...Maxwell Husband St. Joseph’s University Moral Foundations T/TR 8:30-9:45 “Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice” Abortion is and forever will be a very controversial topic of discussion. It has been debated for years whether it is morally right or wrong. Abortion is a unique subject in that it involves not only morality but also a large amount of theology, emotion, and law. It is also unique because it forces people to choose one side or the other, there is a very small gray area when it comes to this debate, and the side that I will fall on in this essay is the pro-choice side. In this essay I will attempt prove that abortion is not murdering an innocent fetus and that the arguments for pro-choice are stronger than the ones for pro-life. The main point of disagreement between the two sides is what constitutes life, when does human life actually begin? I believe to construct a sound argument this issue must be examined first. I will then go on to cover other various pro-choice points such as a women’s right to choose, the quality of life for the potential child, and the extreme circumstances that will disprove the notion that abortion is morally wrong. As stated in my opening paragraph, the key issue in the case of abortion is determining the status of the fetus in the sense of its humanity. It is my belief that a fetus does not qualify as a human. I agree with Warren when she states that “human being” is a term that is not often distinguished, she suggests that there are two...
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...PGP-14-174 SUBJECT: CRITIQUE OF THE ESSAY ON TEENAGERS’ AUTONOMY ON ABORTION DATE: OCTOBER 6, 2014 I would like to share my views on the essay about the autonomy of abortion by Teenagers, the article seem to bear relevance for our proposal towards supporting the CSR investment to the organization under consideration. The essay analysis the laws permitting teenagers to go for abortion and how it affects the lives of the teenagers. The author has concluded that parental consent should be taken in such cases before taking any decision. However, on deeper examining of the reasons, it appears that there is a...
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...AS Philosophy & Ethics Course Handbook 2013 to 2014 [pic] OCR AS Level Religious Studies (H172) http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/type/gce/hss/rs/index.aspx OCR AS Level Religious Studies (H172) You are studying Philosophy of Religion and Religious Ethics and will be awarded an OCR AS Level in Religious Studies. The modules and their weightings are: |AS: |Unit Code |Unit Title |% of AS |(% of A Level) | | |G571 |AS Philosophy of Religion |50% |(25%) | | |G572 |AS Religious Ethics |50% |(25%) | If you decide to study for the full A Level you will have to study the following modules at A2: |A2: |Unit Code |Unit Title |(% of A Level) | | |G581 |A2 Philosophy of Religion |(25%) | | |G582 |A2 Religious Ethics |(25%) | Grading | ...
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...Abortion Essays A01: Explain religious and ethical arguments against abortion. (30) Generally, religious teachings are against abortion – most teachings suggest that protecting the defenceless and protecting human life are important values in religion. Although ethical systems could be seen to allow abortion, the focus is totally on the many ethical arguments that are pro life. Firstly, an ethical argument against abortion could be derived from Utilitarianism, particularly Bentham’s utilitarianism including the hedonic calculus. Take a circumstance where a woman is considering terminating her pregnancy. Combine the potential pain and guilt she would experience and add it to the pain the foetus may experience (which some scientists believe could be as early as 16 weeks) and this would outweigh the pain she would experience putting her own interests aside. It is likely that in this particular instance Bentham would be against Abortion. The hedonic calculus can also be applied against abortion., by applying all 7 factors of the calculus to a certain situation. E.g. If a 15 girl became pregnant the calculus can be applied to argue the pro life stance.. The guilt at having an abortion is immediate (remoteness), having an abortion may reduce her choices and freedom in life as it may reduce her chances of having a baby (Richness), the girl having aborted a child may feel such intense guilt that she cannot enjoy any pleasures (intensity), The lack of freedom from the pain/guilt...
