From Nietzsche to Schiavo: Teaching Intuition to Professionals and the Goldilocks Effect

Dr. Jay Wolfson talks about clinical, political and legal decisions in society and the way we train professionals With the case of Theresa Schiavo as a backdrop. The principles of hope, cognition and will are discussed
relative to the bases upon which we train people to participate in
making critical decisions that affect the lives of others. If post
industrial societies bring with them an evolving reduction in personal
responsibility, there is a potential for a dynamic of declining
standards contrasting increased expectations. The 'Goldilocks Effect'
is the 'just right' acceptable social/political/clinical/legal standard — a
moving target. Despite the highly technocratic character of the
systems within which we live and work, our efforts to produce
professionals for the future who will diagnose, treat, advocate,
counsel, interpret and apply the rules, requires skill sets beyond the
technical. Do we, can we, should we address how and to what
extent intuition plays into the decisions and practices of the people
we are training? And is it possible to teach intuition in order to
improve both the process and outcome of decisions like those faced
by all of the players in the Schiavo matter.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Social Work
• Jay Wolfson
• Terry Shiavo
• Right to Life
• Right to Die