Specific Approach to Experience in Virtue Ethics and its Importance for Social Work

Helena Machulová

Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This text aims to highlight the importance of experience not only in social work itself but especially in its ethical aspects, most notably in the context of virtue ethics. THEORETICAL BASE: In this text, we assume that experience is essential not only in the practical application of specific methods but also in how it affects people, and we further draw on ethical analyses of the Aristotelian type of virtue ethics. METHODS: The primary method is analytical, both qualitative content analysis of the sources and analysis of the concept of virtue and its place in social work. In the text, we will proceed in several steps. First, we describe the experience and its relevance to social work, as well as its aim. Next, we analyze the concept of virtue in relation to social work. OUTCOMES: The analysis has shown that the concept of virtue is not only related to a limited moral domain but also connects with the professional development of social workers. SOCIAL WORK IMPLICATIONS: In the final section of the text, we outline the interrelationships between experience, virtue ethics and social work. It turns out that the elaboration of virtue ethics within social work can help already in the formation of social workers in graduate education but can continue further in lifelong learning.

Keywords
experience, virtues, virtue ethics, social work

p. 64-74