Compare and contrast the extent to which anthropology and history are influenced by positivism. Why do you think this is the case?
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: Influence of Positivism on Anthropology and History: A Comparative Analysis
Introduction
Positivism, a philosophical approach that emphasizes empirical observation and scientific methods in the study of natural and social phenomena, has had a significant impact on various academic disciplines, including anthropology and history. While both anthropology and history aim to understand human societies and cultures, they differ in their methodologies and approaches influenced by positivism. This essay will compare and contrast the extent to which anthropology and history are influenced by positivism and explore the reasons behind this influence.
Thesis Statement
Positivism has influenced anthropology and history to varying degrees, with anthropology embracing more interpretive and qualitative methods, while history tends to lean towards empirical data and factual analysis. This difference can be attributed to the nature of the subject matter each discipline examines and the historical development of their methodologies.
Influence of Positivism on Anthropology
Anthropology, as the study of human societies and cultures, has been influenced by positivism to a lesser extent compared to history. Anthropologists often employ qualitative research methods such as participant observation, ethnography, and interviews to understand the complexities of human behavior and social structures. While positivism values empirical evidence and scientific objectivity, anthropologists recognize the subjective nature of culture and emphasize interpretation, reflexivity, and cultural relativism in their research. This interpretive approach allows anthropologists to delve deeper into the meanings and symbols embedded in human practices, offering rich insights into diverse cultures around the world.
Influence of Positivism on History
History, on the other hand, has been more strongly influenced by positivism due to its focus on empirical data, factual accuracy, and chronological analysis of past events. Historians rely on primary sources, archival records, artifacts, and historical documents to reconstruct narratives of the past. Positivist principles emphasize verifiability, objectivity, and causality in historical research, aiming to uncover objective truths about historical events and developments. This empirical approach has shaped the way historians approach their work, emphasizing evidence-based interpretations and rigorous analysis of sources.
Reasons for the Differential Influence
The differing degrees of influence of positivism on anthropology and history can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, the subject matter of each discipline plays a crucial role in determining the research methods employed. Anthropology deals with living cultures and societies, which are inherently complex and dynamic, requiring interpretive approaches to capture their nuances. In contrast, history deals with past events that are often documented in written records, lending themselves to empirical analysis.
Furthermore, the historical development of each discipline has shaped their methodologies. History emerged as a discipline closely aligned with positivist principles during the 19th century when scholars sought to establish history as a science based on empirical evidence and objectivity. Anthropology, with its roots in ethnography and cultural studies, developed a more interpretive stance that acknowledges the subjective nature of culture and human experience.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while both anthropology and history have been influenced by positivism, they exhibit differences in the extent to which they embrace positivist principles in their research methodologies. Anthropology leans towards interpretive and qualitative approaches that emphasize cultural understanding and reflexivity, while history tends to prioritize empirical data and factual analysis in reconstructing past narratives. These differences reflect the unique challenges posed by their respective subject matters and the historical evolution of their disciplinary practices. By recognizing and understanding these influences, scholars in both disciplines can enrich their research methodologies and contribute valuable insights to our understanding of human societies and cultures.
