Read The Heinz Dilemma 439625

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Read the Heinz dilemma, and consider what you would do if you were in his place. Write down your answer and the reasons behind it. How would your answer fit in Kohlberg’s stages? Are there other responses that Kohlberg would consider “more moral”? If so, how do you feel about this? Do you think Kohlberg’s “Heinz dilemma” is a good measure of one’s morality? Explain.

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The Heinz dilemma, a famous moral dilemma introduced by Lawrence Kohlberg, presents a situation where a man named Heinz faces the choice of stealing a drug he cannot afford to save his dying wife. If I were in Heinz’s place, I would likely choose to steal the drug. My reason is rooted in the moral principle of saving a life, which I consider to be a fundamental value. Protecting human life and alleviating suffering surpasses the legal restrictions on theft in this context. The moral intuition here aligns with a compassionate and utilitarian approach, prioritizing the well-being of the individual over strict adherence to law.

From Kohlberg’s perspective, my decision would correspond closely to the conventional level of moral development, specifically Stage 3: “Good Interpersonal Relationships,” where morality is based on maintaining trust, loyalty, and the approval of others. In this stage, actions are motivated by the desire to be seen as a good person, and helping someone in need exemplifies this stage’s focus on caring relationships. Alternatively, my reasoning might also align with Stage 4: “Maintaining Social Order,” where rules and laws are valued, but exceptions are made when moral duty calls for it, especially in situations involving human welfare.

Kohlberg would consider responses more morally advanced—namely Stage 5: “Social Contract” or Stage 6: “Universal Ethical Principles”—which emphasize individual rights, justice, and universal moral principles. A response deemed “more moral” under these stages might advocate for reforming laws to prevent such dilemmas or appeal to higher principles that transcend individual cases, such as the right to life or the moral obligation to uphold human dignity regardless of legal constraints. While I acknowledge these higher stages, I find the balance between following societal laws and individual moral reasoning complex. Sometimes, adhering strictly to law can conflict with moral imperatives, and recognizing this tension is essential in moral evaluation.

Regarding whether Kohlberg’s “Heinz dilemma” is a good measure of morality, I believe it has both strengths and limitations. The dilemma effectively prompts reflection on moral reasoning and decision-making processes, revealing how individuals justify their choices. It highlights the importance of moral principles and reasoning levels. However, the dilemma is hypothetical and abstract, and thus may not capture the full complexity of real-life situations where emotions, cultural norms, and contextual factors influence moral judgments. Moreover, Kohlberg’s emphasis on justice and individual reasoning can overlook other moral dimensions like compassion, empathy, and cultural relativism. Therefore, while the Heinz dilemma is a valuable pedagogical tool for understanding stages of moral development, it may not comprehensively measure an individual's overall morality in diverse, real-world contexts.

References

• Kohlberg, L. (1981). Essays on Moral Development, Volume One: The Philosophy of Moral Development. Harper & Row.
• Rest, J. R. (1986). Moral development: Advances in research and theory. Praeger Publishers.
• Colby, A., & Kohlberg, L. (1987). The Measurement of Moral Judgement: Volume 1, Theoretical Foundations and Methods. Cambridge University Press.
• Blasi, A. (1980). Moral cognition and moral development. In L. M. Horowitz (Ed.), Handbook of Social Psychology (pp. 389-413).
• Gibbs, J. C. (2014). Moral development and reality: Beyond the theories of Kohlberg and Gilligan. Oxford University Press.
• Nucci, L. (2001). Education in the moral domain. Cambridge University Press.
• Turiel, E. (1983). The development of social knowledge: Moral and conventional standards. Cambridge University Press.
• Boyd, R. (1989). Moral development and education: An analytic review. Journal of Moral Education, 18(3), 147-161.
• Rest, J. R., & Narvaez, D. (1994). Moral development, self, and society: The nature and nurture of morality. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
• Smetana, J. G. (1996). Moral development: The social domain approach. In Grusec, J. E., & Hastings, P. D. (Eds.), Handbook of socialization: Theory and research (pp. 447-471).