Ethical Dilemmas Surrounding Abortion In our society, there are many ethical dilemmas that we are faced with that are virtually impossible to solve. One of the most difficult and controversial issues that we are faced with is abortion. There are many strong arguments both for and against the right to have an abortion which are so complicated that it becomes impossible to resolve. The complexity of this issue lies in the different aspects of the argument. The essence of a person, rights, and who is entitled to these rights, are a few of the many aspects which are very difficult to define. There are also issues of what circumstances would justify abortion. Because the issue of abortion is virtually impossible to solve, all one can hope to do is understand the different aspects of the argument so that if he or she is faced with that issue in their own lives, they would be able to make educated and thoughtful decisions in dealing with it. The definition of a person is an aspect of the abortion issue which raises some very difficult questions. Is an unborn baby a person? When does the unborn baby become a person? This is a difficult question because in order for one to answer it, he must define the essence of a person. When describing the essence of something, one needs to describe the necessary and sufficient conditions of that thing. So how does one define the essence of a person? Kant describes a person as a rational being. Some people define the essence of a person from more of a biological standpoint. Nevertheless, defining the essence of a person is a very difficult thing for a group of people to agree on. One’s own definition of a person would most likely greatly impact his opinion on whether abortion is morally justified ... ... middle of paper ... ...ther’s sovereignty over her body outweigh the right of an unborn child to live. The answers to these questions are very diverse as a result of the diversity of the American society. With the issue of abortion, one’s attitude toward it is going to be based on many things such as religious background and personal morals. There is no black and white answer to the abortion issue. Luckily we live in a country where we are able to decide for ourselves whether something is morally right or wrong. Thus, ultimately, the choice is ours. As with the many other ethical issues which we are faced with in our society, it is hard to come to a concrete answer until we are personally faced with that issue. All we can do is make an effort to know all of the aspects which are involved so that we may be able to make a sound decision if we were faced with this problem in our own lives.
The current issues concerning a woman’s right to an abortion include the debates between pro-life and pro-choice groups that promote either restrictions or extensions to a woman’s ability to receive abortions respectively, along with debate about the role that the government should play in the process of limiting or extending rights. Pro-life groups argue many points against abortion including the beliefs that life begins at conception, adoption is a viable alternative to abortion, the procedures sometimes cause medical complications, a...
Abortion is a controversial issue in the United States and internationally even when it is legalized. Though women in the United States are able to receive abortions nurses still have many concerns about the ethical issues surrounding abortion. One of the biggest ethical dilemmas is whether the nurse’s role as a caregiver extends to the fetus. This paper will explore the issues faced by nurses who believe they should care for the fetus. If the definition of a patient includes the fetus then providing abortions is contrary to the nurse’s role as caregiver; however, the mother is definitely a patient and must be cared for as well. It is the nurse’s responsibility to support the woman’s decision so that she may obtain an abortion safely. Nurses who put the life of the fetus first are allowed to refuse to participate in an abortion, but this may affect the way women receive nursing care.
Although the pro-life advocates make an argument that seems reasonable, what they are not stating is that under law the woman has the right to privacy, freedom, and the right to choose what actions happens to her body. The woman has control to do what ever she likes to her own personal body. Therefore, if a woman chooses to have an abortion, she may be able to in the first trimester of her pregnancy only. The developi...
The pro-choice and pro-life debate has been going on for years and is much of a controversial problem in society. Don Marquis, author of Why Abortion is Immoral, argues against abortion and speaks to the reader in terms of the basic feature of why killing is wrong which applies to a fetus based on personhood. Marquis starts with an opening question to figure out on fundamental grounds why killing is presumptively wrong. Normally, one would conclude that killing is wrong based on two reasons. The first reason is destroying a human life is wrong. Although this is supported by endless examples, it entails too many properties that can fall under this category. This factor shows that even cancer cells of a human being should not be harmed or killed since it is a bacterium that is both living and human. The second reason individuals think killing is wrong is because taking away ones personhood is wrong. Personhood is a narrow term that describes a person as having rational thought, feelings, desires, goals and dreams. This theory discredits infants and mentally ill and disabled individuals given that they do not possess these cognitive processes, thus killing these individuals is permissible. Both stances are problematic. This concludes that killing is wrong because it destroys a human life and because taking away ones personhood is wrong, yet it does not lead individuals to become anti-abortionists. One needs to dig deeper into the issue of why it is wrong to kill.
Abortion is a controversial subject in today’s world. One side believes that taking away the right to have an abortion is taking away the rights of the mother. On the other hand people view abortion as the innocent killing of a human being. (p.31OpposingViewpoints) The Roe vs. Wade trial declared the procedure a “fundamental right” on Jan. 22 1973(p.7RoeW.Wade)The mother has the right to choose what is best for her baby. Abortion is justified because it could be in the family’s best interest (p.103OpposingViewpoints). We can all agree that no women should be forced to be a mother.
