Moral Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Moral Development - Essay Example Kohlberg modified an earlier theory by psychologist Jean Piaget by expounding on it to form a theory that illustrates the development of moral reasoning. Gilligan on the other hand, advanced a theory that was an improvement in Kohlberg’s work, but her focus was on moral development in girls (Duska & Whelan 25). Kohlberg’s theory This theory was based on research and interviews that Kohlberg conducted with many groups of privileged young children. The children were presented with various dilemmas, and each child’s reasoning behind the judgment made in response to the dilemma was analyzed (Duska & Whelan 56). From responses that the children gave, Kohlberg managed to classify responses into 3 stages of reasoning. These stages are; pre-conventional morality, conventional morality and post conventional morality. The stages are further classified into sub-stages, two in each case. This forms the basis for the theory of Kohlberg on moral development. The stage of Pre-c onventional Morality is between birth and 9 years comprises of obedience and individualism. By young children being obedient to rules and ideas, it enables them to avoid punishment. The children also are individualistic by only caring about themselves. They make judgment basing their reasoning on factors that favor their individual needs (Duska & Whelan 58). The stage of Conventional Morality is between 9 and 20 years... Criticisms of Kohlberg’s Theory and the Defense Just like with other theories, Kohlberg’s theory of reasoning in moral development has been faced with criticisms from other psychologists. For one, there is the assertion that Kohlberg’s theory discusses about moral thinking ignoring the fact that moral reasoning does not necessarily lead to moral behavior. This assertion is misplaced because moral thinking always leads to moral deeds. We all perform deeds based on our thinking. It is, therefore, rare to find an individual who thinks wickedly doing well to others. Because of this, Kohlberg’s theory is accurate. Other critics have highlighted that Kohlberg’s theory overemphasizes on justice when making moral decisions and choices. They argue that this may be inaccurate because other factors like compassion and other interpersonal feelings may play a part in making moral decisions and reasoning. Therefore, this shows that justice is not the only aspect of moral reasoning that should be considered. However, this assertion is also not true. All individuals who know and understand dictates of the law make decisions based on justice. As much as other factors come into play, Justice is the greatest factor to consider when making decisions because an individual may be willing to do something but because it does not conform to justice, the individual may abandon the idea. Furthermore, many critics argue that Kohlberg’s theory overemphasizes on western philosophy. This makes the theory inaccurate because Eastern cultures may have different outlooks and perceptions on moral reasoning that Kohlberg’s theory does not discuss at all. Kohlberg is right in the use of western philosophy because, one always bases a theory on the surrounding conditions. Kohlberg studies the

Documentary Realism in Films Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Documentary Realism in Films - Movie Review Example In the discussion and analysis in this paper, three kinds of films are analyzed based on their social function-specifically, how each film represent a criticism of war and conflict at different periods in history. These films are "Fahrenheit 9/11," "Life is Beautiful," and "The Aviator," which are categorized as documentary, fiction, and non-fiction films, respectively. These films are analyzed and interpreted based on their ability to provide a critical look at the conflicts that occurred and which became the basis-primary or otherwise-for the development of the narrative in each. The analysis posits that the three films criticize war and conflict in various ways. "Fahrenheit 9/11" criticizes the political instability caused by the offensive attack that US waged against Iraq, causing greater discord between the Middle Eastern nations and US and its allies. "Life is Beautiful" reflected the absurdity of World War II, as millions of lives, particularly Jews, were unnecessarily lost as a result of the genocide imposed on them by Adolf Hitler of Germany. Lastly, "The Aviator" provides an in-depth look at the lives of the people in the context of Howard Hughes' life and using the World War II as the socio-political background. In it, the film reflected the politico-economic machineries that motivated and supported World War II, uncovering also the politics that occurs 'behind the scenes,' the politicking of businessmen and aircraft manufacturers in order to benefit best and profit the most from the war. Apart from these comparisons among the three films in terms of their depiction and critical interpretation of war and conflict, this paper also looks into the differences in the execution of the directors in depicting these interpretations into film. For "Fahrenheit," Moore's critical look at the 9/11 bombing and US invasion of Iraq is more explicit and direct, in the sense that real film clips were used to critically interpret the Bush administration's actions before, during, and after the tragic event. "Life" provides a different execution as well, weaving its criticism into the story of Guido's family as Jews persecuted for their race and religion. However, unlike Moore's "Fahrenheit," Benigni's film depicts a fictional scenario put into a real event in human history. "Aviator," meanwhile, illustrates the life of Howard Hughes, depicting his life and achievements and chronicling the events relevant and significant to his development as an important personality in both the entertainment and automotive businesses, as well as politics. In understanding the contrasts among "Fahrenheit," "Life," and "Aviator," it is vital to understand first their crucial differences. "Fahrenheit" is a realist documentary, because it provides real images and accounts of events surrounding the 9/11 bombing, events that Moore had organized in a manner that provides support to his criticisms and arguments against President Bush and the administration. As explicated by Bordwell and Thompson (1997), a documentary does convey truth in that it illustrates "events as they actually occur," but it can also be depicted realistically when the director 'controls the editing of the images' to be included in the film. A documentary is realistically portrayed even if these