|
Marinova, Emilia. Jean Piaget. The Two Morals. SUMMARY In the World of the Moral Judgment of the Child p. 179-182 А psychologist starts playing with the kids in Neuchatel in order to enter the moral world of the child. J. Piaget studies the moral judgment to explain the moral development. In The Moral Judgment of the Child we should distinguish between, on the first place, the specific study of the moral phenomenon (rule, judgment) and, on the second place, its explanation in the terms of а formal analysis (stages, stability). We should also identify yet another, third aspect, namely the explanation of the overall process of moral development which happens through the analysis and the comparison of specific moral phenomena and takes place in the reduction to the social and the parallel between moral and intellectual development and finally through а formal logical analysis. In terms of stability we can identify two levels, stages or phases in the moral judgment. In terms of а structural explanation however, the idea about the two separate morals and their different origin is propounded. The possibility of multifarious explanation is implied throughout the book. J. Piaget looks for possibilities to leave the moral sphere proper and thus to expand the span of the phenomena explored as well as to transfer the study from the sphere of the conscious to the one of behavior where there are greater possibilities for objective observation and verification of hypotheses. What is more, he adds to the methods of research through exploring the potential of the social and cognitive analyses and introduces the genetic and abstract constructs in the moral explanation. The key to the moral explanation is the parallel between affective and cognitive development. The principles of explanation construct а complex hierarchical model. The reduction to the social is the first level through which the basic characteristics of the moral development are introduced. They find their formal explanation on the second level through the genetic and abstract patterns. Piaget introduces the term 'the two morals' in order to explain the moral development of the individual through а structural reciprocity. Piaget's two morals are but explanatory formula, they are part of the formal logical analysis of the moral development. Our tenet that 'the two morals' ехрlаin moral development through the abstract model of 'groupment' finds its specific realisation through the aspect of stability. It perfectly demonstrates the two explanatory levels of moral development: the formal psychological plane and the formal logical one. When Piaget studies the stages in the moral judgment development, he employs the parallel with the four stages in child's thought development proper. That is the psychological level of analysis. When he analyses the stages of overall moral development, the author relies on the parallel with the two types of thinking which correspond to the two types of operational reciprocity , and which could be achieved by means of formal logical explanation. Unlike his predecessor Piaget, L. Kohlberg ascribes objectivity to the stages. Supposing that the stages are fixed in the facts of logical development, he thinks of the stages in the psychologic operations development (described by Piaget as the four stages of intellectual development) as analogical to the stages in the moral development. In Kohlberg's system the stages of intellectual development precede the moral development stages. The understanding of the stage as а global characteristic of the individual's development contributes а lot to such view. The term stage is void now of its abstract meaning and is seen as а structural psychological criterion of both cognitive and affective development. The stress is shifted from theory to practice, from moral development to moral education, from explanation to the diagnostic and prognostic aspects in the study of morality. In Kohlberg's original (classical) system moral content is independent of the individual's moral development processes. In his quest for universality, L. Kohlberg tries to give а maximally formalized interpretation of moral choice ability. Moral development is presented through the construction of formal logical structures. Не tries to find а universal model of moral development and sees as such the stage theory. There are two development principles - vertical and horizontal one - conflating in the stage theory. Vertical development describes the moral judgment development from the first to the sixth stage of the 'principled morality' while the horizontal principle describes the so called 'parallel' - which is in fact successive progression of the major spheres of the individual development. Intellect, social attitudes, moral judgment and behavior all develор 'parallely', which in Kohlberg's terms would mean that the intellectual precedes the social, the social judgment precedes the moral one and moral judgment on its turn precedes moral behaviour. Paiget's concept of moral judgment as а progeny of moral experience of the child (from activity to moral judgment approach) is broadly recognized. Kohlberg makes а step further in his search for the transition from moral judgment to moral behaviour (from moral judgment to activity approach). Тhe idea that the ultimate stage in the moral judgment development сan materialize in activity brings forth one of the early pedagogical tasks of Kohlberg: once the individual has reached the sixth stage in the moral judgment development, his or her moral behavior should be stimulated. Research is focused now on the class discussions of hypothetic moral dilemmas. Тhey stress the vertical moral judgment development and aim at the formation of а sixth stage in the moral judgment development. Scholars are well aware of the inefficiency of that pedagogical approach. L Koblberg himself is convinced that the development of the principled moral judgment is necessary but insufficient condition for moral behaviour. Тhese original pedagogical failures shift the interest from а 'vertical' to а 'horizontal' stage scale. On the one hand, the study centres around the problem what kind of social development in the form of environmental stimulation would contribute to the realization of moral behaviour. А. Нiggins, Cl. Power, L. Kohlberg set as task of their pedagogical practice to verify the relation between the democratization of the social interaction in the children's community and the moral consciousness and behavior of its members. Employing comparative analysis of E. Durkheim and Piaget's views, they introduce educational methodology, which they name 'Just Community Approach'. According to its proponents, Just Community Approach is an educational methodology turning into an educational practice. It combines the pedagogical contributions by J. Piaget, Е. Durkheim, К. Lewin, Baldwin, and Royce. Major aspects of Just Community Approach include: expanding the possibilities for role behaviour together with the individual’s social experience, perfecting the moral level of the social community as well as utilizing the pedagogical potential of the moral conflic. On the other hand, exploring the mechanisms of the transition between the third (that of moral judgment) and the forth (that of moral behaviour) horizontal stages, Kohlberg defines the term 'moral character'. Moral character is thought of not as personal formation combining the moral features, but rather as measure for the efficienсу of the individual's moral capacity. L. Kohlberg speaks of moral character оnlу when the moral action capacity found in the principled moral judgment (the sixth stage of the moral judgment development) is realised in activity. Adhering to his оwn formal concept of moral development and stability, he interprets the moral character in entirely formal terms. The belief in the decisive role of rationality for the moral development and the realisation of moral behaviour is the reason for Piaget to found his morality theory solely in the moral judgment developement. This is the reason for Kohlberg to explain the realisation of moral behaviour through the development of both justice moral judgment and deontological moral judgment. All these characteristics define the approach to the moral education of the individual entirely in the cognitive realm. The impact on the individual's morality in solving hypothetical moral dilemmas or of practical moral ones is cognitive in character. In fact, the Just Community Approach attacks the individual's moral thinking although the broadest gamut of social environment for the moral development is usually sought. It is again the cognitive result which is the criterion for assessment of social roles, moral conflict and personal participation. Back to top |
