The Ethical Dilemm The Ethical Dilemma Of Abortion

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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.” (Biomedical Ethics 434) 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 one 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?” (434) 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. Some people define the essence of a person from 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 or not. This becomes even more complicated when one takes into account potentiality. Raising the question of whether...

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... of a person outweigh the rights of a non person? Does the right of a mother’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 public. 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. 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 solid 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 good decision if we were faced with this problem in our own lives.

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