Ethical Issues Regarding Abortion Debate
The core of the abortion debate revolves around moral considerations regarding the status of the fetus, women's rights, health implications, and conflicting rights. The issue of defining abortion and different types such as voluntary and involuntary abortion are also explored. The silent victim, typically the fetus, adds complexity to the ethical discourse.
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Presentation Transcript
The core of the debate about abortion is centred on whether it is morally right abortion. In this debate there are a few things that are considered to arrive at the answer. to commit
> The first is about the status and right of the foetus- is the foetus a living thing that has a right to life? The second is about whether the woman has an absolute right to determine what she wants for her body. The thirds relates to issues about the state of the foetus, especially about deformity of the foetus or of the child after birth.
The forth issue relates to the health condition of the mother. Fifth, in the case of conflict of rights- right to life of the foetus and right to life of the woman OR right to the determination of what to do with her body, which should prevail? There is also the issue about the point at which life begins. Is it at birth or at conception.
The silent victim It is important to note in all these that the foetus is considered as the silent victim. The foetus is considered as a silent victim because there is no way of knowing the opinion of the foetus itself. Unlike, the case in euthanasia, the object in question cannot voice its opinion.
. Coupled with this fact is that the victim can be portrays as an innocent and defenceless being
Defining abortion Defining abortion will depend on a number of issues considered by the person doing the definition 1. A person against abortion will use emotive language that evokes negative feeling about abortion 2. someone may also define abortion in neutral terms. 3. Issues about the type of abortion may also influence the definition of abortion.
Types of Abortion Generally Speaking abortion may be categorised into two 1. Voluntary Abortion (Induced Abortion) 2. involuntary abortion (Spontaneous abortion). This is also known as miscarriage A philosopher is majorly concerned with interrogating issues with induced abortion because this deals with deliberate human action, unlike the other which may be regarded as Acts of God
A working definition In defining abortion, our focus is on that deliberate act aimed at ending the continual growth of the foetus such that it is unable to become a child. In this regard, abortion may be defined as a deliberate attempt directed towards the termination of pregnancy. Although a distinction is sometimes made regarding abortion done before a foetus is able to survive on its own and late termination of pregnancy yet this distinction is discarded for the sake of this lecture. Let s just say that abortion may be requested during any of the three trimesters.
The Crux of the moral debate about abortion At the heart of the debate about abortion is whether it is morally right or wrong to commit abortion. Is it morally right to terminate a foetus before it is given birth to? The dilemma of this debate centres on the moral status of the foetus and the right of the pregnant woman
Why is abortion an important issue? Consider the statistics: abortion results in 47,000 deaths; 5 million hospital admission annually. About 44 million abortions are performed worldwide, and about half of this is done unsafely.
General Reasons for abortion Rape Incest Malformation of the foetus Socioeconomic factors Mother s health challenge Unintended pregnancies
Therapeutic and Elective Abortion An abortion that can be medically justified is called therapeutic abortion. This is an abortion that is performed as a result of medical reasons in order to safe the life of a pregnant woman, or prevent danger to a pregnant woman s physical and mental health. Therapeutic abortion may also be justified in relation to the health of the foetus/child. If it is foreseen that the child will be disabled, or that chances are high that it will die prematurely.
Elective Abortion This type of abortion is requested not as a result of a medical condition
Pro-Life vs Pro-choice The central view of those who defend the prolife position is that the foetus is a human person and that since it is immoral to kill then it is immoral to commit abortion. The belief also is that since the foetus is a person then it has to enjoy all human rights which include the right to life For pro-life advocates, the zygote has its own DNA different from that of its parents and hence that what is involved in an abortion is more than the woman and her body. This is to say life starts at the moment of human sperm and egg fuse
On the other hand, Pro-Choice advocates are of the view that the woman, indisputably, is human and has a right to choose what becomes of her body. She has a right to privacy, right to ownership of one s own body, right to equal treatment (to be free as men are), right to self-determination.
The nurse and abortion The nurse has a duty of care. It is important to determine whether performing an abortion is the less of two evils
