Mercer and I discussed events in the news. He selected articles in which he was interested and we read and discussed them together. Several ethical issues arose in our conversation, as did the punitive consequences of actions and whether or not we agreed if the punishment fit the crime. Mercer was reflective and did not hesitate to ask questions in order to clarify his understanding. He expressed his opinions freely and was able to effectively defend his point of view and explain his rationale. Of most interest was an article about a heart transplant patient who was the recipient of a pig's heart, the first of its kind. However when it became known that the patient had committed an egregious crime in the past, medical and legal issues came to light and controversy over whether he deserved to be the recipient while others of more moral character were overlooked. Mercer demonstrated keen critical thinking skills and an astute ability to synthesize, integrate, and analyze information to enable him to form valid arguments in defense of his opinion.