ABSTRACT
How do we raise good children? How do we make moral citizens? Most of us find ourselves drawn to one of two traditions when it comes to moral education.These traditions disagree about the kind of attitude we should encourage in the young about morality. One tradition – I’ll call it the authoritarian tradition – says that the right attitude is one of deference to authority. Should you steal from supermarkets? Is abortion wrong? Are same sex marriages morally acceptable? It’s important, says the authoritarian, that you realize that the answers to these questions are not for you to decide. You should consult an appropriate moral authority. A good moral education, according to this tradition, involves getting the young to defer to a higher authority that can determine right and wrong for them.