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...“Abortion is impermissible, because it deprives a being of a future like ours. Accordingly, it is morally similar to killing a healthy adult.” Critically discuss this argument, drawing upon at least one of the authors we have looked at in the readings. Abortion in general can be defined as terminating a pregnancy before birth and this still remains a controversial topic in the world today of whether it is immoral or moral to do so. Besides certain exceptions, the view of abortion as a seriously immoral action has minimal support or evidence in present-day philosophical literature (Marquis, 1989). However, views exist when it comes to illuminating the permissibility of abortion, particularly when future prospects of the foetus are taken into account. This is what the future like ours argument also points out that killing an adult human being is wrong because it deprives the adult of a future and the foetus has a future as well, killing foetuses is wrong in the same way that killing adult human beings is wrong (Kuflik, 2008:417). The future like ours argument is parallel to controversial religious claims and does not appeal to perplexing or difficult philosophical theories (Kuflik, 2008:418). In this essay an attempt will be made to critically discuss abortion being impermissible as it is similar to killing a healthy adult. People against abortion normally depend on the idea that the foetus is a human being or a person from the moment of conception, this notion is argued for...
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...Bio ethicsI wish my baby had not been born essay Bio-ethics examines the relationships between the life sciences and philosophy and contemplates moral arguments. Moral arguments such as abortion, euthanasia, and organ donation effect lives and have an impact on society. These issues are emotional in nature and do not have solid biological answers. In the case of abortion there are many variables with the pregnancy such as rape, incest, and malady in the infant. The essay by Emily Rapp, Rick Santorum, Meet my Son, discusses her painful journey through parenting a child with a degenerative genetic disease. She discusses utilizing modern technology tests that are available to the parent but that did not give her the information she needed. She herself underwent genetic testing. But these tests did not catch the fact that her son had Tay Sachs disease, considered one of the most serious of all birth defects, Tay Sachs is always fatal. Tay Sachs causes seizures and blindness and is very painful. Rapp describes in detail how agonizing her son’s life is. Ironically, the senator to whom she targets her issue has also faced a similar issue. Rick Santorum’s youngest daughter, Bella, was born with a genetic disease called Trisomy 18. This disease can also be fatal but is not considered as serious as Tay Sachs. Santorum is a very conservative politician who believes abortion should be illegal. Santorum campaigns on a platform that all life is precious including children with severe disabilities...
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...Question 3: Assess the arguments for and against abortion, giving consideration to both medical and ethical issues. Abortion is defined as the termination of a pregnancy by the removal or expulsion of a foetus or embryo from the uterus, resulting in or caused by its death. It is derived from the Latin word ‘aboriri’ that means ‘to fail to be born’. The abortion argument is one of the most complex, controversial and highly charged topics in our society today. Those against abortion view it as the murder of a living human being, whilst its supporters take on the view that the choice of abortion lies with the woman, the foetus is not considered a human life but only a ‘tissue’ hence it is under the control of the mother and she should be allowed to make her decision at any point in her pregnancy without any resistance. On the other hand you have the ‘middle ground’ supporters who take on the moderate view in terms of the trauma the whole experience does to the woman who makes the life altering decision to consider or take abortion as an option, they are for restrictions on abortion to some extent however not banning the option entirely. Overall, this essay will serve to give an overview of the main abortion arguments, discussing, analyzing and trying to understand from each view. It will be looked at from a neutral perspective however no verdict will be made, as to attempt to derive the right answer for abortion will be difficult: the reason being that it is connected...
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...Chapter 11 An Argument that Abortion is Wrong In this essay, we see how Don Marquis argues against abortion by highlighting several different notions. The main crux of his argument however, is based on the Future Like Ours (FLO) theory, and Marquis uses this theory to prove that abortion, except in rare instances, is wrong. To begin his argument, Marquis first highlights that it is necessary for him to address that killing is, as an act, assumed to be wrong- without trying to explain why so. Further, Marquis also provides instances where abortion may be morally permissible- such as when it is affected during the first 14 days after conception, when pregnancy occurs as a result of rape, or when the life of the “mother” or the fetus is at risk should the birth occur. Under the stated assumption that killing is wrong because it “imposes on us the misfortune of a premature death”, Marquis tries to convince us that abortion is also wrong because it deprives the fetus of a future of value. Following his “considered judgment” argument, Marquis draws a parallel between an AIDS patient and a fetus to be aborted- with both subjects suffering a misfortune as they lose the ability to have a FLO. In his next argument, Marquis simply reiterates that killing is the “worst of crimes”, and as such, by killing the fetus and therefore depriving it of a FLO, we are doing something intrinsically wrong. In the FLO appeal to cases argument, killing a person who is presumed to have no...
