Moral Development

Question 1

What is the difference between morality and ethics?

Answer 1

• Morality: personal and societal beliefs on what is right or wrong
• Ethics: systematic reflection on morality, the philosophy of right
  conduct e.g. Often applied to a particular group or context (e.g. ethical code of conduct for doctors

Question 2

Name The mechanisms of moral judgement

Answer 2

The deliberative model
* Moral reasoning/deliberation -> moral judgement (+ moral feelings?)
The intuitionist model
* Moral feelings/intuitions -> moral judgement (+ moral
reasoning/deliberation?)

Question 3

Development of moral reasoning: Jean Piaget’s perspective

Answer 3

Approach: the deliberative model
Findings:
*heteronomous morality (approx. 5- 9 years)
* Child sees moral rules are arbitrary and imposed from the outside; all that matters is consequences of one’s actions
* autonomous morality (approx. 9+ years)
* Child accepts moral rules as necessary, grasping the distinction between moral rules and social conventions, between one’s intentions and the consequences of one’s actions

Question 4

Development of moral reasoning:
Lawrence Kohlberg’s three-level six-stage model of moral development(Heinz Dilemma man with wife dying of cancer)

Answer 4

Stage 1: Punishment and Obedience Orientation(Avoid punishment)
Stage 2: Instrumental-Relativist Orientation(If it feels good, do it)
Stage 3: Good boy, Nice girl(Do it for me)
Stage 4: Law and Order Orientation(Do your duty)
Stage 5: Social Contract Orientation (Make and keep promises)
Stage 6: Universal Ethical Principles(What if everybody did that)

Question 5

Criticism of Kohlberg’s model

Answer 5

1. Too much focus for ethics of justice, rather than care
2. Too much focus on structure of moral arguments, rather than the content.
3. too much focus on deliberation, rather than emotions.
4. Too much concern on moral action

Question 6

moral rules vs social conventions

Answer 6

Moral Rules: conduct derived from an ‘objective’ right and wrong.
Social Conventions: behaving that is considered to be correct or polite by most people in a society