Develop and write two questions that may be included on an intelligence test that are culturally biased and unfair to certain culture groups. How are the questions your prepared unfair? (Minimum 300 words)
What other factors might be important to measure intelligence?
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
Question 1:
“Which of the following holidays is widely celebrated in the United States?” a) Christmas b) Diwali c) Hanukkah d) Ramadan
This question is culturally biased and unfair because it assumes that the test-taker is familiar with American culture and celebrations. It may disadvantage individuals from different cultural backgrounds who may not have knowledge or experience with American holidays. By including only one option (a) that is specific to American culture, the question creates an unfair advantage for individuals who are more familiar with American traditions and excludes those from other cultural backgrounds.
Question 2:
“What is the traditional food of Japan?” a) Sushi b) Tacos c) Pasta d) Rice and beans
This question is culturally biased and unfair as it assumes that the test-taker has knowledge of Japanese culture and cuisine. It privileges individuals who are familiar with Japanese traditions and excludes those from different cultural backgrounds. While sushi is indeed a traditional food of Japan, including options like tacos or pasta reflects a lack of cultural sensitivity and may disadvantage individuals who are not familiar with Japanese cuisine.
These questions are unfair because they assume a specific cultural knowledge that may not be universal or relevant to all individuals taking the test. They favor individuals who are more familiar with the dominant culture or have had exposure to specific cultural experiences. This bias can result in inaccurate assessments of intelligence, as it does not account for the diversity of knowledge and experiences across cultures.
When measuring intelligence, it is important to consider other factors beyond the scope of culturally biased questions. Some important factors to consider include:
Cognitive Abilities: Intelligence tests often focus on cognitive abilities such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and memory. These abilities can be measured through tasks that are culturally neutral and do not favor any specific cultural background.
Emotional Intelligence: Emotional intelligence encompasses the ability to understand and manage one’s own emotions and recognize and empathize with the emotions of others. Assessing emotional intelligence can provide a more holistic understanding of an individual’s intelligence.
Creativity: Creativity involves the ability to think outside the box, generate novel ideas, and solve problems in innovative ways. Measuring creativity can provide insights into an individual’s ability to adapt to new situations and come up with original solutions.
Social Intelligence: Social intelligence refers to the ability to navigate social interactions, understand social cues, and establish positive relationships with others. Assessing social intelligence can provide insights into an individual’s interpersonal skills and emotional understanding of others.
Practical Intelligence: Practical intelligence involves the ability to apply knowledge and skills in practical, real-world situations. This type of intelligence focuses on problem-solving in everyday life and can be measured through tasks that simulate real-world scenarios.
