Opinions range from the belief that the fetus is a human being with full moral status and rights from conception to the belief that a fetus has no rights, even if it is human. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the ethics of abortion. She addresses the ethics of abortion something those who. Exploring moral choices in childbearing, routledge, 2016, 157pp. Womens rights, human life, and the question of justice, edition 2. The ethics of abortion womens rights, human life, and. Decamp professor of bioethics at princeton university, and a laureate professor at the centre for applied philosophy and public ethics at the university of melbourne.
In light of this recent legislative activity, the political intensity of the subject, and the complex moral and legal questions surrounding it, i took the advice of a few readers and put together this entry for the philosophers on series on the ethics and politics of abortion. Reproductive autonomy and the ethics of abortion journal of. This powerful collection of essays gained instant recognition as one of the first attempts to present both sides of the abortion debate in the words of leading proponents. The central moral aspect concerns whether there is any morally relevant point during the biological process of the development of the fetus from its beginning as a unicellular zygote to birth itself that may justify not having an abortion after that point.
Comprehensive and balanced, this new third edition again make. Sep 07, 2006 the abortion debate asks whether it can be morally right to terminate a pregnancy before normal childbirth. It also provides several nontheological justifications for appealing to reason rather than religious belief, this book is the most comprehensive case against the choice of abortion yet published. Helen watt, the ethics of pregnancy, abortion and childbirth. Abortion and virtue ethics by mathew lu introduction my goal here is to consider what contemporary virtue ethics can say about the problem of abortion. Imporant note which is why its at the top not the bottom may 2019 since writing i have discovered the born alive bill was about nonviable infants. The moral status of chimeras, cyborgs, robots and other autonomous entities. The ethics of abortion routledge annals of bioethics. Presenting a balance between ethical concepts, views and arguments, a critical introduction to the ethics of abortion is an uptodate introduction to the choice of abortion illustrating the importance of evidence, clear thinking and good arguments for supporting ones ethical beliefs. A critical introduction to the ethics of abortion addresses some of the most. The abortion controversy prolife prochoice arguments. Philosophers on the ethics and politics of abortion daily nous.
It concludes with a discussion of whether artificial wombs might end the abortion debate. With its 11 essays and its recounting of the blackmun decision of roe v. Ethics divine command theory, relativist approaches, virtue ethics, kants deontology, utilitarianism, bioethics and we watched gattaca, free will. This paper argues that the central issue in the abortion debate has not changed since 1967 when the english parliament enacted the abortion act. Abortion and virtue ethics by mathew lu introduction my goal here is to consider what contemporary virtue ethics can say about the problem of.
If one is concerned with ethics and wishes to either increase happiness or lessen suffering as negative utiltarianism does, then access to early, safe medical abortion is one of the ethical cornerstones of a compassionate civilisation. For purposes of our discussion we will be defining abortion as follows. Code of ethics national association of social workers. Its greatest virtue is its insightful discussion of the most important prochoice literature from the past twenty years. The abortion debate is the ongoing controversy surrounding the moral, legal, and religious status of induced abortion.
Ethics of abortion introduces audiences to the new book a critical introsuction to the ethics of abortion by bernie cantens published by bloomsbury. He specialises in applied ethics and approaches ethical issues from a secular, utilitarian perspective. Abortion is a difficult issue no one approaches it lightly or makes a decision about whether to have an abortion lightly. Abortion is a womans right center for reproductive rights 2. A critical introduction to the ethics of abortion addresses some of the most prominent and influential arguments to the abortion debate. Through his new book a critical introduction to the ethics of. The ethics, law, and politics of ordinary abortion.
Supreme court standard holds that states may prohibit abortion after fetal viability so long as there are exceptions for the life and health. September 11, 2016 helen watt, the ethics of pregnancy, abortion and childbirth. That central issue concerns the moral status of the human fetus. Four argue against and seven in favor of abortion, though some believe that. Oct 08, 2018 schlesingers book is poised at the border between prolife and prochoice commitments. Nearly 60% of women who experienced a delay in obtaining an abortion cite the time it took to make arrangements and raise money. This updated edition of the ethics of abortion critically.
