...Cody Gut Dr. T. Nulty Philosophy 215 Introduction to Ethics April 12, 2012 Infanticide of Disabled Newborns Infanticide of a disabled newborn is the killing of a newborn baby who has been diagnosed with a disability. With the new technology that has been discovered in recent years newborns with disabilities can be kept alive through extraordinary lifesaving techniques. An example of this is newborns born with chronic cardiopulmonary disease which, “…is a disease that affects the normal functions of the heart and lungs that could disturb the complete physical, mental and social well being of individual”. (Violeta) Newborns born with this would not survive more then a few days without the extreme help of doctors and machines to keep the baby alive. Now what could happen is the newborn could be left alone and would die but not before sufficient suffering. Or the baby could be kept alive with machines that the doctors have, but the baby would also suffer and only be kept alive because of the machines. The third option is the baby could be killed quickly and painlessly, which would relieve suffering. The ethical issues that are involved in this case that are brought up by people are. 1. Nobody has the right to decide whether ones life is worth less than another’s. Thus meaning that one person cannot decide whether someone should live or die. 2. Everyone should be given a fighting chance to live. This means that maybe something miraculous happens and the baby pulls...
Words: 1334 - Pages: 6
...What is Morality Introduction to Philosophy American Intercontinental University David C. Koopmans September 23, 2012 Abstract This paper discusses whether infanticide is universally morally wrong, or morally right withing certain contexts. The focus of the paper is going to be that infanticide is universally morally wrong. Infanticide is the practice of killing a newborn baby that is practiced in many other cultures, but is deemed illegal in the United States. The question is, is this practice universally morally wrong, or is it morally right within certain contexts. Cultures exist that make having multiple children an extreme financial burden, or due to population control, illegal to have more than one child. Even within these contexts, does it make it morally right to practice infanticide? No, it does not! The practice of infanticide is universally morally wrong. Infanticide is practiced in several cultures, one of which is Pakistan. According to cultural relativism, this practice is deemed morally right. Cultural relativism deals with actions that are specific to a culture and the individuals within a specific culture. The beliefs and customs of a particular culture are relative to the individuals within that culture. What may be morally right in one culture may not be right in another (gotquestions.org, 2011). Relativism deals with the fact that individual societies may deem, for themselves, what is right or wrong. Since truth...
Words: 1527 - Pages: 7
...Acer | Gender Violence | A case study on female infanticide and foeticide in Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, India | | Peace and conflict studies | Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction 2 2.0 Theory 3 2.1 Galtung’s violence triangle and structural violence and cultural violence 3 2.2 Gender Theory 5 2.3 Human rights 7 2.4 Women’s rights 8 2.5 Consumerism 10 2.6 Conflict resolution conflict transformation 10 3.0 Female infanticide and foeticide—background and case study 11 4.0 Discussion 16 4.1 Galtung and the violence triangle 16 4.2 Cultural violence 17 4.3 Structural violence 17 4.3 Conflict resolution 20 4.4 Conflict transformation. 21 5.0 Conclusion 23 Bibliography 25 7.0 Appendix 28 1.0 Introduction In 1991, UNICF reported that, due to foeticide, as many as 40 or 50 million girls are missing from the Indian population – a number which constitutes about five percent of the total population. The 'missing girls' is a huge problem in India today – some villages does not even have women at all. (Subhra Singh, The Times of India feb. 8th 2011, from the cencus in 2001) Sex selection in India is at a growing rate, and according to the census held in 2001, the sex ratio (number of females per thousand males) shows that there are great varieties in the numbers – from the lowest, with 591 (Daman) to the highest, Pondicherry, which has 1,147 females per 1000 males. The average sex ratio for whole of India the same year was 927 to 1000...
