Abstract

This study examined moral action from a systems and philosophical point of view. Soren Kierkegaard's moral developmental model from existential philosophy was combined with the systems thinking heuristic, "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts," in an attempt to discover the relationship among the various psychological models of moral development. A Kohlbergian hypothetical dilemma instrument, and a separate narrative analysis of an actual dilemma, were administered to eight individuals over the age of 30. The study indicated that the eight individuals were cognitively developed to the appropriate Kohlbergian Stage , however, their actions during an actual dilemma appeared to be guided in large measure by the focus of one of the five Kierkegaardian spheres of meaning. A hypothesis was developed using four existential philosophical models that offered a plausible description as regards the interaction between spheres of knowing and meaning