How can Design Thinking be used as a strategic tool to adress social issues?
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
Design Thinking as a Strategic Tool to Address Social Issues
Introduction
In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the need for innovative solutions to address complex social issues. Traditional approaches often fall short in addressing the root causes of these problems. This is where design thinking comes into play. Design thinking is a problem-solving methodology that focuses on empathy, collaboration, and creative ideation. It provides a structured approach to tackle social issues by understanding the needs of the people affected, generating novel ideas, and implementing practical solutions. This essay explores how design thinking can be used as a strategic tool to address social issues effectively.
Understanding the Problem
The first step in design thinking is to thoroughly understand the problem at hand. This involves conducting research, gathering data, and empathizing with the people affected by the issue. By immersing oneself in the lived experiences of those impacted, designers can gain valuable insights into the root causes and underlying needs. This empathetic approach ensures that the solutions developed are grounded in the reality of the people they aim to serve.
Ideation and Collaboration
Once the problem has been clearly defined, design thinking encourages brainstorming and creative ideation. This phase involves bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise to generate a wide range of potential solutions. By fostering a collaborative environment, design thinking enables the exploration of different approaches and encourages out-of-the-box thinking.
Prototyping and Testing
Design thinking emphasizes the importance of prototyping and testing ideas before implementation. By creating low-cost prototypes, designers can gather feedback from end-users and refine their solutions iteratively. This iterative process allows for quick adjustments and ensures that the final solution effectively addresses the identified social issue.
Scaling Impact
Design thinking also offers a framework for scaling the impact of social interventions. By incorporating scalability considerations from the outset, designers can ensure that their solutions can be replicated and adapted in different contexts. This strategic approach enables the widespread adoption of successful interventions, maximizing their positive impact on society.
Case Study: The Human-Centered Design Approach in Healthcare
An excellent example of design thinking’s effectiveness as a strategic tool to address social issues is its application in healthcare. The human-centered design approach has revolutionized healthcare services worldwide.
In low-income communities where access to quality healthcare is limited, design thinking has been used to develop innovative solutions such as mobile health clinics and telemedicine platforms. These initiatives have significantly improved healthcare accessibility, particularly for vulnerable populations.
By involving patients and healthcare providers in the design process, design thinking has led to more patient-centric healthcare delivery models. The redesign of hospital waiting areas and the development of user-friendly medical devices are notable examples. These innovations have improved patient experiences while enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare services.
Conclusion
Design thinking provides a powerful framework for addressing complex social issues by focusing on empathy, collaboration, and iterative prototyping. By understanding the problem deeply, generating creative ideas, and testing solutions with end-users, design thinking ensures that social interventions are effective and sustainable. Through its strategic approach, design thinking enables scalable solutions that have the potential to create lasting positive change in society. As we face increasingly complex social challenges, harnessing the power of design thinking is crucial for creating a better future for all.