Words: 9680 - Pages: 39
...Running Head: INFANTICIDE ACT Infanticide Act 1922 [Name of the Writer] [Name of the Institution] Infanticide Act 1922 Introduction: The term infanticide means murdering of a child under a year by his own mother. Infanticide covers a history longer than expected from human race which is understood as killing of unwanted children of different age groups by fathers and mothers, earlier than it was ever reported in front of legal authorities. It is advocated by the historians that killing of children known as infanticide was practiced more often before modernization and early social life. These periods were the one in parts of the world where social conditions of the world included women to be employed as servants, shame attached to the unwed mothers, no control over fertility and high infant mortality. After the 50s of the 16th century, the criminal activities performed by the poor, the sexual activities of women and the burden of financial support for illegal children all combined moved to prosecution for bastard acts, adultery and crimes of such charge to royal courts from churches. Several studies were conducted regarding the causes of deaths convicted by the mother till 1922, when it was medically observed as to how the psychology affects the mind of the mother to perform such crime. The first medically proved model was adopted in the Infanticide Act 1922 which states that the mother which gave birth to the child is not recovered fully from the psychological conditions...
Words: 3392 - Pages: 14
...ABSTRACT The dignity of women seems to be tarnished nowadays although the nation is experiencing the economic, productivity growth every year. The mentality of the people in Malaysia is still in doubt when the number of infanticide is still increasing every year. Infanticide is considered as a murder case since it involves an innocent life that easily had been eliminated without mercy. There are no excuses for these irresponsible parents to escape this action as they must be heavily punished. In fact, not only law yet every religion prohibit this kind of conduct, but still infanticide seems as just another crime in this globalization era. This paper aims to discuss about the law enforcement in reducing the number of infanticide in Malaysia. This paper analyses the provision of Section 318 of the Penal Code whether this Act is sufficient to punish the wrongdoer and any other solutions towards this cases. Besides, the role of Malaysia government in the enforcement of law and also how the authorities acts towards solving the cases of infanticide in Malaysia. Hence, the paper also analyses about the effects of law to the wrongdoers and given suggestions for further impacts, including Islamic viewpoints. 1. INTRODUCTION Infanticide can be defined as when any women by any willful act or omission causes the death of her newly-born child, but at the time of the act or omission she had not fully recovered from the effect of giving birth to such child, and by reason...
Words: 2861 - Pages: 12
... The National Right to Life Committee The topic I have chosen to inform you about is a pro-life organization, more specifically it is The National Right to Life. “Protecting Life in America Since 1968.” [i] It is the oldest and grandest base of all pro-life organizations. Founded in the summer of 1968, the main goal has always been to prevent abortion, infanticide, assisted suicide and euthanasia. The goal is accomplished through legislation and through providing education to the people who may be lacking knowledge of all that previously mentioned. What is abortion, infanticide, assisted suicide and euthanasia? An abortion is the termination of a pregnancy before the 'fetus' or unborn being can fully survive on its own being outside of its mother.[ii] It is commonly induced and therefore can no longer be called a miscarriage. In 1959, abortions were made legal so long as the reasons for it fell within regulations. Abortions are considered legal if done for the sake of the mother's mental or physical state/health, pregnancy has resulted due to rape or incest, and if there is a risk of fetal deformities. Infanticide[iii] is the purposeful death of a young child. More than usually the death is caused under the age of one year. This practice was very common in the past and although now it may be considered an immoral crime, it can still be seen in various cultures. Assisted suicide[iv] is classified as the voluntary termination of one's own life but it is an assisted death...
Words: 1096 - Pages: 5
...Important terms from sociology related to crime: 1. Aggression: it is hostile, injurious, or destructive intended behavior directed towards harming or injuring another person or persons. Aggression results from anger, frustration, or even provocation. It can be expressed physically or communicated verbally or non-verbally through negative body language. There are two forms of aggression, hostile aggression- aggression that stems from angry feelings example a child throws a temper tantrum after her mom refuses to buy a candy. Instrumental aggression- it is a form of aggression resulted to achieve a goal. Example two children fighting over the same toy and one of them is hitting the other to take the toy. http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/330/a/8/sociology___deviance_6_by_kanmuri_san-d33ofxl.png Citation: (Ritzer & Ryan, 2011, p. 9) 2. Capital punishment: it is a punishment of death for committing a serious crime. There are different methods of capital punishment like- disembowelment (example beheading ), electrocution (the electric chair), shooting, and also hanging, these are just a few ways, from which hanging is the most common form of death penalty. Capital punishment is legal in India. The most recent examples of death penalty in India being Ajmal kasab in 2012 and Afzal guru in 2013. Currently there are 135 countries that have abolished death penalty and around 62 countries including India that have retained...
