How would Susan Wolf evaluate philosophical hedonism, Sartre, and Socrates with respect to the question of life’s meaning?
In order to answer this question well, you’ll need to explain each of the views in addition to making a case for how Wolf would evaluate them.
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
Evaluating Philosophical Hedonism, Sartre, and Socrates on Life’s Meaning
Philosophical Hedonism
Philosophical hedonism is the belief that pleasure is the ultimate goal of life and that the pursuit of pleasure leads to a meaningful existence. According to this view, maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain is the key to a fulfilling life.
Evaluation by Susan Wolf: Susan Wolf, a prominent contemporary philosopher, would likely critique hedonism for its narrow focus on pleasure as the sole source of meaning. She argues for a broader conception of meaningfulness that includes objective values and personal relationships, beyond just the pursuit of pleasure.
Sartre’s Existentialism
Jean-Paul Sartre, an existentialist philosopher, posits that life has no inherent meaning or purpose. According to Sartre, individuals are free to create their own meaning through their choices and actions, leading to a sense of responsibility and existential angst.
Evaluation by Susan Wolf: Wolf might appreciate Sartre’s emphasis on personal responsibility and freedom in creating meaning. However, she could critique Sartre for potentially neglecting the role of objective values and relationships in shaping a truly meaningful life, as she advocates for a more holistic approach to understanding meaning.
Socratic Philosophy
Socrates, the ancient Greek philosopher, believed that the pursuit of wisdom and virtue was essential for a meaningful life. He emphasized self-knowledge, moral goodness, and the examined life as foundational elements for finding purpose and fulfillment.
Evaluation by Susan Wolf: Wolf would likely find resonance with Socrates’ emphasis on wisdom, virtue, and self-awareness as crucial components of a meaningful life. She might see value in Socratic philosophy for its focus on objective values and ethical principles as contributing to a deeper sense of purpose beyond individual desires.
In summary, Susan Wolf’s evaluation of philosophical hedonism, Sartre’s existentialism, and Socratic philosophy would likely emphasize the importance of a multifaceted approach to understanding life’s meaning. She would advocate for a perspective that combines personal fulfillment with objective values, ethical considerations, and meaningful relationships in the quest for a truly purposeful existence.
