There is much controversy on the topic of morality. People are constantly developing their morality throughout their lives. Some people reach higher "levels" of moral maturity, according to Lawrence Kohlberg. Those who have the highest level of moral maturity are considered to be "principled." People at this level include Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi, and other heroes. This obviously is a difficult ranking to achieve.
For example, the people who risked their lives on the hijacked planes in the September 11th terrorist attacks were probably at an elevated moral maturity level. Their moral maturity levels were probably slightly higher than the people who waited in their seats as the plane was taken over by terrorists. My guess would be that these "heroes" were probably around stage 5. We have to remember, though, that these were just average people who were brave enough to stand up to terrorists who were threatening the lives of the passengers. I do not think that they were trying to make a statement or start a huge revolution; they were just trying to help other people and make a bad situation less tragic.
The reactions of the brave passengers on September 11th were completely opposite of the reactions of those who witnessed Kitty Genovese's murder. The witnesses to the murder did not care about the welfare of other people as the courageous passengers did. The witnesses wanted nothing to do with Kitty Genovese and simply "did not want to get involved." They must have been at a very low stage of moral development.
Identification of the Leader: This report will highlight the life and accomplishments of Martin Luther King, Jr. The Leadership Situation: Dr. King was a pivotal figure in the Civil Rights Movement from 1955 to 1968. Leadership Style: King travelled to India to study to study non-violent ...
The leaders of our country use capital punishment as a way of trying to deter people from committing violent crimes, (Cauthen 4) but is it a violation of the Eight Amendment? The Eight Amendment says that "excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punis...
Henry David Thoreau, an American writer, philosopher and transcendentalist, was born in Concord, Massachusetts, on July 12, 1817. His friend and fellow author Ralph Waldo Emerson spoke of Thoreau's character saying, "He was bred to no profession; he never married; he lived alone; he never went to church; he never voted; he refused to pay a tax to the state; he ate no flesh; he drank no wine; he never knew the use of tobacco; and, though a naturalist, he used neither trap nor gun- (Compton's Encyclopedia 174) Although he wrote many essays, books, poems, translations, and journals, h...
Henry David Thoreau, an American writer, philosopher and transcendentalist, was born in Concord, Massachusetts, on July 12, 1817. His friend and fellow author Ralph Waldo Emerson spoke of Thoreau's character saying, "He was bred to no profession; he never married; he lived alone; he never went to church; he never voted; he refused to pay a tax to the state; he ate no flesh; he drank no wine; he never knew the use of tobacco; and, though a naturalist, he used neither trap nor gun- (Compton's Encyclopedia 174) Although he wrote many essays, books, poems, translations, and journals, h...
