Ethics Moral Development

Intended Learning Outcomes

  • Describe each stage of moral development
  • Evaluate one's personal growth against the stages of personal development

Introduction

  • Moral character enables actions that are moral and ethical.
  • Understanding the stages of moral development is crucial for moral agents.

Activity 1: Reflection on Motivation for School

  • Motivations for attending school include:
    • Adhering to school policies
    • Fear of failing or being dropped
    • Desire to prove oneself to parents and teachers
    • Promises made to parents
    • Sense of moral duty
    • Aspiration to become a professional

Analysis of Motivations

  1. Discuss with a partner the best reason for attending school.
  2. Evaluate which reasons are adequate or inadequate for moral development.

The Moral Agent

  • Defined as a person capable of moral actions.
  • Shaped by family and societal influences since birth.
  • Cultural influences dictate norms, standards, and moral life.

Understanding Moral Development

  • Defined as the process of gaining beliefs, skills, and dispositions leading to moral maturity.
  • Growth in morality can pass through several stages:
    1. Controlled by taboo
    2. Controlled by law
    3. Based on conscience
    4. By reciprocity
    5. By social consensus
    6. Based on personal moral principles
William Kay's Stages of Development
  1. Amoral Stage: Egocentric, hedonist considerations.
  2. Pre-moral Stage: Social and reciprocal considerations.
  3. Moral Stage: Personal, autonomous, altruistic considerations.

Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development

  • Describes three levels with six stages:
    • Level 1: Preconventional Morality
    • Stage 1: Obedience and Punishment Orientation
      • Children do good to avoid punishment, morals are based on fear.
      • Example: Josef avoids cheating to escape punishment.
    • Stage 2: Instrumental Orientation
      • Morality defined by self-interest ("what's in it for me?").
      • Example: Mario sees fairness in reciprocation rather than reporting.
    • Level 2: Conventional Morality
    • Stage 3: Good Boy, Nice Girl Orientation
      • Approval from others influences actions, focusing on being perceived positively.
      • Example: Politician acts well to gain approval during calamities.
    • Stage 4: Law and Order Orientation
      • Respect for laws to avoid guilt; still blind obedience to authority.
      • Example: Following school rules because they are the law.
    • Level 3: Post-Conventional Morality
    • Stage 5: Social Contract Orientation
      • Values ethics that respect individual rights above laws where these conflict.
    • Stage 6: Universal Ethical Principle Orientation
      • Morality is internalized; actions reflect universal ethical guidelines.
      • Will act towards justice even against societal norms; very few reach this stage.

Development of Conscience-Based Moral Decision

  • Definition of conscience as a judgment about moral actions.
  • Importance of acting in accordance with one’s conscience.
  • Formation of conscience requires:
    1. Seeking moral truth through reason and deliberation.
    2. Integrity and honesty as foundations for sound conscience.
    3. Continuous education on moral norms and their rationale.
    4. Guidance from moral teachings, particularly within Christian traditions.

Application: The Heinz Dilemma

  • Scenario:
    • Heinz's wife is dying, and he needs an expensive medicine he cannot afford.
    • The moral decision to steal the medicine leads to varied justifications, revealing stages of moral reasoning based on Kohlberg's framework.

Key Takeaways

  • Kay’s stages five distinct stages of moral development offer insights from amoral behaviors to moral principles.
  • Kohlberg presents a comprehensive structure encapsulating preconventional, conventional, and post-conventional stages with distinct characteristics.
  • True moral maturity demands internalization of moral principles and living according to conscience. Moral growth involves expanding consciousness from familial values to more universal ethical considerations.
Conclusion
  • Moral development is a crucial aspect of ethics, highlighting the importance of understanding both individual reasoning and societal impacts on moral choices.