Workshop Report

Abstract

Virtue ethics challenges standard ethical paradigms about what constitutes social work as a morally right and good enterprise, locating the source of all morality in a person’s character. It posits that a virtuous (caring, compassionate, just and generous), social worker is one whose authenticity derives from what it is to be a true human being exercising such virtues. What it is to be a true human being is for many connected essentially with spirituality, faith and religion. The idea of characteristic virtue as a human defining feature is to be found in most religions and faiths. Virtue ethics locates this authenticity through a primarily secular philosophical perspective.

Both perspectives speak to what it is to be a good social worker but are they reconcilable? Does the secular challenge of virtue ethics to standard social work ethical paradigms also challenge the place of spirituality, faith and religion in social work education?

This report presents a conversation between two social workers about these issues, one a committed secular virtue ethicist and one personally committed to the importance of spirituality, faith and religion in social work education. The audience were invited to participate in asking questions as the conversation explored the complexities.