College of Hospitality Management

2nd Semester, A.Y. 2021-2022

Module 5
Developing Virtue as Habit

Course Title: Ethics

Course Code: GE 8

Name: ___________________________________
Course and Year: __________________________
Date and Time Allotment: __________ (3 hours)

Introduction
This module entitled Developing Virtue as Habit presents how moral character develops works in a
comparable manner. It takes exposure, practice, time, and good role models. This will showcase the
essential elements of moral character that give shape to the actions, behavior, and treatment to other
people regardless of race, gender, belief, age, education, or socio-economic status.

I. Objectives:
In this module, you will be able to:
1. Develop virtue as habit.
2. Explain how moral character is developed.
3. Identify each stage of moral development.

II. Lecture and Discussions of the lesson/s

A. Formulation of Moral Character

Moral Character (or personality)
Is the composite of the moral qualities one has that uniquely distinguishes one from others. Moral
qualities are universal values of traits or dispositions on how individuals act or express themselves.
It defines a person.
It is the sum of chosen good behaviors which are excellently practice for a period of time and have
become naturally, instantly, relevantly and effectively responsive to moral situations.
Psychologist Lawrence Pervin ([Link]) defines moral character as “a disposition to
express behavior in consistent patterns of functions across a range of situations.”
Marie I. George – Refers to moral character as the “sum of one’s moral habits and dispositions.”
 Dispositions – Are generally defined as the natural characteristics which an object uniquely
possessed.
 Human dispositions are either natural or potential (conditioned) actions that one develops in a
created structure or culture so that they become naturally and excellently done in any similar
situations.
 Examples of human dispositions: virtues of integrity, courage, loyalty, honesty, humility and
respect.

Living a moral character, one should endure the difficulties of learning and constant practice of the
virtues. This is so that one may truly make just decisions and actions that inspires others to be the same
and gradually changes societies into communities of virtuous or flourishing people.

B. Moral Development
Can be considered as a moral framework or theory that distinguish good from bad or right from
wrong based on one’s growth or maturity.
Moral character is formed by one’s actions. “The habits, actions, and emotional responses of the
person of good character all are united and directed toward the moral and the good” (Mitchell,
2015, para. 1).

Factors Affecting Moral Character Development

Mamawal (1993) listed several agencies of values formation:
1. Family. Plays a crucial role in the formation of someone’s character. Biological or not, the family
that one considers to have an immense impact. Modern times also affect the composition of the

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 family we traditionally have known to be. Before, we have a female for a mother, male for a father,
and their children. But, now, the composition of parents could be varied. Despite the changes, the
adults who are deemed to be the parents are still accountable for the moral development of their
child or children. Zigler and Finn Stevenson (1987) asserted that there are several factors affecting
the values a parent could teach a child. These factors are: socioeconomic status, culture, age,
gender, religion, religion, and education (as cited in Mamawal, 1993).
2. Biological Constitution. Biological factors such as age, sex, and gender, may also have an
impact on the value formation. It is supposed that as one grows older, the moral character one has
should also grow or improve.
3. Peers. As we become exposed to more people, we are pressured in trying to belong or be
accepted. Peers, friends, classmates, and colleagues are also influencers in our moral character.
Parents and teenagers are to be aware that in the adolescent years, teens are drawn to spending
more time with peers than family. The time spent in peers will expose them to other perspectives
and practices. This would test their existing set of morals. Thus, the foundation of their moral
character formed in the family should be strong.
4. School. Most of a person’s life before adulthood is commonly spent in school. In this span of time,
the exposure of the students come from the school, teachers, classmates, lessons in class, and
their peers. The school and its teachers can enhance the student’s moral character if they know
and if they are intentional about it.
5. Community. Means to also share their beliefs and/or practice their traditions or culture. A
community could pertain to a “locality, neighborhood, town, city, or even a nation” (Panopio, 1983,
as cited in Mamawal, 1993).

Lawrence Kohlberg developed a Six-stage Moral Development Theory similar with Jean Piaget’s
theories of moral development in children and adolescents. Kohlberg’s theory has three levels: 1) Pre-
conventional Morality; 2) Conventional Morality; 3) Postconventional Morality with two stages in each
level (6 stages).

