WORKSHOP #2 Putting Critical Thinking Skills at Work CASE #1 Limiting Human Physical Development Process Ashley Parents refer to their daughter as "Pillow Angel" because she does not move from wherever they put her, usually on a pillow. A Seattle couple has a nine-year-old daughter, named Ashley, who has static encephalopathy, a rare brain condition which will not improve. As a result of this condition, Ashley has the mental ability of a three-month-old baby and cannot walk or talk. Instead of putting her in an institution, the couple decided, out of love obviously, to take care of her at home. Contrary to Ashley’s quite limited psychological (mental) development, the rate of her physical growth was normal apart from the fact that, at six year of age, she was already showing signs of puberty. But, as her body was developing, Ashley was, like any other girl, getting bigger and heavier; and Dad became the one who was lifting her from one place to the other. Ashley’s gradual growth in size and weight made the couple realize that their ability to keep providing her with a more personal type of care will go diminishing as they get older. At that point in time, they would be forced to consider using a mechanical lift, which is much more impersonal. To ensure not only that they are able to care for their daughter as long as they are alive, but also that the latter is provided with the best possible quality of life, the parents sought and obtained a hormone treatment to limit Ashley’s growth. They further opted for surgery to block breast growth and had her uterus and appendix removed. In support of their action, the parents argued that, 1. “because she will remain the weight of a child, it will [would] be easier for them to move her around, bathe her and involve her in family activities - movement that will benefit her physical and mental well-being.” 2. “the treatment will help to improve her quality of life.” 3. "a fundamental and universal misconception about the treatment is that it is intended to convenience the caregiver. Rather, the central purpose of the treatment is to improve Ashley's quality of life." 4. “keeping her "frozen" as a girl rather than letting her go through puberty and growing into a woman will give her a better life.” 5. “the decision to remove their daughter's uterus and breast buds was for the girl's comfort and safety.” Question: Do you approve the decision made by Ashley’s parents? Provide (1) your answer in a 10-page essay, (2) including page(s) for end notes, and bibliography, (3) [MLA Style], (4) paper outline in the form of a table of contents 3. Case Resolution Method (CRM Stage 1 • Step 1 Present the problem:Identify issue, define the moral situation • Step 2 Collect information. List relevant facts. Stage 2 • Step 3 List relevant values • Step 4 Explore the options and ways to apply theories & interpret values. Consider alternat.

1. WORKSHOP #2
Putting Critical Thinking Skills at Work
CASE #1
Limiting Human Physical Development Process
Ashley
Parents refer to their daughter as "Pillow Angel" because she
does not move from wherever they put her, usually on a pillow.
A Seattle couple has a nine-year-old daughter, named Ashley,
who has static
encephalopathy, a rare brain condition which will not improve.
As a result of this
condition, Ashley has the mental ability of a three-month-old
baby and cannot walk
or talk. Instead of putting her in an institution, the couple
decided, out of love
obviously, to take care of her at home. Contrary to Ashley’s
quite limited
psychological (mental) development, the rate of her physical
growth was normal
apart from the fact that, at six year of age, she was already
showing signs of puberty.
But, as her body was developing, Ashley was, like any other
girl, getting bigger and
heavier; and Dad became the one who was lifting her from one
place to the other.
Ashley’s gradual growth in size and weight made the couple

2. realize that their ability
to keep providing her with a more personal type of care will go
diminishing as they
get older. At that point in time, they would be forced to
consider using a mechanical
lift, which is much more impersonal. To ensure not only that
they are able to care for
their daughter as long as they are alive, but also that the latter
is provided with the
best possible quality of life, the parents sought and obtained a
hormone treatment
to limit Ashley’s growth. They further opted for surgery to
block breast growth and
had her uterus and appendix removed. In support of their action,
the parents argued
that,
1. “because she will remain the weight of a child, it will
[would] be easier for them to move her around, bathe her and
involve her in family activities - movement that will benefit her
physical and mental well-being.”
2. “the treatment will help to improve her quality of life.”
3. "a fundamental and universal misconception about the
treatment is that it is intended to convenience the caregiver.
Rather, the central purpose of the treatment is to improve
Ashley's quality of life."
4. “keeping her "frozen" as a girl rather than letting her go
through puberty and growing into a woman will give her a
better
life.”
5. “the decision to remove their daughter's uterus and breast
buds was for the girl's comfort and safety.”

3. Question: Do you approve the decision made by Ashley’s
parents?
Provide (1) your answer in a 10-page essay, (2) including
page(s) for end notes,
and bibliography, (3) [MLA Style], (4) paper outline in the form
of a table of contents
3. Case Resolution Method (CRM
Stage 1
• Step 1
Present the problem:Identify issue, define the moral situation
• Step 2
Collect information. List relevant facts.
Stage 2
• Step 3
List relevant values
• Step 4
Explore the options and ways to apply theories & interpret
values. Consider
alternatives
• Step 5
Assess rightness and wrongness of various outcomes.
• Decide: take a stand on the issue (pick sides) and

4. acknowledging the positive
aspects or points on the opposite side.
• Step 6
Reach a solution
Stage 3
• Step 7
Defend: Justify the decision. Give reasons for decision. Assess
whether they
are strong ones.
• Step8
Reflect: Consider whether anything was lacking in the course of
case solving.
CASE: Limiting Human Growth
1. Case Analysis (Descriptive in Nature = Reporting)
Facts #1: Relative to Ashley’s Condition
A Seattle couple has a nine-year-old daughter, named Ashley,
who has
static encephalopathy, a rare brain condition which will not
improve. As
a result of this condition, Ashley has the mental ability of a
three-

