Ethics 1

Moral Agent
| July 26, 2021
TRANS NO. 2
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OUTLINE C. ACTS FROM AND ACTS THAT LEAD TO

I. DEFINITION OF TERMS Acts from

A. CHARACTER ● Acts that emanate from a mature ethical
B. DISPOSITION character are MINE
C. ACTS FROM AND ACTS THAT LEAD ● Based on universal principles; understanding of
TO common good
II. STAGES OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT
A. MORAL DEVELOPMENT Acts that lead to
B. LEVELS OF CONVENTION ● Acts that lead to the formation of the ethical
C. SIX STAGES OF MORAL character are usually not “mine”
DEVELOPMENT ● Compelled by outside authority, groups, rewards,
D. INSIGHT FROM STAGES or motivations
III. THE SIXTH STAGE ● Unfree will
A. CONSCIENTIOUS MORAL AGENT
B. ACHIEVING THE SIXTH STAGE II. STAGES OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT

A. MORAL DEVELOPMENT
I. DEFINITION OF TERMS

A. CHARACTER Moral Development

● By Lawrence Kohlberg (psychologist)
“Being ethical is not about individual ethical acts” ● Happens gradually but certainly to everyone
however, progress and rate of change is not the
Character same for all
● From the greek Kharassein: to engrave, inscribe ● Three main levels with 2 different stages each:
● Non temporal but enduring ○ Preconventional
○ A product slowly sculpted through time ○ Conventional
○ Postconventional
Character Development
● Development to the next stage
● Developed over time
● Deliberately, mindfully, not carelessly ○ Prompted by dilemmas
● In the beginning: we are formed by other people ○ Mentors DO matter
without us knowing it e.g. home, school, peers, ○ Culture DOES influence
work place, mentor, and role models ○ Cumulative and consistent actions
● Through dilemmas and crises or life-changing ○ One does not jump 2 stages up
events ● The goal of moral development is to develop your
○ Allows you to become a better individual own disposition
through character ○ From heteronomous to autonomous
○ find your own voice after having been
B. DISPOSITION predisposed to certain standards and
external factors
“We are what we repeatedly do” -Aristotle ○ ‘Acts that lead to’ change into ‘acts from’

Disposition
● To be ethical is to develop a disposition
● Develops in stages that move from a
heteronomous to an autonomous
will-independent thinking based on universal
principles
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B. LEVELS OF CONVENTION ○ Reward-oriented morality
● Self-interest or self-satisfaction
● What’s in it for me?
Pre-conventional
○ Will do a favor only in exchange for a
● Self-focused
favor desired: I scratch your back, you
● Stage 1 and 2 scratch mine
● Judge what is right or wrong based on the direct ● If I do it or don’t do it, what are the cons and pros?
consequences the expect by themselves and not
social norms Stage 3
● Outsider to society ● Interpersonal accord and conformity of ‘good’
● Does not play by societal norms boy or girl
○ Need to belong to a group for identity,
● Common to children
stability
○ Pleaser: good behaviour by conforming
Conventional with stereotypical notions of nice
● Group-focused ● Peer and group acceptance orientation
● Stage 3 and 4 ○ Approval--group norms
● Morality is centered on societal standard of right ○ Loyalty--belongingness
and wrong ● Concern for a group
● Fairness of rules is seldom questioned ● Wants to be viewed as someone who is
conforming to the ethics of society
● Adolescents and adulthood
● What do others think of me?
● Problem: What happens when we belong to many
Post-conventional different groups with conflicting expectations
● Universal focused
● Stage 5 and 6 Stage 4
● Individuals may disobey rules inconsistent with ● Legalistic orientation
their own morality ○ Law and order
● Complete disconnect to what society or current ○ Duty to society
rules say ● Authority and maintaining social order
● Everything is solved through compassion ● Concern for the abstract and generally applicable
● The right behaviour is never a means to an end law
but always an end in itself ○ However, laws should be guided by ethics
and not the other way around
● Above all, it is important to follow the rules
otherwise, chaos breaks out
C. SIX STAGES OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT
○ Respect for law and authority because of
the order this brings about
Stage 1 ○ Tendency of chaotic societies to abide by
● Punishment; Authority orientation authoritarian rule in search of order
● Obedience and punishment ● How can I maintain law and order?
○ Obey or Pay ○ Law protects people’s rights and
● Motivated by fear guarantees social order
○ Authority--fear
Stage 5
● Thin sense of good or bad is directly linked to
● Common Good
whether he gets punished or not ○ Standards of society
○ Obeys rules to avoid punishment ○ Social contract
○ Right and wrong=not punished/punished ● Not a strict order
● How can I avoid punishment? ● Does a rule truly serve all members of the
● Deference to authority society?
○ Obeys authority especially if that ● Laws can be changed, social utility is more
authority has the power to inflict pain important
● Personal freedom and common good
● Individuals that are usually 7 and above
distinguished
● Individual rights can be subsumed to common
Stage 2
good
● Pleasure-orientation
● Social contract orientation

