Abortion

Question 1

UK law on abortion

Answer 1

-before 1967 abortion was illegal (offences against the person act 1891).
-it was made legal by and is now governed by the 1967 abortion act.
-the legal time limit to perform an abortion is 24 weeks (reduced from 28 weeks by the 1990 embryology act).
-there is no time limit for a foetus to be aborted due to severe normality.
-grounds for abortion: two doctors have to agree that the mothers physical/mental state is at risk or the foetus is.

Question 2

Abortion

Answer 2

the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often performed during the first 28 weeks of pregnancy.

Question 3

Methods

Answer 3

Medical – taking what is known as the abortion pill which induces heavy bleeding.
Surgical – vacuum aspiration available up to the 13th week of pregnancy.
In the later stages of pregnancy – a process of dilation and evacuation is used, which involves opening the cervix and removing the contents of the womb by surgical instruments.

Question 5

Late abortions due to abnormality.

Answer 5

-under the law, there is no time limit for a foetus with a severe abnormality to be aborted.
-severe deformity includes conditions such as down syndrome, cleft lip and palate.
Viability – when there is chance foetus can survive outside the womb.
-chances of survival following preterm birth less then 22 weeks is close to zero chance of survival.

Question 6

Why is abortion controversial?

Answer 6

-abortion raises the question of when does ‘humanness’ (life) begin?
-the beginning of humanness is debated in philosophical, ethical and legal circles.
-it is not an easy question to answer and there are many diverse and conflicting opinions.
-biologically speaking the beginning of ‘humanness’ (life) is at conception.
-if the foetus is a person, then as with all persons, the foetus has rights, which include the right to life. If it is wrong violate a person’s rights, then it is wrong to end the life of a foetus.
-this is why some scholars may look to ideas such as ‘sanctity of life’ to assist with he debates.

Question 7

The sanctity of life

Answer 7

-the sanctity of life is traditionally viewed as a religious concept, but some philosophers have given the idea a non-religious perspective e.g.
-Immanuel Kant (18th Century Philosopher) – saw love as scared based on ethical ground.
-Peter Singer (Australian Moral Philosopher)- argues that the sanctity of life calls for a universal discussion about the value of life.
- ‘we may take the doctrine of the sanctity of life to be no more than a way of saying human life has some very special value… the view that human life has special value is deeply rooted in our society and is enshrined in our law.’

Question 8

The application of Aquinas’ Natural Law to ethical issues

Answer 8

-any action must be considered in accordance with recta ratio and therefore the primary precepts (which are the direct result of carrying out this right reasoning).
-the primary precept are absolute and can sometimes be confirmed through divine law.
-once a moral law such as primary precepts have been established, it is our duty to obey it so that we can achieve our God-given purpose.
-the secondary precepts are the practical human rules that put the primary precepts into practice; they are derived from reasoning.
-real/apparent goods internal/external acts and virtues would also apply in the decision-making process.