Abortion

Question 1

Central argument against abortion

Answer 1

• The foetus is an innocent person
• Its morally wrong to end the life of an innocent person
• Therefore, it is morally wrong to end the life of a foetus

Question 2

Pro-life

Answer 2

view that all life is sacred and so abortion is morally wrong e.g LIFE -is the largest pro-life charity in the UK

Question 3

pro-choice

Answer 3

view that women have a right to choose what happens to their bodies and can choose to abort their foetus - e.g Judith Jarvis Thomson

Question 4

Judith Jarvis Thomson

Answer 4

Violinist - Plugged into a famous violinist with a kidney ailment - unplug and you kill him or stay attached forever
House analogy and people seeds - even though the woman has taken precautions and put both bars and wire mesh on her windows - some people seeds can still get in and root in the furniture - even though she took precautions its not her fault.

Question 5

Against JJT

Answer 5

• If I find a baby at my door, surely I have the duty to look after it at least until someone else can.

Question 6

Aquinas view

Answer 6

• embryo wasn’t a human - but he relied on outdated biology and today his views support life at fertilisation
• also shows even though its not a person embryo is worth protection

Question 7

State of an embroyo

Answer 7

• 4th week - heat beats
• 8th week - has brain, face, hands, feet and looks like a baby.
• called foetus at 9 weeks
• cannot tell when it feels pleasure/pain

Question 8

Related to Kantian Law

Answer 8

• His lutheran faith (life is sacred - genesis, Imago Dei - genesis , life begins at contraception, we cannot give/take life)
• HI - desired based so wrong
• CI: Universbility - can’t be - we’d stop all births
• CI: ends not means - using doc goes against his hippocratic oath
• CI: Kingdom ends - not rational wanting to kill
• summon bonum - not achieved as not following CI

Question 9

Related to Natural law

Answer 9

• Divine Law - life is sacred - genesis, Imago Dei - genesis , life begins at contraception, we cannot give/take life
• Apparent goods - abortions are desired based - so wrong - not real goods
• PP - preserve life
• PP - Order society - leads to discord, lack of care for venerable, link to promiscuity
• PP - worship god - against divine law
• PP - reproduce - stops
• SP - as against PP would stop SP
• DDE : allow if moms life was in danger, intention: save moms life, side effect: death of foetus

Question 10

Related to Utilitarianism

Answer 10

• Bentham/GG4GN - could be in greatest good if only thinking about immediately affected - might not be considering wider ramifications (grandparents view)
• Bentham - Hedonic Calculus - Weigh up aborting vs not aborting - which will bring about the most happiness (not all areas apply)
• Mill HOP vs LOP - a child will change your life so having one is a HOP but cannot impose your views on others
• Mill:Rule - strong rule: not to abortion in Ireland (as against law) and religious families; Weak rule: no in Ireland and after 20ish weeks, yes before
• Preference - Singer - only women’s preferences matter as foetus isn’t sentient. But, weigh up all sentient preferences equally - would abortion be better?
• Preference : Hare - Stand in someone else’s shoes - consider all preferences of groups involved - abortion may be better.