5. month-old baby and cannot walk or talk.
Facts #2: Parents’ Actions/Decisions
2.1. Instead of putting her in an institution, the couple decided,
out of
love obviously, to take care of her at home.
2.5. the parents sought and obtained
* a hormone treatment to limit Ashley’s growth.
* They further opted for surgery to block breast growth
* and had her uterus and appendix removed
Facts #3: Relative to Ashley’s Condition
1.2. Contrary to Ashley’s quite limited psychological (mental)
development, the rate of her physical growth was normal apart
from the fact that, at six year of age, she was already showing
signs
of puberty. But, as her body was developing, Ashley was, like
any
other girl, getting bigger and heavier; and
1.2. Dad became the one who was lifting her from one place to
the
other.
Facts #4: Parents’ Actions/Decisions
2.2. Ashley’s gradual growth in size and weight made the
couple realize
that their ability to keep providing her with a more personal
type
of care will go diminishing as they get older.

6. 2.3. At that point in time, they would be forced to consider
using a
mechanical lift, which is much more impersonal.
2.4. To ensure not only that they are able to care for their
daughter as
long as they are alive, but also that the latter is provided with
the
best possible quality of life,
2.5. the parents sought and obtained
* a hormone treatment to limit Ashley’s growth.
* They further opted for surgery to block breast growth
* and had her uterus and appendix removed.
2.6 Reasons (=Justification for the actions)
2. Student Task: Ethical Assessment/Evaluation on the basis of
whether they were
right or wrong (basis of rightness or wrongness of
Parents’Actions.
QUESTION: WHAT is to Evaluate Ethically?
ANSWER: (1) PARENTS’ Actions
(2) GOAL to achieve through such actions

7. (3) REASONS for SUCH Actions (Parents’ Arguments)
(4) ALTERNATIVE: Was there any alternative that would’ve
helped achieve the
same goal
EHTICAL EVALUATION = DOMAIN OF CRITICAL
THINKING
In other words, apply crititcal thinking (QUESTIONING) skills
to:
(1) PARENTS’ Actions
(2) GOAL to achieve through such actions
(3) REASONS for SUCH Actions (Parents’ Arguments)
(4) ALTERNATIVE: Was there any alternative that would’ve
helped achieve the
same goal
IDENTIFY AND APLLY VALUES AND MORAL THEORIES
(Chapter 2 Chart Outline)
4. Case Resolution Method (CRM
Stage 1
• Step 1

8. • Step 2
• Step 3
Stage 2
• Step 1
• Step 2
• Step 3
Stage 3
• Step 1
• Step 2
• Step 3
Limiting Human Physical Development Process
Ashley

9. Parents refer to their daughter as "Pillow Angel"
because she does not move from wherever they put her, usually
on a pillow.
Case:
A Seattle couple has a nine-year-old daughter, named Ashley,
who has static encephalopathy, a rare
brain condition which will not improve. As a result of this
condition, Ashley has the mental ability of
a three-month-old baby and cannot walk or talk. Instead of
putting her in an institution, the couple
decided, out of love obviously, to take care of her at home.
Contrary to Ashley’s quite limited
psychological (mental) development, the rate of her physical
growth was normal apart from the fact
that, at six year of age, she was already showing signs of
puberty. But, as her body was developing,
Ashley was, like any other girl, getting bigger and heavier; and
Dad became the one who was lifting
her from one place to the other. Ashley’s gradual growth in size
and weight made the couple realize
that their ability to keep providing her with a more personal
type of care will go diminishing as they
get older. At that point in time, they would be forced to
consider using a mechanical lift, which is

10. much more impersonal. To ensure not only that they are able to
care for their daughter as long as
they are alive, but also that the latter is provided with the best
possible quality of life, the parents
sought and obtained a hormone treatment to limit Ashley’s
growth. They further opted for surgery
to block breast growth and had her uterus and appendix
removed.
In support of their action, the parents argued that,
1. “because she will remain the weight of a child, it will
[would] be easier for them to move her around,
bathe her and involve her in family activities - movement that
will benefit her physical and mental well-
being.”
2. “the treatment will help to improve her quality of life.”
3. "a fundamental and universal misconception about the
treatment is that it is intended to convenience the
caregiver. Rather, the central purpose of the treatment is to
improve Ashley's quality of life."
4. “keeping her "frozen" as a girl rather than letting her go
through puberty and growing into a woman
will give her a better life.”
5. “the decision to remove their daughter's uterus and breast
buds was for the girl's comfort and safety.”
TASK

11. 1. Use the CRM Method in this case.
2. Provide a one-page abstract—often called “Executive
Summary”---of your ethical
basis (moral theories and principles and the way you will use
them to make your point)
for moral decision-making in this case.
3. Finally, then argue, in an essay format, your way to moral-
decision making in light of
the above-mentioned method (AJ).
4. End notes and references should come at the end of the paper.
Use MLA style (get a
sample from the front desk in the library).
5. Length of the case: 10 pages (10 pages of text plus 1 page of
bibliography and end-
notes, if any).
6. Attach your outline of this case, as a table of contents, to the
final copy.
7. Submit your case by the deadline indicated on the Course
Schedule