The ethics of abortion, in the at issue series, is a shorter, more dense anthology of 15 full articles from many viewpoints, with a brief summary introducing each one. A book that engages not only ethical theory as it pertains to bioethics, but also personal identity theory, action theory, value theory, and other. This book explains the law of abortion, challenges the toxic politics that make it a public football and private secret, offers tools for more productive private exchanges, and leads the way to a more robust public discussion of abortion ethics. This thoughtprovoking book sets out the ethical arguments for a womans right to choose. This book, apparently written by two men, largely ignores feminist ethics, and in the applied ethics section, moral issues that are likely to be of more concern for women, such as date rape and insurance covering abortion. Womens rights, human life, and the question of justice 2nd ed. The ethics of abortion routledge annals of bioethics 9780415732932.
The sides involved in the debate are the selfdescribed prochoice and prolife movements. Here the authors views on abortion are discussed from a lawyers and a womans point of view. It also provides several nontheological justifications for the conclusion that all human beings, including those in utero, should be respected as persons. Much of the debate in regard to abortion has centered around the first premise, namely, whether the fetus is a person or not. A number of key issues in ethics turn on the question of personhood. This presentation considers just a single issue from a group of interesting concerns. A critical analysis of prochoice arguments from philosophy, law, and science, ed. Islamic ethics of life considers three of the most contentious ethical issues of our time abortion, war, and euthanasiafrom the muslim perspective. The earlier an abortion is carried out, the safer it is, too.
Womens rights, human life, and the question of justice, edition 2 ebook written by christopher kaczor. Feminism and care ethics, abortion mary anne warren. By taking into consideration the rights of the fetus an antagonistic relationship between the woman and her unborn. The ethics of abortion examines hard cases for those who are prolife, such as abortion in cases of rape or in order to save the mothers life, as well as hard cases for defenders of abortion, such as sex selection abortion and the rationale for. November 10, 2010 christopher kaczor, the ethics of abortion. Metaphysics allegory of the cave, idealism, materialism, aristotelianism, philosophy of time, personal identity. Teens are more likely than older women to delay having an abortion until after 15 weeks of pregnancy, when the medical risks associated with abortion are significantly higher. Routledge annals of bioethics series by christopher kaczor. It is always difficult to decide which topics will become a focus for applied ethics. The book examines the most contemporary and influential prochoice and prolife arguments.
Third, abortion ethics involves a dialectical interplay between rights and responsibilities, and between social, cultural, and particular contexts, and is best understood in terms of moral praxis. Plus easytounderstand solutions written by experts for thousands of other textbooks. Ethics and abortion two opposing arguments on the morality of abortion. Appealing to reason rather than religious belief, this book is the most comprehensive case against the choice of abortion yet published. According to the guttmacher institute, the current u.
But like any other medical procedure, it has a risk attached to it. Womens rights, human life, and the question of justice, routledge, 2011, 246 pp. Essay on the ethics of abortion 1070 words bartleby. Now, after two major supreme court cases, intense political wrangling, and heavy media coverage of often violent public. Twentyfour essays and four excerpts from landmark supreme court decisions including eleven new outstanding contributions cover the history of abortion in the preroe period. The philosophers on series contains group posts on issues of current interest, with the aim being to show what the. This book is a refreshing teaching resource, bringing rigour and nuance to an. Prochoice emphasizes the right of women to decide whether to terminate a pregnancy. But two recent books attempt to open up substantive discussion within christian circles.
On august 4, 2017, the nasw delegate assembly approved the most substantive revision to the nasw code of ethics since 1996. The ethical and practical aspects of abortion the ethical standing of induced abortion in human mothers has become an important question. Distinguished scholars of islamic studies have collaborated to produce a volume that both integrates muslim thinking into the field of applied ethics and introduces readers to an aspect of the religion long overlooked in the west. The ethics of abortion by kaczor, christopher ebook. Also covered are central bioethical issues concerning. Much of what is on this page was previously in a section on my page on general ethics, but the subject is of sufficient importance to have a page of its own death, dying and killing are very emotive issues. The central ethical question in the abortion debate is over the moral status of the embryo and fetus. The view described here, that abortion is always permissible, is actually a nuanced one, since permissibility doesnt imply freedom from criticism. Watson is pro choice, but in the ethics sections, she gives due weight to anti abortion points of view though its still fairly clear she rejects them. An introduction to the abortion debate, setting out the major questions involved in the matter of terminating a pregnancy. Episcopal priest kira schlesinger takes what has become, perhaps, the default prochoice and christian view.
