Chapter 8: Abortion |
| Section 3. Presentation of Issues. |
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A very complicated issue for which much rational inquiry and discourse and reflection is needed before decision making. There are different types of issues involved: Factual, Conceptual, Ethical Factual: such issues include "viability" for those who use Natural Law Theory and the measurement of acceptability or approval by society for those that use the Utilitarian Theory Conceptual: issues such as what is a "person" and what is "abortion" Ethical: Main issues include should abortion be permitted? Required? Forbidden? Abortion: What is it? There are several possible meanings: The termination of a pregnancy The accidental termination of a pregnancy: miscarriage The natural termination of a pregnancy prematurely: spontaneous abortion or miscarriage The deliberate termination of a pregnancy The deliberate termination of a pregnancy for the purpose of saving a life: therapeutic abortion The deliberate termination of a pregnancy for the purpose of terminating fetal development Therapeutic medical abortion is done because the woman has a health condition. Elective abortion is done because a woman chooses (elects) to end the pregnancy.
The abortion types performed in the United States are:
CASES: A. Parents' rights vis a vis their pregnant daughter(12 years old) threat to life of daughter, refusal on religious grounds COURT rules for daughter B. RU-486 PILL: the "morning after pill" C. Thalidomide: abnormal fetus Pregnancy Tests: 7 to 10 days after fertilization Status of the Fetus:
Is the fetus a person? https://www.ogmagazine.org.au/20/2-20/ethically-speaking-is-a-fetus-a-person/ Rights of Women Therapeutic abortion- performed in order to protect the life or restore the health of the pregnant woman Ethical Traditions: A. If a fetus is a non-person Utilitarian: persons are rational and autonomous and have a right to control their bodies Kant: persons are rational and autonomous and have a right to control their bodies Ross: persons are rational and autonomous and have a right to control their bodies Rawls: persons are rational and autonomous and have a right to control their bodies Natural law- No deliberate termination of a pregnancy for the purpose of termination of a viable healthy life (person) is permissible. B. If a fetus is a person i. Therapeutic abortion Utilitarian: persons are rational and autonomous and have a right to control their bodies and an abortion is morally acceptable if it produces more utility than not doing so Kant: permits therapeutic abortions and termination of abnormal fetuses Ross: permits therapeutic abortions and termination of abnormal fetuses Rawls: permits therapeutic abortions and termination of abnormal fetuses Natural law- No deliberate termination of a pregnancy for the purpose of termination of a viable healthy life (person) is permissible. ii. Non-therapeutic abortion not the result of rape or incest Utilitarian: persons are rational and autonomous and have a right to control their bodies and an abortion is morally acceptable if it produces more utility than not doing so Kant: permits Non-therapeutic abortion not the result of rape or incest and termination of abnormal fetuses Ross: permits Non-therapeutic abortion not the result of rape or incest and termination of abnormal fetuses Rawls: permits Non-therapeutic abortion not the result of rape or incest and termination of abnormal fetuses Natural law- No deliberate termination of a pregnancy for the purpose of termination of a viable healthy life (person) is permissible. iii. Non-therapeutic abortion the result of rape or incest Utilitarian: persons are rational and autonomous and have a right to control their bodies and an abortion is morally acceptable if it produces more utility than not doing so Kant: permits Non-therapeutic abortion the result of rape or incest and termination of abnormal fetuses Ross: permits Non-therapeutic abortion the result of rape or incest and termination of abnormal fetuses Rawls: permits Non-therapeutic abortion not the result of rape or incest and termination of abnormal fetuses Natural law- No deliberate termination of a pregnancy for the purpose of termination of a viable healthy life (person) is permissible.
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