ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the theoretical implications of the belief. It presents the concept of intrinsic morality. The chapter identifies, and elaborates upon, seven statements which must necessarily be true if persons are to be regarded as intrinsically moral. It provides the criteria against which the literature of the educational disciplines can be judged, in order to discover which theorists subscribe to the concept of intrinsic human morality and which oppose it. The chapter suggests that the metaphysic of intrinsic morality is, moreover, more consistent with important bodies of research than that of determinism. It confronts the fact that persons as physical beings must in some way conform to the laws of the physical universe and addresses the problems which this raises for a belief in their freedom to choose their behaviour and act altruistically. The chapter considers the implications of these arguments for an investigation into teacher-pupil conflict.
