Moral Reasoning: The Moral Dilemma of "Heinz"

LP 9D Moral reasoning 1
08/14/08
Moral Reasoning: The Moral Dilemma of “Heinz”
In Europe, a lady was dying because she was very

sick. There was one drug the doctors said might save
her. This medicine was discovered by a man living in
that same town. It cost him $400 to make it, but he
charged $4000 for just a little bit of it. The sick lady’s
husband, Heinz, tried to borrow enough money to buy
the drug. He went to everyone he knew to borrow the
money. But he could only borrow half of what he
needed. He told the man who made the drug that his
wife was dying, and asked him to sell the medicine
cheaper or let him pay him later. But the man said
“No, I made the drug and I am going to make money
from it.” So Heinz broke into the store and stole the
drug.
• Should Heinz have stolen the drug?

• Why or why not?
In Kohlberg’s work the answer to whether Heinz should

have stolen the drug is NOT what matters. For Kohlberg,
the explanation for their decision is the important issue
that is critical for understanding moral reasoning.
08/14/08
Moral Reasoning: Lawrence Kohlberg
According to Kohlberg, there are 3 levels with 2 stages

each of moral reasoning. Each stage is defined by the
reason/motive for your behavior.
Level 1: Preconventional: No internalization of morals

(reasons are external to the individual)
• Stage 1 (Punishment and obedience)
• Stage 2 (Individual self-interest)
Level 2: Conventional: Intermediate internalization of

morals
• Stage 3 (Seeking approval or avoiding disapproval)
• Stage 4 (Law and order)
Level 3: Postconventional: full internalization of morals

• Stage 5 (Interpretation of the law)
• Stage 6 (Universal ethical principles)
In Kohlberg’s theory of moral reasoning your decision is

not the critical issue—it is the reasons for your decision.
These stages unfold in an age-related step-by-step
fashion, much like Piaget’s stages of cognitive
development.
08/14/08
Preconventional Morality
Level 1: Preconventional: no internalization of morals
(reasons are external to the individual)
Stage 1 Stage 2
(Punishment and Obedience) (Individual self-interest)
People base their moral Right and wrong is determined

decisions of right and wrong by by what is rewarded, gained, or
what is punished. They act on profited. One’s actions are
the fear of punishment and based on what they will get, or
behave to avoid punishments. their inaction occurs because
there is nothing to be gained.
Examples: Examples:
• Children obey because • Children obey when it is in
adults tell them to obey or their best interest to obey
they will get spanked. because they get rewards
• I’ll help you because if I don’t, from their parents (attention,
I’ll get in trouble. candy, praise, etc.)
• I won’t cheat because I will • I will cheat because I will get
get caught and get detention. a better score on the exam.
• I won’t steal because I will go • I won’t tell mom you broke
to jail. the vase if you don’t tell on
• I won’t speed because I will me for stealing candy.
get a ticket. • I will help you if I get to play
with your Wii.
• I’m not going to help you if
because there’s nothing in it
for me.
08/14/08
Conventional Morality
Level:2: Conventional, Intermediate internalizations of
morals
Stage 3 Stage 4
(seeking approval or avoiding (Law and Order)
disapproval)
Right and wrong is determined Right and wrong is determined

by seeking approval or avoiding by society’s rules, and laws,
disapproval of people who are which should be obeyed rigidly
close to you (such as your to maintain law and order
parents and friends). through formal or informal
codes of conduct.
Examples: Examples:
• I won’t cheat on the test • You must not shoplift
because my parents will be because it is illegal.
ashamed of me. • You shouldn’t jaywalk
• I will steal because it will because it is against the law.
make me look cool in front of • Since death penalty is legal,
my friends. so it is okay to have the
• I will tell mom you lied government kill someone (but
because it makes me look some consider it immoral).
better. • We must follow the
• I will give to charity because workplace rules so there is
everyone will think highly of order at the job.
me. • It is okay for large
• Break the speed limit? Why corporations to make shell
not you dork? companies off in Bermuda to
• Vandalizing the road sign avoid paying taxes because it
makes you look cool and is legal (it may not be
defiant. “ethical”)
08/14/08
Post Conventional Morality

