Abortion : Is It Morally Acceptable?

Pro-life supporters believe that human life starts from fertilization or implantation until natural death. From the view of a pro-life advocate and action that destroys an embryo or fetus kills a person, any purposeful destruction of a human life is considered ethically and/or morally wrong. Some advocates of pro-life even oppose abortion of a fetus that would almost certainly die a short time after birth. The pro-life movement is

In Judith Jarvis Thomson’s philosophy paper, A Defense of Abortion, she argues that abortion is permissible because an individual’s right over their own body outweighs a fetus’s right to life. In this paper I will focus on whether or not abortion is always permissible. First, I will present Thomson’s argument which says that abortion is sometimes permissible. I will do so by describing her “famous violinist” thought experiment. Next, I will object to Thomson’s claim and expand the scope of her argument by arguing that abortion is in fact, always permissible. I will do so by presenting a new thought experiment. Finally, I will conclude in saying that Thomson is correct and abortion is in fact only sometimes permissible.

Abortion is one of those heavy topics that either side can be right or wrong. Abortion mostly gets divided into two sides; Pro-Life or Pro-choice. On the side of Pro- life a person believes that the government has an obligation to preserve all human life, regardless of intent, viability, or quality of life concerns. On the side pro-choice a person believes that individuals have unlimited autonomy with respect to their own reproductive systems as long as they do not breach the autonomy of others. (Head)

Abortion is defined as “The deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often performed during the first 28 weeks of pregnancy.” (Oxford Dictionary). Nearly three out of ten women in the U.S. have an abortion by the time they are 45-years-old (Planned Parenthood). Abortion is morally permissible because an abortion prevents a woman and the potential child’s suffering. Abortion is moral because it is a fundamental right of competent adults to make their own decisions on the course of their medical treatment, can alleviate further suffering in immoral cases, such as rape and is protected by rule of law.

Pro-Life believe that women should not have the right to have abortions while Pro-Choice believe that women who become pregnant should have the choice to have an abortion. When a survey is done asking Americans if abortions should be legal, illegal, or legal under certain circumstances most people said legal under certain circumstance. “There are variations within each group depending on how liberal or conservative one’s opinions are; some individuals who are pro-life believe that in cases of rape or incest abortion should be allowed, and some pro-choice groups favor waiting periods and other restrictions on abortion” (Arguments for and Against Abortions). Pro-Choice believe that the “fetus is a human being from the moment of conception; this means abortion is murder, which is immoral and should be illegal. While Pro-Life believe that“The fetus is not yet a human being because it cannot survive outside the uterus on its own” (Arguments for and Against

1.Abortion does not only kill the baby but may as kill the mother as well or threat the mother’s health.

Pro-choice persons view abortion as murder. They view an unborn child as a human with rights to life. They argue that taking a human life living outside the uterus is considered murder, so killing an embryo or fetus, an unborn child, is also murder.

When the beginning of life actually occurs is clearly not a topic to be taken lightly in today’s modern world. Majority of the population’s answers to this question are based on each individuals opinion and is supported by what they believe. In general, there are two sides of the argument. One is that life begins at the time of conception. The other belief is that life doesn’t begin until the drawing of the first breath. The true dilemma here is not the accurate pinpointing of life’s beginning, but the questions that accompany this topic and each individuals desire to do the right thing, the moral thing. While one point of view allows for abortion the other does not. The issue raises many questions of morality. Is abortion moral? When does it become murder? When is it permissible? (Life of the mother at stake / A product of rape). Should it be the mother’s choice? Many arguments for both sides pull from scripture and scientific articulations.

Abortion has been one of the biggest controversies of all time. Many people believe it is 100% wrong and even consider it to be murder. The definition of abortion is; “The termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to being capable of normal growth.” These pro-life believers do not support the idea of abortion and believe it should be illegal. Many of these supporters do not know that if abortion were illegal they would still be performed, unfortunately by an uneducated staff. Over 70 thousand maternal deaths occur every year because of unsafe abortions. These women die, so the idea of supporting pro-life is contradictory, this is why the nation should be pro-choice.

