Limiting Human Development Process - Essay Example

Lecturer Limiting Human Development Process By suffering from a rare static encephalopathy, it is obvious that Ashley has agreat problem which requires a lot of attention from her parents. However, she is very lucky because of the availability of responsible parents who are ready to dedicate their time to offer her the necessary parental support. However, the decisions made by parents concerning her life are quite unusual. A part from deciding to inject her with hormones, she has undergone surgical operations in which her uterus, breast buds and appendix are removed. Given that her condition could not enable her to make personal decisions regarding her health, it is her parents who did this on her behalf. Therefore, in order to explain this, the theories of ethics can be applied. These can be used to justify the morality behind such decisions. Because of such a dilemma, this paper gives a critical evaluation of this situation. It does this by using the moral theories of consequence and situation to justify that the decision was a right one. According to consequentialist theory of utilitarianism, the decision to grant Ashley such a treatment was quite beneficial since it was aimed at producing beneficial to everyone who was involved. At the same time, this can be explained using CRM method. All in all, the decision was morally justified because it was fruitful and beneficial to her life. Although it could not ultimately resolve the problem, it enabled her to lead an improved and better life that might have not been possible had such decisions not been made. Discussion I would like to begin by acknowledging that Ashley has a very serious problem. Indeed, she needs a lot of attention that arises from her unique condition. Static encephalopathy is a very rare condition which affects human beings. Based on the accounts of her parents, her condition has rendered her in a dire need of special attention that she currently receives from her biological parents. However, these parents should also be commended for showing such a strong passion and love to their daughter. Had it been for other light-hearted parents, Ashley would have been neglected or taken to the care centers in which she can be attended to by care givers. However, this might be costly and adversely impact on her as she would be detached from her family members who should naturally be close to her during this time of crisis. As a human being, Ashley is having full rights which are granted to her by the constitution. these include right to parental care, education, health care, conscience, decision making, just to mention, but a few. However, based on her rare condition, she might not be in a position to make her own sound decisions. This is due to the fact that the disease has impaired her mental capacity (Fagothey 287). Because of this, it is her parents who should be charged with the responsibility of deciding for her. This explains why they have been giving her all the care that she deserves. For instance, instead of taking her to another institution, they decided to give her home care. Of course, this is a brilliant idea as it grants her a chance to lead a more quality life. Therefore, in their position as parents, Ashley’s mother and father are entitled to make important decisions regarding her heath. As concerned people, they know what is actually good for her. They are morally justified to intervene and seek for medication on her behalf. Meaning, when they approach a physician to seek for medical attention, it should be granted as long as it is the right thing to do. When making such a decision, it might be necessary to apply the principles of CRM because it is quite applicable in this situation. As a matter of fact, CRM can be so instrumental in understanding the needs of this patient before taking the initiatives to satisfy them. it can provide room for listening to Ashley’s parents, understanding their demands and analyzing the situation before coming up with an ultimate decision on how to help the young lady to lead amore comfortable life. As far as morality is concerned, Ashley’s condition needs a careful thought. In order to make the right decision on best to improve her condition, there needs to be a proper understanding of the moral principles. First, I would suggest that those involved in handling this matter should consider applying the principles of utilitarianism. This is an ethical theory which states that the morality of an action is determined by the benefits it has to those involved. In other words, a right action is that which produces pleasant, admirable and beneficial outcomes to the highest possible number of people (Sober 313). This implies that a decision made should be for a common good. Hence, for Ashley’s parents to demand for the surgical treatment for their daughter, they are aiming at helping her to lead a better life. By deliberately preventing the growth of her breasts, they are trying to assist her to be more comfortable. Meaning, she should not be able to give birth. This can be beneficial in the long run as it can improve the comfort of everyone involved in this case. For instance, her parents who are caring for her would not have to worry about their daughter bringing more. burdens to them. At the same time, it would enable her to be much comfortable than she would otherwise be. The other moral principle to apply in addressing Ashley’s situation is situational ethics. According to this theory, there are no rules or regulations which determine the rightness or wrongness of an action. Instead, it holds that it is the situation or circumstance which determines the morality. When confronted with a situation, a person is free to take an action which must not necessarily be acceptable, but can be instrumental in providing a solution to the problem at hand. Therefore, it implies that Ashley’s parents are not obliged to comply with any regulation, but to look for a pragmatic action which might help them to deal with their daughter’s case. Instead, they are supposed to make a decision which can provide them with an immediate solution to the problem at hand. However, this should not be restricted to a law or regulation which has been put in lace to address such issues (Blackburn 192). Therefore, by opting to cut Ashley’s uterus, breast buds and appendix, they are only doing something constructive to help improve their daughter’s life. Therefore, they should not be denied an opportunity to perform such an action. It is morally justified since it can give them an immediate solution to the problem facing their daughter. In conclusion, Ashley has a very serious problem which requires an immediate action. As concerned people, her parents should be very much close to her. A part from offering her the necessary company that she deserves, they should go ahead to look for medical intervention measures. These can provide them with a platform through which they can address their daughter’s problem. In order to do this, they need to apply the principles of moral ethics. Since it is about saving an endangered life, there is a need to consider the moral arguments behind the chosen action. Therefore, as explained, they are free to adopt consequentialist and situationist theories because they are quite applicable in addressing the issue. They can help in providing solutions which may be of great value both to Ashley and her caregivers who need to operate in a conducive environment. Works Cited Blackburn, S. Being good: A short introduction to ethics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007. Print. Fagothey, A. Right and Reason. Rockford, Illinois: Tan Books & Publishers, Sober, Elliott. Core Questions in Philosophy: A Text with Readings. Upper Saddle River, Prentice Hall, 2004. Print. Read More