Prepare for It‘s Complicated
AUG. 18
COMPLETE BY
Now that you’ve wrestled with some important college-related decisions such as choosing JMU, declaring a major and picking your fall classes, what’s next? How can you go on to make good decisions in college and beyond? JMU’s ethical reasoning program offers a simple but powerful strategy to help you make better, more ethical decisions in everyday life. Almost every decision we make, no matter how insig- nificant it may seem, has ripple effects. Knowing that decisions affect more than ourselves, it is important to slow down our thinking to consider the best course of action. The Ethical Reasoning in Action strategy involves asking Eight Key Questions to approach decisions with curiosity, rather than snap judgments; with consideration for others, rather than only ourselves. Asking the 8KQ improves the way we engage with the complex situations we face in our personal, professional and civic lives. It’s easy to identify poor ethical decisions in hindsight, especially ones others make! It is far more difficult to make good ethical decisions in the heat of the moment when facing a tough situation. As is true with critical thinking and effective writing, we tend to overestimate our ethical reasoning abilities. The reality is that we all make ethical
mistakes and some of them are serious. Fortunately, we can improve our own decision-making. Ethical reasoning, like writing or verbal communication, is a skill developed with practice. Now is your chance to take the first step to make
better-informed decisions in college! What to expect now and later
Begin by completing the It’s Complicated Canvas course. You will learn about the 8KQ and how others use the strat- egy, discover your ethical reasoning preferences, and view a challenging dilemma. On Aug. 22, you will join peers in It’s Complicated to discuss the dilemma, generate ethical questions to explore what is at stake and decide together what you should do. You may discover that ethical choices are not as simple as they appear. At the same time, using the 8KQ strategy helps to identify and resolve the most difficult choices you may face.
The Eight Key Questions What key questions should I (we) use to evaluate the ethical dimensions of a situation? How can I (we) act justly, equitably, balancing interests? What possible actions achieve the best short- and long-term outcomes? What duties and/or obligations apply? What actions help me (us) become my (our) ideal? How do I (we) show respect for personal freedom, autonomy, consent? How would I (we) act if I (we) cared about all involved? What do legitimate authorities (e.g. experts, laws, god/s) expect? What rights, if any (e.g., innate, legal, social) apply?
F airness O utcomes R esponsibilities C haracter L iberty E mpathy A uthority R ights
Learn more at jmu.edu/ethicalreasoning Use t he “FORCLEAR” acronym t o he l p you remembe r a l l 8KQ . This biodegradable card was printed using recycled PVC.
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