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○ Moral principles defined apart from A. CONSCIENTIOUS MORAL AGENT
authority of persons; can challenge laws
based on rationality
Conscientious Moral Agent
○ Good of the many - consensus rather
● Impartially considers everyone’s interest
than majority rule
○ Awareness of relativism of personal ● Sifts facts/examines consequences
values thus deference to procedural rules ● Checks soundness of principle of conduct
for reaching consensus ● Revises earlier convictions
● Acts on principles
Stage 6
● Universal Ethical Principles
○ Decision of Conscience
○ Logical Moral Principles
B. ACHIEVING THE SIXTH STAGE
● Universal Principle Orientations
○ Self-chosen principles but does not mean
self-serving How do we get to Stage 6?
■ Principles produced by an ● Do not avoid moral controversies; confront them,
autonomous self understand them
○ Principles measured in terms of logical ● Engage in logical thinking or reasoned argument
rationality, consistency, and universality
rather than emotional discussions
○ Concerned with dignity of others
○ Thought of as an ideal, aspirational stage ● Ask authority for “space” and autonomy to make
● Complete disconnect to what society or current moral decisions and take responsibility for these
rules say ● Expose yourself to arguments of people who are
● Rules are valid only if they are grounded on at a higher reasoning stage
justice ● Participate in the creation/maintenance of a just
● Decisions based on conscience backed by reason community
○ Highest moral standard is compassion
○ But, conscience is not necessarily a
Sir, may question po ako. Medyo confused pa po kasi ako
‘direct line’ to righteousness or God
■ Not requiring thought even if we about this. It was mentioned in your pre-recorded lecture
are “in the image and likeness of that progress differs. And you also described just now that
God” you can jump back from one stage to another. However,
○ But, conscience is also a judgement of can you occupy 2 or more stages at the same time? For
reason instance, deciding on the basis of what benefits you,
■ Practical Wisdom in-line with what is socially acceptable, and perhaps a
● The commitment to justice carries with it an decision that is beneficial for many.
obligation to disobey unjust rules
For instance in the case of legalizing divorce. Presumably
● What are the abstract ethical principles that
serve my understanding of justice? you decide that you are against divorce,
1) Can you occupy 2 different stages at the same
D. INSIGHT FROM STAGES time?
2) If I decide at the moment based on the common
● Stages develop from heteronomous to good does it mean that my moral development is
autonomous will and from self-interests to at stage 5?
principles 3) More examples on Stages 5 and 6
● Increasing “abstraction”
● An ethical character is not inherited but we must
pay attention to how it is developed
● Attention to everyday, mundane things we do
● How we behave in the everyday circumstances
set up our responses to the incipient moments,
the limit situations, the dilemmas and crises of
life-changing events

III. THE SIXTH STAGE

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