Moral Development. 2 Morality A concern with the distinction between right and wrong or between good and evil

Moral DevelopmentMoral Development

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MoralityMorality

A concern with the distinction between right and wrong or between good and evil

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Lawrence KohlbergLawrence Kohlberg

The founding of Israel

The letter of the law vs. a higher law

How do people develop morally?

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Kohlberg’s MethodKohlberg’s Method

Initial research: 10-16 year old boys Interview:

Present a moral dilemma Interested in the reasoning behind the

answer

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Dilemma: What would you Dilemma: What would you do?do?

In Europe, a woman was near death from a special kind of cancer. There was one drug that the doctors thought might save her. It was a form of radium that a druggist in the same town had recently discovered. the drug was expensive to make, but the druggist was charging ten times what the drug cost him to make. He paid $400 for the radium and charged $4,000 for a small dose of the drug. The sick woman's husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow the money and tried every legal means, but he could only get together about $2,000, which is half of what it cost. He told the druggist that his wife was dying, and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later. But the druggist said, "No, I discovered the drug and I'm going to make money from it." So, having tried every legal means, Heinz gets desperate and considers breaking into the man's store to steal the drug for his wife.

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Stages of Moral Stages of Moral DevelopmentDevelopment

Pre-Conventional Morality (Level I) Stage 1: Obedience and punishment

orientation Stage 2: Individualism and exchange

Conventional Morality (Level II) Stage 3: Good boy/Good girl orientation Stage 4: Law and order orientation

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Stages of Moral Stages of Moral DevelopmentDevelopment

Post-Conventional Morality (Stage III) Stage 5: Social contract orientation Stage 6: Universal ethical principles

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Criticisms of Kohlberg’s Criticisms of Kohlberg’s TheoryTheory People should not place own

principles above society and law Kohlberg’s stages culturally biased Gilligan: Kohlberg’s stages gender-

biased

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Gilligan’s Stages of Moral Gilligan’s Stages of Moral DevelopmentDevelopment

Pre-ConventionalPre-Conventional: Goal is individual survival Transition from selfishness to responsibility

ConventionalConventional: Self-sacrifice is goodness Transition from goodness to truth that she is

a person too Post-ConventionalPost-Conventional: Principle of

nonviolence

ReligionReligion

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Religion as a Social Religion as a Social InstitutionInstitution Religion:Religion:

Set of institutionalized beliefs and practices that deal with the meaning of life

Beliefs and actions related to the supernatural

Relieves anxiety when the world doesn’t make sense

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Elements of ReligionElements of Religion

Religious BeliefsReligious Beliefs Religious RitualsReligious Rituals Subjective ExperienceSubjective Experience CommunityCommunity

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Religious Beliefs:Religious Beliefs: Define the supernatural/divine order,

clarify humans’ role Organize perceptions of the world Create a guide for behavior

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Religious Beliefs:Religious Beliefs: Myth: Narrative stories about

supernatural forces or beings Serve to express core beliefs and teach

morality Transmit information about survival and

conservation Doctrine: Direct statements about

religious beliefs Written, formal

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Religious Rituals:Religious Rituals: Formal enactments of religious beliefs Activities have symbolic meanings

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Religious Rituals:Religious Rituals: Periodic rituals

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Religious Rituals:Religious Rituals: Periodic rituals Life-cycle ritualsLife-cycle rituals

SeparationSeparation TransitionTransition ReintegrationReintegration

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Religious Rituals:Religious Rituals: Periodic rituals Life-cycle rituals

Separation Transition Reintegration

PilgrimagePilgrimage

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Pilgrimage Rituals of inversionRituals of inversion


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Pilgrimage Rituals of inversion SacrificeSacrifice

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Subjective Experiences:Subjective Experiences: Arise out of rituals and beliefs Religion provides framework to interpret

inner states

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Community:Community: Shared beliefs, rituals, experiences

create a community of believers

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An Evolutionary Model of An Evolutionary Model of ReligionReligion

Magic Religion Science Magic:Magic: People’s attempt to compel

supernatural forces/beings to act in certain ways

Imitative magic: Contagious magic:

Arose out of need for explanation; esp. difference between living and dead Animism:Animism:

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A Functionalist Theory of A Functionalist Theory of ReligionReligion

Durkheim:Durkheim: Societies distinguish between Sacred: That which is holy, inspires awe,

must be treated with respect Profane: Ordinary, everyday things that

may be treated casually

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A Functionalist Theory of A Functionalist Theory of ReligionReligion

Totem: Sacred emblem that members of a group treat with reverence To Durkheim, totems were symbols of

deity and symbols of society Experiences we categorize as religious

are responses to social forces Role of science vs. role of religion

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A Conflict Theory of ReligionA Conflict Theory of Religion

Marx:Marx: Religion serves the interests of the ruling

elite Masks the exploitation of the workers and

the class inequality of capitalism Alienation

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Types of Religious Types of Religious OrganizationsOrganizations Established church

Organization that claims unique legitimacy

Has positive relationship with society

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Types of Religious Types of Religious OrganizationsOrganizations Sect

Organization that claims unique legitimacy

Stands apart from society

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Types of Religious Types of Religious OrganizationsOrganizations Denomination

Organization that accepts legitimacy of other religions

Has positive relationship with society

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Types of Religious Types of Religious OrganizationsOrganizations Cult

Organization that accepts legitimacy of other religions

Has negative relationship with society

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Dilemmas of Dilemmas of InstitutionalizationInstitutionalization Mixed motivations Symbol systems Organization Letter vs. spirit of religious law Conversion vs. coercion

Documents

Moral Development. 2 Morality A concern with the distinction between right and wrong or between good and evil