...Despite the lack of consensus among the science community and the religious aspects associated such as the ‘at conception theory’ (Butler 2005) and the ensoulment theory (Zindani 2000), the ‘brain life’ theory seems to be the most logical. If we entrust doctors and practising physicians to determine when a life has ended, as expressed by the result of no electroencephalograph (EEG) waves being produced by the brain, or ‘brain death’ (Goldenring 1985), then it is only fitting that doctors and practising physicians should determine when a life has begun by the result of EEG waves being present at the twenty-second to the twenty-fourth weeks of gestation period (Scott 1976). Furthermore, since there has been no scientific evidence to refute this theory, I believe that it is the most viable and logical reasoning to distinguish when a life form is considered...
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...‘’is it a mistake to reject religious principles in favour of secular ethics principles for guidance in terms of medical ethics?’’ examine and comment on this claim with reference to the topic you have investigated. The topic that I have chosen to investigate is Abortion. Abortion is the premature termination of a pregnancy and foetus. There are two types of Abortion one being natural and procured. A natural Abortion happen without any human interference and are called miscarriages. On the other hand, Procured Abortions come about through the use of contraceptive or medical procedures. There are a number of methods used to commit an abortion. One method of abortion is an early medical abortion which involves taking two pills, which happens up to nine weeks of pregnancy. Another method of abortion is a suction termination from 7 to 15 weeks of pregnancy which uses a gentle suction to remove the foetus from the womb likewise there is a surgical dilation and evacuation from 15 weeks of pregnancy and finally a late abortion from 20-24 weeks. Pro-Choice supporters think that Abortion is acceptable as it is the right of the mother to do what she wants. On the other hand, Pro-Life supporters think the opposite and prioritise the rights of the Foetus, as they see the undeveloped potential of each individual foetus and say that every foetus has the potential to grow into a great person, and abortions mean that it can never happen. Abortion is a very controversial topic as religious...
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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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...Catholics View on Abortion It is not right to destroy a human at any stage of life, whether it is a single cell, or a fetus, an infant, or an octogenarian. These are all natural stages of human development, but science establishes the beginning of human life at conception. From the moment of conception, a distinct human being is present. Abortion, therefore, kills a developing human being. This is a fact, not a moral or religious assertion. After the birth of a human being, our society has laws in place to protect it from murder. Thus, it would seem that we have chosen birth as the moment after which the laws of murder apply to a human being. If the process of birth is important enough to be the event that bestows on a human being its legal rights, it is entirely logical to ban a procedure that so effectively blurs the legal line between murder and abortion -- between the “born” and the “unborn.” Abortion is murder no matter what kind of laws the Government makes. In 1973 the United States Supreme Court made a decision on the case of Roe vs. Wade, the Court found that a woman had the right to choose whether or not to abort a pregnancy within certain constraints. However, according to the Court if a fetus were a person, abortion would be found impermissible. While this decision made an attempt at establishing a legal precedent, from a moral and religious standpoint, it is wrong. Upon the moment of conception, the human embryo is a person; and as a result, the fetus...
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..."Describe and evaluate a significant moral controversy in medical ethics, with reference to the topic which you have investigated” [50 Marks] Abortion is the deliberate expulsion of a foetus in order to terminate a pregnancy so that a woman does not give birth to a child. The issue of abortion has raised a serious amount of controversy in the medical and religious world which continues to create conflict to this day and age. There are two ways of which a pregnancy can be terminated which are widely known and carried out from a day to day basis, the treatments vary on how far along the women is which generally becomes more of an issue the further along they are when they decide to have an abortion as it only legal to have an abortion within 24 weeks of pregnancy before it is deemed to be too late. One type of abortion consists of taking a pill which is also referred to as a medical abortion which has a different action dependant on what time they decide to have the abortion, if the women if earlier than 9 weeks pregnant the pill will work as an agent of causing the woman to have an early miscarriage. A woman who is further along than 9 weeks takes a pill that terminates the pregnancy by means of causing the womb to contract and push out the unborn child but this has to happen before 24 weeks or it is deemed illegal. The second and more commonly known method of abortion is what is known as surgical abortion, just like the medical abortion it has two different treatments dependant...
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...Abortion Abortion has been a long standing social problem leading to political debate which has only resulted in a standstill with no progress towards a solution. For those who are for abortion say that the idea of individuality and human life is not quite the same. Idea of a human life has come from conception. Simultaneously on the other hand, fertilized eggs used for in vitro fertilization are also human lives but eggs unable to implant are routinely thrown away. Those who are against abortion say that abortion is badly affecting our society today. People in huge numbers feel it to be evil as it kills an unborn for no reason. Conversely, others believe that it is a woman’s legal right to choose abortion especially in case of incest, rape, or health issues threatening life of a mother. A couple decades ago, when abortion was illegal, thousands of women died because they did not want to bear an infant and attempted to terminate the child's life by themselves or with an unprofessional approach. After 1973's Supreme Court decision, which allowed women to have the choice to abortion, thousands of women were saved. Abortion can save thousands of lives of women and thus, should remain legal in the United States. Imagine you have a balance beam. On one side you have the physical life of an infant and on the other you have the mental and emotional life of a mother and her unwanted child. Which side can we, as civil humans, claim as more valuable? Up to this current day, abortion...
