Kohlbergs

Stages of Moral
Development
and Huck Finn

The Heinz Scenario, Kohlbergs Stages of Moral

Development, and Huck Finn
1. You are going to walk through a hypothetical case
study to discuss and learn about the types of moral
choices we make daily.

2. We will apply what we learn to Hucks choices in the

novel. Understanding Hucks moral development in
the novel will help you understand Mark Twains
purpose for writing the novel.

The Heinz Dilemma

Imagine you are on a committee of highly
respected psychoanalysts. As a group your
moral insight will help decide the fate of
a controversial case.
Question: Is Heinz a criminal or a hero?

Instructions
1. Write down your response for each scenario on your
handout.
2. The ambiguity of each scenario will lead to several
different opinions within the class. Discuss and
defend your opinions as to what decisions should be
made before moving to the next scenario.
3. After you get through each scenario you will
determine which stage of moral thinking and
development your choices were in. After, we will
apply what we learn to Huckleberry Finn.

The Heinz Dilemma:

Scenario 1

Heinzs wife is near death; her only hope is a recentlydiscovered drug. The drug costs $20,000 to make, but
the pharmacist who manufactures it sells it for
$200,000. Heinz was rejected by his medical insurance
company so he went to everyone he knew to borrow the
money. After exhausting every legal means, he could
only raise $20,000. Heinz appealed to the pharmacist to
take what he had. When he was rejected again, he
offered to pay installments. Still, the pharmacist
refused. In desperation, Heinz considers stealing the
drug.
Should Heinz break into the doctors laboratory
to steal the drug for his wife? Why or why not?

The Heinz Dilemma:

Scenario 2
Heinz broke into the laboratory and stole the drug.
The next day, the newspaper reported the break-in
and theft. Brown, a police officer and a good friend
of Heinz remembered seeing Heinz last evening and
thought he was behaving suspiciously. Later that
night, he saw Heinz running away from the laboratory.
Should Brown report what he saw?
Why or why not?

The Heinz Dilemma:

Scenario 3
Officer Brown reported what he saw. Heinz was
arrested and brought to court. If convicted, he faces
up to fifteen years in jail. Heinz was found guilty by a
jury and awaits the judges sentence.

Should the judge sentence Heinz to prison?

Why or why not?

Understanding the six stages of

moral development
Take notes on the six stages of
moral development. You need to write enough to
understand and eventually apply your knowledge of the
difference between each stage.

Kohlberg Stages of Moral

Development
Psychologist Lawrence Kohlbergs Stages of Moral
Development is a theory that moral reasoning, the basis
for ethical behavior, has six developmental stages, each
more adequate at responding to moral dilemmas than its
predecessor. For his studies, Kohlberg relied on stories
such as the Heinz Dilemma, and was interested in how
individuals would justify their actions if placed in similar
moral dilemmas.

He analyzed the form of moral reasoning displayed,

rather than its conclusion.

Think about it.

Remember, what you think Heinz should do is not as

important as how you justify your thinking, or the form of
your response. The stages we will discuss come from how
we think about moral problems. As we get into discussions
and debates with others, we find our views questioned and
challenged and are therefore motivated to come up with
new, more comprehensive positions. New stages reflect
these broader viewpoints as we grow in our moral
development (Kohlberg et al., 1975).

How many of you changed your minds or considered other

points of view when during one of the scenarios?

What is moral
development?
According to Laurence Kohlberg (a child
psychologist), people go through stages based
upon their moral development, or how they make
moral decisions.

People progress through them in a linear fashion.

For Kohlberg, actions didnt matter as much as
intentionshis theory concerns moral thinking, not
necessarily moral action.

Level 1: Pre-Conventional
Morality

Possible Stage 2 Responses to

the Heinz Dilemma
It is right for Heinz to steal the drug because it can
cure his wife. This will make him happier, even if he
must go to prison.

The pharmacist invested a lot of money and many years

of his life to develop the cure so it's not fair to him
that Heinz stole the drug

Level 2: Conventional
Morality

What will my friends think?

Am I doing the right thing?
WW_D?

Maintaining social order

Kohlberg found that the majority of the
population does not make moral decisions
beyond this level.

Possible Stage 3 Responses to

the Heinz Dilemma
Yes, Heinz should steal the drug. He probably will go to jail
for a short time for stealing but people will applaud him
for saving a life.
2) Officer Brown should report that he saw Heinz behaving
suspiciously and running away from the laboratory because
the police department would be pleased with his service
and loyalty.
3) Officer Brown should not report what he saw because hes
not the kind of guy who would rat on a friend.
4) The judge should not sentence Heinz to jail for stealing
the drug because he meant well ... he only stole it to cure
his wife and most of the jury agrees.

Possible Stage 4 Responses to

the Heinz Dilemma
1) As her husband, Heinz has a duty to save his wife's
life so he should steal the drug. But it's wrong to steal,
so Heinz should be prepared to accept the penalty for
breaking the law.

2) The judge should sentence Heinz

to jail. Stealing is against the law!
He should not make any exceptions
even though Heinzs wife is dying.

Level 3: PostConventional Morality

Explanation for Stage 5: Social

Contracts and Individual Rights
What is right is based on rights, laws, and values of
society, even against rules of a group
People in this stage speak of morality and rights
as taking precedence over particular laws
Moral action is defined by logical application of
universal, abstract moral principles
It is the husbands duty to save his wife. The fact
that her life is in danger transcends every other
standard you might use to judge his action. Life is
more important than property.

Possible Stage 5 Responses to

the Heinz Dilemma
Heinz should steal the drug because everyone has the
right to life regardless of the law against stealing.
Should Heinz be caught and prosecuted for stealing
then the law needs to be reinterpreted because a
person's life is at stake.
The pharmacists decision is despicable but his right to
fair compensation (for his discovery) must be
maintained. Therefore, Heinz should not steal the drug.
Even if his wife is sick, it does not make his actions
right.

Explanation of Stage 6:
Universal Principles
What is right is based on universal ethical principles
applying to all people and upon which societys
rules are based.
Every individual is due consideration of his / her
interests in every situation, those interests being of
equal importance with ones own
People see situations from the perspectives of
others The druggist should have understood
Heinzs situation, and vice-versa
Some laws are morally repugnant, I.E. they break
codes of morality, and, thus, dont need to be
followed

Possible Stage 6 Responses to

the Heinz Dilemma
Heinz should steal the drug to save his wife because
preserving human life is a higher moral obligation than
preserving property.
Heinz should not steal the medicine because others may
need to drug just as badly, and their lives are equally
significant.

Overall
How would you describe the progression from one
stage to another throughout this theory?
At what stage would you place your answer for the
Heinz situation?

Your Task
You will trace Hucks moral development
Using the given sheet, read each situation and
identify the stages for each / then identify 3 others
situations from chapters 19-43 & answer question at
the end.