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6/2020 – Evaluation in Social Work 1/2021 – ERIS Journal - Winter 2021 - Forced Migration and Minority Groups 2/2021 – 3/2021 – 4/2021 – ERIS Journal - Summer 2021 - Histories of social work

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Issues

Issues » 2017/6 - Social Work and Informal Care »

Double Effect Principle in Social Work

Vladimír Fišera, Michal Klapal, Marek Šimůnek

Abstract:
The objective of this article is to introduce to social workers the ‘Principle of Double Effect’; an ethical theory that attempts to make morally correct decisions in situations in which two outcomes can occur - one good and one bad. The authors intend to assess whether the Double Effect Principle is applicable as an instrument of moral decision making in social work practice. The first part clarifies the Double Effect Principle theory as suggested by David Černý. The second part focuses on a critical analysis of this Principle and potential threats consequent to its one-sided interpretation. The third part concentrates on practices and functions of social work. The authors use two real life situations to assess whether it is feasible to apply the Double Effect Principle in practice, to simplify the moral decision making process of social workers.

Keywords:
ethics, morality, principle of double effect, social work

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