Positive and Negative in Social Work - Case Study Example

Final Assignment: Good and Evil in Social Work

The issue of good and evil is ne that elicits numerous debates because people have different opinions on what they consider good or bad. Many reasons define how people perceive good and evil. Some of the reasons include different cultural backgrounds, personalities, and different religions. What may be viewed positively by one individual might be deemed unacceptable by another party. Matters on gender are a typical example such that an aspect like early marriages is acceptable in various communities in the East and Africa. At the same time, the same practice is considered evil among conservative communities that regard marriage as an adults' affair. In other respects, some actions are universally unacceptable. For instance, murder is deemed evil in most respects, save for the few communities that embrace cannibalism. It is no wonder that such cases always make it to the news headlines because human life is held in high esteem. Some issues are also regraded as either moral or immoral, depending on the time and season. Regardless of the dynamics of the philosophy of good and bad, a social worker has a strike a balance when considering the right direction to take.

Deontological Ethics

The philosophy of deontology s one that I ascribe both personally and professionally. Doing the right thing because it is right to so is a mantra that guides my interaction with people in social circles and the social work profession. It is reasonable to execute a given action because it is logically the right thing to do. People are generally argued to be naturally egocentric and would rather engage in something that would benefit them, not caring about the other part. Egoists say that an individual comes first, and everything else comes secondary (Carneades.org, 2016). Accordingly, they argue that an action is only moral if it serves to meet an individual’s goals. That is an outlook that is rather selfish because if everyone would ascribe to that philosophy, then many needy people would have nowhere to turn to because one does not gain much from helping them. Ethical egoism states that people have a moral obligation to pursue their self-interest. Both psychological and rational egoism defines philosophy. The self-centered approach of such philosophies renders the deontological theory on ethics more sensible.

Immanuel Kant first proposed the deontology philosophy of ethics. As follows, it is also known as the Kantian philosophy on ethics. The general rule is that people should be driven by logic to do right because that is what is required. Kant presents ethics as an impersonal matter that involves the doer of an action to consider multiple dimensions apart from themselves (Leonard, 2016). That outlook is crucial given that individuals inherently have self-interests defined by their interactions with other people. People only define themselves concerning other people (Brewer & Gardner, 1996). For example, one would want to excel in their profession if surrounded by people making strides in professional growth. As a social worker, I would be driven to achieve more when I engage with other professionals who have greater achievements than I have in the profession. While that line of thought is appealing, the social work profession is not about being competitive on who stands out professionally, but rather, it is about touching people’s lives.

A sense of duty drives Kantian philosophy on ethics. Commitment comes with a degree of responsibility that requires people to be accountable for their actions. In this regard, morality is a duty one is supposed to uphold even when the circumstances might not be favorable for them. For example, if one is working in an organization and discovers that their supervisor is engaging in malpractice, it is moral to report the happenings to the top management. The move might not be favorable for victimization and the possibility of the supervisor retaining their posts after a mild disciplinary action. As a professional, such decisions are tough based on the repercussions on job security. The intentions of whistleblowing may be noble, but the outcomes may be negative. Consequently, Kant maintains that if morality is taken as a duty, the complications arising from one’s intentions for their actions are avoided.

Kantian philosophy is determined by ‘priori’ and ‘goodwill.’ Priori refers to the aspect of being sensible. Actions are moral is they are logical. Assumptions and superstitions are not accommodated in this school of thought (Kant, 2009). However, as a social worker, superstitions are issues I have had to deal with when interacting with different demographics. It is vital to understand the culture of the people one is dealing with, as it ensures more fruitful engagements. People get offended when an outside party imposes on their culture and undermines their way of life. Thus, understanding people's way of life is paramount for a social worker before implementing any campaigns or initiatives. With that said, it is vital also to consider cultural practices that are harmful to people and encourage the community to drop such and embrace other less destructive methods. The harm imposed may be physical, mental, or emotional. A social worker has to devise a mechanism of making local influencers see how various practices harm their people and them team up to reduce the damage.

On the other hand, goodwill refers to the unquestionable good. The goodwill relates that the intentions of a given action are such that when applied universally, the doer will be comfortable with it. It overlooks the sophistication realized from education and assesses people's activities purely on human nature (Kant, 2009). For instance, it is moral to offer food to a starving individual, given the goodwill. In this case, food starvation is a challenge the needy party is facing, and it is only right to feed them before thinking of helping them further. An advanced form of help will be in helping the starving individual learn how to hunt for food. Unlike in the stone age, where hunting would translate to going into the wild to get game meat and gather fruits and vegetables, it refers to a source of livelihood like monetizing skills and talents in the modern context.

Deontological Ethics and the NASW Code of Ethics

Social work, like other professions, is guided by a code of ethics that professionals. The code of ethics emphasizes on six primary objectives. Firstly, the code seeks to establish the core values that form the foundation of social work. Secondly, it creates specific ethical metrics that guide social work practice and reflects the core values. Thirdly, it enables professionals to weigh professional considerations in cases of ethical dilemmas. It also creates ethical standards where the social work profession will be held accountable (Simmons University). The code initiates new professionals to social work's values, mission, and ethical standards and principles. Lastly, the code provides a guideline on the line of action if a professional has engaged unethically. The objectives are not founded on a specific philosophy on ethics, but they certainly have consideration for morals.

Deontological ethics is driven by the foundation of ethics as a duty. Similarly, the code of ethics is a compass that provides direction to social workers. Social work practitioners have the responsibility of upholding ethics while engaging professionally. Objectivity is a critical component in social work because some scenarios might place one in a challenging situation such that they might be tempted to be subjective. Social work is based on six primary basic values: competence, service, integrity, social justice, upholding human relationships, and the worth and dignity of an individual (Simmons University). Kant would agree to these values because they are logical and serve to adhere to human dignity. Besides, the values are reflecting the aspect of inclusivity, which factors in the minority as opposed to the only considering popular opinion.