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...Argumentative Essay: Should Abortion Be Illegal? The legalization of abortion has been an issue that has been argued both publically and privately for several decades. In all social circles this subject is very sensitive because of the moral and emotional factors involved. For the religious community, it’s a matter of morality and biblical law. For the lay person or non-religious community it’s a matter of choice. In the political arena it’s a matter of economics. The one factor that stands out the most about this issue is that it is of a personal nature. The question at hand is should we legalize abortion, and should women on government assistance be able to receive an abortion as the expense of tax payers? In order to respond to this question responsibly let’s take a look back history to get a better understanding of abortion. Abortion actually dates back to Biblical times when women consumed an herbal concoction that would induce a spontaneous expulsion of a fetus. Though this practice often resulted in not ending the pregnancy or in the death of the mother and the fetus it was documented (Fox, 2012). Throughout history there have been documented incidents of abortion. In fact, in early American history, abortion was illegal and the death of the fetus was considered to be murder. Since the great legal battle of Roe verses Wade (Profile, 1973), advocates of women’s rights have continued to fight for a woman’s right to choose. This brings Fox, P. (2012). About...
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...The issue of abortion is one that has been at the recent forefront of many political discussions in the United States and around the world. There are people spread across both sides of the argument whose opinions vary in intensity and depend on different sources of information to back up their points of view. For the purpose of this paper, abortion will be defined as the deliberate termination of human pregnancy. It is my opinion that abortion, completed early enough in a pregnancy, is not an unethical act and should not be considered to be a decision that is immoral. My argument is based on ideas that are rooted in both utilitarian and deontological ethics as I will show throughout the essay. One of the few religions to condone acts of abortion is Hinduism. This is not to say, however, that Hinduism is blindly accepting of all kinds of abortion. In Hinduism, the belief is that one should make a decision based on what kind of effect it will have on all those involved. This is a very utilitarian way of looking at abortion because it looks at the decision and determines which choice will cause the least amount of harm to the mother, father, fetus, and society (BBC, 2013). Traditionally in Hindu culture, when considering circumstances where abortion is a possible solution to a problem, it is usually found that the procedure is not the appropriate response to the situation and aborting the baby would have negative social and spiritual consequences. I believe this is important because...
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...Health Ethics Paper #1 Mary Pluski Case Abortion, which is the termination of pregnancy by the removal of an embryo or fetus, has had an extensive history of controversy. The controversy has been centered on whether or not abortion should be legalized. In Mary Pluski's case, I do not think it is morally wrong for her to want to have the abortion. She wants to have the abortion, because she's not ready to have any children. She was not having sex for the pleasure of it, she was raped and that is believed to be the cause of the pregnancy. I personally feel that a women should be allowed to choose if she wants to have an abortion or if she wants to keep the baby. I believe in pro-choice, which means that a woman should have complete control of her decision to either continue with the pregnancy or terminate the pregnancy. In the Mary Pluski Case, she was raped, became pregnant and does not want to have a baby. She is not ready to take care of a baby and she does not want to bring a baby into the world while she is not ready to make that change into her life. In some cases of rape, abortion can be seen as a method to free the woman of the pain and trauma the victim may have received. For plenty women, giving birth to a child that resulted from a rape can be just as brutal as the rape itself. I believe the ethical theory my argument reflects would be Act Utilitarianism. The person that may or may not have the abortion is making a decision for a certain reason....
