Ethical Reasoning and Stages of Moral Development, Essay Example

Introduction

In this project, I am going to interview three people to find out their ways of thinking and their stage of moral development. In my research, I am going to follow the following process; first, I will choose the dilemma, secondly, I will formulate the interview questions, thirdly, I will identify the three respondents- who will be of different age. Fourth, I will analyze their responses, fifth I will determine the stage of the morel development, and finally I will determine the ethical reasoning of my respondents.

The dilemma

Khalid Ethical dilemma

Khalid isn’t paying attention. It has been a long drive back home from the family’s visit to friends in Oman, and he is on the Al AinRoad 66, approaching Dubai. His wife is with him up front and they are arguing about money, again. In the backseat are his young daughter and her younger brother, who is feeling sick and needs to get home.

So when blue lights begin flashing in his rearview mirror, Khalid’s heart sinks. As he pulls over to the side of the road, he knows he’s been speeding—partly to get his son home and partly because the argument with his wife has been making him angry. Because his wife and children are in the car, the police officer suggests that Khalid bring his papers and comes and sits in the front seat of the police cruiser, while the other officer in the car takes the backseat.

They exchange papers and the police officer writes up the speeding ticket. Then, the police officer begins a conversation that Khalid finds increasingly worrying. The officers tell him he will need to come down to the police station to settle this ticket. Unfortunately, the station is quite a long away. What’s more, as it is Friday evening, there are few people on duty, and processing the ticket could take several hours.

If, however, Khalid simply wants to pay the officers right then in cash, they would be happy to do the necessary paperwork when they get to the station, letting Khalid go on his way with no delay.

The more Khalid listens, the angrier he becomes. This is the United Arab Emirates, he reminds himself, not some backward nation with a corrupt police force. Yet here he is, being asked (he felt sure) for a bribe. Yet there is his young son, feeling sick and increasingly desperate to get home to his own bed.

If presented in such as situation

1. Would you give the accompany the officer to the station and settle the ticket your self
2. Give the cash to the officer and take your family home with no delay

I chose the dilemma because I was curious to know what people will do in situation where they are required to choose between their family and following the law. My view on such a case is that the family comes first. What are the views of others? Is family more important more than anything else is?

Interview question

1. What would you do in such a case
2. Would you consider giving the officer the money as bribe?
3. is there situation where bribing is morally acceptable
4. would it make a difference if the a friend or family member pay the cash instead of you
5. Is there better alternative to pay the cash without getting to the station where you will delay?

Summary

Looking at my respondent responses, I conclude that although the ages of my respondent vary they all consider law first. This means that when in a situation of Khalid, the three respondents would do the right thing even though it could hurt their families. In term of the moral behavior, the three respondents are mixed between the three stages of moral development (stage 1, 3 and 4). Stage 1, Pre-conventional where the avoidance of punishment and unquestioning deference to power are valued in their own right, not in terms of respect for an underlying moral order supported by punishment and authority (Hopkins, 2010). Stage 3: Conventional “Good behavior is that which pleases or helps others and is approved by them (Kohlberg’s Level Two). Stage 4: Conventional “A person in this stage “orients to society as a system of fixed rule, law and authority with the prospect of any deviation from rules as leading to social chaos(Kohlberg’s Level One).  Furthermore, I also noted that with regard to the ethical reasoning it was mixed between the ontological, deontological and teleological theory as shown above. As we can see, the respondent aimed to be good characters and none of them made decision under the influence of their emotion. Furthermore, following the law and regulation come first to all of them.

Bibliography

Hopkins, D. ( 2010, December 26). Another 10 Moral Dilemmas. Retrieved from listverse: http://listverse.com/2010/12/26/another-10-moral-dilemmas/

Kohlberg’s Level One – Preconventional Morality. (n.d.). Retrieved from vtaide: http://www.vtaide.com/blessing/Kohl1.htm

Kohlberg’s Level Two – Conventional Morality. (n.d.). Retrieved from vtaide: http://www.vtaide.com/blessing/Kohl2.htm