Level 1: Pre-conventional Stage 1: Obedience and Punishment

Morality is typically found in children between the Orientation
ages of 4 and 10 years old. It is something external A behavior is good if it follows the rules and bad if
which the big people say to them that they must it breaks the rule that leads to punishment. In this
do.) stage, children unquestioningly obey a fixed set of
rules handed down by powerful authorities
because not obeying them corresponds
punishment.

Stage 2: Self-interest and Exchange

A behavior is good if it gets a reward that is
personally meaningful and bad if it gets none. This
stage is about “instrument purpose and exchange”
in which children follow rules simply out of reward
or self-interest.
Level 2: Conventional Stage 3: Conformity and Good Interpersonal
Morality is generally reached between ages 13 and Relationship
above, though some individuals never move A good behavior is having good motives and
beyond this level. It is making moral decisions as interpersonal feelings such as love, empathy, trust,
full-fledged member of society. and concern for others while bad behavior is
having none of them. It should “maintain mutual
relations, approval of others, and the golden rule.”
This stage is best in two-person relationships with
family or friends because one can make a real
effort to get to know other’s feelings in order to
help others, behave in “good” ways, evaluate acts
according to motives, consider circumstances,
judge intentions and develop own ideas on
morality.
Stage 4: Maintaining Law and Social Order
Good behavior is obeying laws, respecting
authority, and performing one’s duties for social
order while bad behavior is doing their opposites

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 that lead to social disorder. Moral decisions are
based on doing one’s duty and societal
expectations and perspectives. Anything that
harms others or violates a law is wrong since it
destabilizes a society.
Level 3: Postconventional Stage 5: Social Contract and Individual Rights
Morality is generally reached between ages 10 and This is about “morality of contract, of individual
13, though some individuals never more beyond rights, and of democratically accepted law” in
this level. It is concerned with the principles and which individuals value the will of the majority and
values that make a good society. society’s well-being. But “morality” and “rights” take
some priority over particular laws as social
perspective and mode of reasoning should be
considered. Despite human need and law conflicts,
it is better to simply follow the law.
Stage 6: Universal Principles or Ethics
In this stage, individuals do what they think is right,
even if it is in conflict with the law. They act
according to their internalized standards of morality
because there is a need to (a) protect certain
individual rights and (b) settle disputes through
democratic processes. A universal principle of
justice impartiality considers the claims of all
parties, respecting basic dignity of all people.

Application of Kohlberg’s Moral Development in Heinz Dilemma

Heinz Dilemma
A woman was on her deathbed. There was one drug that the doctor thought might save her. It was a form
of radium that a druggist in the same town had recently discovered. The drug was expensive to make, but
the druggist was charging ten times what the drug cost him to produce. He paid $200 for the radium and
charged $2,000 for a small dose of the drug. The sick woman’s husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew
to borrow the money, but he could only get together about $1,000 which is half of what is cost. He told the
druggist that his wife was dying and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later. But the druggist said:
“No, I discovered the drug and I’m going to make money from it. “Should Heinz break into the man’s
laboratory to steal the drug for his wife? Why or why not?

Kohlberg’s theory of moral development holds that what the participant offer as justification is more
significant than what he or she thinks Heinz should do. Some of many examples of possible arguments that
belong to the six are shown below:
Stage 1: Obedience
Heinz should not steal the medicine because he
will be imprisoned, which will mean that he is a bad
person.
Or
Heinz should steal the medicine because it is only
worth $200 and not much as what the druggist
wanted. He had even offered to pay for it and
Level 1: Pre-conventional wasn’t stealing anything else.

Stage 2: Self-interest
Heinz should steal the medicine because he will be
happier if he saves his wife, even if he will have to
be imprisoned.
Or
Heinz should not steal the medicine because
prison is an awful place, and he would more likely
languish in jail than over his wife’s death.
Level 2: Conventional Stage 3: Conformity
Heinz should steal the medicine because his wife
expects it; he wants to be a good husband.
Or

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 Heinz should not steal the drug because stealing is
bad, and he is not a criminal. He has to try
everything he can without breaking the law. He
cannot be blamed.