It is almost unanimously agreed upon that the right to life is the most important and sacred right possessed by human beings. With this being said, it comes as no surprise that there are few issues that are more contentious than abortion. Some consider the process of abortion as immoral and consisting of the deprivation of one’s right to life. Others, on the opposite end of the spectrum, see abortion as a liberty and a simple exercise of the right to the freedom of choice.
To define abortion as an ethically wrong practice it is important to define whether a fetus is a person. If a fetus is a person then it is ethically wrong to kill the fetus and take away the life of an innocent. Many people do define a fetus as a person because it is a unique individual with a unique genetic code hence taking away the life of the fe...
In the 1974 ‘Declaration on Procured Abortion’, the Vatican acknowledged that it does not actually know when the foetus becomes a person. Neither St. Augustine nor St. Thomas Aquinas considered the foetus in the early stages of pregnancy to be a person and these men are two of the most important theologians in the Catholic tradition.
When reviewing a number of sensitive issues that challenge our moral and ethical reasoning, the morality and ethics surrounding the concept of abortion are both highly debatable and extremely divisive. The concept of abortion creates a significant moral dilemma since moral justification can be argued from both proponents and detractors of the concept of abortion. In the following analysis, I will provide a view of abortion from three ethical points of view; deontological, consequentialist, and virtue ethics. These points of view will utilize information defining the different aspects and terms associated with the abortion discussion, as well as references to laws and situations. Before analyzing the ethical points of view, it is important to
Abortion means ending a pregnancy before the fetus (unborn child) can live independently outside the mother. Abortion act that is caused deliberately in order to end the pregnancy. Deciding to continue your pregnancy or end it is very personal. Sometimes counseling may help one on deciding what is best. If one is comfortable, the person can start by talking with the doctor perhaps commence a family planning clinics session that can also offer counseling to deciding the decision that is best, to keep the pregnancy or go for abortion. One may sometimes want to talk with someone close who understands how pregnancy and raising a child would affect life. However, legal protection of access to abortion has been brought into some countries where abortion is legal. These laws typically seek to protect abortion clinics from
There are moral and ethical issues that stem from unplanned and unwanted pregnancy which leads to abortion. Unfortunately abortion is not a topic generally discussed as it does have a negative stigma, socially, culturally, political and religiously therefore there is usually a silence in the matter. With this controversial subject there is a lot of debate on the legality of the abortion and if the foetus has a legal status. Should pregnancy be viewed as part of the women’s body or a separate individual with rights even though the foetus has no say in the matter. Disabilities can impact not only the family, and the families financially but it can also have a negative impact on the long-term economic costs which would have to support the well-being
2). On the other hand, Judeo-Christian tenets limit individualism and promote values which “oppose human tampering with natural process...[and advocate for the] sacredness of human life” (Tamney, Johnson, & Burton, 1992, p. 3). Ultimately, at the heart of this contentious argument is whether a fetus is or is not a person. Proponents of abortion define a fetus as a nonperson and thus argue in favor of a woman’s right to choose, as well as the right to use her own body and she deems fit (Goldberg, 1997). Conversely, opponents define a fetus as a person and argue that the fetus’ rights are inviolable and would supersede the women’s right to do with her body as she pleases. Despite the merits of each argument, one can assert that these contentions are philosophical and limited in their intention to persuade anyone who has not already made a determination. Therefore, in order to make an informed decision and to determine the merits of abortion, it is more advisable to pursue scientific
The issue of abortion has long been a controversial one. There are people either for abortion or against abortion. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, “abortion is a medical procedure used to end a pregnancy and cause the death of the fetus.” Even though, a person might be unprepared for the responsibilities of having a child, an abortion is unethical because it leads to possible psychological complications and possible physical consequences with the mother. Abortion may seem like the easy way out, but there are a lot of unanswered questions for a woman who want an abortion. Having an abortion can cause many problems for women who chose to get one.Health Science researchers Curley and Johnston reports, “All who had abortions reported
Abortion is an issue of competing rights between women and a non-autonomous entity, or babies if you will. Some believe there is never any good reason to have an abortion. Others think there are exceptions that make abortion justifiable such as rape, incest, unhealthy, or high-risk pregnancies in which the woman’s health in on danger. Others think abortion is never justifiable in any situation. This debate on whether the rights of an non-autonomous, unconscious entity outweigh that of a woman is simple, the woman’s rights are always more important since the unborn are not protected under the law. There are a number of reasons that abortion should remain legal. One of those reasons being that denying access to abortion services endangers women’s
Abortion is one of the most, if not the most controversial issue around the world between genders, classes, religions, races and more. The true definition of abortion is the premature exit of a fetus from the uterus. It ends the pregnancy before the fetus is able to live outside of the mother and fully develop. People have pondered over the true meaning of what abortion is and if it should be morally acceptable in society today. People have different opinions over the topic, making it a general debate. Many factors are taken in to account regarding abortions, ultimately giving three common views created by three famous philosophers.