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...Examine and comment on the view that only a full human person is deserving of moral rights, with reference to the topic you have investigated The term personhood is often used to describe the point when life becomes an individual human that is entitled to rights. A person is a being that has certain qualities or abilities establishing personhood, which is otherwise defined by different authors in different scriptures and by different cultures. For a person to have rights means that they have a voice. Abortion is a controversial subject and to this day is still argued on whether or not it’s morally right to terminate pregnancy. Some people believe that abortion is right if the mother’s life is at risk or if there is a range of circumstance like the foetus becoming handicapped and others claim that it isn’t morally right no matter the situation because the bible forbids murder ‘Thou shalt not kill’ (10 commandments). Majority of people strongly agree that it is wrong to kill a person which is usually called a murder/homicide. Though others that oppose abortion generally try to argue that the foetus/embryo is in fact a human person. But how can one decide if human life is the same as a human person or in fact a human at all? Well a human is thought to be a man, woman, or child of the species Homo sapiens, distinguished from other animals by superior mental development, power of coherent speech, and upright posture. A person is an individual with a personality. Human life is...
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...A couple decades ago, when abortion was illegal, thousands of women died because they did not want to bear an infant and attempted to terminate the child's life by themselves or with an unprofessional approach. After 1973's Supreme Court decision, which allowed women to have the choice to abortion, thousands of women were saved. Abortion can save thousands of lives of women and thus, should remain legal in the United States. Imagine you have a balance beam. On one side you have the physical life of an infant and on the other you have the mental and emotional life of a mother and her unwanted child. Which side can we, as civil humans, claim as more valuable? Up to this current day, abortion has become an exigent issue that faces everyone nationwide. As a moral and ethical issue, abortion is a dilemma for society. Abortion was illegal before the 1973 Supreme Court decision in the trial of Roe v. Wade, but now that abortion is legitimate, women have the freedom and the choice to live their life the way they want to. Albeit, abortion is criticized by religious sects in America and some of the public, the practice of abortion should remain legal in the U.S. because it allows a woman to choose her destiny and prevents unwanted children. Definitions are essential to define in this issue. Abortion is the forcible removal of a developing baby from the womb of his or her mother, using surgical, mechanical, or chemical means. Medical definition holds that abortion is any termination...
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...Wellington College, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies Religious Studies AS Level Edexcel Unit 2: Investigations Abortion A study guide and anthology Contents Introduction A modern controversy: the case of George Tiller (BBC) p. 3 Definitions and technical language p. 6 Methods used p. 7 Family Planning Association fact sheet p. 8 Religion and the Sanctity of Life The Sanctity of Life p. 12 A critique of the Sanctity of Life: Jonathan Glover p. 14 Christian perspectives: Methodists and Catholics p. 16 ‘Ensoulment’, soul, and the sacredness of life p. 18 Religious views in conflict: liberalism and conservatism p. 19 Philosophical Problems in Abortion An argument against abortion p. 20 Personhood p. 21 A ‘person’ as rational and self-conscious: Peter Singer p. 24 Moral rights: the foetus and the mother p. 26 A woman’s right to an abortion: Judith Jarvis Thomson p. 28 ‘Why abortion is immoral’: Don Marquis p. 29 Anthology of Texts Unit 2 model answers: ethics (Edexcel) ‘Why abortion challenges us all’: Rowan Williams ‘Contraception and abortion within Protestant Christianity’: Gloria Albrecht ‘Virtue theory and abortion’: Rosalind Hursthouse Appendix: sample exam questions and level descriptors Notes Pages A Modern Controversy: the Case of George Tiller Profile: George Tiller (2009) To some anti-abortionists George Tiller, who...
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...Buddha Penganut agama Buddha dijangka untuk mengambil tanggungjawab penuh segala apa yang mereka lakukan dan akibat yang berikut. Mengikuti konsep Karma, perbuatan yang baik akan membawa kesan baik manakala perbuatan yang jahat akan membawa padah. Jika hendak mendapat karma yang baik, maka perlulah mematuhi lima rukun moral agama Buddha (Panca Sila) iaitu jangan membunuh, jangan mencuri, jangan berzina, jangan berbohong, dan jangan mengambil dadah atau arak yang boleh mengelirukan akal. Pengguguran bayi ialah salah satu kesalahan yang serius dalam peraturan atau rukun agama Buddha, kerana salah satu nilai dari lima rukun moral agama Buddha (Panca Sila) ialah jangan membunuh, dan dalam agama Buddha, pengguguran adalah sama dengan membunuh. Menurut ajaran Buddha, lima syarat-syarat mesti hadir untuk membentuk suatu perbuatan membunuh: 1. perkara yang dibunuh mesti menjadi makhluk yang hidup 2. anda, pembunuh, mesti tahu atau sedar bahawa ia adalah makhluk yang hidup 3. anda mesti mempunyai niat untuk membunuh 4. mesti ada satu usaha untuk membunuh 5. Akhirnya, dibunuh kerana tindakan itu Terdapat kes-kes yang di mana tidak mempunyai pengguguran boleh menyebabkan kelahiran kanak-kanak dengan keadaan perubatan yang menyebabkan ia menderita. Tradisional pemikiran Buddha tidak berurusan dengan kes-kes ini, tetapi ia telah dibahaskan oleh sesetengah penganut Buddha bahawa jika kanak-kanak itu akan cacat dengan begitu teruk...
