The Abortion Debate

The Abortion Debate

There are few issues that can cause as many heated and sometimes, irrational, debates than that of abortion. The issue strikes at the very heart of an individual's religious and philosophical beliefs. Does a woman have the right to terminate a pregnancy? Is it moral to do so in any circumstance? Is a fetus a living human being? The debate has raged for nearly thirty years and there does not seem to be any end to the controversy that often results in violence. Irrational individuals who have committed murder want to make their beliefs heard and followed.

In response to the question, some people have resulted to using qualifiers: "no, abortion is not moral except if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest" is one response heard, in fact, some state laws contain this condition. A very large and strong contingent of people say a very loud and aggressive "no, abortion is not moral, not under any circumstance" and at least as many say a very loud aggressive "yes, abortion is moral; it is the woman's choice regarding her own body." The issue of abortion is filled with emotion.

Despite the eloquent arguments and the seemingly reasonable reasons supporting abortion, abortion is not moral. It is taking the life of a living being and that can never be considered a moral act. There is more and more support for this opinion. As the Roe v Wade decision reached its 25th anniversary, in fact, there was a growing sentiment in this country that abortion is murder. Perhaps this swell of support against abortion is due to the realization that legal abortion has prohibited 35 million humans from being born (First Things, 1998).

In her article, A Defense of Abortion, Judith Jarvis Thomson offered a number of re...

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...s not capable of defending itself, others must help; it is like fighting for the underdog. The fetus is the underdog that must be protected against all forms of damage and ultimately death.

Bibliography:

Cornell, Professor Drucilla. "Abortion." Boston Review Forum, (1996): at http://www-polisci.mit.edu/BostonReview/BR20.4/Cornell.html

Dworkin, Ronald. Life's Dominion (New York: Vintage Books 1994).

Fung, Archon. "Making Rights Real: Roe's Impact on Abortion Access." Politics and Society, (1993): v21, n4.

Pope John Paul II. The Gospel of Life [Evangelium Vitae]. (New York: Random House 1995).

Thomson, Judith Jarvis. "A Defense of Abortion." In Social and Personal Ethics, ed. by William H. Shaw. (Wadsworth Publishing Company 1996).

Thomson, Judith Jarvis. "Abortion." Boston Review, (1997): at http://www-polisci.mit.edu/BostonReview/BR20.3/thomson.html