Children Exhibit Moral Behavior, But Are Not Morally Praiseworthy.

I believe that now I see the source of my opponent's and the commentator's confusion. As such - I will make clear the precise distinction between praise and moral praise in this case. Perhaps the resolution was not clear enough... I may fix that if I re-post this argument. Praise is simply what we offer a child when it has exhibited a behavior that we wish to condone or even promulgate. For example, it is appropriate to offer a child praise when it responds to a distress cue (such as crying) in another child and offers it some form of comfort (hug, blanket, toy, etc..). Moral praise, on the other hand, is only appropriate for children (actors) that exhibit moral reasoning and judgment. Moral praise is directed at fostering one's ability to make moral judgments and the framework one uses for assigning weights in moral reasoning. With that distinction in mind, one can see that until an actor is able to morally reason and make moral judgments, then it is inappropriate to confer moral praise upon them because they won't understand it. However, this is not to say that it is inappropriate to confer PRAISE on them to foster a normative sense of what is right and wrong. Most people believe that the retention of a normative sense of right and wrong is enough to confer moral praise. It is not. A normative sense of right and wrong allows one to distinguish between conventional and moral rules, as well as general right and wrong. However, it does NOT allow them to make distinctions inside morality. For example, a child may respond to a distress cue in another child by bringing it a toy. This employs, first, the evolutionary response to distress cues in others (not even really praiseworthy per se). Second, the child is able to take the perspective of the other child and understand that it would be comforted by a toy. This is the normative sense at work - the child understanding that it would be right to render aid to the other child. This exhibits good use of normative sense and empathetic reasoning, and is praiseworthy, but to confer moral praise for such an action is inappropriate. Recall my previous example where children cannot make the distinction between a child who pushes another off the swing, and one who does so with a smile. This clearly shows that at some point there is a change in the way children conceptualize morality, and to confer moral praise upon them is not appropriate until they can understand what they're being praised FOR. You wouldn't sit down and discuss morality with a three year old, because studies have shown that they simply do not understand morality beyond the distinction between right and wrong, and the distinction between conventional and moral rules. I call them moral rules for lack of a better term. What the child is really understanding is that there are certain rules that carry a meaning beyond simple convention. That is to say that the child understands that certain rules are not permissible, highly serious, generally applicable, independent of authority, and based on some concept of welfare or fairness. Now, to respond to my opponent's argument... *********************************************** "Perhaps it is natural instinct to display moral behavior, but to say the child is not moral praiseworthy for displaying such behavior, is a little far stretched." >> My opponent seems to be of the opinion that we should confer moral praise on the operation of instinct. I submit that this is incorrect, because nobody considers offering moral praise to the dog when it catches a squirrel, or the squirrels when they copulate outside your window. One might offer praise for instinct, so show that it is appropriate to follow certain instincts, but to pretend that instinct has some sort of moral clout is highly incorrect. "I will assume that my opponent is saying "moral praise" is praise directed at "moral behavior." I feel that if this is so, it does nothing to change any of my previous arguments." >> As I explained above, this is not the case... until an actor can conceptualize morality, it makes little sense to confer moral praise upon them. However, one can foster the BEHAVIOR by praising the actor. "My opponent seems to believe that a child is in some sort of developmental cloud until the age of 7, when suddenly they spark into coherence. This simply not the case." >> This is a blatant misuse of what I actually said, which was: "Studies (Nichols, Joyce) have shown that children don't recognize this difference until approximately age 7 (the age of course varies by subject)." "Praise and discipline are values to the child's development, and perhaps when that child is 7, they are no longer needed as much praise or discipline as they understand on their own much better." >> My opponent seems to have an inkling of my side of the argument by this point. However, praise and discipline are still integral parts of a child's development. The addition of moral praise and blame makes it so that part of that discipline process is the child understanding the reason for their punishment as well as a sense of guilt or pride, which sometimes does more for the child's development than the actual praise or discipline. "My opponent must be denying any value in discipline and praise in developing a child's moral character earlier than 7 years. Even if this IS what my opponent is saying, and he believes that a child can not conceptualize morality, my opponent still has not offered reasoning as to why the moral BEHAVIOR displayed is not morally praise worthy." >> As the reader can see, this is plainly not what I endorse. It is not actually not my opinion that children cannot conceptualize morality in the same way as adults... this is backed up by studies of children's behavior and responses. As for the second half of this quote, I addressed the difference and reasons that some situations entail moral praise, and others entail simple praise. ******************************* To conclude, I have shown that children cannot conceptualize morality in the same way adults can. Thus, until they can conceptualize morality properly, when an adult offers them moral praise for moral behavior, it is inappropriate. Children may be praiseworthy for their moral behavior, but conferring moral praise upon them for it simply makes no sense. Thus, I affirm the resolution - while children may exhibit moral behavior, this does not mean they are morally praiseworthy for said behavior.