The concept of goodwill is reflected in the code of ethics in many ways. In terms of conduct, professionals are expected to regard service as the most crucial social work component. On responsibility to clients, social workers are required to consider the client system as the primary responsibility. When relating to colleagues, the professionals are expected to follow the rules of engagement set by the employer while treating them with respect, fairness, and courtesy (Simmons University). Finally, the practitioners are required to avail social services to the general public and educate themselves about cultural diversity to offer services more competently. The highlighted guidelines express goodwill, as advocated by Kant.

Application of Deontological Ethics When Handling a Client System

A client system primarily refers to the types of clients that a social worker is responsible for helping. As a community social worker, I work both within an organization and one-one-one with clients. Typically, duties include administering and planning community-based programs to meet the needs of marginalized members. When handling individual cases, the unique challenges are assessed, and the concerned party is referred to a local resource where they will get help. While executing such duties, it is critical to employ a specific philosophy on ethics apart from the professional code of ethics.

In the organizational setting, the matter of priori often comes to light when making decisions. For instance, in such challenging times when the Covid-19 pandemic is threatening lives, the homeless population stands to suffer more because they are already disadvantaged members. Having to face poverty and a health calamity is challenging and can be fatal, given the fatality rates arising from the deadly virus. To cushion this group of vulnerable persons, it has been necessary to conduct campaigns to seek help in the form of food and masks so that the affected parties do not succumb to the prevailing circumstances. The application of logic in addressing the situation is critical because it makes sense to save the lives of the starving and homeless on humanitarian grounds than letting them die. When helping the specified target group, society avoids the unnecessary deaths of people who would otherwise live anther day. The dignity attached to human life becomes the point of focus in this regard.

The counter-argument that utilitarianism would present in this case is that happiness for the majority should be prioritized. That approach makes sense in the democratic space, but only to a certain extent. It should not be assumed that the minority's lives do not count because they are equal members of the citizenry. Thus, as a social worker, while concentrating on the bigger picture is important, focusing on the vulnerable is equally important. Giving the homes a chance to live another day can help them recover from tough financial times and get motivated to strive and make their lives better. The practicality of the homeless recovering from their state is almost incomprehensible but not entirely impossible. With the right support system, they can rise above the challenges and make a better life for themselves. Mostly, the homeless remain in their deplorable states because of the lack of a support system because society judges them harshly. Being homeless does not transform the homeless into less social beings. On the contrary, they yearn to have people talk to them and care for them. As a social work practitioner, I factor in the social nature of the vulnerable group and initiate programs that promote their care. It is reasonable in the most basic sense of human nature to help the homeless.

Concerning one-on-one clients, every case is treated differently while sticking to logic. Domestic violence has been a dominant challenge emerging from the case handles in the past three months. Most victims remain to be women, but the number of men reporting abuse is increasing steadily. Women are complaining of verbal and physical abuse, while men are affected most by verbal and emotional abuse. The increase of domestic violence cases may directly correlate with the high-stress levels resulting from the sudden life changes that people have to adjust to given the new norm presented by the pandemic. The United Nations has been rightfully concerned about the current prevalence of gender-based violence, which seems to be exacerbated by the epidemic. At the local community level, such cases are represented. People are experiencing extreme stress levels that they find challenging to contain. Like so, they turn to aggression as a coping mechanism. After talking to most clients, they admit that they feel overwhelmed by the circumstances they are currently facing and that they may have provoked their abusers who are their partners. As follows, apart from addressing the specific challenge they are facing, the victims and their abusers are scheduled for counseling sessions where they can get to relieve tension and talk through things. In extreme cases where the attacks have been prolonged and with the potential of being fatal, the justice system is sort. Logically, it would be unacceptable to send back someone to the same home they have been abused for the past several months, a year or years. Professional counseling is especially critical in helping individuals cope with the drastic changes attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Overall, it has been both challenging and rewarding when dealing with the two client systems. Mobilizing people to take action and care for the community’s vulnerable because it has been a major challenge as the pandemic has hit a significant part of the city financially. As such, people have been tested on their morals by having to share or help with the little they have. Some feel entitled to reject any charitable initiatives while others have been open to giving more than they did before the pandemic. The latter group has had seemingly gotten an awakening about the value of life. Pursuing success and financial stability have defined the lives of most people. Yet, the pandemic has been brutal as the virus does not choose its victims but affects everyone and killed people from every social class. Factually, the endemic has forced people to reassess their lifestyles and the meaningfulness of life. Procrastination, which is another dominant trait in a man, is now deemed dangerous, and people are helping when they can because their fate about tomorrow is unknown. It now makes a great difference if one decides to act today or procrastinate because it could save a life.

Personal Perception of Good and Evil and Its Influence on My Philosophy of Giving

The perception of good and evil vary between individuals. My preference is deontological ethics. This philosophy of ethics is in line with my philosophy of giving. Giving is a personal choice, and one should have passion as the main driving force. One should not help because they feel pressured to do so or executing a formality. After all, it is a source of living. Social work is a profession that presents numerous challenges that involve dealing with people, and one must be passionate about offering service to the public. Otherwise, the rather rewarding business might become a dreadful decision that a social worker might have to live through daily.

In addition to having passion, dedicating time is paramount. Time is an inexpensive resource that, once consumed, cannot be recovered. Accordingly, when spending time to help people, a social worker is selfless because they are spending a critical resource on improving lives—doing right as a duty boils down to passion and time commitment. If an individual possesses the two, they will engage morally and even contribute to philanthropic with a lot of ease. Conclusively, deontology is not superior to other philosophical positions because it has flaws like any other school of thought.