Criticism of Kohlberg's theory of moral development | b.ed notes

 

Criticism of Kohlberg's theory of moral development

 

1. Does Moral Reasoning Necessarily Lead to Ethical Behavior : 

Kohlberg's theory deals with moral reasoning but it points to a large gap between our actual actions and those who do and know those actions. Hence, its usefulness in real life decreases.

2. Is justice the only aspect of moral reasoning we consider? - 

Critics say that Kohlberg's theory of moral development overemphasizes the concept of justice in terms of moral choices. Therefore, it will not be able to develop morally as a whole. 

 

3. Does Kohlberg's theory overemphasize western philosophy?:

Individualist cultures emphasize individual rights and collectivist cultures emphasize the importance of society. 

Former collectivist cultures may have different moral attitudes that Kohlberg's theory does not support. It is limited to individual rights only. 

That's why it is difficult to achieve the goal of moral development at the social level.

 

4. Kohlberg selected a sample of men from Western culture for his research work, mostly British. In this context, Carol Gilligan (1982) gave the principle of Ethics of Care and Responsibility, in which she emphasized that morality is related to human gender, caste, race, creed, country, time and situation. is also affected.

 

According to Gilligan, women develop feelings of empathy and devotion to others relatively early, and their moral reasoning is influenced by this. 

Thus, individuals (especially women) gradually move from self-centered judgments to moral reasoning, keeping in mind their responsibilities to others (family, partner, etc.). 

Ultimately he reaches the position of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam eg. Mother Teresa etc.

 

Thus, despite various criticisms, Kohlberg's theory emphasizes the importance of the teacher to present ethical dilemmas for discussion. 

Also encourages a person's thought to move to the next ethical stage. Knowing the details of the sequence and development of these moral stages is a part of the teacher's responsibility for the moral development of the learners. 

Understanding the application of this principle to situations in everyday life can potentially be the beginning of a process of advanced moral reasoning for both teacher and student. 

Therefore, it is a useful principle for developing moral arguments on its own.