Words: 1615 - Pages: 7
...common after childbirth and occur in eighty-percent of women, ranging from mood swings to depression, as their hormones are beginning to stabilize (Mental Health America.) The symptoms of the baby blues should only last a few weeks, when the symptoms exceed a few weeks is when the problem may be more severe. It is found that in ten to twenty percent of mothers, postpartum depression (PPD) will occur and is much more intense than the baby blues (Mental Health America.) PPD is one of the factors that can lead to neonaticide and infanticide. In the case of my friend, her boyfriend had attempted to plead insanity, but was not granted and received life in...
Words: 1571 - Pages: 7
...Abortion Abortion must be a legal and attainable procedure for women throughout the United States. Abortion has been legal in the United States for over twenty-three years. Abortion challenges the civil rights of the mother and the fetus which she bears. To deny abortion is denying the mother certain civil rights. Abortion is a safe procedure for women, and because abortion is their choice they will not be stuck with a hindrance on their life. During the past twenty-five years abortion has become one of the most debated controversies in the Unite States' history. There are pro-life people and pro-choice people. People who are pro-choice believe that women hold the right to abort a pregnancy, but people who are pro-life believe that abortion is wrong and unjust to the fetus. There are many reasons why women decide to have abortions. Some women have abortions because of health complications, some have marital problems, and some lack responsibility. Whatever the reasons a woman decides to have an abortion, it seems only justified that she should be able to make decisions in regards to her life and body. When pondering issues surrounding abortion, many questions come to mind. Is a fetus a human being? Is abortion physically and mentally safe for women? And finally, should abortion be legal? It is only after exploring these questions can a person justify their position on abortion. Abortion is defined by a decidedly objective source (the dictionary) as "a fatally premature...
Words: 916 - Pages: 4
...those issues, because I think, as a utilitarian philosopher rather than an expert in particular issues, I can make a contribution (Ethics Matter: A Conversation with Peter Singer, 2011). Peter Singer is known to be one of the most important supporters of Preference Utilitarianism, which in other words mean: “An action is right if it maximally furthers the interests of those affected by it” (Sloane, 1999, p. 53). Among his most controversial and best-known arguments are linked to the world poverty, animal rights, infanticide, abortion, and euthanasia. As a reason for becoming vegetarian and the notion of argument about animal rights was as Singer states an ordinary lunch with his friend who happened to be vegetarian and he presented to him the issue of factory farming ("Peter Singer '07: Animal Rights", 2011). His book Animal Liberation (1975) became extremely popular and his main argument that speciesism does not give humans the right to harm animals. Peter Singer states that “animal’s interest does not count or do not count very much” ("Peter Singer '07: Animal Rights", 2011). He used as comparison women rights and believes that by banning factory farming and experiments on animals we can lower...
Words: 1513 - Pages: 7
...INDIA INFO FROM ANOTHER STUDENT: WEEK 9 Discussion 1 India, a country rich in history, is a brilliant example of what Kashima (2001) defines as cultural dynamics, which is the phenomenon of cultural stability and change, in that parts of the culture are experiencing rapid change while others are staying the same, happen simultaneously. India is a collectivist culture which is experiencing a state of juxtaposition between East and West as it starts to grow economically and globally while it fights long entrenched cultural values that are in conflict with its stated values. It has both system oriented as well as a practice oriented culture(s) in that a third gender is allowed by law but homosexuality is illegal and female infanticide, domestic violence and Dowry Deaths still occur with high rates of frequency. While the country has, and is supposed to be supported by, a democratic constitution that claims to promote equality, it has a history and culture that practices the opposite that still lingers today. India, being a collectivist culture, has historically placed great emphasis on controlling one's emotions and anger in public; however, in a study done by Raval, Raval & Becker, 2012 found that of the juveniles convicted of violent crimes, the father displayed anger and hit family members. This theme of the social non acceptance of openly displaying anger but turning a blind eye towards domestic violence can also be seen in the common terminology “Dowery Deaths”...
