DAY+11+MORAL+REASONING+AND+REFLECTION

Moral Reasoning and Learning from Other Perspectives:

 * 1) Introduction to Moral Reasoning - You will learn about the purpose, process, and stages of moral development
 * 2) Use Cooperative Learning strategies to respond to the prompts and open-ended questions (4-Site/PSSA prep)
 * 3) Post your personal reflection on the Discussion board

During the Moral Reasoning discussion, it is important to keep in mind the stages of moral development.
 * In the initial moral reasoning group, the teacher should review the purpose of the group. The facilitator should also review the stages of mature morality and use examples of each stage.**

**MORALITIES: STAGES 1 AND 2 **
 * Stage 1 – //Power: “Might Makes Right”//**


 * Morality is whatever big or powerful people say that you have to do. If you are big or powerful, whatever you say is right, and whatever you want to do or get is fair.
 * If you don’t get punished for what you did or no one powerful saw it, whatever you did was OK. It is wrong if you do get punished; the punishment is mainly what makes it wrong.
 * Physical damage or other obvious injury – but not psychological suffering – is noticed and acknowledged to be wrong.
 * Individuals tend to spout clichés (“you should never tell a lie”) without much understanding of what they mean.


 * //Critique//**


 * A Stage 1 individual doesn’t understand the moral reasons for rules, has trouble with reciprocity if it requires taking more than one perspective at a time, and is best at taking the perspective of someone physically powerful.


 * Stage 2 – //Deals: “You Scratch My Back, I’ll Scratch Yours”//**


 * Morality is an exchange of favors (“I did this for you, so you’d better do that for me”) or of blows (misunderstanding of the Golden rule as “Do it to others before they do it to you” or “Pay them back they’ve done it to you”).
 * You should ask or figure, “What’s in it for me?” before you help or obey others.
 * The main reason for not stealing, cheating, and so on is that you could get caught.
 * Individuals may assert that nobody (even those in legitimate positions of authority) should “boss anybody around,” that people should mind their own business, that everybody has his or her own point of view as to what’s right, and that everybody should have the right to think and do whatever he or she wants.


 * //Critique//**


 * Stage 2 individuals have trouble understanding the ideal of mutuality in a relationship. Also, they tend to be self-centered: better at detecting how others are unfair to or don’t do things for them than how they are unfair to or don’t do things for others.

**M ****ATURE MORALITIES: STAGES 3 AND 4 **


 * Stage 3 – //Mutuality: “Treat Others As You Would Hope They Would Treat You”//**


 * In mutual morality, the relationship becomes a value: Trust and mutual caring, although intangible, are real and important.
 * People can really care about other people, can have trust in them, can feel a part of “we.”
 * You should try to understand if your friend is acting hostile or selfish.
 * You should try to make a good impression so others understand that you are a well-intentioned person and so you can think well of yourself.


 * //Critique//**


 * Stage 3 thinking can entail caring about the preciousness of human life. However, Stage 3 thinkers can care so much about what others think of them that they turn into “moral marshmallows” in difficult situations.


 * Stage 4 – //Systems: “Are Your Contributing to Society?”//**


 * This Morality involves interdependence and cooperation for the sake of society: Society can’t make it if people don’t respect the rights of others and follow through on commitments. In difficult situations, retaining integrity and self-respect may mean becoming unpopular.
 * Honoring your commitments is a sign of good character.
 * If you are in the position of judge, teacher, or some other social authority, you should uphold consistent and fair standards (but also consider extenuating circumstances).
 * In difficult situations, retaining integrity and self-respect may mean becoming unpopular.


 * //Critique//**


 * Stage 4 thinking can entail appeals to moral law and to respect for rights and responsibilities as the basis for society. However, Stage 4 societal morality is more a supplement to than a replacement of Stage 3 interpersonal morality.

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