Moral Character and Moral Development PDF

when it is used in discussions of moral MODULE 9 MORAL CHARACTER AND education” MORAL DEVELOPMENT It is critically important that we understand Moral character - can be conceptualized as what moral character is and what mo...

when it is used in discussions of moral MODULE 9 MORAL CHARACTER AND education” MORAL DEVELOPMENT It is critically important that we understand Moral character - can be conceptualized as what moral character is and what moral an individual’s disposition to think, feel, and character does if we are to limit unethical behave in an ethical versus unethical conduct in schools, organizations, and manner, or as the subset of individual society. (T. Cohen, 2014) differences relevant to morality. - broadly refers to a variety of the tripartite framework for individual differences. understanding a moral character: - This is adapted from Funder and (1) one’s desire to do good and Fast’s avoid doing bad (motivation); (2) one’s capacity to do Damon (1988) identified six ways that good and avoid doing bad (ability); and social scientists have defined morality: (3) one’s identity as a good versus bad - Evaluative orientation that person (identity). distinguishes good and bad and prescribes good Honesty-Humility “represents the tendency - Sense of obligation toward to be fair and genuine in dealing with others standards of a social collective - Sense of responsibility for acting out Examples of traits that relate to of concern for others self-regulation include: - Concern for the rights of others Conscientiousness, self-control, and - Commitment to honesty in consideration of future consequences. interpersonal relationships - State of mind that causes negative A person who is high on emotional reactions to immoral acts. Conscientiousness is dependable, self- Wynne and Walberg (1984): disciplined, and careful; Moral Character is “engaging in morally a person low on Conscientiousness is relevant conduct or words, or refraining from irresponsible, lazy, and disorganized. certain conduct or words” Piaget(1969): Conscientiousness is one of the strongest “The essence of morality is respect for rules predictors of counterproductive behaviors and that acting on internalized principles and job performance, with links to reduced (autonomy) represents a higher level of absenteeism, procrastination, fighting with morality than performance based on rules coworkers, and abusive leadership. imposed by others (heteronomy)” Pritchard(1988): Moral identity internalization is the Moral character is a personality construct: defining characteristic of the identity “a complex set of relatively persistent element of our framework (Aquino & Reed, qualities of the individual person, and the 2002). term has a definite positive connotation ETHICS - a set of moral principles that he is willing to believe just anything and/or governs a person’s behavior and/or serve fails to keep fundamental commitments. as a code of conduct. Perseverance: Perseverance is the ability MORALS - an individual’s principles to decide on a moral plan of action and then concerning the distinction between right and to adapt to any barriers that arise to wrong or good and bad. continue working toward that goal. Four Ethical Components in the Moral MODULE 10: STAGES OF MORAL and Character Development by (Lynn W. DEVELOPMENT Swaner) Lawrence Kohlberg (1927–1987) was a Moral sensitivity, which is “the ability to moral philosopher and formerly holds a see an ethical dilemma, including how our position as director of Harvard's Center for actions will affect others.” Moral Education. Moral judgment, which is “the ability to - His special area of interest is the reason correctly about what ‘ought’ to be moral development of children - how done in a specific situation.” they develop a sense of right, wrong, Moral motivation, which is “a personal and justice. commitment to moral action, accepting - intensely studied those growing responsibility for the outcome.” children advance through stages of Moral character, which is a “courageous moral development in a manner like persistence in spite of fatigue or temptations their progression through Piaget's to take the easy way out.” well-known stages of cognitive development. Studies have uncovered four skill sets KOLHBERG’S THEORY OF MORAL that play a decisive role in the exercise DEVELOPMENT of moral expertise. Moral imagination: The ability to see the The stages are as follows: situation through the eyes of others. Stage 1: Obedience and Punishment Moral imagination achieves a balance Orientation—Children in this stage base between becoming lost in the perspectives moral decisions upon the consequences of of others and failing to leave one’s own their actions and view rules of adults