Level 3: Post conventional level, full internalization of
morals
Stage 5 Stage 6
(Interpretation of the law) (Universal ethical principles)
Right and wrong is determined Right and wrong is determined

by society’s rules, which are by universal ethical abstract
viewed as fallible, rather than principles that emphasize
absolute. Unlike stage 4, a equality, justice and
stage 5 person is more willing to preservation of life regardless of
break the law because as a culture or situation.
member of society, you have
certain obligations to fulfill that • When faced with a dilemma
might not be contained within between law and conscience,
the current law. a personal, individual
conscience is followed.
The person understands that • Behavior is directed by self-
laws are important to protect chosen ethical principles that
society and individuals and tend to be general,
should be changed or not comprehensive, or universal;
followed if they fail to do so. In high value is placed on
some instances, the law may justice, dignity and equality.
not apply to a particular
situation, especially if it violates
some values such as freedom
and individual or property rights.
[
Examples: Examples:
• Piracy of movies in China • Lying to the Nazis about the
should not be done because Jews in the basement is all
(stage 4: it is illegal), right if it is going to save an
(stage 5: it infringes upon innocent life. (appealing to all
08/14/08
intellectual property rights), life is sacred over the law)

(stage 6: it isn’t fair to the • Stealing breaks the law, but
owner put all the work into what Heinz did was
producing it and not having reasonable because he
any profit to show) saved a life. (appealing to all
• Lying to the Nazis about the life is sacred over the law)
Jews in the basement is all • It is important for everyone to
right if it is going to protect contribute their tax money to
their rights of due process. the government, so it is
(appealing to right of due immoral for companies to
process of the law). have shell companies in the
• It is important for everyone to Cayman Islands to avoid
contribute their tax money to paying taxes, even though it
the government, so it is moral is legal. (appealing to
[and is legal] for companies fairness / justice over the
to have shell companies in law)
the Cayman Islands to avoid • Saving a life comes before
paying taxes, so they can financial gain, even if it is the
have the freedom to run a person is a stranger.
business as they chose. •
(appealing to freedom)
• Speeding laws are useful in
town, but in rural areas, they
violate my freedom to choose
the speeds I wish to drive.
•
08/14/08
Criticisms of Kohlberg’s theory of moral development
• Kohlberg’s early research was conducted with male

subjects and became a basis for moral reasoning for
men and women. In addition, most of the dilemmas
involve a male to be resolved by a male with a woman
being a subordinate.
• Carol Gilligan claims Kohlberg’s model is based on an
ethic of individual rights, which is more common
perspective for men. Gilligan developed a model of
women’s moral development that is based on an ethic
of care and responsibility.
o Women tend to stress the importance of
maintaining interpersonal relationships and
responding to the needs of others, rather than
focusing on individual rights.
o However, when men and women are matched in
terms of education level, they respond in a similar
manner.
• Kohlberg’s model of moral development reflects the
values of western culture (and hence not universal) of
individual rights, harm and justice. A man in New
Guinea said, “If no one helped Heinz, then we are all
guilty of a crime”
• It is very easy to give a “highly moral reason”, yet
engage in a behavior that reflects a lower level of
moral reasoning. The behavior doesn’t match your
words.
o We say education is important, but we won’t fund
it.
08/14/08
o We say equality is important, but give preference

to certain races, religions or genders.

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LP 9D Moral reasoning 1

Moral Reasoning: The Moral Dilemma of “Heinz”

In Europe, a lady was dying because she was very

• Should Heinz have stolen the drug?

In Kohlberg’s work the answer to whether Heinz should

Moral Reasoning: Lawrence Kohlberg

According to Kohlberg, there are 3 levels with 2 stages

Level 1: Preconventional: No internalization of morals

Level 2: Conventional: Intermediate internalization of

Level 3: Postconventional: full internalization of morals

In Kohlberg’s theory of moral reasoning your decision is

People base their moral Right and wrong is determined

Right and wrong is determined Right and wrong is determined

Post Conventional Morality

Right and wrong is determined Right and wrong is determined

intellectual property rights), life is sacred over the law)

Criticisms of Kohlberg’s theory of moral development

• Kohlberg’s early research was conducted with male

o We say equality is important, but give preference

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