RFID tags are increasingly ubiquitous in today’s products. Consider the potential of embedding an RFID tag into the stock of weapons, such as an AK-47 rifle. Such a move would allow electronic tracking of the weapon’s movement. The ‘Fast and Furious’ operation by the BATFE faced criticism, largely due to its reliance on human tracking of straw gun buyers. If RFID technology had been integrated into this operation, do you believe the outcomes would have been more favorable? Why or why not?
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: Enhancing Weapon Tracking with RFID Technology: Evaluating the Potential of RFID Integration in Firearms
Introduction: RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology has become increasingly prevalent in various industries, enabling efficient tracking and management of products. This essay explores the potential benefits and drawbacks of integrating RFID tags into firearms, specifically AK-47 rifles. By examining the controversial ‘Fast and Furious’ operation conducted by the BATFE (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives), we can assess whether RFID technology could have improved the outcomes of this operation.
RFID Integration in Firearms:
Improved Tracking: Embedding RFID tags into the stock of firearms could allow for electronic tracking, offering real-time information on their movement and location. This could potentially enhance law enforcement efforts, intelligence gathering, and overall firearm control.
Enhanced Investigation Capabilities: RFID technology could provide law enforcement agencies with valuable data on the movement of firearms, aiding investigations into illegal activities such as straw purchases, gun trafficking, and illicit arms transfers. The ability to electronically trace firearms could streamline investigations, potentially leading to more efficient law enforcement operations.
Deterrence: The presence of RFID tags in firearms might act as a deterrent, discouraging individuals from engaging in illegal activities involving these weapons. The knowledge that firearms can be easily tracked could create a significant risk for criminals involved in illegal arms trade.
Evaluation of ‘Fast and Furious’ Operation:
Improved Accountability: Integrating RFID tags into firearms during the ‘Fast and Furious’ operation could have provided better accountability for the weapons involved. This would have allowed law enforcement agencies to monitor the movement of these firearms in real-time, reducing the risk of losing track of them and ensuring greater transparency.
Enhanced Oversight: With RFID integration, the BATFE could have better monitored the actions of straw gun buyers and their connections to criminal networks. The ability to track firearms electronically could have provided critical insights into the movement of weapons and identified patterns or networks involved in illicit activities.
Potential Challenges: Despite the potential benefits, there are challenges associated with RFID integration. Privacy concerns may arise from the continuous tracking of firearms, raising questions about individual rights and government surveillance. Additionally, criminals may develop countermeasures to disable or remove RFID tags, limiting their effectiveness in certain scenarios.
Conclusion: Integrating RFID technology into firearms has the potential to enhance tracking capabilities, improve investigations, and deter illegal activities involving weapons. In the case of the ‘Fast and Furious’ operation, the outcomes might have been more favorable if RFID tags had been integrated into the firearms used. However, it is crucial to address concerns related to privacy, potential countermeasures, and the overall ethical implications of continuous firearm tracking. Further research and careful implementation are necessary to ensure that any integration of RFID technology in firearms strikes a balance between public safety and individual rights.
