Chapter 6: Moral Development Moral Character- An individual’s set of personal qualities that influence a person’s ability to choose the morally right course of action in different situations. Character ● derived from the Greek word “kharakter” (A stamping tool used to make coins) ● Later it evolved to mean “distinctive mark” and became “symbol or imprint on the soul” ● Now it is the collection of qualities that distinguish one individual to another “Character” in the Philosophical Context • Aristotle’s concept of “character” is deeply rooted in his work, Nichomachean Ethics • Our habits form character • Character is the combination of qualities that makes one ethically good Moral Character (Aristotle) • Aristotle believed that moral character is about virtues and vices • Virtues – positive traits • Vices – negative traits • Golden mean – balance between the extremes • Moral character is like a muscle, the more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes Three basic needs and values (Fr. Dionisio Miranda) ● Individuality or personal identity – to be someone rather than nobody ● Personal Autonomy– To freely make decisions and assume responsibility for them ● Meaning to one’s becoming a human being – acting and relating regardless of whether one does describe it in independently personal terms Moral Development The gradual development of an individual’s concept of right and wrong – conscience, values, social attitudes, and other moral behaviors Development of Moral Character ● To be a moral person is to think morally and act accordingly ● Moral Development in children involves three actions: ○ Emotions, knowledge and action Theories of Moral Development Social Learning Theory – Learning through imitations • Modeling Cognitive Developmental Theory – How children arrive at judgements about what is right or wrong • Jean Piaget’s Stages of Moral Development • Heteronomous Morality • Autonomous Morality Psychoanalytic Theory – much of the person’s moral behaviors is governed by unconscious idea and impulses that are rooted in childhood conflicts Evolutionary Theory – neurobiological bases of moral development that all humans share Lawrence Kohlberg ● American Psychologist known for his Theory of Moral Development ● He sought to describe the developmental stages of moral reasoning ● He argued that people pass though six stages of moral thinking then he clustered it into three levels Levels and Stages of Moral Development Level 1: Preconventional Morality Before Age 9 Stage 1: Obedience and Punishment Orientation • The individual is good in order to avoid being punished • Ex: A child might decide not to steal a cookie because they know they’ll be scolded if they do Stage 2: Instrumental Orientation • Moral reasoning is based on personal gains • “What’s in it for me?” • Example: A child might share their toys with others with the expectation that they’ll get something in return Level 2: Conventional Morality Early Adolescence (10 -15 yrs old) Stage 3: Good boy/Nice Girl Orientation • Behavior is determined by social approval • They start to consider other’s feelings and not just their own Stage 4: Law and Order Orientation • Social rules and laws determine behavior. • Moral decision making becomes more than consideration of close ties to others. Level 3: Post-conventional Morality Stage 5: Social Contract Orientation • Individual rights determine behavior • Given the right situation, there are exceptions to rules Stage 6: Universal Principle Orientation • the appropriate action is determined by one’s self chosen ethical principles of conscience • This type of reasoning involves taking the perspective of every person or group that could potentially be affected by the decision. Chapter 7: Morality and Human Acts Human Acts vs. Acts of Man Human Acts ● Actions performed with knowledge and freewill ● helping someone in need, apologizing for a mistake, or choosing to tell the truth in a difficult situation Acts of Man ● Actions that are more instinctive or involuntary things we do without necessarily making a conscious decision ● sneezing or blinking, or instinctive responses like pulling your hand away from a hot surface Elements of Human Acts ● Knowledge– the person is aware of what they are doing. ● Freedom–the ability to make a choice without coercion and it makes the doer responsible for their acts ● Voluntariness– the action is done willingly and Intentionally Characteristics of Human Acts Intention: This is the purpose or goal of the act. • Giving money to someone out of kindness has a different moral quality than giving money to bribe them. Object of the Act: This refers to the action itself. • Telling the truth is inherently good, while lying is inherently bad. Circumstances: These are the factors surrounding the act that can influence its morality. • Stealing is generally considered wrong, but if someone steals food to prevent their child from starving, the circumstance can affect our moral evaluation of the act. Consequences: The outcomes of the act also play a role in determining its morality. • If an action causes harm to others, it might be considered morally bad, even if the intention was good. Good vs. Evil Acts ● An act is good when the intention, object, circumstance and consequences are all good. ● Evil acts are those that violate human nature Classification