Watch and take notes on the following videos. These videos are used for the Week 2 Discussion Board. In your assignments, you should be able to discuss specific examples and details from the videos, incorporating them into your analysis / thoughts on the material.
Crash Course Sociology: What is Sociology? (10 min)
Crash Course Sociology: Major Sociological Paradigms (10 min)
Danny Cortese: Sociological Imagination (5 min)
Daniel Davis: Three Founding Sociological Theories (5 min)
In addition please watch and take notes on the following video – which will be used for your Weekly Reflection – Week 2.
Melanie Funchess – Implicit Bias: How it Effects Us and How We Push Through (16 min)
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: Understanding Sociology and the Impact of Implicit Bias
Introduction
Sociology is the scientific study of society, social behavior, and the interactions among individuals. It helps us understand the structures, patterns, and dynamics that shape our social world. In this essay, we will explore the fundamental concepts of sociology, major sociological paradigms, the sociological imagination, and three founding sociological theories. Additionally, we will delve into the concept of implicit bias and its impact on individuals and society.
Understanding Sociology
The Crash Course Sociology video titled “What is Sociology?” provides an excellent introduction to this field. It explains that sociology focuses on understanding society, social interaction, and the larger systems that influence human behavior. The video highlights that sociology examines social institutions such as family, education, government, and religion, and how they shape our lives.
Major Sociological Paradigms
The Crash Course Sociology video titled “Major Sociological Paradigms” explores three theoretical perspectives or paradigms within sociology: functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. Functionalism views society as a complex system of interrelated parts that work together to maintain social stability. Conflict theory, on the other hand, emphasizes the power struggles between different groups in society. Lastly, symbolic interactionism focuses on the meanings individuals assign to symbols and how these symbols shape their interactions.
The Sociological Imagination
The concept of the sociological imagination is introduced by Danny Cortese in his video. He explains that it involves the ability to see the connection between personal troubles and larger social issues. By examining the intersection of personal experiences and societal structures, individuals can gain a deeper understanding of the social forces that shape their lives.
Three Founding Sociological Theories
Daniel Davis discusses three founding sociological theories in his video. The first theory is structural functionalism, which views society as a system with interconnected parts that work together for its overall functioning. The second theory is conflict theory, which focuses on the power struggles between different groups in society. Lastly, symbolic interactionism emphasizes how individuals interact with each other through symbols and shared meanings.
Implicit Bias: How it Affects Us and How We Push Through
In Melanie Funchess’ video on implicit bias, she explores a crucial aspect of sociology that affects individuals and society: implicit bias. Implicit biases are unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that influence our judgments and behavior towards certain groups of people. Funchess explains that everyone has implicit biases due to societal conditioning, but it is essential to recognize them and actively work to mitigate their effects.
Implicit biases can lead to unfair treatment, prejudice, and discrimination. They can perpetuate systemic inequalities and hinder progress towards a more equal society. Funchess emphasizes the importance of acknowledging our biases and actively challenging them through education, self-reflection, and open dialogue. By doing so, we can create a more inclusive and equitable society.
Conclusion
Sociology provides us with valuable tools for understanding society, social behavior, and the structures that shape our lives. By examining major paradigms, employing the sociological imagination, and exploring founding sociological theories, we gain insights into the complexities of human interaction. Additionally, understanding implicit bias allows us to address its impact on individuals and society, fostering a more inclusive and just world. Through ongoing education and self-reflection, we can challenge our biases and work towards a more equitable future.
