Some psychologists claim that empathic responses are forms of moral be

Some psychologists claim that empathic responses are forms of moral behavior. Having observed that young children who witness another’s distress respond by expressing sadness and offering help, these psychologists believe that moral behavior begins early in life. A second group of psychologists claims that empathic response is not, by itself, moral behavior and that in order to count as moral, behavior must be based on a clear understanding of moral principles and a certain degree of moral reasoning skill. On the basis of children’s unsophisticated verbal responses to hypothetical moral dilemmas, these psychologists conclude that children lack the degree of moral reasoning skill necessary for their behavior, however compassionate, to be considered moral.

Which one of the following is consistent with the claims of the first group of psychologists and inconsistent with the claims of the second group of psychologists?

(A) Cats and dogs, which are incapable of moral reasoning but capable of empathic responses, are capable of moral behavior.

(B) People with strong empathic responses are more likely to be skilled in moral reasoning than are people with weaker empathic responses.

(C) People with strong empathic responses are less likely to be skilled in moral reasoning than people with weaker empathic responses.

(D) Moral principles are difficult to learn.

(E) The morality of an action should be judged on the basis of the intention behind it rather than on the basis of its consequences.