Ethical Dilemma Moral Dilemma

Heinz Dilemma

1

KHOLBERG’S COGNITIVE MORAL DEVELOPMENT THEORYPresented by HABIBA SULTANA

PRE-CONVENTIONAL:  

• 9 year olds and younger kids• standards of adults• the consequences of following or breaking their rules.

STAGE 1. Obedience and punishment orientation

Kids at home obeys their parents by not touching the electric appliances. If, they do so they will get punished. (Punishment).

Stage 2: Individualism and exchange: Self-interest orientation

• what's in it for me? • satisfying one's needs, or involves a fair

exchange.

For Example: You are marking the attendance of your friend only because, when you will not be in the class

she will mark yours.

CONVENTIONAL LEVEL

oMoral standards valued by peers

oLaws acceptable by the society

oLaws of the country

 Stage 3. Interpersonal accord and conformity- Good Boy and Nice Girl Stage

What will People think of me?

EXAMPLEAvoid to drink in social parties will be considered unethical

because your peers expect from you that will drink.

Stage 4: Authority and social-order maintenance

• What is right is obeying the law of society.

• Actions which are against the law of the country are said to be unethical.

• As her husband, Heinz has a duty to save his wife's life; so, he should steal the drug.

• But it's wrong to steal, so Heinz should be prepared to accept the penalty for breaking the law.

POST-CONVENTIONAL LEVEL

Individual judgment is based on self-chosen principles, and moral reasoning is based on individual rights and justice. 

Stage 5: Social contract orientation Laws are changeable Right action is one that protects the rights of the

individual Heinz should steal the drug because everyone

has the right to life regardless of the law against stealing.

Should Heinz be caught and prosecuted for stealing OR the law (against stealing) needs to be reinterpreted because a person's life is at stake.

STAGE 6: Universal ethical principles

• universal principles of justice, equality and human dignity.

• The person will be prepared to act to defend these principles even if it means going against the rest of society in the process and having to pay the consequences of disapproval and or imprisonment.

Conclusiono Can we all go through them?o Can these overlap?o There is strong evidence of children progressing

through Kohlberg’s stages across the cultures.o Few people reaches at stage six and most people do not

go beyond stage 4

Work Cited1. http://www.simplypsychology.org/kohlberg.html2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Onkd8tChC2

A3. https://explorable.com/theory-of-moral-developm

ent