Moral reasoning is a study in psychology that overlaps with moral philosophy. It is also called Moral development. Prominent contributors to theory include Lawrence Kohlberg and Elliot Turiel. The term is sometimes used in a different sense: reasoning under conditions of uncertainty, such as obtain in a court of law. It is this sense that gave rise to the phrase, "To a moral certainty;"1 however, this sense is now seldom used outside of charges to juries.
Although all moral choice can be seen as personal choice, some choices can be seen as an economic choice, or an ethical choice described by some ethical code or regulated by ethical relationships with others.
This branch of psychology is concerned with how these issues are perceived by ordinary people, and so is the foundation of descriptive ethics.
Notes
- ^ Victor v. Nebraska (92-8894), 511 U.S. 1(1994), from the syllabus, holding (c) and throughout, available in the Cornell Law School Supreme Court Collection
See also
- Kohlberg's stages of moral development
- Educational psychology
- Empathy
- Empathic concern
- WikEd Moral Reasoning
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