Practical or Applied Ethics Ethics and Abortion Abortion

Practical or Applied Ethics: Ethics and Abortion

Abortion Issues/Concerns Key terms ◦ Pro-life ◦ Pro-choice ◦ Pro-abortion ◦ anti-choice Stages of Fetal Development ◦ When does life begin?

Methods of Abortion Ancient methods Current methods Link to poverty Sex-selective abortion

Question Is Abortion Immoral or illegal?

Abortion and the Law Roe v. Wade and the trimester approach ◦ 1 sr trimester –permitted w/out exception ◦ 2 nd trimester- permitted w/ restrictions ◦ 3 rd trimester – prohibited except to threat to health and/or life of the mother Planned Parenthood v. Casey and the undue burden approach 2007 U. S. Supreme Court decision upheld the ban on partial birth abortion

The Moral Positions on Abortion Conservative ◦ abortion is never morally justified or, at most, justifiable only to save the mother’s life Liberal ◦ abortion is always morally justifiable, regardless of the reasons or the time in fetal development Intermediate or moderate ◦ abortion is morally acceptable up to a certain point in fetal development and/or with some reasons, though not all

Abortion: the Moral Question Two types of arguments for and against abortion: 1. Arguments for which the moral status of the fetus is irrelevant 2. Arguments for which it is relevant

Arguments that Depend on the Moral Status of the Fetus Utilitarianism Some Method ◦ ◦ rights arguments I: Fetal Development Conception or fertilization Detectable brain waves Quickening Viability

Arguments that Depend on the Moral Status of the Fetus (cont. ) Method II: Moral Status and the Right to Life Being Human Being Like Human Beings Potentiality Actuality Evolving Value

Arguments that Do Not Depend on the Moral Status of the Fetus Utilitarianism: ◦ each case stands on its own Some rights arguments Thomson: does the pregnant woman have an obligation to sustain the life of the fetus by providing it with the use of her body?

Arguments Against Abortion Genetic view of beginning of human life Sanctity of life Domino argument Danger to the mother ◦ Medical ◦ psychological Safety of the pregnancy Existence of viable alternatives Irrelevance of economoc considerations Responsibility for sexual activity Rape and incest

Arguments for Abortion Rights of women over their bodies Birth as the beginning of human life Problem of unwanted and/or deformed children ◦ Adoption as poor solution ◦ Lack of human institutions Relative safety of abortions Refutation of the Domino Argument Danger of pregnancy to mother’s life Rape and incest Responsibility for sexual activity Woman’s choice

Readings Reading: “A Defense of Abortion “ ◦ Begin by assuming that the fetus is a person form the moment of conception - The violinist example ◦ The extreme position: abortion is never permissible ◦ Abortion and a limited right to self-defense

Thomson: A Defense of Abortion (cont. ) The four theses The box of chocolates Clarifying the meaning of a “right” Minimally Decent Samaritanism

“A Defense of Abortion” Judith Jarvis Thomson Assume the anti-abortion premise: that fetus is a person from the moment of conception ◦ What are the consequences for abortion rights if we assume that premise? ◦ Even if the fetus is a person from the moment of conception, are all abortions necessarily wrong? Focus on rights (not consequences) of fetus, of mother, of third-parties

Readings Reading: “Why Abortion is Immoral “ ◦ The basic assumption in the abortion debate ◦ The typical anti-abortion strategy ◦ The typical pro-choice strategy ◦ The standoff

Readings, continued ◦ Why is it wrong to kill an adult human being? ◦ The wrongness of killing and the loss of a future ◦ Support for the “loss of a future” argument ◦ The prima facie wrongness of abortion ◦ The permissibility of contraception

“Why Abortion Is Immoral” Donald Marquis Killing a fetus is just as immoral as killing an adult human being Both the fetus and the adult human being are deprived of all value of their future Contraception is not wrong, as it does not deny something a human future of value

“On the Moral and Legal Status of Abortion” Mary Ann Warren Defense of the extreme liberal position Critique of both pro and con positions in the abortion debate The fetus is not a person and thus abortion is not immoral Defends her position against criticism that it permits infanticide

“Virtue Theory and Abortion” Rosalind Hursthouse Addresses how Aristotelian virtue theory would consider abortion issues Concerned with the morality (not the legality) of abortion Uses analysis of what a “virtuous woman” would do to make the abortion decision

Marquis: Why Abortion is Immoral The basic assumption in the abortion debate The typical anti-abortion strategy The typical pro-choice strategy The standoff

Marquis: Why Abortion is Immoral (cont. ) Why is it wrong to kill an adult human being? The wrongness of killing and the loss of a future Support for the “loss of a future” argument The prima facie wrongness of abortion The permissibility of contraception