Stage 4: Law and Social Order

Heinz should not steal the medicine because the
law prohibits stealing; it is illegal.
Or
Heinz should steal the drug for his wife but also
take the prescribed punishment for the crime as
well as pay what he owed to the druggist.
Criminals cannot just run around without regard for
the law; actions have consequences.

Stage 5: Social Contract

Heinz should steal the medicine because everyone
has a right to choose life, regardless of the law.
Or
Heinz should not steal the medicine because the
scientist has a right to fair compensation. Even if
his wife is sick, it does not make his actions right.
Level 3: Postconventional
Stage 6: Universal Principles or Ethics
Heinz should steal the medicine, because saving a
human life is a more fundamental value than the
property rights of another person.
Or
Heinz should not steal the medicine, because
others may badly need the medicine just as badly,
and their lives are equally significant.

However, not everyone adheres to Kohlberg’s theory because it is based only unmarried male
respondents aged 10 to 16.

Getting to the Highest Level of Conscience-Based Moral Decisions

Getting to the highest level of conscience-based moral decision is arriving at the sixth level of
Kohlberg’s moral development, which is the universal principles or ethics. At this level, one is expected
to completely separate from any personal opinion or the will of the majority. One has to have an internal
system of morality which is often called as conscience.
Etymologically, ‘conscience’ is derived from the Latin word con and scientia, meaning “with-
knowledge.” This conscience could be considered as the repository of the universal principles or ethics,
which renders impartial justice to all concerned parties in a moral issue or decision.

Thomas Aquinas and many Christians

Believed that persons should follow their conscience because it is the voice of reason.
Butler
Argued that conscience comes from intuition.
Emmanuel Levinas
Saw conscience as the minds’ resistance from selfishness even that which is factual and logical.
Some non-Christians and Christians
Often consider conscience as the “inner voice of God” or the moral law authored by God.
Conscience is an intrinsic law, which may sometimes be in conflict with external positive or human-
made laws. One reason is that it may not necessarily be a product of a rational deduction because
it can be influenced by the indoctrination of one’s religion, family and culture.

Lawrence Kohlberg’s last stage (Universal Principles or Ethics)

People act on the basis of their conscience, that is, what they think is right with confidence and
conviction. Their conscience is indeed a decision-maker. They developed internal system or moral
framework of standards specifically the six stages.

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 Conscience is the real self that realizes human full potentials by using one’s experience and social
interactions. To minimize mistakes in moral decision-making, the conscience must make
comparison with other choices so one can choose the better or greater.
Kohlberg believed that the individual would have to follow his six stages in sequence through moral
development in social interactions. Educating and cultivating conscience so that it becomes true,
verified and corrected is then necessary because it can be erroneous, doubtful, lax and fearful. It is
the only way to get the highest level of conscience-based moral decision because it should always
serve the moral truth.

Seventh Stage: Transcendental Morality or Cosmic Orientation

Kohlberg was challenged to develop the last or seventh stage of development, the Transcendental
Morality or Cosmic Orientation.
This stage links religion and moral reasoning. But this remained theoretical since he had
difficulty finding research participants even at stage six.
According to Kohlberg, moral principles are given religious significance. This stage begins with
despair or meaningless, especially when people begin to see their lives as finite from a more
infinite perspective. From the universe that is lawful, knowable, and evolving, they can know the
ultimate principle of the universe which is sometimes called nature and sometimes God.

III. Other References:

1. Makie, Gleemoore C., Ethics: Flourishing Life, Research, Statistics, Business Consultancy and
Publishing Company, 2020
2. Pasco M. O., Suàrez V. F., Rodriguez A. G., “Ethics” C&E Publishing, Inc., 2018
3. Bulaong O., Calano M., Lagliva A., Mariano M., Principe J., “Ethics: Foundation of Moral
Valuation”, 1st edition, REX Book Store, 2018
4. Ramos, Carmela, “Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person”, (1st edition), REX Book
Store, 2016

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