Moral Development

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Moral Development

• How do we make moral decisions?

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Moral Development

• Hear, O Israel The LORD our God, the LORD is
  oneThese commandmentsare to be upon your
  hearts. Impress them on your children.
  (Deuteronomy 6 4 - 7a, NIV)

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Moral Development

• No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man
  his brother, saying Know the LORD, because they
  will all know me (Jeremiah 3134, NIV)

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The context of moral development

• Jean Piaget Stages of cognitive development
• Moral realism A morality of consequences and
  egocentrism. Typical of ages 5 - 10
• Rules are imposed.
• Morality of cooperation A morality of intentions
  and empathy. After age 10.
• Rules are social conventions

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Judging morality

• John, while helping his mother dry the dishes,
  accidentally dropped a plate onto the cupboard,
  breaking 15 cups.
• When Henrys mother caught him taking a cookie
  just before supper, he threw the cookie down on
  the counter, and broke a cup.
• Who was naughtier?

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Tests of moral reasoning

• Comprehension tests What is the thing to do
  if
• Moral dilemmas Lawrence Kohlberg
• Heinzs wife is dying of cancer. A nearby
  pharmacist discovers a drug which will cure the
  cancer. Heinz does not have enough money to buy
  the drug. To save his wife, should he steal?

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Evaluating moral development

• Why or why not?
• Kohlberg is interested not only in the answers to
  moral dilemmas, but in the reasons given for the
  answers.
• Kohlberg used the reasons given to form
  categories or stages of moral development.
• There is a difference between tested moral
  judgment and practical morality.

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Stages of moral development

• A. Preconventional morality Self-interest
• Stage One Obey to avoid punishment
• Stage Two If it feels good, do it.
• B. Conventional morality Connecting to others
• Stage Three Go along to get along
• Stage Four Maintain social order

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Stages...

• C. Postconventional morality Underlying
  principles
• Stage Five Rules are social contracts, sometimes
  subordinate to individual rights.
• Stage Six Rules should express universal
  principles and ethical values.
• Stage Seven Cosmic transcendence.

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Evaluation of moral development theories

• Adults are not consistently conventional
• Changes in wording the moral reasoning tests
  alter the judgments. For example, emphasizing
  punishment increases preconventional judgments.
• Kohlbergs stages are based on research with boys
  and men. Gilligans critique Women are caring
  and relational, men are rule-oriented.

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Application

• On Friday night, Alicias parents announce that
  they have planned a family night out. Alicia
  begs to be excused, saying that she has a great
  deal of English homework to do. Her parents
  agree to let her stay home.

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Application...

• Later, they run into Alicias English teacher at
  a restaurant. In the course of conversation,
  they learn that Alicia has no English homework
  that night.
• When they talk to Alicia, she admits that she
  lied, but explains that she did so to save
  hurting their feelings by admitting that she did
  not want to go out with them.

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Application...

• Did Alicia do the right thing?
• Should her parents punish her or tell her that
  what she did was wrong?
• What level was Alicias moral reasoning, in
  Piagets terms? In Kohlbergs terms?
• If her parents punish her for breaking the
  familys rule against lying, what level moral
  reasoning are they using?

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What level of moral reasoning?

• In Matthew 12, the disciples of Jesus pick and
  eat some grain in a field they are crossing,
  because they are hungry.
• The Pharisees say, Look! They are doing what is
  unlawful on the Sabbath.
• Jesus cites three examples from the Scriptures --
  David, the Law, and the prophet Hosea -- and
  declares that the disciples are innocent.