What is genetic discrimination and how might it be used in ethically problematic ways?
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 Solution
Sample Solution
Genetic Discrimination: Ethical Concerns and Problematic Applications
Introduction
Genetic discrimination refers to the unfair treatment, stigmatization, or prejudice against individuals based on their genetic information. It occurs when an individual’s genetic profile or family medical history is used to make discriminatory decisions related to employment, insurance coverage, or access to certain services. While genetic information can provide valuable insights into an individual’s health and potential risks, its misuse can lead to various ethical concerns and problematic applications. This essay will explore the concept of genetic discrimination, its potential ethical implications, and how it can be used in problematic ways.
Understanding Genetic Discrimination
Genetic discrimination occurs when an individual’s genetic information is used to discriminate against them in various contexts, such as:
- Employment: Employers may use genetic information to make hiring, promotion, or termination decisions based on perceived health risks or predispositions to certain conditions.
- Insurance Coverage: Insurers may deny or limit coverage based on an individual’s genetic profile, leading to unfair access to healthcare or high premiums.
- Healthcare: Healthcare providers may treat individuals differently based on their genetic information, potentially leading to unequal access to certain treatments or services.
- Education and Housing: Genetic information could be used to discriminate against individuals in educational or housing settings, leading to unfair treatment or denial of opportunities.
Ethical Concerns of Genetic Discrimination
Genetic discrimination raises several ethical concerns:
- Privacy and Autonomy: Individuals have a right to privacy and autonomy over their genetic information. Genetic discrimination infringes upon these rights by allowing others to make decisions based on an individual’s genetic profile without their consent or knowledge.
- Stigmatization and Discrimination: Genetic discrimination can lead to stigmatization, prejudice, and social exclusion of individuals based on their genetic predispositions or perceived health risks. This undermines the principle of fairness and equality.
- Unjustified Assumptions: Genetic information is probabilistic and does not guarantee the development of a specific condition. Discrimination based solely on genetic information can lead to unjustified assumptions and biases about an individual’s health and abilities.
- Psychological and Emotional Harm: Genetic discrimination can cause significant psychological distress, anxiety, and emotional harm to individuals who have undergone genetic testing or carry specific genetic markers.
Problematic Applications of Genetic Discrimination
Genetic discrimination can be used in ethically problematic ways:
- Employment Discrimination: Employers may use genetic information to make decisions about hiring, promotion, or termination, leading to unjust treatment and potential exploitation of individuals.
- Insurance Denial or Premium Hikes: Insurers may deny coverage or charge exorbitant premiums based on an individual’s genetic information, resulting in unequal access to healthcare and financial burden.
- Selective Screening or Treatment: Healthcare providers may discriminate against individuals based on their genetic information, potentially denying certain treatments or services based on perceived risks, leading to unequal healthcare provision.
- Social Exclusion and Stigmatization: Genetic discrimination can contribute to social exclusion and stigmatization of individuals with certain genetic traits, undermining their well-being and hindering social cohesion.
Conclusion
Genetic discrimination poses significant ethical concerns due to its potential infringement on privacy, autonomy, fairness, and equality. Misuse of genetic information in employment, insurance, healthcare, education, or housing can lead to unjust treatment, stigmatization, and discrimination. It is crucial to establish legal protections and ethical guidelines to prevent and address genetic discrimination, ensuring that individuals are not unfairly disadvantaged based on their genetic profile. By addressing these concerns, society can strive for a more equitable and just treatment of individuals in the realm of genetic information.
