In the Victor Hugo story Les Misérables , a character named Jean Valjean steals a loaf of bread to feed a starving child. How would psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg describe this act?
A) Kohlberg would not be surprised because he saw humans as morally corrupt.
B) Kohlberg would argue that the act of theft is not in and of itself immoral, depending on the rationale for the theft.
C) Kohlberg would have expected the theft if the child were Valjean's, but not if the child belonged to someone else.
D) Kohlberg would have expected the theft, but only if Valjean were operating at the lowest level of moral reasoning.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Kohlberg's theory of moral development suggests that moral reasoning is the basis for ethical behavior and that the morality of an action depends on the perspective and reasoning behind it. In this case, stealing to feed a starving child could be seen as an act of higher moral reasoning, where the welfare of another is prioritized over strict adherence to laws.

In the Victor Hugo Story Les Misérables , a Character