Ethical Reasoning & Ethical Responsibility

Ethical Reasoning & Ethical Responsibility (ER2) is a program supported by The Center for Practical Ethics to ensure that ethics are a central part of the University of Mississippi’s general education core curriculum. This curriculum provides a foundation of knowledge, abilities, and experiences for all baccalaureate-seeking students. ER2 is an integral aspect of this foundation, alongside critical thinking, oral communications, and mathematical reasoning.

ER2 materials and curriculum are developed by the ER2 General Education Subcommittee, which currently includes faculty experts from philosophy, public policy, psychology, journalism, computer science, chemistry, and engineering.

The Importance of ER2

While individuals hold personal moral views, the process of becoming an ethical and responsible citizen involves learning beyond these personal perspectives. It requires developing systematic, normative frameworks for action and understanding the limits of one’s own views. An ethical and responsible citizen must be equipped with the character traits and skills to apply these frameworks effectively.

Our students must be capable of navigating challenging moral situations—whether in their personal lives, in leadership roles, or within the global context of their professional careers. ER2 is key to this ability. These competencies require students to examine a range of ethical issues in fields like social, psychological, religious, political, legal, economic, medical, and scientific contexts. By learning to understand diverse perspectives, practices, and cultures, students emerge as informed and engaged citizens who can make moral decisions in any setting.