Abstract

Moral reasoning literature is concerned with arriving at a decision, while the focus of Catholic moral theology is on judgment and discemment, beginning with revealed truth, reasoning through practical possibilities, and culminating in the application of moral norms to the particular situation. This paper reviews the history of moral reasoning theory in developmental psychology and contrasts it with the position of the Holy Father and Catholic moral teachings. In the end, the psychological literature fails to preclude decisions to do evil, such as commitment to abortion, as possible outcomes of "mature" reasoning, while the Catholic position views development as focused on prudence and human freedom, which preclude doing evil.