Pro-choice is for female activists and their beliefs on women taking control of their own body and making their own decisions. The other side of the debate in abortion is pro-life, which is defined as murder, killing an innocent baby which has no say. It has been reported that anti-abortionists relate having an abortion to murdering someone. They believe that a murder is intentional and so is an abortion because you are planning to abort the baby (Currie, 2000,103). Results have shown that people who advocate for Pro-Life primarily are Christian or Catholic members because of the Bible. In the Bible, it does not say directly that abortion is not permitted it makes references to make it clear that God felt very strong about the fact that a fetus or embryo is still considered a human. It suggests that God creates the baby's life well its in the womb and it also says that the same penalty should be giving to someone who causes the death of the child in the womb as to someone who commits murder (Frechet, 2009). As you can see there is two very strong definitive sides to the debate of abortion, both having strong arguments.

It is obvious that abortion is a topic that includes many grey areas. Whether an abortion is a right guaranteed to the mother, or if it is considered taking away the rights the of the unborn baby is one of these grey areas. Pro-choice supporters agree with the Roe v. Wade supreme court decision because of the way it applies abortion to the constitution. According to the Internet site Pro Con, the court case presented the idea that abortion fits under the “right of privacy” (1). By this, the court system is saying that each woman should be granted the ability to do what she wishes with her body. Although this right was not directly created for abortion, there are differing opinions as to whether or not an abortion could fit into one’s “right of privacy.” The term “right of privacy” is extremely broad, but refers to the privacy granted to an individual from the government. However, pro-life supporters do not think this should be applied to an abortion, especially because another human being’s life is at stake. They believe that the fetus should also be granted rights, as if they were a living human outside in the real world. Which is why many pro-life advocates make the argument that an abortion is killing a human being who cannot defend themselves. Due to this belief, there are many states who have passed “fetal homicide laws” (1). These were created to respect the rights of the child. As a woman who has become a mother, it is one’s responsibility to protect the human growing inside the womb; killing this growing human being, who is yet unable to defend themselves, has no other definition than murder.

Some critics believe that abortion is a woman’s choice; others believe that termination of a life even before it is born is still murder. I highly doubt that pro-choice advocates would support their stance if they too believed that abortion was murder, so how then can they justify their pro-choice affiliation? The true question to be asked is when does life actually begin? There would be no questions asked if someone could prove the point at which life begins. However there is a grey area, we do not know when “life” begins. Some believe at conception, others at heartbeat, and others at brain waves. No one can say for sure, I however prefer the stance of “better safe

The argument of abortion has been raging since the Supreme Court case, Roe vs. Wade, in 1973. This court case has divided the country into two factions: pro-choice and pro-life. Pro-life advocates argue that abortions are murder and extreme levels of child abuse. While pro-choice advocates believe abortions are a justifiable means to end pregnancies. The pro-choice argument is that the fetus is not yet a human being and its rights should not override that of the mother’s.

Abortion is a debate that continues day in, day out, year in, year out. We have laws that have been set into place, yet the debate continues. The opposing sides in the debate each strongly believe they are right. The pro-choice supporters see a woman's right to choose as central to the debate. The pro-choice advocates see the life of the baby as the most important concern. Very little middle ground exists on the issue of abortion.

All around the world, unborn babies are being killed everyday. Abortion has become one of the most common operations in the US today. People that are “pro-choice” believe that it is acceptable for a woman to have the choice to abort her baby or not. They say that it is the legal right of a woman. They believe that a baby is not yet alive until it has been born. It is argued that a woman should be able to do what is best for her future, health, and body. On the other side of the spectrum lies people that are “pro-life”. They believe that human life begins at the time of conception and that killing what is unborn is murder. They defend this with arguments from science, as well as scripture. Pro-choice believes in abortion because it will benefit the majority of women and possibly families. They are looking out for themselves and their best interests. It is Utilitarianism as well as egoism. They believe it is morally acceptable to end the life of the unborn. It will provide the majority with an unwanted pregnancy and a way out of a tough situation. Pro-life is against abortion because of a religious authority and because it will benefit a majority (unborn babies). They believe it is morally unacceptable to end the life of the unborn.