Social Contracts

Discussion

Barry Kort:

"Here again is our succinct definition of Kohlberg's Stage 5, The Social Contract:

- Stage 5: Social Contract — Individuals recognize that rules represent an agreement among many people about appropriate behavior. They recognize that rules are flexible and can be changed if they no longer meet society's needs. ”

The notion of a Social Contract was introduced into the annals of philosophy by Jean Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Hobbes, and John Locke. In the 20th Century, John Rawls further developed and modernized the notion of a Social Contract within his Theory of Justice.

The idea long predates the philosophical examination of the theory of social contracts. The Covenant of Moses and the New Covenant of Jesus are early examples of a Social Contract. The Magna Carta, the Mayflower Compact, and the US Bill of Rights are also exemplary instances of substantial historical interest. Essentially, a Social Contract expresses reciprocal promises among the signatories.

The details of what is being promised vary from one Social Contract to another, but the promises are voluntary, mutually reciprocal, and rely on trust and honor rather than policing through sanctions or punishments. In a social contract community, breaches of promise or breaches of expectation are typically resolved through a civil resolution process that does not contemplate a sanctions or punishment enforcement regime." (https://barrykort.wordpress.com/article/foundations-of-ethics-3iyoslgwsp412-10/)

More Information

For details on Kohlberg, see Six Stages of Moral Reasoning‎