Kohlberg’s theory of
Moral Development
Lawrence Kohlberg's theory of moral development (1958) describes
how moral reasoning progresses through six stages and three levels, from
simple rule-following to ethical, principled thinking.
The Heinz Dilemma
In order to find out how people decide what’s right and wrong, he narrated a
story with a moral dilemma to boys of differing age groups. This is known as
Heinz Dilemma. It was as follows:
“Somewhere in Europe, a woman has a rare form of cancer and risks dying.
There is only one medicine that can save her. It is a type of radium sold for ten
times the price it costs to produce it by the pharmacist who discovered it. The
medicine is worth 200$, but he is asking for 2000$!
Heinz, the sick woman’s husband, has tried to collect the money by borrowing
from his friends but could only add up to 1000$. He then asked the pharmacist
to give him the medicine for half the price, arguing that time is crucial for his
wife’s life and that he will pay the rest later. The pharmacist refused him.
Desperate, Heinz breaks into the pharmacy at night and steals the medicine.”
Moral Development
Lawrence Kohlberg's theory of moral development (1958) describes
how moral reasoning progresses through six stages and three levels, from
simple rule-following to ethical, principled thinking.
The Heinz Dilemma
In order to find out how people decide what’s right and wrong, he narrated a
story with a moral dilemma to boys of differing age groups. This is known as
Heinz Dilemma. It was as follows:
“Somewhere in Europe, a woman has a rare form of cancer and risks dying.
There is only one medicine that can save her. It is a type of radium sold for ten
times the price it costs to produce it by the pharmacist who discovered it. The
medicine is worth 200$, but he is asking for 2000$!
Heinz, the sick woman’s husband, has tried to collect the money by borrowing
from his friends but could only add up to 1000$. He then asked the pharmacist
to give him the medicine for half the price, arguing that time is crucial for his
wife’s life and that he will pay the rest later. The pharmacist refused him.
Desperate, Heinz breaks into the pharmacy at night and steals the medicine.”
