KNOWLEDGE AND THE KNOWER—ETHICS
THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS
The Seven Deadly Sins: Russian postcard.
FUN CLASS ACTIVITY—SEVEN DEADLY SINS!
Avarice, Lust, Pride, Envy, Gluttony, Ire and Sloth.
Make sure that students understand the meaning of ire and the difference between avarice and envy. Then arrange students in random pairs. Unleash the following:
Assign a sin to each of the seven characters in this old Russian postcard.
Just for fun, decide which two sins especially apply to yourself. Did a partner in the class who knows you well independently choose the same two?
Are these categories of human failing tied specifically to the christian tradition (like the four cardinal virtues) or are they universal, to a large extent transcending different cultures around the world?
What is the difference between a “guilt culture” and a “shame culture”? In good TOK fashion illustrate your response with some examples.
Identifying the sins in the Otto Dix painting is trickier than in the Russian postcard. Check your best attempt against a good internet source.
What is the etymology of the word “vicious”?
Otto Dix (1933) The Seven Deadly Sins. Oil/Egg Tempera on Wood. Staatliche Kunsthalle, Karlsruhe, Germany
Hieronymus Bosch (1485) The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things (Detail: Gluttony) Oil on wood table . Museo del Prado, Madrid