1)  How would you define morality?

        ---generally, it is thought of as a complex phenomenon involving empathy for others, intentions, the inner voice of
        conscience, and behaving in considerate and responsible ways.

2)  Kohlberg believed that you could determine what stage of moral development you are at by analyzing the answers that you give to hypotheical moral dilemmas.
 

        Here is a dilemma:

        A man's wife was dying and needed a special drug.  The man could not afford the drug adn the druggist refused to lower
        his prices.  The man raised half the money needed and promised to pay the balance but the druggist refued him the drug
        without full payment in advance.  In desperation, the man broke into the drug store and stole the drug.

        Should the man have stolen the drug?
        Was the druggist wrong to demand the full payment in advance?

1. Kohlberg’s cognitive theory of moral development is a stage theory of moral reasoning with three universal levels, each divided into two stages.

            a) Preconventional morality----(children's behavior is) characterized by an adherence
            rules in order to avoid punishment (stage 1) or because it is in one’s best interest to
            obey (stage 2).
                        stage 1---"might makes right"
                        stage 2---"look out for number one"

            b) Conventional morality(ages 10 to 11)---- is based first on trust, caring, and loyalty
            to others, where social approval is most important  (stage 3), and then develops into a "law-and-order orientation"
            where you are concerned with obeying societal laws (stage 4).
                        stage 3---"good girl, nice boy"
                        stage 4---"law and order"

            c) Postconventional or "principled" morality ----is a moral standard based on the
            realization that values and laws are relative, and that you only obey them because they are for the benefit of all
           (stage 5) and on universal human rights (stage 6).
                        stage 5---"social contract"
                        stage 6---"universal ethicia principles"

2. Carol Gilligan countered Kohlbers' theory, arguing that his theory is biased toward males, who tend tosee moral dilemmas differently than females.  According to Gilligan, men tend to base their moral choices on abstract principles of law and justice, of right and wrong (morality of justice) whereas women tend to base their moral decisions on principles of caring and compassion (morality of care).

3. Critics argue that Kohlberg's stage theories of moral reasoning is inherently limited.

            a) Stage theories tend to underestimate the cultural, social and educational influences on moral
            reasoning.   In particular, Kohlberg's theory reflects liberal, Western intellectual values rather than unviersal principles.

            b)  His emphasis on justice and reasoning is too narrow and restrictive.

            c) Moral reasoning is not always related to actual moral behavior.