Is Abortion Moral Or Moral?

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 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.

Life is sacred and begins at conception, but many people still debate on when human life begins. Some people believe that life does not start until the moment a

Did you know that there are at least four specific moments that can be thought of as the beginning of human life? There is the embryologic view, which is where some think life begins when the embryo undergoes gastrulation, and twinning is no longer possible; which occurs about 14 days into development. Then there is the neurological view, which depends on brainwave activity; life begins when a distinct EEG pattern can be detected, this happens at about 24 to 27 weeks. Another is the genetic view, which states that life begins with the formation of a novel genome. Finally, one can say that life begins at or near birth, measured by fetal viability outside the mother’s body. The whole issue with people being for or against the closure of Planned

Both the value one places on life and the question of when life begins plays a huge role in the debate over abortion. Though people who are not part of a religion or are not spiritual have their own beliefs, much of the debate does come from a religious perspective. So when does human life begin? Some believe it is the moment of conception, others at the time when the baby can live independently from the mother, and still others believe it is when the baby takes his/her first breath. This is important because depending on when a person believes a life is valuable or that a fetus becomes a person, may make an impact on whether or not an individual is for or against abortion.

The argument about when life begins is nearly invalid in comparison to the argument that there is a risen rate of unplanned pregnancies. Due to the raising rate of pregnancy, present day America has turned abortions into a form of contraception. When two individuals decide to have intercourse, they are exercising their reproductive rights. If one has exercised a specific right, one must also accept the responsibility of what comes after. For example, think about speeding on the highway. One has the right to drive a car, as long as the set rules are followed. Unlike most laws, rights, or rules in America where a fine may be placed, the consequence of one’s reproductive rights is not illegal and is another human being. Thus, one must accept responsibility for what

These arguments are doubtful because women in the contemporary society have different opportunities to plan the birth of the child. Contemporary methods of contraception give women good chances to plan their future pregnancy and to avoid undesirable pregnancy. Some specialists believe that abortion contradicts to the American Constitution, which guarantees the right for life to all citizens of the country. According to the latest research life of the child starts after fertilization and this way abortion becomes a murder of the human creature. There are debates about the time which should be considered the start of the human life. Till recent time the most common opinion was that the birth of the child is a start of human life. At the present moment more and more people turn to the opinion that human life starts earlier than the child is born. Specialists believe that the process of fertilization give a beginning to new life. This way during the abortion human creatures are killed and this can be regarded as a crime.

Societies and organizations around the world hold different beliefs on the question of when life begins. Opinions range from the belief that life begins at fertilization to others that believe that life cannot begin until the child is born (Kelly, 1995, p. 65). At the moment it is legal to have an abortion in Great Britain up to the 24th gestation. Those in favor of abortion often suggest the debate centers around when the fetus becomes sufficiently human to have the right, opponents believe the fetus is never anything other than human from conception (BBC Ethics, 2014). However neither side of the abortion debate can draw much support from simple word of mouth, legislation has taken abortion into the hands of medical professionals to determine

exact moment of when the baby is considered alive. Some of the answers include: the moment the umbilical cord is cut and the baby is breathing on its own, after the first trimester, and from the moment of conception. “Since the nineteenth century, the official doctrine of the Church has been that ensoulment (life) occurs at the moment of conception” (Ayd 49). It was Pope Paul VI who insisted “that from the moment of conception life must be guarded with the greatest care and that direct abortion is morally wrong” (Ayd 49). However, no one really knows when the actually time of life begins and people will continue to argue against each other with

Abortion is a risky topic that has been argued about for a long time and is still debated over today. The argument if abortion should be legal or if it is morally right should be discussed because it is important to inform the public, especially women that they should have the right to decide on what to do with their bodies. It is concerning to perceive that there is a whole industry making money off women who could have been through a traumatic event such as an unwanted pregnancy from rape. These women still must put their bodies through this procedure to free themselves from something that could potentially ruin their lives or the unborn child’s life. The pro-life comes at the other side with a harsher approach and believe that these women

Physicians, biologists, and other scientists agree that conception marks the beginning of the life of a human being—a being that is alive and is a member of the human species. There is overwhelming agreement on this point in countless medical, biological, and scientific writings.

Abortion also in some eyes was a sin according to the bible it says “thou shall not kill” thus prohibiting people from harming others and their selves. But arguments in accordance with the preceding quote argue the question when does life actually begin? Some argue that life begins at conception while others argue that life does not exist until the fetus lives outside of the mother. Also if we go as far as to say a fetus is a human, then we mine as well call the sperm or an egg a human, so should we ban birth control all together since we are killing a “human” (abortion 3) ? When one makes a statement that abortion is murder they usually argue that by time most women decide to do the abortion the fetus already has a heart, brain, circulation, and other body arts that a “human being” has outside of the womb. Another arguing point is that how can society accept the death penalty which is a sentence of punishment by death, but be opposed to abortion, that is hypocrisy.

Abortion is defined as “The removal of an embryo or fetus from the uterus in order to end the pregnancy” (dictionary.com). However, if only the debate over the abortion issue was as easy as the definition listed above. However, similar to most things in life, a statement or opinion is never right nor wrong, but simply left open for clarification. Those who are against abortion believe that abortion is the murder of innocent human beings who aren’t given a chance at life and the ability to function as a normal individual. However, those who are for abortion believe that it is a women’s right to choose what she does to not only her baby but

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.

One day, Socrates went to the park to train for a 5k run he had signed up for. After running two miles, he decided to stop for a short break. As he was sitting on a bench, a young woman sat angrily down next to him to receive a phone call.