kohlberg

• what did Kohlberg comment on?

  conscience as the highest level of moral development in a human being
• kohlberg identified 6 stages of moral development from birth in 3 levels, what are these 3 levels?

  pre-conventional, conventional and post-conventional
• what is the post-conventional stage?

  the highest stage, its the development of an individualised conscience
• (post-conventional stage) this is when an individual does what?

  develops their own universal ethical principles and set of universal obligations - they always think about the "greater good" (utilitarian understanding)
• to go against this post-conventional level/conscience leads to what?

  guilt, so it will be followed, even if it leads to imprisonment or personal sacrifice
• very few reach the...?

  post-conventional level
• what does the conventional level begin with?

  our socialisation and the development of good interpersonal relationships
• what does the conventional level conclude with?

  the decision to obey society's rules and so avoid guilt
• our "morality" is...?

  adhering to social norms and following rules
• many people...?

  never get past this conventional level
• what is the pre-conventional level?

  the most basic level of moral development
• what does the pre-conventional level begin with?

  punishment and obedience, our understanding of right/wrong is based on what we are rewarded/punished for (based on positive/negative reinforcement/punishment)
• what is the dilemma of Heinz?

  Heinz' wife = dying from cancer

  drug = $2000 for a small dose and Heinz could only gather $1000 - the druggist wouldn't allow him to pay less/later so Heinz broke into the man's store and stole the drug
• what would somebody on stage 1 of Kohlberg's pre-conventional answer to the dilemma of Heinz?

  that Heinz shouldn't steal the drug because stealing is wrong and he will be punished
• what would somebody on stage 5, at the post-conventional level answer to the dilemma of Heinz?

  that Heinz might take a right-to-life argument that everybody has an equal right to treatment, so Heinz should steal the drug
• what would somebody at stage 6, where people develop their own universal ethical principles answer to the dilemma of Heinz?

  the individual might reason (on Kantian lines) that theft is always wrong and so refrain from stealing, with the inevitable result that Heinz' wife will die
• how did reach and test his conclusions?

  by the use of moral dilemmas (like the dilemma of Heinz)
• (s) what does Kohlberg's understanding take into account?

  how our conscience develops/changes over time
• (s) what does Kohlberg's understanding emphasise?

  the importance of reasoning/moral reasoning and autonomy of individuals and freedom of moral agents
• (w) however, it's not clear that...?

  moral reasoning guides the conscience - reflects Hume's view that "reason should be a slave of the passions" and not the other way round
• (w) what does Kohlberg's understanding challenge?

  traditional religious ideas e.g. that conscience is the voice of God
• what view of the conscience is kohlberg?

  psychological