The Ethics of Abortion - 2307 Words

Background and Context Abortion is defined as a procedure that is done to remove an embryo or fetus from the uterus of its mother in order to prevent its birth (Roth, 2005). Abortion is categorized as a bioethical issue because it relates to the morals of biomedical advances, policies and research. Abortion is a difficult subject that can involve personal morals and beliefs, legality and religious values. The issue is often viewed from either the side of pro-life, which places emphasis on the fetus and its right to life or pro-choice, which emphasizes the rights of the mother to decide the appropriate action (Roth, 2005). This brings the ethical question of should the government have the right to outlaw abortion into debate. The two†¦show more content†¦In the United Sates, viability is around 24 weeks or pregnancy (Roth, 2005). Viability is defined as the ability of the fetus to live outside of the uterus after birth (Jones, 2007). The autonomy of the mother is addressed with the argument that the mother has the right to decide if she wants to carry the fetus full term or abort it (Jones, 2007). This argument presents that the mother has the right to her life and her body, therefore she gets to choose what is done with the fetus. The mother should not be forced to have the child against her will because this would be immoral and infringe on her rights (Jones, 2007). The right to life of the fetus is addressed with the argument that the fetus has the same equal right to life that all people do (Jones, 2007). An extension of this argument is that society has the moral duty to protect the fetus because it is incapable of protecting itself. Another argument indicates that the fetus is only a potential life since it depends on the mother for existence. This means some consider the mother to be a fully formed life and have a higher value than the fetus (Jones, 2007). Others argue that the fetus is a life that should be valued from the moment of conception because it is part of the â€Å"human community† and has intrinsic value (Nobis, 2011). Judith Jarvis Thomson, a philosopher, makes the argument that a fetus may be considered a person but abortion may still be morally justified (1971). Thomson uses the thoughtShow MoreRelatedEthics And Abortion : Abortion Essay1724 Words   |  7 PagesEthics And Abortion According to the authors of a medical dictionary called; the free dictionary, online version, â€Å"abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy before the fetus is viable.† Viability for a fetus is usually greater than 500 grams, or prior to 20 weeks gestation as noted by those same authors. An abortion may be spontaneous, commonly referred to as a miscarriage, or induced which describes the deliberate interruption of a pregnancy. Those authors assert that it is the viabilityRead MoreThe Ethics Of Abortion And Abortion1124 Words   |  5 PagesThe Ethics of Abortion Abortion, which according to the Merriam Webster dictionary (n.d.) refers to any action that is taken to prematurely end the life of a growing fetus in its mother’s womb before it is born, is a very controversial topic in our society today. Every day, several women die as a result of lack of access to proper abortion facilities (Kaczor, 2013). It has been estimated that 2% of women within childbearing age i.e. ages 15 to 44 will have an abortion (Medoff, 2013) and the yearlyRead MoreThe Ethics And Ethics Of Abortion1496 Words   |  6 PagesTHE ETHICS AGAISNT ABORTION Abortion has been one of the most debated social and political topics since it was made legal in South Africa. Through the application of different philosophical arguments this paper will showcase in detail if abortion is either immoral or permissible using ethical underpinnings (cite 2). 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The topic of abortion was considered as a social issue that soon became a political and ethical subject. Abortion have become a heated public distribute on whether its method are morally permissible or not? Individuals have voiced the benefits and disadvantagesRead MoreThe Article Ethics Of Abortion1869 Words   |  8 PagesIn the article Ethics of Abortion, much of the pro life argument seems to be rooted in religion, alongside the concern for safety. However, it is unethical to make a law based on religion and the safety concerns have pros and cons to both sides. Because of the extremely diverse circumstances, it is hard to make an ultimatum such as the banning of abortion. Abortion should, therefore, be legal and accessible in the U.S. because of our human rights, multitude of safety concerns and theRead MoreThe Article Ethics Of Abortion1869 Words   |  8 PagesIn the article Ethics of Abortion, much of the pro life argument seems to be rooted in religion, alongside the concern for safety. However, it is unethical to make a law based on religion and the safety concerns have pros and cons to both sides. Because of the extremely diverse circumstances, it is hard to make an ultimatum such as the banning of abortion. Abortion should, therefore, be legal and accessible in the U.S. because of our human rights, multitude of safety concerns and the