Ethics Paper - Abortion Debate
Jennifer Sozio
Section Instructor: Ms. Colleen Farrell
Ethics: PHI-104-51-8
26 June 2012
THE MORAL ISSUE OF ABORTION
The moral question on both sides of the abortion argument is when a fetus achieves personhood and is awarded moral status thus granting it rights. Does the fetus have a right to life at the use of the mother or does the mother 's choice for autonomy over her body take precedence over the fetus? How do we begin to answer this highly debated question and what conclusions can be made that have the most logical ethical answer?
The difficulty in answering the issue of fetal personhood is that there is not one concrete indication of when that actually occurs in pregnancy. Pro- Life supports the position that personhood occurs immediately at conception thus granting the fetus full rights as a person born. In contrast Pro-Choice reinforces the mother’s rights to her own personhood and her choice to be autonomous from the fetus.
The main ethical issue up for debate is whether society can infringe upon a person’s right to personal bodily security for the purpose to save the life of another. Should anyone or any entity force a person to give up their decision to do what they seem fit with their own body? How would that affect a woman’s right to her reproductive liberty? What precedents does that set forth for the future for women?
IN SUPPORT OF PRO CHOICE
The nature of abortion rights can be broken out into three different perspectives; the protection of unwanted social parenthood; the unwanted genetic parenthood and the right to bodily autonomy. (Manninen 36)
The burdens of social parenthood weigh heavily on the woman who is forced to endure a pregnancy. These burdens can be detrimental to mental and physical health and psychological harm is likely to damage the child that is brought into a situation not fully embracing or prepared to care for its needs.
Through abortion, a woman has the right to prevent the existence of a child
Section Instructor: Ms. Colleen Farrell
Ethics: PHI-104-51-8
26 June 2012
THE MORAL ISSUE OF ABORTION
The moral question on both sides of the abortion argument is when a fetus achieves personhood and is awarded moral status thus granting it rights. Does the fetus have a right to life at the use of the mother or does the mother 's choice for autonomy over her body take precedence over the fetus? How do we begin to answer this highly debated question and what conclusions can be made that have the most logical ethical answer?
The difficulty in answering the issue of fetal personhood is that there is not one concrete indication of when that actually occurs in pregnancy. Pro- Life supports the position that personhood occurs immediately at conception thus granting the fetus full rights as a person born. In contrast Pro-Choice reinforces the mother’s rights to her own personhood and her choice to be autonomous from the fetus.
The main ethical issue up for debate is whether society can infringe upon a person’s right to personal bodily security for the purpose to save the life of another. Should anyone or any entity force a person to give up their decision to do what they seem fit with their own body? How would that affect a woman’s right to her reproductive liberty? What precedents does that set forth for the future for women?
IN SUPPORT OF PRO CHOICE
The nature of abortion rights can be broken out into three different perspectives; the protection of unwanted social parenthood; the unwanted genetic parenthood and the right to bodily autonomy. (Manninen 36)
The burdens of social parenthood weigh heavily on the woman who is forced to endure a pregnancy. These burdens can be detrimental to mental and physical health and psychological harm is likely to damage the child that is brought into a situation not fully embracing or prepared to care for its needs.
Through abortion, a woman has the right to prevent the existence of a child
Cited: Manninen, Bertha Alvarez. "Rethinking Roe V. Wade: Defending The Abortion Right In The Face Of Contemporary Opposition." American Journal Of Bioethics 10.12 (2010): Beckwith, Francis J. "The Explanatory Power Of The Substance View Of Persons." Christian Bioethics: Non-Ecumenical Studies In Medical Morality 10.1 (2004): 33-54. Flicker, Lauren Sydney. "Pregnancy Is Not A Crime." American Journal Of Bioethics 10.12 (2010): 54-55 The Holy Bible, New International Version. Worldwide: Biblicia, 2011. Print “Abortion Myths.” National Abortion Federation, n.p [3] Adler NE, et al. "Psychological factors in abortion: a review." American Psychologist, 1992, 47(10): 1194-1204. [4] Russo NF, Zierk KL. "Abortion, childbearing, and women 's well-being." Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 1992, 23(4): 269-280. [5] Russo NF. "Psychologicalaspects of unwanted pregnancy and its resolution." In J.D. Butler and D.F. Walbert (eds.), Abortion, Medicine, and the Law (4th Ed., pp. 593-626). New York: Facts on File, 1992.