Search

Observation is key and it is generally supported in the literature that many social problems are caused less by the unborn and more by people below 18 years of age. It is certainly undeniable that the widespread recourse to abortion, usually by pregnant women, has saved taxpayers in the United States many billions of dollars. Had some of the nation's youths also been aborted before birth, many billions more would have been saved. While certain lasting inconveniences and blemishes borne by parents are irremediable, it is yet possible to prevent stress from continuing on to grandparents and the future society. This paper explores the possibility of correcting many of these oversights through corrective abortions and psychotherapeutic interventions. It also draws out some implications for social policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Feminist standpoint epistemology" is not a serious philosophy but a romantic evasion of the application of science to social services. There are numerous limitations to the application of the scientific method to the practice of social work and the social services. Nonetheless, a pragmatic approach to understanding social reality and the evaluation of social interventions is more desirable than feminist standpoint epistemology. Yet the romantic dominates social work and social decision-making in the United States and may explain the precipitous decline of social work over the past century. Indeed, much should be said for closing down social work education and the field itself in order to try an alternative that might better serve people in need.

The corruption of the social work enterprise is not simply episodic but systemic and long-standing including education, research, governance, and practice. Reform is unlikely since the constituency within the field and outside of it that wishes to change the situation is small and ineffective. The corruption of social work reflects the unfortunate social values of the nation that refuses to allocate sufficient resources to address deep social problems, notably economic and social inequality. Social work should severely cut back: eliminate bachelor of social work programs and reduce master's education to no more than 20 programs that also offer doctorates but only jointly with social science departments. There are too many social workers and not enough good ones. [For "The Child Welfare Cartel," see EJ1109764.]