Moral Reasoning Process Research Articles

Applying Neopiagetian Theory to the Moral Reasoning Process

This study examined moral reasoning process and patterns of skills underlying a moral dilemma through use of K. W. Fischer's theory for cognitive skill acquisition. Kohlberg's Heinz dilemma issues of life and law were hypothesized as scalable within task-domains pertaining to Familial Relationships, Sickness/Death, Laws/Rules, and Fairness. 80 4- to 12-yr.-olds were interviewed regarding these issues. Guttman scale analyses examined scalability of their responses to items in each task and skill domain. Guttman coefficients validated task-domain scales of Laws/Rules and Fairness. Other scale coefficients approached validity. A revised scale is proposed for study.

Values, Moral Reasoning, and Ethics

The purpose of this exchange was to explore the domains of values, moral reasoning, and ethics. Values and moral reasoning reflect the "is." Moral reasoning is the mental process that nurses set in motion to come to some decision of right or wrong in any moral dilemma. Values are motivational preferences or dispositions. Moral values are those preferences that are integral to any moral reasoning process. Ethics reflect the oughts. It is the art-science that critically evaluates the "is." As such, ethics identifies the norms or standards of behaviors that either are or can become the values that are implemented through moral reasoning. Nursing is just beginning to identify its moral values and reasoning. Nevertheless, nursing seems to be further along in the identification of the "is" than it is with the "ought." The further development of nursing ethics will be of great benefit to nurse researchers and educators. The greatest benefit will be, however, to the practicing nurse as she/he struggles with giving excellent nursing care consistent with a positive nursing ethic.

Understanding moral issues in health care: seven essential ideas.

Professionals confronting moral issues in health care ought to have a working knowledge of seven essential concepts within the field of philsophical ethics; specifically, moral-moral vision, moral theory, moral issue and moral dilemma, argument, and normative ethics. Coming to terms with moral issues and dilemmas necessitates a comprehension of and appeals to morality, moral vision, and moral theory. These foundational concepts are brought to bear on moral questions that can take the form of issues or dilemmas. Depending on whether a moral issue or a moral dilemma is involved specific expectations follow. The results of struggling with a nondilemma moral issue are very different from those ensuing from a confrontation with a genuine moral dilemma. The conclusions reached in either situation can be well expressed in a formal moral argument and doing so means engaging in normative ethics. Knowing the basic terminology and conceptualities of normative ethics helps clarify the process of moral reasoning and allows it to be applied with greater comprehension and insight.