Morality

Question 1

Define morality for us

Answer 1

Ratio between what is right/wrong and behaving accordingly

Question 2

What is the evolutionary take on morality?

Answer 2

Inflicting pain hurts others, we need alliances so this is bad. Therefore we’re very fine tuned to morals and emotions of others (empathy)

Question 3

What was up with the chimp/morality experiment? What did it reveal about certain animals?

Answer 3

Chimp would pull lever to get food but it would shock another chimp. First one would wait a long time before doing to but still not starve to death.

DIDN’T work with chimp/rabbit -> just laughed while he did it.

Revealed that animals have in/out groups

Question 4

When asking people moral problems, what’s more important to measure?

Answer 4

Not what they say, what they’re reasoning is

Question 5

What was Piaget’s take on morality?

Answer 5

It developed alongside cognition. That is, more complex problems required more complex thinking

Question 6

Give a high level overview of Kholberg’s theory

Answer 6

Reasoning over behaviour: found three levels of moral development with 2 sublevels each.

Question 7

Describe the first (two) levels/sublevels of Kholberg

Answer 7

1. pre-conventional level: external authority (acts are wrong because they are punished)
   - a. punishment orientation: bad because he broke a rule
   - b. naive reward orientation: good because he saved a life

Question 8

Describe the second level of Kholberg

Answer 8

2. Conventional level: rules are necessary to maintain social order (want approval from others, not avoid punishment)
   a. good boy orientation: right/wrong determined by others approval (p pleasing)
   b. Authority orientation: society’s laws (rules)

Question 9

3

Answer 9

3. post-conventional: adolescence, personal code of ethics, less rigid rules
   a. Social contract orientation: still social rules, but they are fallible
   b. Individual Principles and Conscience orientation: abstract ethical principles that emphasize equity and justice “value of human life can never be less important than material possessions”

Question 10

What are the flaws in K’s ideas?

Answer 10

• Kids can show multiple levels of reasoning at once
• Should focus more on emotional reactions and temperament
• Comunity-oriented cultures will have differing views