as perspective. Adam Smith terms this sacred and beyond reproach; balance as “proportionality,” which we Stage 2: Individualism and can achieve in empathy. Exchange—Children in this stage begin to Moral creativity: Moral creativity is closely appreciate that there may be more than one related to moral imagination, but it centers perspective on a moral dilemma, and the on the ability to frame a situation in different concept of fair exchange in transactions ways. between individuals assumes greater Reasonableness: Reasonableness importance; balances openness to the views of others Stage 3: Good Interpersonal with a commitment to moral values and Relationships—Children in this stage other important goals. That is, a reasonable demonstrate a deeper understanding of the person is open, but not to the extent where motivations and intentions behind actions, with thought given to strengthening familial MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR and community relations among members; MORALITY - REASON AND Stage 4: Maintaining Social IMPARTIALITY Order—Children or, most likely, teenagers in this stage broaden their focus to consider IMPARTIALITY - is manifesting objectivity the impact of actions upon society as a for the quality of being unbiased and whole, as opposed to a single individual or objective in creating moral decisions – family unit; underscoring that a [morally] impartial Stage 5: Social Contract and Individual person makes moral decisions relative to Rights—Adults in this stage place value on the welfare of the majority and not for ensuring that basic rights and democratic specific people alone. procedures are followed and view morality as based into a social contract an individual makes with a society that can be altered 7 Step Moral Reasoning Model according to individual circumstances and 1. Relevant facts needs; and 2. Ethical issues- broad systemic, corporate, Stage 6: Universal Principles—The few and personal issues adults who reach this stage (e.g., Gandhi, 3. Primary stakeholders affected by the Jose Rizal) actively try to promote the ethical decision creation of a “good society” by protecting 4. Possible alternatives individual rights and settling differences in a 5. Ethics of each alternative. How will each democratic process. affect stakeholders? Apply the philosophies here LEVEL ONE PRECONVENTIONAL 6. Practical constraints that implementation (YOUNGER THAN SIX) 7. Which alternative should be taken LEVEL TWO CONVENTIONAL LEVEL (7 TO 11) Moral Reasoning LEVEL THREE POSTCONVENTIONAL - cannot rely on feelings (11 YEARS ON) - feelings are irrational and products of selfishness or cultural conditioning MODULE 11: The Minimum - decisions must be guided by Requirements for Morality reasons - supported by arguments REASON - is the ability of the mind to think, understand, and form judgments by a Three Broad Types of Ethical Theory process of logic. It is innate and exclusive 1 Consequentialist Theories human ability that utilizes new or existing 2 Non - consequentialist Theories information as bases to consciously make 3 Agent - Centered Theories sense out of things while applying logic and is also associated with thinking, cognition, Consequentialist: and intellect. - The Utilitarian Approach: Is one of the most common approaches to making ethical decisions, especially decisions with consequences that  concern large groups of people, in - The Fairness or Justice part because it instructs us to weigh Approach: When combined with the the different amounts of good and universality of the rights approach, bad that will be produced by our the justice approach can be applied action. to all human persons. The most - The Egoistic Approach: One influential version of this approach variation of the utilitarian approach is today is found in the work of known as ethical egoism, or the American philosopher John Rawls ethics of self-interest. In this (1921-2002), who argued, along approach, an individual often uses Kantian lines, that just ethical utilitarian calculation to produce the principles are those that would be greatest amount of good for him or chosen by free and rational people herself. in an initial situation of equality. - The Common Good Approach: Fairness of starting point is the This approach to ethics underscores principle for what is considered just. the networked aspects of society and emphasizes respect and - The Divine Command Approach: compassion for others, especially - Following God’s will is seen as the those who are more vulnerable. very definition of what is ethical. Non-consequentialist: Agent-Centered Theories: - The Duty-Based Approach: - The Virtue Approach: sometimes called deontological ethics is concerned with the entirety ethics, is most associated with the of a person’s life, it