Exploring the Intersection of Technology, Ethics, and Society: A Critical Comparative Analysis through the Lens of Critical Making.
Read the three pieces of literature listed below and write a paper of 1.500 words (+/- 10%) that compares and contrasts how each paper approaches critical making, focusing on their different settings and outcomes.
Alissa N. Antle, Yumiko Murai, Alexandra Kitson, Yves Candau, Zoe Minh-Tam Dao-Kroeker, and Azadeh Adibi. 2022. “There are a LOT of moral issues with biowearables” … Teaching Design Ethics through a Critical Making Biowearable Workshop. In Proceedings of the 21st Annual ACM Interaction Design and Children Conference (IDC ’22). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, 327–340.
Hughes, J., Morrison, L., Mamolo, A., Laffier, J. and de Castell, S. (2019), Addressing bullying through critical making. Br J Educ Technol, 50: 309-325. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12714Links to an external site.
Sara Ann Wylie , Kirk Jalbert , Shannon Dosemagen & Matt Ratto (2014) Institutions for Civic Technoscience: How Critical Making is Transforming Environmental Research, The Information Society, 30:2, 116-126,.
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
Exploring Critical Making in Technology, Ethics, and Society: A Comparative Analysis
Technology continues to shape our society, influencing various aspects of our lives. As technology advancements accelerate, ethical considerations become increasingly important. Critical making emerges as a concept that intertwines technology, ethics, and society, challenging individuals to engage critically with the making process. This paper will delve into a comparative analysis of how three distinct papers approach critical making in different settings and outcomes.
Alissa N. Antle et al. – Teaching Design Ethics through a Critical Making Biowearable Workshop
In their paper presented at the 21st Annual ACM Interaction Design and Children Conference, Antle et al. explore the moral issues associated with biowearables through a critical making workshop. The authors emphasize the importance of integrating design ethics into the making process of biowearables to raise awareness about potential ethical implications. By engaging participants in hands-on activities to create biowearable prototypes, the workshop aims to foster critical reflection on the ethical dimensions of wearable technologies.
Hughes, J. et al. – Addressing Bullying through Critical Making
Hughes and colleagues delve into the realm of addressing bullying through critical making in their paper published in the British Journal of Educational Technology. The authors focus on utilizing critical making practices as a means to tackle the pervasive issue of bullying in educational settings. By encouraging students to engage in hands-on making activities that address bullying behaviors, the paper highlights the potential of critical making to instigate social change and promote empathy among individuals involved.
Sara Ann Wylie et al. – Institutions for Civic Technoscience
In their exploration of how critical making is transforming environmental research, Wylie et al. shed light on the role of critical making in civic technoscience within institutions. Published in The Information Society journal, the paper delves into how critical making practices can empower communities to engage with environmental issues and challenge traditional research paradigms. By emphasizing collaborative and participatory approaches to critical making, the authors advocate for a more inclusive and democratized form of environmental research.
Comparative Analysis
Settings:
– Antle et al.’s paper focuses on a workshop setting aimed at teaching design ethics through critical making activities related to biowearables.
– Hughes et al. center their study on an educational environment where critical making is utilized to address bullying behaviors.
– Wylie et al. explore the role of critical making within institutional frameworks, particularly in the context of civic technoscience and environmental research.
Outcomes:
– Antle et al.’s work aims to raise awareness about moral issues in biowearables and promote ethical considerations in design processes.
– Hughes et al.’s paper highlights how critical making can be a tool for addressing social issues like bullying and fostering empathy among individuals.
– Wylie et al.’s research underscores the transformative potential of critical making in empowering communities to engage with environmental research and challenge existing power structures.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the comparative analysis of these three papers reveals the diverse applications and outcomes of critical making in technology, ethics, and society. While Antle et al. focus on design ethics in biowearables, Hughes et al. highlight social impact through addressing bullying, and Wylie et al. emphasize community empowerment in environmental research. By critically engaging with making processes, these studies underscore the significance of ethical considerations, social change, and community participation in shaping a more responsible and inclusive technological landscape. As technology continues to evolve, the integration of critical making practices becomes indispensable in navigating complex ethical dilemmas and societal challenges.