of Human Acts 01-Acts of Will-actions that are driven by a person's desire or intention (freewill) Acts of Will: Elicited Acts Elicited Acts - initiated, performed and completed by will alone. • Wish: This is a desire for something that may or may not be attainable. wishing to visit a far-off country. • Intention: This is a commitment to carrying out an action in the future. intending to start a new exercise routine. • Counsel: This is the process of deliberating or considering different options before making a decision. Weighing the pros and cons of a job offer. • Choice: This is the act of deciding on a course of action after deliberation. choosing to accept a job offer after considering it. • Command: This is the will directing the other powers of the soul to carry out the chosen action. telling yourself to start drafting a resignation letter for your current job. • Fruition: This is the enjoyment or satisfaction derived from a good that has been chosen and acquired. feeling contentment and happiness in your new job. Acts of Will: Commanded Acts Commanded Acts – Acts of will that are carried out by the mind and body as ordered by the will • Internal Acts: These are actions carried out within the mind under the direction of the will. making a decision or forming a judgment • External Acts: These are physical actions that are directed by the will. speaking, running, or writing. • Mixed Acts: These are actions that involve both internal and external elements. o Expressing love for someone might involve internal feelings (an internal act) and physical expressions like hugging or saying "I love you" (external acts) 02 Acts of Reason-actions that are driven by logical thinking and rational decision making. Norms of Human Acts Moral Norms – rules of morality that people ought to follow • Conscience – inner voice that tells a person to do what is good and avoid what is evil • Law –a rule of conduct enacted by competent figures of authority for the sake of common good Classification of Laws Divine Laws - believed to be given by a higher power or deity, often interpreted through religious texts and teachings. • the Ten Commandments in Christianity or the Five Pillars of Islam. Human Laws- created by human beings and societies to regulate behavior and maintain order within a community or nation. • traffic laws or tax laws. Temporal Laws - laws that are bound by time and change as society evolves. • laws about who can vote, which have expanded over the years to include more people. Eternal Laws- unchanging and universal laws, often associated with the concept of divine law. • the law of non-contradiction in philosophy, which states that something cannot be both true and not true at the same time. Natural Laws- These are inherent principles of morality and justice that exist independently of 2. Passion or Concupiscence- Strong emotions can influence a person's actions and potentially lessen their responsibility someone who acts out of intense fear or anger may not be fully in control of their actions. 2 Types of Passion: ● Antecedent- an emotion or passion that precedes human-made laws. • the idea that murder is wrong. the act of the will ● Consequent - an emotion or passion that follows an Positive Laws - These are human-made laws that have been "posited" or formally written down, such as statutes or regulations • Acity ordinance requiring residents to recycle could act of the will 3. Fear – instinct might something which engenders to self-reservation ● if someone gives their wallet to a robber out of be a positive law. Affirmative Laws- These laws require citizens to perform specific actions • These are laws that require action, such as a law requiring car owners to have auto insurance. Negative Laws - These laws prohibit certain actions fear for their life, their action (handing over the wallet) is influenced by fear. 4. Violence- actions taken under duress or force. 5. Habits - Habits can influence our actions and potentially lessen our moral responsibility, especially if the habit is deeply ingrained and difficult to break. • like laws against theft or assault. Moral Laws - These are principles that govern the conduct of individuals based on a sense of right and wrong. • someone might have a personal rule always to tell the truth Penal Laws - laws that prescribe penalties or punishments for specific actions considered harmful or damaging. • robbery or fraud are penal laws. Modifiers of Human Acts 1. Ignorance- lack of knowledge or awareness 4 kinds of Ignorance: ● Ignorance of the law - lack of knowledge about laws or rules a person might not know that it's illegal to jaywalk in a certain area. However, in many legal systems, ignorance of the law is not typically accepted as an excuse for breaking it. ● Ignorance of the Fact- lack of knowledge about a specific situation or circumstance a person might unknowingly sit in a reserved seat because they weren't aware of the reservation. ● Vincible Ignorance - ignorance that could be remedied with reasonable effort if a person doesn't know the speed limit but there are clearly posted signs ● Invincible Ignorance - ignorance that couldn't be remedied, even with reasonable effort if a person doesn't know about a local custom in a foreign country that isn't widely known or documented, their ignorance could be considered invincible.