takes the philosopher Immanuel Kant process of education (1724-1804), ethical action is one and training seriously, and taken from duty, that is, it is emphasizes the importance of role done precisely because it is our models to our understanding of how obligation to perform the action. to engage in ethical deliberation. - The Rights Approach: This - The Feminist Approach: approach stipulates that the best - Like virtue ethics, feminist ethics ethical action is that which protects concerned with the totality of human the ethical rights of those who are life and how this life comes to affected by the action. influence the way we make ethical - It emphasizes the belief that all decisions. humans have a right to dignity. - This is based on a formulation of Kant’s categorical imperative that Aristotle, for example, argued that ethics says: “Act in such a way that you should be concerned with the whole of treat humanity, whether in your a person’s life, not with the individual own person or in the person of discrete actions a person may perform in another, always at the same time any given as an end and never simply as a situation. means to an end.” Obligatory - It means that it is not only right cognitivist; epistemologically as empiricist, to do it, but that it is wrong not to do it. In rationalist, or intuitionist. other words, we have an ethical obligation to 1. Cognitivism states that moral perform the action judgments convey propositions that Impermissible - The opposite of an is, they are “truth ethically obligatory action is an action that is bearers” or they are either true or ethically false. impermissible, meaning that it is wrong to - Most ethical theories are do it and right not to do it. For example, we cognitivist as they contend that would right and wrong are matters of fact. say that murder is ethically impermissible. - The most famous forms of Permissible - It is referred to as ethically cognitive ethics are the moral permissible, or ethically “neutral,” because it realism and ethical subjectivism. is neither right nor wrong to do them or not - Moral Realism claims that the to do them. We might say that having plastic existence of moral facts and the surgery is ethically permissible, because it truth (or falsity) of is not wrong to have the surgery (it is not moral judgments are independent of impermissible), but neither is it ethically people’s thoughts and perceptions. It necessary (obligatory) to have the surgery. maintains that morality is about Some argue that suicide is objective facts, that is, not facts permissible in certain circumstances. about any person or group’s Supererogatory: These types of actions subjective judgment. are seen as going “above and beyond the - Ethical Subjectivism, on the other call of duty.” They are right to do, but it is hand, holds that the truth (or falsity) not wrong of ethical propositions are not to do them. dependent on the attitudes or standards of a person or a group of Framework for Ethical Decision Making: persons. Subjectivism is obviously 1. Recognizing an Ethical Issue contrary to moral realism. 2. Consider the Parties Involved 3. Gather all the Relevant Information 2. Non-cognitivism denies that moral 4. Formulate Actions and Consider judgments are either true or false. It Alternatives claims that ethical sentences do not 5. Decide and Consider it convey authentic propositions, 6. Act hence are neither true nor false. 7. Reflect on the outcome - Emotivism is the moral popular form of MODULE 12: Ethics, Truth, and Reason non-cognitivist theory. It submits that moral judgments Meta-ethical theories are commonly are mere expressions of our classified semantically as either cognitivist emotions and feelings. Like or non- exclamatory sentences, ethical sentences cannot be  said to be either true or false the admired master slave relationship of according to the theory. soul over body. “To find myself” Moral Empiricism is a meta-ethical stance EXTERNAL - This refers to the normal and which states that moral facts are known common freedoms expected in daily life, in through most countries, throughout history. It implies observation and experience. immunity from undue interference by authority, especially by the government. Moral Rationalism contends that moral facts and principles are knowable a priori, POLITICAL - It has to do with establishing that is, certain rights of action and limits to by reason alone and without reference to government power that helps to guarantee experience. the practice of those rights, the right to speak freely, to associate with people of Moral Intuitionism submits that moral your choice, to own property, and to truths are knowable by intuition, that is, by worship. immediate instinctive knowledge without reference to any evidence. COLLECTIVE - It is based on an ideology of collective unity that prescribes distinct social MODULE 13: Understanding Human and moral values and objectives for all, Freedom and Responsibility often under this ideal of freedom the state is -“Freedom is not worth having if it does not allowed to control the production of all basic include the freedom to make mistakes.” citizen needs, thus giving them -Mahatma Gandhi freedom-from-want. FREEDOM is the power or right to act, SPIRITUAL - Freedom. In its purest form speak, or think as one wants without this type of freedom comes from striving for hindrance or restraint. a complete identification with God to arrive at a condition of soul that transcends the confusion and disharmony of the self and TYPES OF FREEDOM the material world. For this type, strict INTERNAL - The first and most basic type control if not denial of the allurements of the of freedom is embodied by the chap in jail. It body leads to complete freedom of the is of the greatest personal intimacy and spirit. secretiveness; indeed, it is the hidden core of our being and unknowable by others. RESPONSIBILITY - A duty or obligation to SELF-FREEDOM - In the sense of learning satisfactorily perform or complete a task how to escape the ever-present danger of (assigned by someone or created by one’s enslavement own promise or circumstances) that one by our own passions and ignorance, must fulfill, and which has a consequent practice of self-control, restraint, and penalty for failure. balance to achieve In context: Legal - Moral - The term ' justice' is derived from the Latin word " justicia" which means joining or E. Kinds of Responsibility fitting, or of bound or tie. 1. Role Responsibility. The duties one has for doing various things which come with “Justice consists of a system of occupying understanding and procedures through a certain role in society. which each in 2. Causal Responsibility. What caused accorded what is agreed upon as fair”. something to happen. -Charls Marriam 3. Liability Responsibility. Who is liable for “Justice is the reconciler and the synthesis something’s happening? of political values; it is their union in an 4. Capacity Responsibility. The capacity of a adjusted and integrated whole”. person to be held liability responsible for -Barker their “From each according to his capacity, to actions. each according to his need”. -Max Scheler’s Hierarchy of Values -Saint Simon Values of the Holy. Appear only in regard to objects intentionally given as “absolute John Rawls claims that “justice is the first Objects.” virtue of social institutions as truth is of systems of thought”. -He was the foremost exponent of Axiology. Axiology is defined as the philosophical C. Categories of Justice science of values. 1. Distributive Justice - A German philosopher, known for his work It is also known as economic justice, is in phenomenology, ethics, and philosophical about fairness in what people receive, from anthropology. goods to attention. Its roots are in social order, and it is at the roots of Communism, Spiritual Values. Values independent of the where equality is a fundamental principle. whole sphere of the body and of the environment. Grasped in spiritual acts of 2. Procedural Justice preferring loving and hating. The principle of fairness is also found in the idea of fair play (as opposed to the fair Vital Values. Values pertaining to the share of distributive justice). well-being either of the individual or of the community. 3. Restorative Justice or or corrective justice Pleasure Values. The pleasant against the The first thing that the betrayed person may unpleasant. The agreeable against the seek from the betrayer is some form of unagreeable. restitution, putting things back as they should be. The simplest form of restitution is a straightforward apology. 4. Retributive Justice MODULE 14: Justice and Fairness Restoration may well not be enough for the betrayed person, and they may seek revenge of some sort, whereby they can feel the satisfaction of seeing the other person suffer in the way that they have suffered. Revenge can be many times more severe than reparation as the hurt party seeks to make the other person suffer in return. Dimensions of Justice 1 Political Political Justice stands for a free and fair participation of people in the political sphere. Universal adult franchise is the expression of Political Justice. 2 Social The concept of Social Justice is based on the belief that all human being is equal and that no discrimination should be made on the grounds of race, religion, caste, sex, or place of birth. 3 Economic Economic justice means to provide equal opportunities to everybody to earn his livelihood. It also means to help such people who are not able to work and earn their livelihood.