Words: 710 - Pages: 3
...The one-child policy is the one-child limitation in the population control policy of the People's Republic of China. The Chinese government refers to it under the official translation of family planning policy. It officially restricts married, urban couples to having only one child, while allowing exemptions for several cases, including rural couples, ethnic minorities, and parents without any siblings themselves. A spokesperson of the Committee on the One-Child Policy has said that approximately 35.9% of China's population is currently subject to the one-child restriction. The Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau are completely exempt from the policy. Also exempt from this law are foreigners living in China. This policy was introduced in 1978 and initially applied to first-born children in the year of 1979. It was created by the Chinese government to alleviate social, economic, and environmental problems in China, and authorities claim that the policy has prevented between 250 and 300 million births from its implementation until 2000, The policy is controversial both within and outside China because of the manner in which the policy has been implemented, and because of concerns about negative social consequences. The policy has been implicated in an increase in forced abortions, of female births, and has been suggested as a possible cause behind China's gender imbalance. Nonetheless, a 2008 survey undertaken by the Pew Research Center reported that 76% of the...
Words: 3941 - Pages: 16
...Singer is in favor of infanticide as an option for parents of disabled newborns, since disabled people do have a generally harder life than abled bodied people. Singer argues, “Some children with spina bifida have had forty major operations before they reach their teenage years” (Singer 5). This would clearly be traumatic to any child, and from the social model viewpoint this suffering cannot be blamed on society, but the physical impairment itself. Singer believes infanticide is the best way to help the disabled infant who in his opinion will not live a happy life, and society who will not be burdened with a non contributing and unproductive member. He argues that since people generally accept aborting fetuses that have been screened and have detected issues, they should accept infanticide since babies have the same level of consciousness as fetuses and after birth the parents have more information than they had with the fetus. Harriet McBryde-Johnson, a wheelchair bound lawyer sees Singer’s ideas as completely misguided, even though she recognizes in his reasoning, what he says is logical. She meets and discusses ideas about society’s view on...
Words: 1554 - Pages: 7
...Lindsey Momberg Mrs. Zipp United States History 2/3/2015 Maturing Colonies The Maturing Colonies began in the 18th century. The population effected the country and the men took care of the land while immigrants brought many skills to the economy. The property law was in effect and The population effected the country as a whole. The larger families are what expanded most of the population, and the life expectancy grew. Benjamin Franklin1 was the 10th child in his family. John Marshall, who was to become the greatest Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, had 14 brothers and sisters. The life expectancy of people who lived in the northern colonies was higher than those in the southern colonies. Diseases killed many but those who survived lived a long life. Men were likely to live longer than married women. This was because of the many dangers of childbirth. The puerperal fever as going around and no one expected it to hit them. It was caused by not washing the germs off your hands and staying sanitary. Most of the Indian slaves passed directly after going to work on the plantation. No growth occurred in the black population because of this. Many famous people were a part of the population. The property was owned by the men and they took care of the land unless they had slaves. The farmers owned one or a few black “servants.” Dutch wives owned the property jointly with their husbands. If the wife passed, she would inherited the land. Others had a coverture where the eldest...
Words: 882 - Pages: 4
...Mashell Chapeyama Zimbabwe This week we looked at the relationship between family planning, life expectancy and economic growth. Generally, most people and organizations concur that there is a relationship among these variables. Birth control has an input in the rate of population growth. The level of population in the world or in a country seems to impact on economic growth and the level of the standard of living f the people. Let us look at the question of the relationship between family planning and population growth. The more the people practice family planning the more likely that the population will stabilize in the long run. The population may also grow at a decreased rate. There is no question on the fact that family planning has assisted in controlling the rate of population growth the world over. In most countries, where family planning has been practiced the rate of population growth is lower than in countries where the issue of family planning is not wide spread. In most developed countries where family planning is practiced at a larger scale, the rate of population growth is lower than in some developing countries where there is little family planning. Let us shift attention to the relationship between population growth and economic development. Some economists have found a relationship between the rate of population growth and economic growth. They have established that countries with low rate of population growth have realized a better rate of...
Words: 1126 - Pages: 5
