Question

Dr. Gardner provides his history class with a syllabus that outlines the rules and procedures the class will follow to ensure a comfortable environment for all. Dr. Gardner emphasizes that if the rules seem unfair or cause a hardship, he is willing to negotiate new rules. This philosophy of class management is most consistent with which stage of Kohlberg's moral reasoning? a) Universal ethical principles b) Social contract c) Law-and-order orientation d) Naive hedonism

Answer 1

Answer: The correct answer is b) Social Contract.

Explanation: Social contract according to Kohlberg occurs in stage 5 or post-conventional level of the moral development of the individuals.

In this stage, the person views the world as a place where people hold different views, opinions, values, and rights that should be mutually respected and also that laws are nothing but social contracts and therefore not set in stone.

Stage 5 of moral reasoning proposes that if a law doesn't represent the greatest good for the greatest number of people it should be changed.

This last aspect can be seen in Dr. Gardner's example:

Dr. Gardner is telling his class that if the rules and procedures of the class that are provided by the syllabus seem unfair or cause hardship he is willing to negotiate new rules.

In conclusion, Dr. Gardner's philosophy of class management is most consistent with the Social Contract stage of Kohlberg's moral reasoning theory.