ABSTRACT
This chapter examines theories of moral development, such as those of Jean Piaget, Lawrence Kohlberg and the work of M. Tomasello and the question of whether these now rather ancient theories fit contemporary experiences. It also examines how children learn about rules; how children perceive what is right and what is wrong; what punishments seem just for what offence; the relationship between how children learn about rules and justice and their cognitive development; and child abuse. Piaget found interesting patterns, too, in children's attitudes to lies and to justice. Piaget also offered an account of how children's sense of justice evolved. He gave children a story about a big boy who bullies a little boy in school and sometimes beats him. Kohlberg argued there were three levels of moral reasoning – and each level had two stages. The first stage is that of pre-conventional morality. The second stage was more individual.
