Morality, Religion, & Justice

1. Morality, Religion, & Justice

2. Objectives: • Understand the history of perspectives taken when analyzing cultural differences • Describe ethnocentrism

3. 3 Interpretive Models of Culture • Universalism= We are all mostly the same…you say potato, I say potahto; who cares?” Cultural diversity mostly superficial. • Evolutionism =progressive change on the road to improvement. Cultural difference seen as reflecting different levels of maturity and advanced thinking. • Relativism= cultural difference is “relative” to you. Emphasis on the “WHY” of difference; cognitive component. No one superior way, no one culture any better than another.

4. Ethnocentrism Belief/assumption that one’s own culture is “better” or more “natural” than others. • Related to morality • Extremely difficult to avoid • What culture provides an “ideal” quality of life? WRONG RIGHT

5. Objectives: • Understand the stages of moral development as outlined by Kohlberg • Identify the limits to applying Kohlberg’s theory to other cultures

6. HEINZ Dilemma • Heinz’s wife is very sick. • Her illness requires special medication. • The medication is VERY expensive • Heinz cannot afford the medication. • The only way he can get the medicine is to break into the drug store. Should Heinz break into the drug store???

7. Kohlberg’s Moral Development Stage 1 Obedience & Punishment

8. LEVEL ONE: Pre-Conventional Stage 1 Obedience & Punishment

9. How can I avoid punishment? “If he would get caught he should not steal the drug, but if he would not get caught I guess it is okay.” This person would say….

10. Level 1: Pre-Conventional Stage 2 Naïve Hedonism

11. Satisfy own and other’s needs. “Heinz can always pay the druggist back, and he really isn’t doing anything wrong. If he wants his wife to live he should just take it.” This person would say…

12. Level II: Conventional Morality Stage 3 Interpersonal Accord and Conformity Driven

13. Majority Rules “Heinz has no choice but to take the drug. It is bad to steal but he’s a good husband. If he doesn’t save his wife, then he didn’t really love her.” This person would say…

14. Level II: Conventional Stage 4 Social Order Driven

15. Do one’s duty; Respect for authority “ It is Heinz’s duty to save her; he cannot just let her die. But stealing is against the law and he must pay the druggist back or go to jail.” This person would say….

16. Level 3: Post-Conventional Stage 5 Social Contract Driven

17. There are exceptions to the law “Obviously he is breaking the law if he takes the drug but it can be seen as reasonable if you consider his attempt to reason with the druggist and look at the big picture.” This person would say…

18. Level 3: Conventional Morality Stage 6 Universal Ethical Principals

19. Moral reasoning and inner conscience “It is morally right to save a life and that makes it okay to steal the drug even if he is breaking the law.” This person would say…

20. Example: Fang, et.al 2003 study: “Social Moral Reasoning in Chinese Children.” Level One: “a girl/boy must not tell a lie.” “a child can not cheat people.” Level Two: “because a girl should be honest, otherwise she will be useless when she grows up.” Level Three: “honesty is a basic moral quality of a person and should be upheld at all times.”

21. Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development • Most influential theory of moral reasoning • Stage theory-based on evolutionary perspective • Modern clarifications: higher level for more complex societies, remove value judgment of “better”

22. Support for Kohlberg’s theory • Development of moral compass is universal • No stage regressions • No stage skipping • But does it capture ethical concepts of other cultures? Not always… • e.g. highest good requires compromise

23. Objectives: • Identify the influence of cognition (thought processes) on moral judgments • Describe the three codes of ethics and how immorality is defined by each • Identify the influence of emotion on moral judgments

24. Judging Morality • Morality & Cognition • Changes come about when children can discuss others’ points of view - focus moves from self to others • From egocentric to having a theory of mind http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/rebecca_saxe_how_brains_make_moral_judgments.html

25. Blame & Moral Reasoning 1. Discussion: How does the concept of blame affect our moral reasoning? Discuss examples from the video “Mad or Bad” and determine the justifications used for who was to be blamed for their behavior.

26. Three Codes of Ethics Ethic of Autonomy= morality in terms of individual freedom and rights violation. Ethic of Community= Duty to conform with role in community or social hierarchy. Failure to live up to one’s role. Ethic of Divinity= morality shaped by sanctity and perceived “natural order” of things. Strong emphasis on role of religion and “sacred world.”

