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The Moral Agent: Developing Virtue As Habit

Kohlberg's stages of moral development describe how people progress through different ways of thinking about morality. There are three levels - pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional. Pre-conventional focuses on obedience and self-interest. Conventional focuses on maintaining relationships and obeying laws. Post-conventional focuses on social contracts and universal ethical principles. Kohlberg was inspired by Piaget and aimed to understand why people make moral decisions, not just which decisions are right or wrong.

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176 views18 pages

The Moral Agent: Developing Virtue As Habit

Kohlberg's stages of moral development describe how people progress through different ways of thinking about morality. There are three levels - pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional. Pre-conventional focuses on obedience and self-interest. Conventional focuses on maintaining relationships and obeying laws. Post-conventional focuses on social contracts and universal ethical principles. Kohlberg was inspired by Piaget and aimed to understand why people make moral decisions, not just which decisions are right or wrong.

Uploaded by

Caballero Christian
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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THE MORAL

AGENT
DEVELOPING VIRTUE AS HABIT
MORAL CHARACTER
• It refers to the existence or lack of values such as
integrity, courage, fortitude, honesty and loyalty.
• From the Greek word “charaktȇr” which initially
meant a mark on a coin, then later meant a
distinct mark distinguishing one from another.
• Character is typically synonymous with
“personality”.
MORAL CHARACTER

• A certain moral character is a trait for which


the agent is morally responsible.
• Acts help build moral character as what the
Greeks believed: virtuous acts complete or
perfect human life.
MORAL VALUE
• Guides human acts in interacting with other
beings.
• What we expect others to do to us, and it is what
we aim to receive in return.
• They helps us distinguish between right and
wrong.
TYPES OF MORAL VALUES
• Acceptance • Integrity
• Compassion • Kindness
• Courage • Perseverance
• Equality • Politeness
• Fairness • Respect
• Generosity • Responsibility
• Honesty • Self-control
VIRTUES AND VICES

• Virtues and vices are dispositions* of characters


by which an agent is held morally responsible.

• A virtue is a moral character trait where one is


deserving of positive reactive attitude like praise
or gratitude.
• A vice is a moral character trait where one is
deserving of a negative reactive attitude like
resentment or blame.
A good moral character is
practically a disposition to do
virtuous acts while a bad
moral character is a
disposition to do vicious acts.
CARDINAL VIRTUES
They are the principal moral virtues that represent
the foundation of natural morality.
• Prudence – right reason/judgment
• Justice
• Fortitude – courage but is reasoned**
• Temperance*** – restraint of desire
THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES
• Gifts from God through grace.
• Faith – natural result of an intellect
influenced by God’s truth
• Hope – trust in God granting eternal life
• Charity / Love – the greatest theological
virtue. It is loving God above all else for
one’s sake, and loving others for God’s sake.
STAGES OF MORAL
DEVELOPMENT
LAWRENCE KOHLBERG
LAWRENCE KOHLBERG

• An American Psychologist known for his Stages


of Moral Development which was also inspired
by Jean Piaget’s Theory of Moral Development.
• In this theory, Kohlberg is focused on the “WHY”
and not on which decision is RIGHT or WRONG.
LEVELS OF MORAL
DEVELOPMENT

1. Pre-conventional Morality
2. Conventional Morality
3. Post-Conventional Morality
PRE-CONVENTIONAL MORALITY

1. Obedience & Punishment Orientation


- Making decisions based on what is best for the self
- Obeying rules from powerful authorities
2. Instrumental (Self-interest) Orientation
- Satisfaction of others’ needs if satisfying self-need
- Right and wrong still depends on punishments
CONVENTIONAL MORALITY
3. Good Boy/Girl Orientation
- Making decisions to please others
- Concerned with maintaining good relationships
through sharing, trust, & loyalty
4. Law & Order Orientation
- Looking at society* as guidance of right & wrong
- To obey the law is “duty”
POST-CONVENTIONAL MORALITY
5. Social Contract* Orientation
- Rules represent agreements among individuals
about appropriate behavior that maintain social order
6. Universal Principles**
- A hypothetical ideal stage that few people reach
- Answering to strong inner conscience and willingly
disobeys law that violates their ethical principle
WITH RESPECT TO PIAGET’S THEORY,
KOHLBERG’S IS:
1. Respect for Power and Punishment (Age 1-5)
2. Looking out for No. 1 (Age 5-10)
3. Being a Good Boy or Nice Girl (Age 8-16)
4. Law and Order Thinking (Age 16-older/Adult)
5. Justice through Democracy (20-25% of Adults)
6. Deciding on basic moral principles by which
you live your life and relate to everyone fairly
MOTTOS OF EACH STAGE:

1. Might makes right.


2. What’s in it for me?
3. I want to be nice.
4. I’ll do my duty.
5. I’ll live by the rules or try to change them.

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