Abortion- A Woman’s Divine Right Tameka A. Severson SOC 120 Introduction to Ethics & Social Responsibility Instructor: Theodore Framan April 16, 2012 The topic of abortion is one of the most controversial of our times. The fight between pro-life and pro-choice supporters has been long and brutal. This is because individuals can be a bit “close minded” and refuse to view any other beliefs or ideas other than their own. Although I support the act of abortion, when it all boils down, it is a right and the circumstance at hand really depends on the particular individual. Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability.
If a woman chooses not to seek medical attention for her unborn child, is that not the same as a mother not seeking medical attention for her baby’s aliment? In fact I believe it is and we as a society consider that negligence. So we must decide that a fetus is not a part of the mother’s body but a person, and that her right to freedom of choice must be weighed against the fetus’s right to be born in a healthy state. Against: Are we as a society ready to demand more of an expectant mother than anyone else? If we are sincerely committed to equality then the answer must be no.
John Noonan and Mary Ann Warren believe the most fundamental question involved in the long history of abortion is. How do you determine the humanity of a being? They both use their views on the answer to argue their positions on abortion. Jane English differs from many pro- and anti-abortion advocates in insisting that the central question is not whether the fetus is a person. She argues that even if the fetus is a person, it doesn't simply follow that abortion is wrong.
Short Paper on A Defense of Abortion by J. J. Thomson In the article A Defense of Abortion, Judith Jarvis Thomson exposes the idea that fetuses are considered persons from the moment of conception and, therefore, they have the right to life. However, Thomson argues that abortion under certain circumstances can be morally permissible. Based on these ideas Thompson implemented thought experiments such as the analogies of the violinist and the “drifting seeds”, which doesn’t really give an adequate explanation for why abortion is sometimes permissible. Thus, based on my understanding of these analogies I believe that Thomson’s arguments are not convincing and, therefore, abortion should not be permissible. Thomson explains that the fetus is a person who has the right to life.
Most people agree with keeping abortions leagalized during the first trimester because of the health of the mother or the health of the unborn child (Saad 1). There are many personal reasons women choose to have abortions as well, like in cases of rape. Hillary Clinton cites in her speech on the "politics and moralitly of abortion" that there are 15,000 abortions per year due to women that have been sexually assaulted (Sullivan 2). If a women is raped she should not have to go through the mental stress of having that
Women who chose to have control over their bodies should then exercise proper contraceptive practices or also partake in abstinence. The idealogical stance being that if you are not able or willing to support a child, then refraining from having sexual intercourse is absolutely necessary. Abstinence is the only way to completely prevent the need for abortion. Again, the abortion process is damaging psychologically and physically. Instead
Abortion (Pro-Choice vs. Pro-Life) The right for a woman to choose whether or not to abort a pregnancy is one of the controversial issues in the United States. Pro-life are the people who believe that it is the government’s rights and responsibility to care for all life regardless of all the concerns in the health of the pregnant woman or what kind of life would the child have. Pro-choice are those people who argue and believe that a woman should have the right to decide and make a choice on what she wishes to do when it comes to their own body, as long as it does not harm others with their decision. My standpoint about abortion is that I definitely feel that it is a woman’s right to decide if she is going to do abortion and as long as she has a valid reason to abort a child. The reason why it is important for a woman to make a choice is because a lack of choice could and may lead to medical and health problems for the mother and the child, and a poor environment for the child to grow with.
Opinions on abortion vary for numerous reasons, but under certain circumstances, abortion may be the most appropriate action to take. “Approximately one-half of the 6.4 million pregnancies in 2001 in the United States were unplanned”(Henshaw, pg 90). That is about three million unplanned pregnancies. “These three million unplanned pregnancies include 1.3 million pregnancies that ended in abortion; 1.4 million live births that women reported were unplanned at the time of conception; and 411,000 miscarriages of unplanned pregnancies” (Henshaw, pg 91). Who really experience these unplanned pregnancies?
Abortion Abortion is a very debatable topic in the United States and there is no clear answer if it’s permissible or not. Abortion can be defined as, the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy at any stage of the pregnancy. Many people believe that abortion should be outlawed, others believe it should be an option, and last view being a mix between both. The mixed view population believe that in cases of rape the mother can have an option to abort or not, or if the fetus reaches a certain age it is not permissible to abort it. Thomson stakes her claim by focusing on three circumstances where she believes abortions to be permissible.
There are many reasons, most of them being because the parents are not prepared to handle the responsibility of a child, and have conceived an infant by accident. According to Linda Lowen, “4 out of 10 unintended pregnancies end in abortion” (Abortion Facts). This is a large number of 40% of children who get their lives taken away because of a careless mistake of someone who was not prepared to have a child. Statistics show that three of the main reasons for having an abortion are, “3/4 say that having a baby would interfere with work, school, or other responsibilities; about ¾ say they cannot afford a child; and ½ say they do not want to be a single parent or are having problems with their husband or partner” (The Alan Guttmacher Institute). These are all reason that could be avoided, and save many lives in the early stages.