Moral Agent

 One who performs an act in accordance with moral standards.

 Should have the capacity to rise above his/her feelings and passions and acts in accordance with
the moral law.
 Has the capacity to conform to moral standards, to act for the sake of moral considerations, that
is, for the sake of moral law.
 An insane person, who does not have the capacity to think and choose cannot be a moral agent.
 A dog is, therefore, not a moral agent because it doesn’t have the capacity to conform to moral
standards. It cannot knowingly, freely and voluntarily act. It does not have a mind and freewill.
 Like the dog, a robot cannot be a moral agent.
Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development
Moral Development- refers to the process through which a human person, gains his/her beliefs, skills and
dispositions that makes him/her a morally mature person.
Kohlberg (2013) describes the stages of moral development in 3 stages, namely: Level 1- Pre-
conventional morality, Level 2-Conventional morality, and Level 3- Post-Conventional morality.
Each level has two stages each so that there are six stages of moral development.
LEVEL 1- Pre-Conventional morality
 The lowest level of moral development Kohlberg’s theory.
 Children at this level don’t have a personal code of morality.
 Their moral code is controlled by the standards of adults and the consequences of following or
breaking adult’s rules.
 Authority is outside the individual and reasoning is based on the physical consequences of
actions.
Stage 1. Obedience and Punishment Orientation
 Moral decisions are based on fear and punishment. E.g.; Josef does not cheat
because he is afraid of punishment specifically a failing grade and I go to school
because I am afraid to be dropped and fail.
Stage 2. Instrumental Orientation
 Right behavior is defined by whatever the individual believes to be in his/her best
interest. “What’s in it for me?”
 It’s a matter of “You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours.”
 E.g. A child is asked by his parents to do a chore; the child asks “what’s in it for
me?” and the parents offer the child a reward by giving him a treat.
LEVEL 2: Conventional Morality
 Child’s sense of morality is tied to personal and societal relationships.
 Children continue to accept the rules of authority figures, but this is now due to their belief that
this is necessary to ensure positive relationships and societal order.
Stage 3. “Good Boy, Nice Girl” Orientation
  Right behavior or moral judgement is based from the approval of others
and act in ways to avoid disapproval.
 E.g.; If a politician is around in times of calamities primarily because he
wants to appear “good boy” or “good. girl” to electorates, he displays
stage 3 moral development.
Stage 4. Law and Order Orientation
 The individual becomes aware of the wider rules of society, so
judgements concern obeying the rules in order to uphold the law and to
avoid guilt.
 It is a matter of “I have to do this because the law says so.”
 However, it is still blind obedience to the law so morality still lacks
internalization.

LEVEL 3: Post-Conventional Morality

 This is the level of full internalization.
 Morality is completely internalized and not based on external standards.
 Individual judgement is based on self-chosen principles and moral reasoning is based on
individual rights and justice.
 According to Kohlberg this level of moral reasoning is as far as most people get.

Stage 5. Social Contract Orientation

 The individual becomes aware that while rules or laws might exist for
the good of the greatest number, there are times when they will work
against the interest of particular individuals.
 In this level, individuals considers/reason out that values, rights and
principles transcend the law.
 Laws are regarded as social contracts rather than rigid orders/laws.
 Those that do not promote the general welfare should be changed when
necessary to meet the greatest good for the greatest number of people.

Stage 6. Universal, ethical, principle orientation

 Individuals at this stage have developed their own set of moral guidelines
which may or may not fit the law.
 They have developed moral judgments that are based on universal
human rights that applies to everyone.
 E.g.; human rights, justice and equality. The person will be prepared to
act to defend these principles even it means going against the rest of
society in the process and having to pay the consequences of disapproval
and/or imprisonment.
 When faced with a dilemma between law and conscience, the person
follows his conscience.
 E.g.; Nelson Mandela who courageously led the black people against
racism to the extent of eliminating the rights of these individuals due to
their race. Mandela’s acts of upholding human rights even to the extent
of punishment or imprisonment from the government shows the stage 6
of moral development.