more or imitate less? How does reasoning differ between instrumental and social problems? When is relying on teaching from others most important? When is each of these strategies adaptive?
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
The Balancing Act: Children’s Trade-Off Between Exploration and Teaching
Children navigate a delicate balance between exploration and learning from others, including adults. While adults can provide valuable information, children are natural explorers. Understanding the conditions that influence children’s tendencies to imitate or explore can shed light on their learning processes. This article will discuss the factors that influence children’s imitation, exploration, reasoning differences between instrumental and social problems, and when relying on teaching or exploration is most adaptive.
Imitation: When Children Are Likely to Imitate
Children are more likely to imitate when certain conditions are met. First, the credibility of the adult plays a significant role. If an adult is perceived as knowledgeable or competent, children are more likely to imitate their behaviors or actions. Second, children are more prone to imitate when they encounter complex or ambiguous situations where they lack prior knowledge or experience. In such cases, they rely on social learning by imitating others to acquire new skills or knowledge. Lastly, when children perceive that imitating certain behaviors will result in positive outcomes or rewards, they are more inclined to imitate.
Exploration: Factors that Promote Exploration
Children are natural explorers and engage in curiosity-driven activities to learn about the world around them. Several factors influence children’s inclination to explore. First, novelty and uncertainty play a vital role in stimulating exploration. When children encounter unfamiliar situations or environments, their curiosity is piqued, leading them to explore and seek new information. Second, intrinsic motivation drives exploration. When children are internally motivated to learn or discover new things, they are more likely to engage in exploratory behaviors. Finally, when children have a sense of autonomy and feel safe in their environment, they are more likely to explore freely.
Reasoning Differences: Instrumental vs. Social Problems
Children’s reasoning processes differ when faced with instrumental (problem-solving) and social problems. Instrumental problems involve finding solutions to practical challenges, whereas social problems focus on understanding social norms, emotions, or intentions. In instrumental problems, children tend to apply logical reasoning and problem-solving strategies to find the most efficient solution. However, in social problems, children rely more on social cues, emotional understanding, and empathy to navigate complex social interactions.
Importance of Relying on Teaching from Others
Relying on teaching from others becomes particularly important when children face situations that are beyond their current cognitive abilities or when acquiring specific cultural knowledge is essential for their development. Learning from adults or more knowledgeable peers allows children to acquire information efficiently and avoid potential risks or dangers associated with trial-and-error learning. Teaching provides a scaffold for children’s learning and can accelerate their acquisition of complex skills and knowledge.
Adaptive Nature of Each Strategy
Both imitation and exploration strategies have adaptive qualities depending on the context. Imitation allows children to acquire culturally relevant knowledge efficiently and learn from others’ expertise. It helps them assimilate into their social group and adopt beneficial behaviors quickly. On the other hand, exploration promotes cognitive flexibility, creativity, and independent thinking. It allows children to discover novel solutions, develop problem-solving skills, and adapt to new challenges.
Conclusion
Children skillfully balance between exploration and learning from others based on various factors. They are more likely to imitate when adults are credible, faced with complex situations, or expect positive outcomes. Exploration is driven by novelty, intrinsic motivation, and a sense of autonomy. Reasoning differs between instrumental and social problems, with logical reasoning dominating instrumental problems while social cues play a more significant role in social problems. Relying on teaching from others is valuable when facing cognitive challenges or cultural learning needs. Both imitation and exploration strategies have adaptive qualities depending on the context, contributing to children’s development and growth as learners and problem solvers.