When the ethics of abortion first appeared, this powerful collection of essays gained instant recognition as one of the first attempts to present both sides of the abortion debate in the words of leading proponents. Womens rights, human life, and the question of justice. This article gives an overview of the moral and legal aspects of abortion and evaluates the most important arguments. Discussion of the ethics of abortion must rest on 1 or more of several foundations. This second edition of the ethics of abortion critically evaluates all the major grounds for denying fetal personhood, including the views of those who defend not only abortion but also postbirth abortion. I then consider what some important virtue ethicists have said about. It also provides several nontheological justifications for the conclusion that. Abortion was legalized in 1973, but the topic remains controversial. The moral case for abortion ann furedi palgrave macmillan. The book refutes all arguments for the claim that abortion is morally permissible the vast majority of abortions. With emergent technological advances over the last two decades, the profession could not ignore the necessity for more clarity around the complex ethical issues that arise with the use of var. The ethics of abortion womens rights, human life, and the.
Here are two examples from the church fathers of the early second century that include a stance against infanticide. This book also critiques the view that abortion is not wrong even if the human fetus is a person. The ethics of abortion abortion, which according to the merriam webster dictionary n. The ethics of abortion critically evaluates all the major. The book provides a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the most influential and contemporary moral arguments on the ethics of abortion. Synopsis when the ethics of abortion first appeared, this powerful collection of essays gained instant recognition as one of the first attempts to present both sides of the abortion debate in the words of leading proponents.
If the fetus is a person, then it has the rights that belong to persons, including the right to life. Much of what is on this page was previously in a section on my page on general ethics, but the subject is of sufficient importance to have a page of its own. He specialises in applied ethics and approaches ethical issues from a secular. The debate here is not, it is argued, primarily a moral debate, but rather a metaphysical debate andor a theological debatethough one with massive moral implications. Abortion deliberate removal or deliberate action to cause the expulsion of a fetus from the womb of a human female, at the request of or through the agency of the mother, so as in fact to result in the death of the fetus. Christopher kaczor appealing to reason rather than religious belief, this book is the most comprehensive case against the choice of abortion yet published. Kaczor ably applies the analytic tools of philosophy. Kaczors book is essential reading for anyone interested in the present literature on the morality of abortion. Reviewed by amy mullin, university of toronto mississauga. The ethics of abortion and abortion 1124 words 5 pages. The at issue series includes a wide range of opinion on a single co. A timely, balanced, and comprehensive examination of the abortion controversy.
Although this book is relatively short, she manages to pack a fair number of topics into itindividual stigma, the ethics surrounding abortion, the law, structural stigma, and conversation. I begin by outlining virtue ethics in comparison to the two other dominant approaches in normative ethics. Contributors range from john paul ii to reproductive rights activists. It also provides several nontheological justifications for appealing to reason rather than religious belief, this book is the most comprehensive case against the. It is salutary to think that christian ethics, based on the sermon on the mount and other new testament passages, were developed and articulated as long ago as the first and second centuries.
People tend to turn to the law when trying to decide what is the best possible solution to an unwanted pregnancy. Drawing on the traditions of sociological thinking and. She wants dialogue with prolifers about the meaning of life and the world that they envision if women are not able to seek abortion. Wade, this book lays out the arguments on abortion. Abortion also touches upon a significant number of important, fundamental ethical questions. Appealing to reason rather than religious belief, this book i. Abortion is one of the most controversial issues in todays world. Abortion is a very safe procedure and on average, it is much safer than continuing with the pregnancy and giving birth. Scarlet a wants less shouting about abortion and more talking. Peter albert david singer ac born 6 july 1946 is an australian moral philosopher. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. All three books include source notes, an annotated bibliography, and organizations to contact. Philosophers on the ethics and politics of abortion.
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