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...“The wisdom of religious teachings cannot be ignored when making decisions on medical ethics.” The most important issue to consider when evaluating the ethical issue of abortion is the concept of sanctity of life which holds the idea that all life is precious and sacred therefore all life must be equally valued and respected. Natural Christian theologists Aquinas and Aristotle along with Schweitzer believe that as all life has the same value we shouldn’t be allowed to make decisions regarding abortion and we should let all forms of life continue to live regardless of any circumstances. However, philosophers such as Warren, Thomson and Glover argue that people have the right to decide on medical ethics as it is revolved around them (personalism) they believe that people should consider the embryo or foetus isn’t actually a person, therefore we have the authority over them and can agree on what we feel is the right thing to do with it. I disagree with this claim because as people we are exposed to many ethical situations which can have a great effect on us and we should have the first and strongest opinions on what we feel about situations even if this means not following religious principles such as the sanctity of life. The idea of potentiality is based on the pre- embryo has a potential to be human, then it should be given all the significance and respect of a person. This derives from the idea that all life has intrinsic value and people making an ethical decision on terminating...
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..."A Grave Distraction of Life" I - Introduction As our professor gave us the topic we will research about, it seems like we are given an opportunity to know the reasons, consequences and other possible things why some other women choose to do it instead of doing the right things and is abortion an immoral or moral ?. It challenges us and it makes us eager to know more about the so-called "Abortion". Before we started to do the research, we talked and shared our thoughts and little knowledge about abortion and somehow it helps and motivates us to continue studying it. As we go through, we think that it’s easy and enough to just write down all the information we have by ourselves and just simply rely it to the internet and copy but were wrong it’s very difficult because the information that we have are not really the definition but rather a common meaning of abortion, we need to understand every unfamiliar word we encounter and read other references. Despite of all circumstances, we are able to discover, learn and realize a lot of things. Abortion is really a grave distraction of life it can ruin not just our sole life but also those people who are concern and love us unconditionally, it will never be a solution to a problem but rather you are making a mortal sin and it makes the situation more complicated. Abortion is also called the termination of pregnancy it is the expulsion of human fetus or innocent person. It is one of the most common problems in this world...
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...The medical ethics topic that I have researched is the issue of abortion. Abortion is the deliberate termination of a pregnancy. In the UK, every year around 200,000 women abort unwanted pregnancy. Abortion was legalised in the UK in 1967 through the Abortion Act which allows women to have a free abortion on the NHS if signed off by two doctors. It is a highly controversial issue due to many people showing that it is highly necessary but others say that it’s too easy to have. It was legalised to avoid issues such as back street abortions from occurring as many women were killed or severely injured by them. There are three main methods which are used to abort a foetus; an early medical abortion which can be used up to twelve weeks of pregnancy, vacuum aspiration which is used between seven and fifteen weeks of pregnancy and surgical dilation and evacuation which is used from fifteen weeks of pregnancy. Central to the theological debate are the different views as to when life begins, whether abortion is murder or should it just be seen as another form of birth control? Roman Catholics believe that life begins at the point of conception and preserving life is a ‘primary precept’ whereas the Islamic view is that life begins at 120 days of gestation. These different viewpoints show that abortion is even controversial within different religions. Another clear point of controversy withinthe topic is whether abortion is classified as murder. Albert Schweitzer developed the idea of...
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...Embryonic Stem Cell Research Almost everyone in the world knows someone who has suffered because of disease. All people whose lives have been devastated by disease have asked or hoped for a cure. What everyone should know is that a cure is possible, but some beliefs are stopping cures from being found. Embryonic stem cell research could provide solutions to medical illnesses that scientists and doctors have been searching for for years. However, certain belief systems argue that an embryo is a person, and destroying an embryo for research is murder. The essential question concerning stem cell research is summed up by this quote from President Bush, “"As I thought through this issue I kept returning to two fundamental questions," Bush stated in an address to the nation. "First, are these frozen embryos human life and therefore something precious to be protected? And second, if they're going to be destroyed anyway, shouldn't they be used for a greater good, for research that has the potential to save and improve other lives?"” (Update: Stem Cell Research). Embryonic stem cell research is a valid, ethical form of medical research that the United States should fund because it has the potential to cure many diseases, an embryo is not equivalent to a human being, the embryos used will be destroyed even without the research, and the United States will fall behind other nations in biomedical research progress. There are many medical problems that can be solved through stem cell...
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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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