Critial Thinking - Project (1)
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Keiser University, Tampa *
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PLA366
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Philosophy
Date
Dec 6, 2023
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Making moral decisions is a difficult process in which people assess several options and
select one based on their moral convictions and ideals. The theory of moral growth by Lawrence
Kohlberg offers insightful information on how moral thinking and ethical decision-making
evolve over the course of a person's life. The three degrees of moral growth identified by
Kohlberg's thesis are pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional. People's moral
judgment changes as they move through various phases. In my own life, I may consider a moral
choice I made in my adolescence that fits into Kohlberg's conventional stage and contrast it with
a choice I made more recently that fits into the post-conventional stage.
I had to make a moral choice when I was a teenager that was inside Kohlberg's traditional
range of moral growth. My close friend was discovered to have cheated on a big test at the time.
I had to choose between reporting my friend's behavior to the school administration and facing
punishment for violating the school's rules. This choice put my devotion to honesty and
following the norms of the school against my allegiance to a buddy, creating a true moral
conundrum.
My fear of authority (stage 2 - pre-conventional) and my desire to keep my friendship (stage 3 -
conventional) dominated my moral thinking in this case.
I was worried that exposing my friend's infidelity would have a negative impact on them
and might sour our connection. But I was also aware that it was improper and against the
regulations of the school to cheat. Even though it was a tough choice, in the end I decided to
inform the school officials about my friend's behavior. With hindsight, this choice is consistent
with stage 4, or sustaining social order, in Kohlberg's traditional moral growth model. I put
following the rules and preserving the integrity of the school system ahead of my friendship.
This decision showed a dedication to accepted social standards and values, even if it was
challenging and had an impact on our connection.
Let us go ahead and consider a more contemporary moral choice that falls under
Kohlberg's post-conventional stage. I was employed in a setting where a corporate policy was in
place that I felt raised ethical concerns. Profit was prioritized over the health of the workforce
and the environment under this approach. My motivation for responding to this issue came from
the values of social justice and moral rectitude. In this instance, stages 5 and 6 of Kohlberg's
post-conventional stage—which place an emphasis on moral principles and universal values—
served as my moral compass. I reflected ethically and evaluated the policy's wider ramifications,
taking into account how it would affect people's quality of life, the environment, and society as a
whole.
Even though it meant going against the established quo and maybe losing my job, I made
the decision to speak out and support a change in the company's policy. Compared to my more
traditional, rule-based moral reasoning as a teenager, this choice represented a dramatic change.
It serves as an example of how moral growth has evolved, showing how my moral judgment has
grown increasingly grounded in moral precepts and a feeling of social duty. In conclusion, moral
judgment is a dynamic process that changes with time and is influenced by a person's moral
growth. A framework for comprehending how human moral reasoning develops from an
emphasis on authority and social norms to a higher examination of ethical principles and
universal values is offered by Kohlberg's theory of moral development. My personal experiences
making moral decisions at various points in my life highlight how crucial this evolution is for
resolving difficult ethical dilemmas.
Reference:
Boss, J. A. (2021).
Think: Critical thinking and logic skills for everyday life
. McGraw-Hill
Education.
Kohlberg, L. (1981).
The Philosophy of Moral Development: Moral Stages and the Idea of
Justice (Vol. 1)
. Harper & Row.
Colby, A., Kohlberg, L., Gibbs, J., & Lieberman, M. (1983).
A longitudinal study of moral
judgment.
Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 48(1-2), 1-124.
Rest, J. R. (1986).
Moral development: Advances in research and theory.
Praeger.
Power, F. Clark. (1985).
Kohlberg's stages of moral development: A constructivist
interpretation.
SUNY Press.
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