Pretend you are a human services professional working with a client named Alex, who is experiencing significant personal and financial difficulties. Alex has shared sensitive information about their struggles, and you are responsible for providing support and resources.
· Define mandatory ethics.
· Describe one mandatory ethical standard you must follow while working with Alex.
· Briefly describe one key ethical principle that applies to your work with Alex.
· Describe one virtue that is important in your interaction with Alex.
· Compare the four types of ethics in relation to your work with Alex.
· Highlight their similarities and differences and how they guide your actions and decisions.
· Identify one aspirational ethical goal you might strive for in your work with Alex.
· Compares and contrasts mandatory, aspirational, principle, and virtue, along with an explanation of how they will guide decision-making.
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Let’s explore the ethical considerations in working with Alex, a client facing significant challenges.
1. Defining Mandatory Ethics:
Mandatory ethics, also known as obligatory ethics, refers to the minimum standards of professional conduct that are required by law, regulations, or professional codes of ethics. These are the “musts” and “must nots” of professional behavior. Failing to adhere to mandatory ethics can result in legal penalties or disciplinary action from professional organizations.
2. One Mandatory Ethical Standard:
A crucial mandatory ethical standard is confidentiality. I am legally and ethically bound to protect the information Alex shares with me. This means I cannot disclose any information about Alex’s situation to anyone without their informed consent, except in very specific circumstances (e.g., if Alex poses a danger to themselves or others, or if I am legally required to report suspected child abuse).
3. One Key Ethical Principle:
Let’s explore the ethical considerations in working with Alex, a client facing significant challenges.
1. Defining Mandatory Ethics:
Mandatory ethics, also known as obligatory ethics, refers to the minimum standards of professional conduct that are required by law, regulations, or professional codes of ethics. These are the “musts” and “must nots” of professional behavior. Failing to adhere to mandatory ethics can result in legal penalties or disciplinary action from professional organizations.
2. One Mandatory Ethical Standard:
A crucial mandatory ethical standard is confidentiality. I am legally and ethically bound to protect the information Alex shares with me. This means I cannot disclose any information about Alex’s situation to anyone without their informed consent, except in very specific circumstances (e.g., if Alex poses a danger to themselves or others, or if I am legally required to report suspected child abuse).
3. One Key Ethical Principle:
A key ethical principle that applies is respect for persons (autonomy). This principle recognizes Alex’s right to self-determination. It means I must respect Alex’s choices, values, and beliefs, and empower them to make their own decisions about their life, even if I don’t agree with them. I must ensure Alex has all the necessary information to make informed decisions.
4. One Important Virtue:
An important virtue in my interaction with Alex is compassion. Compassion involves genuinely caring about Alex’s well-being and striving to alleviate their suffering. It means approaching Alex with empathy, understanding, and a willingness to help. It does not mean I take on Alex’s problems as my own, but rather that I offer support and resources with genuine care.
5. Comparing the Four Types of Ethics:
- Mandatory Ethics: The “floor” of ethical conduct – the absolute minimum requirements. Example: Maintaining confidentiality.
- Aspirational Ethics: The “ceiling” of ethical conduct – the highest ideals of professional behavior. Example: Advocating for systemic changes to address the root causes of Alex’s difficulties (e.g., poverty, lack of affordable housing).
- Principle Ethics: Focuses on specific ethical principles, like autonomy, beneficence (acting in the best interests of the client), non-maleficence (avoiding harm), and justice (fairness). Example: Respecting Alex’s autonomy by allowing them to choose which resources they want to pursue.
- Virtue Ethics: Emphasizes the character and integrity of the professional. Focuses on virtues like compassion, integrity, prudence, and trustworthiness. Example: Acting with compassion by listening empathetically to Alex’s concerns.
Similarities: All four types of ethics guide professional behavior and aim to promote the well-being of the client.
Differences: Mandatory ethics sets the minimum standards, aspirational ethics sets the highest goals, principle ethics provides a framework of principles, and virtue ethics focuses on the character of the professional.
How They Guide Actions: Mandatory ethics dictates what I must do. Principle ethics provides a framework for how I should act. Virtue ethics informs who I should be as a professional. Aspirational ethics inspires me to strive for the best possible outcomes for Alex and others like them.
6. One Aspirational Ethical Goal:
An aspirational ethical goal would be to empower Alex to become self-sufficient and resilient in the face of future challenges. This might involve helping Alex develop new skills, build a support network, or access resources that will enable them to overcome their current difficulties and achieve long-term stability.
7. Comparing and Contrasting and Guiding Decision-Making:
- Mandatory vs. Aspirational: Mandatory ethics are the bare minimum, while aspirational ethics are ideals we strive for. Mandatory ethics guides my required actions (e.g., I must maintain confidentiality), while aspirational ethics guides my desired actions (e.g., I should advocate for systemic change).
- Mandatory vs. Principle: Mandatory ethics are often based on principles, but they are more specific and enforceable. The principle of autonomy requires me to obtain informed consent (mandatory), but it also inspires me to support Alex’s self-determination in broader ways (aspirational).
- Mandatory vs. Virtue: Mandatory ethics sets external standards, while virtue ethics focuses on internal character. I must be confidential (mandatory), but I should also be trustworthy and compassionate (virtues).
- Principle vs. Virtue: Principles are guidelines for action, while virtues are character traits that motivate ethical action. The principle of beneficence guides me to act in Alex’s best interest, while the virtue of compassion motivates me to care about Alex’s well-being.
- Aspirational vs. Virtue: Aspirational goals reflect our values and what we hope to achieve, while virtues are the qualities that help us achieve those goals. My aspirational goal is to empower Alex, and the virtue of perseverance helps me to stay committed to that goal even when faced with challenges.
These four types of ethics work together to inform my decision-making. Mandatory ethics sets the boundaries, principle ethics guides my actions, virtue ethics shapes my character, and aspirational ethics provides a vision for what I hope to achieve. By considering all four types of ethics, I can make well-informed and ethically sound decisions that promote Alex’s well-being and uphold the standards of my profession.