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...Shannon Shull 1 Writing assignment 1 9-9-13 A Philosophical Argument on Forced Vaccines “A Philosophical Argument on Forced Vaccines” is an article written for infowars.com by a man named John Burke. Burke published this article on July 16, 2009, arguing that the medical field and doctors don’t always know what is best for anyone. He encourages the readers of this article to do their research about the good and the bad of the vaccines that the government makes them get. He is not writing to change their opinion on vaccinating their child; he just simply says there is a lot of research out there that most people don’t know The article was posted on www.infowars.com. Infowars homepage of Alex Jones, an American radio host, author, conspiracy theorist and documentary filmmaker. Jones has different articles published on his website that would make you believe that he is against the government and the requirements to vaccinate children. Burke’s audience seems to be geared towards those debating against if they should immunize their children. It all started when Burke was involved in a discussion with a friend about vaccines. The friend had a child who wasn’t up to date on their vaccines and the friend was debating on whether or not to get them. Without thinking about it Burke automatically was in favor of yes you should get the vaccines. After a few days Burke thought back on the conversation and was asking himself why he didn’t think more about the topic before...
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...argumentative essay is a very useful test of a student’s ability to think logically. Argue: v. 1. to persuade someone to do or not do something. 2. to give the reasons for your opinion, idea, belief, etc. Argumentative: adj. someone who is argumentative often argues or like arguing. Argument: n. a set of reasons that show that something is true or untrue, right or wrong etc. When you have an opinion and try to convince your listener or reader to accept your opinion, you are agreeing with or disagreeing with something. For example: In an everyday situation, you may try to convince a friend to go somewhere or in a composition or speech class, the instructor may make an assignment in which you must support or oppose the use of nuclear energy to produce electricity. If you agree or disagree on an issue, you will want your reader or listener to accept your point of view. There are a few types of argumentative compositions such as: 1. Advantages and disadvantages 2. Expressing opinions/providing solutions to problems 3. Expressing arguments for and against a topic 4. Compare and contrast something or somebody PURPOSE of ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAYS * An argument follows when two groups disagree about something. * People can have different opinions and can offer reasons in support of their arguments. However,...
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...Abortion Essay “It is a mistake to reject religious principles in favour of secular/ethical principles for guidance in medical ethics” Examine and comment on this claim with reference to the topic you have investigated (50 marks) Abortion is the deliberate termination of a pregnancy after the fertilisation of the human ovum and before birth. Abortion is debated because there are many different views with strong opinions and evidence for the pro-life and pro-choice argument. Pro-life is against abortion as they believe abortion should never be allowed and this is mostly religious people who believe with the pro-life argument, whereas pro-choice is where it is thought to be the mothers choice as it is her body so whatever she wants to happen to the baby can happen so the mother should always come before the foetus. Whether or not religious principles should be rejected in favour of non-religious principles is debated in Philosophy because there are a number of ethical issues which constantly surround this. In this essay I will comment on whether it is a mistake to favour non-religious beliefs over religious beliefs when looking at abortion, including those of Aristotle and John Paul II, and secular views which mean non-religious or spiritual views including those of Warren and Thompson. There are a number of types of abortion for example vacuum aspiration or suction termination which can only happen between the first 7 to 15 weeks of conception, this means that the foetus is...
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...The argument on whether abortion is morally permissible has been considered for years. Most philosophers incline to accept moral principle that it is always prima facie seriously wrong to end the life of a person in normal circumstances. The personhood of an embryo and foetus has somehow invoked another controversial issue on whether they are kind of beings, or persons, that it is seriously wrong, for any sake, to end their life. Both the anti-abortionist side and pro-choicers side can only give equally vague boundary on claiming that foetus is a person, or not so. However, as we will find out later in this essay, the problem of whether a foetus is a person, or whether a foetus has serious right to life, does not significantly affect the consideration of abortion under Thomson’s account. The argument of the personhood of foetus will just stay at a standoff if there is no clear definition or lists for what characteristics make a thing a person. When we draw line to represent the development of a human being from the state of conception to the point that a baby is born, it will be arbitrary to choose a point which the thing inside a mother is a person after that point and not a person before that point. Moreover, the opposite of abortion may suggest that a foetus, even at the moment of conception, is a person because of their potential future, meanwhile, the supporters of abortion may insist that a foetus has not yet become a person because it lacks of some characteristics that...
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