Chapter 9, “Technology,” discusses how technological advancements and changes may affect how we can work to find solutions for the global threats discussed so far. Technological advances can and do affect development in positive and negative ways.
Answer the following questions and cite your work:
1) Besides biotechnology, discuss another form of technology that seems to have the greatest potential positive effect on food security.
2) Discuss any potential negative uses of that technology and climate change impacts (for developing or developed countries).
3) In what ways do the benefits of these technologies outweigh negative consequences on food security? Be specific and provide examples.
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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
The Potential Positive Effect of Precision Agriculture on Food Security
Precision agriculture is a form of technology that holds great potential for positively impacting food security. This approach utilizes advanced technologies, such as GPS, remote sensing, and data analytics, to optimize agricultural practices and enhance productivity while minimizing resource inputs and environmental impacts.
Precision Agriculture: Precision agriculture involves the use of data-driven technologies to enhance agricultural practices. By utilizing real-time data on soil conditions, weather patterns, and crop health, farmers can make informed decisions regarding irrigation, fertilization, and pest management. This technology enables farmers to apply resources more efficiently, leading to increased crop yields and reduced environmental degradation.
Potential Negative Uses and Climate Change Impacts: While precision agriculture has significant positive potential, it also poses some challenges and potential negative uses. One concern is the potential for increased reliance on technology and automation, which may lead to job losses in the agricultural sector. Additionally, the adoption of precision agriculture technologies can be costly, limiting access for small-scale farmers in developing countries.
Regarding climate change impacts, precision agriculture can help mitigate some of the challenges posed by a changing climate. By providing real-time data and analytics, farmers can adjust their practices in response to changing weather patterns, such as droughts or floods. However, if the technology is not accessible or affordable for all farmers, it could create an imbalance between developed and developing countries in adapting to climate change.
Benefits Outweighing Negative Consequences: Despite potential challenges, the benefits of precision agriculture outweigh the negative consequences when considering food security. Here are some specific ways:
Enhanced Productivity: Precision agriculture enables farmers to optimize resource use, leading to increased crop yields. This increased productivity helps meet the growing demand for food, especially in regions facing food scarcity or population growth challenges.
Resource Efficiency: By applying inputs such as water, fertilizers, and pesticides precisely where and when they are needed, precision agriculture reduces waste and environmental pollution. This approach minimizes the negative impacts associated with excessive resource use while boosting food production.
Sustainability: Precision agriculture promotes sustainable farming practices by reducing reliance on synthetic inputs and promoting soil health. For example, by using data on soil conditions, farmers can apply appropriate amounts of fertilizers and minimize nutrient runoff, which contributes to water pollution.
Climate Resilience: The real-time data provided by precision agriculture allows farmers to adapt to climate change impacts by adjusting their practices accordingly. For instance, in areas experiencing water scarcity due to climate change-induced droughts, precision irrigation systems can optimize water use and improve resilience.
Empowering Small-Scale Farmers: While cost barriers exist for adopting precision agriculture technologies, efforts are being made to make these tools more accessible to small-scale farmers in developing countries. Initiatives such as collaborative farming networks, public-private partnerships, and government support can help ensure that the benefits of precision agriculture reach those who need them the most.
In conclusion, precision agriculture is a form of technology that holds significant potential for positively impacting food security. While there may be potential negative consequences and challenges associated with its adoption, its benefits in terms of enhanced productivity, resource efficiency, sustainability, climate resilience, and empowerment of small-scale farmers outweigh these negative aspects. By leveraging precision agriculture technologies effectively and ensuring accessibility for all farmers, we can harness their potential to address global food security challenges effectively.
Citations:
DeFries, R., & Asner, G. P. (2016). Chapter 9: Technology. The Future of Earth: A Radical Vision for What’s Possible in the Age of Warming. HarperOne.
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). (2018). The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2018: Building Climate Resilience for Food Security and Nutrition.
