Course Code GE7

Description Ethics
Pre-Requisites
Department: Week 6

General Education Module No. 5

TOPIC

The Moral Formation

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this module, the student will be able to:

1. Explain the relationship between individual acts and character.
2. Define Moral Formation
3. Identify stages of moral development.
4. Check their personal growth and three other cases against the stages of development.

INTRODUCTION

In this module the relationship between individual acts and character will be explained. Students
will also understand what moral formation is and how to achieve this kind of formation.

Moreover, the stages of Moral development by Lawrence Kohlberg will be exemplified in this
module.

Students will be provided with reading materials, links and online lectures for them to further
understand the subject matter.

Quiz and recitation will be given to assess the students.

Discussion will also very helpful in assessing the students understanding with the topic.
Exchanging inputs among students is another effective way to weigh if they met the objective of
studying various topic.

COURSE CONTENT

What is Moral Formation?

What is meant by "formation?" Moral formation is a nurturing process in which a certain sense of
identity, a certain recognition of community, and a certain pattern of motivation, evolve. Such
formation can be the gradual work of culture and upbringing, or it may be self-conscious and
intentional. Any community of which we are members "forms" us in the sense of orienting us to
the world in a certain way, encouraging certain kinds of behavior and discouraging others. A focus
on formation points us towards emphasis on actual communities with their cultures: towards
what anthropologists call the complex "thickness" of lives actually lived.

The "formation" discussion inevitably turns sooner or later to the subject of "spirituality". It does
so because this term no longer refers only, as it once did, to specific meditations and practices
explicitly focused in the self's relation to God, most often lived out by members of orders and a

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few other very special people. With modernity's characteristic "affirmation of everyday
life" "spirituality" has also come to mean the depth dimension of daily existence cultivated by
both meditative and moral practices. The meditative and the moral, indeed, cannot be separated.
They are part of one whole cloth. Spirituality can now mean the whole shape, the shared fabric, of
our lives in God.

There are many specific traditions of Christian spirituality, each with its characteristic practices
and exercises, each with its characteristic understandings of the link to moral life. And Christian
spirituality is not the only kind. There are spirituality related to the great world of religion.
Spirituality representing indigenous religious communities, and spirituality promoted by individual
teachers who operate, as it were, at large. Christian spiritual-moral formation in today's world
needs not only to draw upon the riches of the great traditions of Christian faith but also to meet,
understand, grasp its differences from, and perhaps learn from, spiritual traditions outside of
Christianity.

Relationship between individual acts and character

Human acts are more closely associated with character than are acts of human beings, because

the former actions come from the whole person. The person could have chosen to do something
different, but chose this particular action. In contrast, an act of a human is not a matter of choice.

Moral Character Defined

 Evaluative Orientation that distinguishes good and bad and prescribes good.
 Sense of obligation toward standards of a social collective
 Sense of responsibility for acting out of concern for others
 Concern for the rights of others
 Commitment to honesty in interpersonal relationship
 State of mind that causes negative emotional reactions to immoral acts.

Kholberg’s Stages of Moral Development:

Three (3) Levels and Sixth (6) Stages

Pre-conventional Level

1st Stage Obedience and Punishment-a child sees and grasps morality in terms of its
physical consequences. Potential authorities, as a child would perceive it, handed down a set of
rules that must be obeyed. So, if doing something only leads to punishment, then, it should not be
done.

2nd Stage Self Interest – a child begins to realize that in conforming to rules it would not
just avoid him or her from punishment but also it can bring rewards

Conventional Level

3rd Stage Interpersonal Accord and Conformity-the child progresses to have a sense of
right and wrong behavior and that by conforming to the standards of the people around him or
her, the child gains approval and thus, pleasing others by being good to them.

4th Stage Authority and Maintaining Social Order-– this emphasizes the “doing the duty”
that obedience to the social order is the right thing and deviance to it is wrong. Post-conventional

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 Post-Conventional Stage

5th Stage Social Contract– the person defines duty in terms or contract or social rules and that it
is important to follow these. yet the person begins to challenge the existing social rules for the
sake of promoting the welfare of the society. Thus, the person recognizes that it is possible to
modify or change such rules or principles if they would benefit the majority.

6th Stage Universal Ethical Principles - a person lives the principles of justice and compassion
and adapts these principles to social standards. Hence, when a law of a society is unjust and
dehumanizing in the judgment of the person, a civil disobedience would be seen as the invitation
to this.

Fig.1

Please watch this video

https://youtu.be/UB_qHOtHsog

FOCUS QUESTIONS

1. What is Moral Formation?

2. What is Moral Character?
3. What are the stages of Moral Development?

LEARNING ACTIVITIES

A. Class Discussion
The instructor will discuss given topics in order for the students to get a clear picture of the

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 subject matter.

B. Individual Activity. Students will be given a chance to check their personal growth and its
relationship to the stages of the development. Insights will be expressed in written or oral.

C. Additional Learning Activities.

Students will be given links where additional inputs are available.
LMS will also be available for students to access.

ASSESSMENT

Short Quiz
Direction: Visit the LMS and answer Quiz no.5 of Week No. 6
Instructions will be provided.
Recitation:
Students will be required to site their own insights regarding stages of moral development.

Home work:
Students will be given homework to improve their understanding of the topic.

ASSIGNMENT

Assignment No. 5
Do what is stated below:

1. How do you response to moral dilemma?

2. What is response based on reason?
3. What is response based on feelings?

RELATED READINGS / REFERENCES

READINGS:
• Damon W. (1988).Moral Child : Nurturing Children’s natural moral growth.New York
Free Press
• James W. Thompson, Moral Formation according to Paul: The Context of Pauline
Ethics (Grand Rapids:Baker Academic, 2011)

• www.FilosofiaEsoterica.com
• https://youtu.be/UB_qHOtHsog

Prepared by: Approved by: Noted by:

Cherry Ann B. Fernandez Dean of College of Rito A. Camigla Jr., EdD.

Faculty VP for Academic & Student Affairs

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 PLAGIARISM DECLARATION

I hereby certify that the module GE7-Ethics submitted to Trimex Colleges is

entirely my original work, except where otherwise indicated. I am aware of the College's
rules on plagiarism, including those on disciplinary action that may result from
plagiarism. Any use, in any form whatsoever, of the works of any other author shall be
properly recognized and cited at their point of use.

Signature :

Author’s Name : CHERRY ANN B. FERNANDEZ

Faculty

Date of submission : July 22, 2020

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