8] Morality Morals: · Hard to define · Distinction between what's right and wrong- doesn't really explain anything because who decides what's right and wrong-circular definition · Morality- culture has morals=everyone has moral codes · Morality triggers powerful emotions [Hitler] Philosophy: the 'oughts' of morality · David Hume (1739): · Reason is , and ought only to be the slave of the passions, and can never pretend to any other office than to serve and obey them · Jeremy Bentham · A single principle of utility to govern all reforms, laws, human action · Maximise the utility (happiness) of community · Calculate pleasure and pain and work out the highest return for each member of community What are morals for? · Immanuel Kant · Considered Hume's account too subjective for ethics · No concrete rules, but one abstract rule (to rule them all ... ) · Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law. o good for individual and group= (important to know who is friend and foe!) Intuitive and standard view of morality: o Morals of autonomy (individual) -> anger o Morals of community (social hierarchy) -> contempt o Morals of divinity (what is holy) -> disgust o Empathy - a force for good or bad? Where do morals come from? · Nature/ nativist: moral knowledge is native in our minds. It is preloaded by God or evolution. · Nurture/ empiricist: children are blank slates and morals are learned from experience or instruction. · Rationalism/ constructivist: not innate, not learned, but children figure it out for themselves Constructing knowledge:
Piaget- · Recall that Piaget was focusing on the kinds of errors children make (e.g. conservation of liquid) · To understand how they come to master the understanding . And it is not innate and not through instruction · When their minds are ready for it (cognitive stage) they figure it out Did an experiment: o Played marbles with kids and played dumb and broke the rules to see how the children respond o Reveal developing ability to: respect rules, change rules, take turns and resolve disputes developing moral reasoning You are not meant to go near the desk or touch the ink well in your parents' study. This little boy wants to help. He fills up the inkwell and accidentally spills it all over the table, making a big stain on the table cloth. This little boy is meddling. He plays with inkwell and accidentally spills it all over the table, making a small stain on the table cloth. Who is naughtier? Children below age 7: this boy Moral Realists: intention immaterial, Judgement is made based on the extent of damage Children above age 7: this boy Moral Subjectivists: Subjective factors, including intentions, are considered Kohlberg- extended Piaget's insights o Used moral dilemmas to study moral reasoning Stages in development Level/Stage I: Obedience/Punishment I: Self-Interest Age Range Infancy Pre-school Kohlberg 6 stages of reasoning about moral