Abortion

[LycanSpectre]

Ok.... I know this is controversial, but I read something today which got me thinking. This is from my Philosophy text called 20 Questions, the author of the paper this thread is based on is Judith Jarvis Thompson. Her paper is called "A defence of abortion".

Ok, so what she says is that abortion is fine. Cold, callous, and sad, yes, but the mother has a right to it. She figures that the baby (since the child is alive, although mabye not a person yet) and the mother have equal right to life. However the mother also has the right to choose what happens to and in her body. (Well, at least she can choose among what she can control...)

Theology aside, can anyone refute this? (I have to write a paper and I need some ideas.....) :shrug:

[kaycee]

Ok.... I know this is controversial, but I read something today which got me thinking. This is from my Philosophy text called 20 Questions, the author of the paper this thread is based on is Judith Jarvis Thompson. Her paper is called "A defence of abortion".

Ok, so what she says is that abortion is fine. Cold, callous, and sad, yes, but the mother has a right to it. She figures that the baby (since the child is alive, although mabye not a person yet) and the mother have equal right to life. However the mother also has the right to choose what happens to and in her body. (Well, at least she can choose among what she can control...)

Theology aside, can anyone refute this? (I have to write a paper and I need some ideas.....) :shrug:

I believe it's all circumstantial. It's for no one to say except the person involved unless that person is completely irresponsible. What I mean by that is if a woman continues to abort a fetus time and time again, then she should be delt with before it becomes necessary to abort another one.

[DarkWolf]

Seems cruel on the personal scale but if you look at the bigger picture: it wasn't a person at that time and there is no need for another human being in a race of billions and the child would only suffer from foster homes and being "unwanted".

[MorganaFang]

Depends on the stage, recent conception in no ways constitute a real human being, after all if the child were to be born as a zygote or fetus would it live? During those times it is just cells and DNA, RNA, I have no qualms about stem cell research but this isn't what this topic is about but still :P.

Anywho what really bothers me about a lot of "pro-life people" is that they act violent even deadly to those who consider abortion or work as an abortionist. How does that justify anything? Just before I was born my mother had to got to a clinic because it just so happens the Abortionist clinic is in the same building as the baby one. A prolife supporter touched her, hurt her, and my mother wasn't doing anything wrong except going to have a baby.

[LycanSpectre]

Anywho what really bothers me about a lot of "pro-life people" is that they act violent even deadly to those who consider abortion or work as an abortionist. How does that justify anything? Just before I was born my mother had to got to a clinic because it just so happens the Abortionist clinic is in the same building as the baby one. A prolife support her touched her, hurt her, and my mother wasn't doing anything wrong except going to have a baby.

Sounds like they Pro-life persons in question didn't think things though very well. Their actions indicate a logical fallacy: 2 wrongs make a right. :shrug:

It would be interesting to know what percentage of the pro-life people base their opinions on theology, rather than actually thinking about it themselves.

[Darth Cluich]

It would be interesting to know what percentage of the pro-life people base their opinions on theology, rather than actually thinking about it themselves.

You can think about something for yourself and still take religious beliefs into account, y'know. (Heh-heh...this from the atheist boy. ;) )

[LycanSpectre]

You can think about something for yourself and still take religious beliefs into account, y'know. (Heh-heh...this from the atheist boy. ;) )

Yes but using theology as the sole basis for your reasoning defeats the purpose of actually thinking, now doesn't it?

Is anyone familiar with the Ensoulment Theisis? Basically "God" gives you a "soul" at conception. In the case of twins, you get 2. In the case of Fusion, "God" doesn't give you a soul until you are born, or you are just stuck with 2 souls in one body. The scope of this arguement is huge, and incredibly open to flaws, and yet it is used to argue against abortion. Flaws are generally ignored, and it does not adress the problem satisfactorally for those who do not believe in "souls".

[Darth Cluich]

Yes but using theology as the sole basis for your reasoning defeats the purpose of actually thinking, now doesn't it?


Never said anything about using it as the sole basis.

[Thought]

I think that abortion can sometimes be neccessary. If a person is still too young or emotionally immature to have a child in their life, then they should get an abortion.

Some people say to just give the baby up for adoption, but that is another problem. If the child ever finds out they've been adopted, it can disturb them emotionally. They will always wonder why their birth mother gave them up, and I personnally don't think an excuse like "I wasn't ready for a child", will hold much water with them.

Abortion isn't just about the mother, it's also about the child.

[LycanSpectre]

Never said anything about using it as the sole basis.

But I didn't mention anything else either. :shrug: The sole (no pun intended) was implied.

Please forgive me Cluich, I will do my very upmost in the span of time that is my future to be as explicit as I can in everything I say. :p

But we digress; This is off topic.

[cratureofthenight]

i agree, and.. also people don't think about how many kids there are already that need homes and someone to care for them... ( for people that feel themselves capable of taking on the responsibility of another life).

If people take birth control, or use other methods to keep from becoming pregnant... they have the right to decide on keeping it if they do. They obviously DON'T want to have a child or couldn't handle the responsibility.

(If anyone wishes to talk further on the subject with me, feel free to email or leave a message here for me).