Ethical Issues raised by Abortion

Human Life
1. This is any living entity that has DNA from the species homo sapiens
Human Person
1. Any form of human life that is also considered a person
Utilitarianism
1. Depending on the situation will determine whether abortion is the right thing to do or not
2. Only works if it is actually possible to assess the results of an abortion and decide whether they favour all concerned
  1. Difficult as we cannot predict consequences
3. Preference Utilitarianism may be a better approach because it considers everyone's preference
Natural Law
1. Considers the action of abortion itself not the consequences
2. Reproduction is a primary precept and abortion goes against this
3. If you consider the foetus to be a human person from conception, then abortion also goes against the primary principle to preserve innocent life
Kantian Ethics
1. Abortion would be hard to universalise
  1. There are so many different situations and motivations for obtaining an abortion. All consideration of emotions must be disregarded
    1. Abortion is an emotional decision
2. Emphasis on treating people as ends in themselves and not as a means to an end.
  1. Abortion would go against this if the foetus is considered to be a person

Resource summary

	Created by beth harvey over 10 years ago