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Should Abortion Be Legal?

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Within the following essay, one shall discuss all the circumstances in which it is always permissible to have an abortion, and that a detelogical pro-life standing on abortion, which would consider it not permissible in any circumstances and so wish to avoid permitting abortion in any circumstance, is ultimately wrong. The following essay will be split into two parts, the first will discuss Second order reasons for abortion and the second will discuss First Order reasons. First order reasons are reasons for abortion, which are easily justifiable, such as rape and medical complications which are mostly accepted by the deontelogical standing, whereas Second order reasons are, in comparison, less easy to justify, such as socioeconomic reasons …show more content…

First we shall address the economic impact, consider a Woman who just lost their job and are still a student, they struggle to pay rent for themselves and so to add the strain of looking after a child is unrealistic. For a consequentialist it is obvious that this Woman needs an abortion and so should be allowed one. The pro-life response to the consequentialist would be that the Woman deserves the lesson that actions have consequences and to allow the termination of a human life over a mistake would be morally wrong. However, one must question if making a mistake is justification for potentially ruining someone 's life. There is no doubt that less well-off households are harder to live in, even with government help. Thus, in this situation the pro-life argument condemns not only the Woman but their child, who is unquestionably innocent in their mistake. Thus showing that abortion is permissible in a situation of economic difficulty because it is not fair on either the Woman or the child.

Next we shall address the social impact. Consider that the Woman in want of the abortion does not want the child which would result, and so for a consequentialist it would be important to consider the impact on the child this reality would have. There is the possibility of a loveless upbringing, and so to force the Woman to have the child is cruel towards the child specifically because they could be damaged and so the abortion

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