Sidney Callahan's Article: The Legalization Of Abortion?

Throughout the years, modern medical technology has resulted in the recent legalization of abortions throughout many countries in the world. However, the process of terminating a pregnancy has been around since the time women were able to have babies. Though the court has permitted selective abortion, many believe that it is murder and disagree with anyone with a “pro-choice” view. Sidney Callahan, the author of the article “Abortion and the Sexual Agenda” fights all points made by Harrison and Petchesky and believes pregnant women do not have the right to control another body. In a case study about a family who finds themselves unexpectedly pregnant with their third child, Callahan would support the pregnancy and agree with Bob Thompson in

In regards to the rape case study, Callahan would believe that Lisa should continue the pregnancy as the child is very developed at six months gestation, whereas Hursthouse would believe an abortion is not evil as there was no sexual consent, however, there is a moral failing. In the circumstances surrounding the Thompson’s, because her family is so supportive and she already knows about the intrinsic value of childbearing, I think abortion would be less morally justified. Furthermore, studies have been shown that parents of multiple children are more conscious of existence in earlier stages of pregnancy and, therefore, it would be more emotionally hard for Linda. Considering Lisa’s young age and lack of consent, I would believe that an abortion is justified in the rape

The pro-life feminist believes that the autonomy of one’s body does not generalize if a fetus is present. In the case study involving Bob and Linda Thompson, a married couple with two children who end up pregnant after the failure of an IUD, the pro-life husband is thrilled by the news and informs the children, whereas the wife wants an immediate abortion of the four-month-old fetus in order to continue her career. Callahan would agree with the husband and believe Linda should continue the pregnancy as the right to control her body does not give her the right to control the body of her child. This fetus is immature and powerless, and though it is not yet a person, it is developing into one. Callahan believes that “women can never achieve the fulfillment of feminist goals in a society permissive toward abortion,” (Callahan 161) and disagrees with the views of philosophers Harrison and Petchesky. Furthermore, though Linda believes that it is her body and she has control over what she does with it, Callahan disagrees as another body will result from this 266-day pregnancy, and the process is genetically ordered. The abortion of the fetus is not like an organ donation as the development of the fetus is a continuing process, and Callahan finds it hard to differentiate the point after conception where the immature life