27. What is immoral? • Immoral behaviors harming: • individual • close others • Divinity • Which is considered most serious across cultures?

28. Culture & Moral Reasoning 1. Discussion: How do emotions affect our perceptions of ethical violations? How does that affect the justice system?

29. Culture & Moral Reasoning • Role of Emotions: Emotional processing necessary for moral cognition • e.g. antisocial personality disorder • Agency & Control: Degree to which culture defines “control” and expectations.

30. Moral Violations 1. Intuitive sense something is wrong 2. strong negative emotional reaction 3. reason to justify our strong feeling • You do something that harms your family (shame = self) • Someone edges in and cuts ahead of you in a long line (anger = autonomy) • You hear that a friend decides not to attend his mother’s funeral (contempt = community) • You hear about a 70 yr old man having sex with a 17 yr old girl (disgust = divinity)

31. Moral Obligation • belief that the act should be done regardless of the law (by all people everywhere) –and – • should be regulated and people should be punished if they do not do it • Ethic of community seen as a moral obligation by Indians but not Americans

32. Objectives: • Understand the 10 major categories of values endorsed by cultures worldwide • Identify values that are incompatible or difficult to prioritize simultaneously • Describe how a culture’s prioritizing of values influences their conceptions of morality and justice

33. Values – Endorsing and Opposition • Power: Social status and prestige, control or dominance over people and resources (authority, social power, wealth, preserving my public image) • Achievement: Personal success through demonstrating competence according to social standards (ambitious, successful, capable, influential) • Hedonism: Pleasure or sensuous gratification for oneself (pleasure, enjoying life, self-indulgent) • Stimulation: Excitement, novelty, and challenge in life (daring, a varied life, an exciting life) • Self-direction: Independent thought and action—choosing, creating, exploring (creativity, freedom, independent, choosing own goals, curious)

34. Values – Endorsing and Opposition • Universalism: Understanding, appreciation, tolerance, and protection for the welfare of all people and for nature (equality, social justice, wisdom, broadminded, protecting the environment, unity with nature, a world of beauty) • Benevolence: Preservation and enhancement of the welfare of people with whom one is in frequent personal contact (helpful, honest, forgiving, loyal, responsible) • Tradition: Respect, commitment, and acceptance of the customs and ideas that traditional culture or religion provide (devout, respect for tradition, humble, moderate) • Conformity: Restraint of actions, inclinations, and impulses likely to upset or harm others and violate social expectations or norms (self-discipline, politeness, honoring parents and elders, obedience) • Security: Safety, harmony, and stability of society, of relationships, and of self (family security, national security, social order, clean, reciprocation of favors)

35. Values – Endorsing and Opposition Achievement (personal success) Power (social status) Self-direction (own path) • Values Hedonism (pleasure) Universalism (welfare of all) Benevolence (good to close others) Security (stability & order) Stimulation (excitement) Conformity (self-discipline) Tradition (acceptance of customs)

36. National Values • Iran • Shi’a Islamic Theocracy (Imams also have social and political power) • Values: Justice of God, duty to God, forbidding what is wrong, dissociate with enemies of God • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXC4uHxbpCU -4:32 • http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/08/23/muslim-women-who-wear-the-hijab-and-niqab-explain-their-choice/

37. National Values • France • Liberty: being able to do anything that does not harm others • Equality: must be the same for all, whether it protects or punishes • Fraternity: brotherhood, community

38. National Values • National strategies – integration (participate in new but keep ties to orig. culture) vs. assimilation (new culture only) • Discussion: What are the positive and negative consequences of a country adopting an integration policy or an assimilation policy?

39. National Values • France – 2003 assimilation policy – goal of combating culturally distinct communities • Integration contract on arrival • Learn French & French values • Residence permit & citizenship dependent on assessment of assimilation • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoKOVjIM2_Q :30-5:08

40. Values & Justice police duties prison sentences drug control strategies

41. Culture & Distributive Justice Principle of Need: Those who need the resources the most, get them. Principal of Equity: Resources should be shared equally. Seniority System: Factors such as time and age are rewarded.

42. Summary Perception of “fair” and “just” varies widely Role of moral viewpoint and ways to distribute resources are dependent upon culture “Feelings” are often what cue us to a moral violation