Final answer:
Scythe Faraday tested Citra and Rowan by giving them a difficult moral dilemma to assess their ethical thinking for their role as a Scythe. Moral dilemmas are a traditional way to probe ethical beliefs, as seen in philosophical research and historical narratives.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the novel Scythe by Neal Shusterman, Scythe Faraday tested Citra and Rowan by giving them a difficult moral dilemma. This test was designed to assess their ethical thinking and suitability for the role of a Scythe, a position in the story's world that requires deep moral contemplation and decision-making. He was interested in seeing how they would handle the weight of life-and-death decisions, which is a core aspect of a Scythe's duties.
Testing individuals with moral dilemmas is a common method used to understand a person's moral framework. For example, a philosopher might create scenarios to test subjects on their beliefs about moral responsibility and free will. Similarly, Carol Gilligan criticized earlier research on morality that she felt had overlooked sympathetic reactions to moral situations, indicating that moral assessment is complex and multifaceted.
Historical narratives, like those explored by ancient Greek playwrights, also challenge the audience to reflect on morality. These tales contained elements of contradictory morals and actions by divine beings that could be considered morally reprehensible. Finally, medieval trials such as trial by fire, trial by water, and trial by combat were methods of assessing guilt or innocence, with morality intertwined with these practices.