Morality, Religion, & Justice

Morality, Religion, & Justice

Objectives:

Understand the history of perspectives taken when analyzing cultural differences

Describe ethnocentrism

3 Interpretive Models of Culture

Universalism= We are all mostly the same…you say potato, I say potahto; who cares?” Cultural diversity mostly superficial.

Evolutionism =progressive change on the road to improvement. Cultural difference seen as reflecting different levels of maturity and advanced thinking.

Relativism= cultural difference is “relative” to you. Emphasis on the “WHY” of difference; cognitive component. No one superior way, no one culture any better than another.

Ethnocentrism

Belief/assumption that one’s own culture is “better” or more “natural” than others.

Related to morality

Extremely difficult to avoid

What culture provides an “ideal” quality of life?

RIGHTWRONG

Objectives:

Understand the stages of moral development as outlined by Kohlberg

Identify the limits to applying Kohlberg’s theory to other cultures

HEINZ Dilemma

Heinz’s wife is very sick.

Her illness requires special medication.

The medication is VERY expensive

Heinz cannot afford the medication.

The only way he can get the medicine is to break into the drug store.

Should Heinz break into the drug store???

Kohlberg’s Moral Development

Stage 1

Obedience & Punishment

LEVEL ONE: Pre-Conventional

Stage 1

Obedience & Punishment

“If he would get caught he should not steal the drug, but if he would not get caught I guess it is okay.” This person would say….

How can I avoid punishment?

Level 1: Pre-Conventional

Stage 2

Naïve Hedonism

“Heinz can always pay the druggist back, and he really isn’t doing anything wrong. If he wants his wife to live he should just take it.” This person would say…

Satisfy own and other’s needs.

Level II: Conventional Morality

Stage 3

Interpersonal Accord and Conformity Driven

“Heinz has no choice but to take the drug. It is bad to steal but he’s a good husband. If he doesn’t save his wife, then he didn’t really love her.” This person would say…

Majority Rules

Level II: Conventional

Stage 4

Social Order Driven

“ It is Heinz’s duty to save her; he cannot just let her die. But stealing is against the law and he must pay the druggist back or go to jail.” This person would say….

Do one’s duty; Respect for authority

Level 3: Post-Conventional

Stage 5

Social Contract Driven

“Obviously he is breaking the law if he takes the drug but it can be seen as reasonable if you consider his attempt to reason with the druggist and look at the big picture.”This person would say…

There are exceptions to the law

Level 3: Conventional Morality

Stage 6

Universal Ethical Principals

“It is morally right to save a life and that makes it okay to steal the drug even if he is breaking the law.” This person would say…

Moral reasoning and inner conscience

Example: Fang, et.al 2003 study: “Social Moral Reasoning in Chinese Children.”

Level One: “a girl/boy must not tell a lie.” “a child can not cheat people.”

Level Two: “because a girl should be honest, otherwise she will be useless when she grows up.”

Level Three: “honesty is a basic moral quality of a person and should be upheld at all times.”

Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development

Most influential theory of moral reasoning

Stage theory-based on evolutionary perspective Modern clarifications: higher level for

more complex societies, remove value judgment of “better”

Support for Kohlberg’s theory

Development of moral compass is universal

No stage regressions

No stage skipping

But does it capture ethical concepts of other cultures? Not always… e.g. highest good requires compromise

Objectives:

Identify the influence of cognition (thought processes) on moral judgments

Describe the three codes of ethics and how immorality is defined by each

Identify the influence of emotion on moral judgments

Judging Morality

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/rebecca_saxe_how_brains_make_moral_judgments.html

Morality & Cognition Changes come about when children can

discuss others’ points of view - focus moves from self to others

From egocentric to having a theory of mind

Blame & Moral Reasoning

1. Discussion: How does the concept of blame affect our moral reasoning? Discuss examples from the video “Mad or Bad” and determine the justifications used for who was to be blamed for their behavior.

Three Codes of Ethics

I. Ethic of Autonomy= morality in terms of individual freedom and rights violation.

II. Ethic of Community= Duty to conform with role in community or social hierarchy. Failure to live up to one’s role.

III.Ethic of Divinity= morality shaped by sanctity and perceived “natural order” of things. Strong emphasis on role of religion and “sacred world.”

