Do you understand the uncertainty in probabilities?
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
Understanding the Uncertainty in Probabilities
Probability theory is a fundamental concept in mathematics and statistics that helps us quantify uncertainty. It allows us to make informed decisions in the face of randomness and incomplete information. However, it is essential to recognize that probabilities themselves are not definitive answers but rather measures of uncertainty. Understanding the uncertainty inherent in probabilities is crucial for interpreting and applying probabilistic outcomes effectively.
The Nature of Probabilities
Probabilities represent the likelihood of a particular event occurring and are expressed as a number between 0 and 1, where 0 indicates impossibility, 1 represents certainty, and values in between indicate varying degrees of likelihood. For example, the probability of flipping a fair coin and getting heads is 0.5.
It is important to note that probabilities do not provide deterministic outcomes but rather describe the likelihood of different outcomes based on the information available. This inherent uncertainty stems from various factors, including randomness, variability, and incomplete knowledge about the system under consideration.
Sources of Uncertainty
1. Randomness:
Random events by their nature introduce uncertainty into the outcomes. For instance, rolling a fair six-sided die results in equal probabilities for each number (1/6), but the specific outcome of any given roll is uncertain.
2. Variability:
In real-world scenarios, outcomes may not be as clearly defined as in idealized examples. Variability in data or systems can lead to uncertainty in predicting outcomes.
3. Incomplete Information:
Probabilities are often calculated based on available information, which may be limited or imperfect. As a result, there is uncertainty associated with the true probabilities of events.
Interpreting Probabilities
Understanding and acknowledging the uncertainty in probabilities is essential for making informed decisions and drawing meaningful conclusions. Here are some key considerations:
1. Confidence Intervals:
In many cases, probabilities are accompanied by confidence intervals that indicate the range within which the true probability is likely to lie. This helps quantify the uncertainty associated with the estimate.
2. Risk Assessment:
Probabilistic outcomes are crucial for risk assessment and decision-making under uncertainty. By understanding the range of possible outcomes and their associated probabilities, individuals and organizations can assess risks more effectively.
3. Sensitivity Analysis:
Examining how changes in input parameters affect probabilistic outcomes can provide insights into the robustness of the results and help identify key drivers of uncertainty.
Conclusion
Probabilities are powerful tools for quantifying uncertainty and making informed decisions. By recognizing the inherent uncertainty in probabilities and understanding its sources, we can better interpret probabilistic outcomes and navigate complex decision-making processes effectively. Embracing uncertainty in probabilities allows us to appreciate the nuances of randomness and variability, leading to more robust analyses and informed choices.
