ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author provides an overview of the intellectual basis of social work practice. He argues that “A practice without theory is said to be blind, just as a theory without practice is thought to be sterile.” Stressing the role of imagination and of analogical thinking, he sets forth principles that would enable the intellectual aspect to fulfill its primary function: to enable the profession to incorporate both knowledge and values into its work. Intellectual work comes in many attractive packages, evidencing as much variety as manual work. One important attribute of an intellectual tool is its capacity for ordering otherwise chaotic situations. A second attribute of an intellectual tool is its capacity to provide a rationale where there appears to be chaos, and for the order achieved by the algorithm. A third attribute of intellectual tools is the ability to communicate guidelines for action.
