Should there be a death penalty? Support your position whether you are for or against the death penalty. Each student is to write a position paper minimum 3-pages
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
Position Paper: The Case Against the Death Penalty
The death penalty, also known as capital punishment, remains a contentious issue that raises profound moral, ethical, and legal questions about the nature of justice and the sanctity of human life. In this position paper, I argue against the use of the death penalty, highlighting its inherent flaws, ethical concerns, and societal implications that undermine its legitimacy as a just and effective form of punishment.
Flaws in the Justice System
One of the primary arguments against the death penalty is the inherent risk of executing innocent individuals. Despite advances in forensic science and legal procedures, the justice system is not infallible, and wrongful convictions do occur. The irreversible nature of the death penalty means that any miscarriage of justice resulting in the execution of an innocent person is a grave and irreversible injustice that undermines the principles of fairness and due process.
Ethical Concerns and Human Dignity
Advocates against the death penalty often invoke ethical considerations related to human dignity and the sanctity of life. The intentional taking of a human life, even in the context of punishment for heinous crimes, raises profound moral questions about the value of every individual’s inherent worth and the potential for redemption and rehabilitation. The death penalty perpetuates a cycle of violence and vengeance that contradicts principles of mercy, forgiveness, and respect for human life.
Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities
Critics of the death penalty point to systemic racial and socioeconomic disparities in its application as evidence of inherent bias and discrimination within the criminal justice system. Studies have shown that individuals from marginalized communities, particularly people of color and those with limited financial resources, are disproportionately represented on death row. The unequal treatment of defendants based on race, ethnicity, or economic status undermines the credibility and fairness of capital punishment as a form of justice.
Cost and Ineffectiveness as a Deterrent
Another argument against the death penalty is its high financial cost and questionable effectiveness as a deterrent to crime. The lengthy appeals process, specialized legal representation, and housing of death row inmates impose significant financial burdens on states and taxpayers. Moreover, empirical evidence suggests that the death penalty does not effectively deter violent crime more than alternative forms of punishment such as life imprisonment without parole. Investing resources in crime prevention, rehabilitation programs, and victim support services may offer more sustainable and humane approaches to addressing criminal behavior.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the death penalty is a deeply flawed and morally problematic form of punishment that undermines the principles of justice, human dignity, and equality before the law. As a society that aspires to uphold values of fairness, compassion, and respect for human life, we must reevaluate the use of capital punishment and consider alternative approaches to addressing crime and promoting public safety. By abolishing the death penalty and embracing restorative justice practices that prioritize rehabilitation, reconciliation, and healing, we can move closer to a more just and compassionate society that upholds the rights and dignity of all individuals, even those who have committed the most heinous acts.