What is immoral?

Immoral behaviors harming: individual close others Divinity

Which is considered most serious across cultures?

Culture & Moral Reasoning

1. Discussion: How do emotions affect our perceptions of ethical violations? How does that affect the justice system?

Culture & Moral Reasoning

Role of Emotions: Emotional processing necessary for moral cognition e.g. antisocial personality disorder

Agency & Control: Degree to which culture defines “control” and expectations.

Moral Violations

1. Intuitive sense something is wrong

2. strong negative emotional reaction

3. reason to justify our strong feeling

You do something that harms your family (shame = self)

Someone edges in and cuts ahead of you in a long line (anger = autonomy)

You hear that a friend decides not to attend his mother’s funeral (contempt = community)

You hear about a 70 yr old man having sex with a 17 yr old girl (disgust = divinity)

Moral Obligation

belief that the act should be done regardless of the law (by all people everywhere) –and –

should be regulated and people should be punished if they do not do it Ethic of community seen as a moral

obligation by Indians but not Americans

Objectives:

Understand the 10 major categories of values endorsed by cultures worldwide

Identify values that are incompatible or difficult to prioritize simultaneously

Describe how a culture’s prioritizing of values influences their conceptions of morality and justice

Values – Endorsing and Opposition

Power: Social status and prestige, control or dominance over people and resources (authority, social power, wealth, preserving my public image)

Achievement: Personal success through demonstrating competence according to social standards (ambitious, successful, capable, influential)

Hedonism: Pleasure or sensuous gratification for oneself (pleasure, enjoying life, self-indulgent)

Stimulation: Excitement, novelty, and challenge in life (daring, a varied life, an exciting life)

Self-direction: Independent thought and action—choosing, creating, exploring (creativity, freedom, independent, choosing own goals, curious)

Values – Endorsing and Opposition

Universalism: Understanding, appreciation, tolerance, and protection for the welfare of all people and for nature (equality, social justice, wisdom, broadminded, protecting the environment, unity with nature, a world of beauty)

Benevolence: Preservation and enhancement of the welfare of people with whom one is in frequent personal contact (helpful, honest, forgiving, loyal, responsible)

Tradition: Respect, commitment, and acceptance of the customs and ideas that traditional culture or religion provide (devout, respect for tradition, humble, moderate)

Conformity: Restraint of actions, inclinations, and impulses likely to upset or harm others and violate social expectations or norms (self-discipline, politeness, honoring parents and elders, obedience)

Security: Safety, harmony, and stability of society, of relationships, and of self (family security, national security, social order, clean, reciprocation of favors)

Values – Endorsing and Opposition

Values

Power (social status)

Achievement (personal success)

Hedonism (pleasure)

Universalism (welfare of all)

Self-direction (own path)

Conformity (self-discipline)

Security (stability & order)

Tradition (acceptance of customs)

Benevolence (good to close others)

Stimulation (excitement)

National Values

Iran Shi’a Islamic Theocracy (Imams also

have social and political power) Values: Justice of God, duty to God,

forbidding what is wrong, dissociate with enemies of God

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXC4uHxbpCU -4:32

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/08/23/muslim-women-who-wear-the-hijab-and-niqab-explain-their-choice/

National Values

France Liberty: being able to do anything that

does not harm others Equality: must be the same for all,

whether it protects or punishes Fraternity: brotherhood, community

National Values

National strategies – integration (participate in new but keep ties to orig. culture) vs. assimilation (new culture only)

Discussion: What are the positive and negative consequences of a country adopting an integration policy or an assimilation policy?

National Values

France – 2003 assimilation policy – goal of combating culturally distinct communities Integration contract on arrival Learn French & French values Residence permit & citizenship

dependent on assessment of assimilation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoKOVjIM2_Q :30-5:08

Values & Justice

police duties

prison sentences

drug control strategies

Culture & Distributive Justice

Principle of Need: Those who need the resources the most, get them.

Principal of Equity: Resources should be shared equally.

Seniority System: Factors such as time and age are rewarded.

Summary •Perception of “fair” and “just” varies widely

•Role of moral viewpoint and ways to distribute resources are dependent upon culture

•“Feelings” are often what cue us to a moral violation