On 6 Jul 96 at 23:02, Tobin Quereau wrote:
> (This is also reminding
> me of some of Kohlberg's notions of a developmental sequence to
> valuing which we all may have to move through.)
The scary part about some of the research I have seen on Piagetian
developmental stages is the number of adults who never actually reach
the formal operaions stage, which is required to achieve the higher
levels of moral reasoning. It is quite high. If one cannot deal
effectively with abstract concepts, it is quite difficult to make
cerain moral decisions that require that, and I think that bears on
the conversation. I don't know the state of the research now, but I do
know that some of the neo-piagetians were looking at applying the
concepts to adults. It is conceivable that adults might continue to
develop both cognitive and moral reasoning abilities far into life,
and at drastically different rates. And that many never arrive.
This would explain a great deal about immoral behaviour, or what
appears to be value-less behaviour.
> And finally, that
> leads me to think again that values are more for the valuer than for
> anyone else and not really all that useful as standards for
> generating compliance.
I don't know. I think that people CAN be inspired by contact with
people who live out a values-oriented life, and I believe I believe
that there can be considerable influence in certain situations.
Compliance isn't the word I would use...inspired, yes.
But I also, curiously, see the influence process as a technology,
value neutral in and of itself. Like any technology, it can be used
in destructive or constructive ways.
I also believe that postulating a set of common universal values is a
first step towards the destructive use of this technology, as
illustrated in religious wars, cults, and political manipulation.
Ramble ended...bed time approaches!
Robert Bacal, CEO, Institute For Cooperative Communication
dbt359@freenet.mb.ca, Located in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
(204 888-9290.
--"Robert Bacal" <dbt359@freenet.mb.ca>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>