ENG 102 Essay 2: Ethical Reasoning, Pt. 1

Ethics and politics look at both how we should regard and accommodate each other and what kind of things make it possible to, for example, treat each other with respect and what kinds of things don't. That I might view you as "weird" or even "inhuman" (politics) may very much dictate how I then treat you (ethics). When we examine more closely how we think about the world, it turns out that ethics and politics are inseparable. (21) -- Veronique Pin-Fat "How Do We Begin to Think About the World." (2014)

Ethical Reasoning is reasoning about right and wrong human conduct. It requires students to be able to assess their own ethical values and the social context of problems, recognize ethical issues in a variety of settings, think about how different ethical perspectives might be applied to ethical dilemmas and consider the ramifications of alternative actions. An intellectual's ethical self identity evolves as they practice ethical decision-making skills and learn how to describe and analyze positions on ethical issues.

Core Beliefs: Those fundamental principles that consciously or unconsciously influence one's ethical conduct and thinking. Even when unacknowledged, core beliefs shape one's thinking and actions. Core beliefs reflect an individual's interaction and absorbtion of ideas from their environment, religion, culture, education, profession, entertainments and other media forums (social media/news sources).

Ethical Perspectives/Concepts: The different theoretical means through which ethical issues are analyzed. A primary focus is on how ethical theories and concepts are engaged & contested to develop and explain one's own ethical position.

Context/Situation/Synthesize: 1) Understanding the complex context of important social and/or political issues. 2) Recognizing the situational aspect of some positions, insights and/or solutions. 3) Demonstration of an ability to understand and discuss more than one ethical position and/or dilemma (positions that reflect different ways of thinking about an ethical issue). Key to this is the synthesis of multiple sources/perspectives in order to develop one's own unique ethical perspective/position on important social or political issues.