Abortion

Question 1

What is the definition of abortion?

Answer 1

The deliberate termination of a human pregnancy - most often performed during the first 28 weeks.

Question 2

What are the three different options of abortion?

Answer 2

• Early (chemical) abortion
• Vacuum aspiration
• Surgical dilation and evacuation

Question 3

What is early chemical abortion?

Answer 3

• used up to 9 weeks of pregnancy
• involves taking 2 tablets which causes bleeding
• first tablet stops hormone which makes womb suitable for fetus
• second will break down womb lining as well as embryo.

Question 4

What is vacuum aspiration?

Answer 4

• used between 7-14 weeks

- involves gentle suction to remove fetus from womb

Question 5

What is surgical dilation and evacuation?

Answer 5

• used from 15 weeks
• involves the cervix being stretched and dilated
• suction tube will remove foetus and womb tissue

Question 6

How many abortions take place?

Answer 6

one in 5 pregnancies, a women will have an abortion

Question 7

What is the law in england on abortion.

Answer 7

Legal for up to 24 weeks - if two doctors agree that it will not psychically or mentally harm her.

only happens after 24 weeks for exceptional circumstances.

Question 8

What is the law in Northern Island on abortion?

Answer 8

Only legal in exceptional circumstances

Women have to travel to England for abortions.

Question 9

What is the sanctity of life?

Answer 9

The view that human life is sacred and of special value.
Leads to the view that abortion is immoral.

Christian views of the SoL come from the bible, church and natural theology

Question 10

Evidence from the bible to support sanctity of life:

Answer 10

“Thou shalt commit murder” - abortion is seen as murder of an innocent human being

“you are not your own; you were bought at a price” - God controls us and what we do - we are his slaves.

Question 11

Explain the development of natural theology:

Answer 11

Aquinas used reason to develop the view on SoL
When reason is used rather than the bible - this is natural theology.

Since the world has been created by God, there is divine order called natural law - people should use their own reason to conclude that life is sacred.

Question 12

What does the Roman Catholic Church teach about abortion?

Answer 12

They believe we are slaves to God “life comes from God” and that “man cannot do with it as he wills”

Suggests we have no control over our body and we follow the laws of God and do what he wishes as we are controlled by God.

Question 13

Who developed the theory of ‘reverence for life’?

Answer 13

Albert Schweitzer

Question 14

What is the reverence for life?

Answer 14

Theory which argues that we should have a reverence for all forms of life as all forms of life have a will to live.

We should avoid killing as we all have an in-built desire to go on living.

Question 15

Who argued against the reverence of life?

Answer 15

Mary Anne Warren

Question 16

What did Mary Anne Warren say about the reverence of life?

Answer 16

she argues that ‘will’ is based upon the capacity to think which many life forms do not have.

It is not possible to conclude from a feeling of reverence for life that abortion is wrong.

Question 17

Who directly criticised the sanctity of life?

Answer 17

Jonathan Glover

Question 18

What did Glover say about sanctity of life?

Answer 18

The principle of SoL says that killing is intrinsically wrong - means that killing is wrong in or of itself.
Glover would like to reject this view but retain that killing is directly.

Glover questions whether we value life only because it is consciousness - SoL says yes but Glover rejects.

Question 19

What are the two different christian views on abortion?

Answer 19

Catholic and Methodist

Question 20

What is the position of the Methodist Church on abortion?

Answer 20

• Abortion is always an evil and is avoided by offering care to single mothers during pregnancy
• The termination of a fetus may be a lesser of evils under exceptional circumstances.

Question 21

At what stage does an unborn foetus become a person according to Methodists?

Answer 21

At conception a foetus becomes a human.

It is impossible to identify the single moment when a new human person begins and the right of the embryo to full respect increases throughout pregnancy.

Question 22

Do Methodists believe there should be a time limit for abortion?

Answer 22

The termination should happen as early as possible in the course of the pregnancy for it to be a lesser evil.

However, if it became illegal, backstreet abortions would increase which will cause the death of two people instead of one.

Question 23

What do Methodists believe about contraception?

Answer 23

Responsible contraception is a welcome means towards fulfillment in marriage, the spacing of children and to avoid pregnancy.

Question 24

What is the position on abortion in the Roman Catholic Church?

Answer 24

It is said to be an unspeakable crime.

Even exceptional circumstances cannot justify the deliberate killing of an innocent human being.

Question 25

Do catholics believe there is a certain stage when a foetus becomes a human?

Answer 25

They believe that a foetus should be respected and treated like a human being/person from the moment of conception and the rights of a person must be recognised.

Question 26

What does ensoulment mean?

Answer 26

Refers to the creation or placing of a soul within a human being and is especially associated with the development of personality.

Question 27

What can a soul relate to?

Answer 27

Consciousness

Question 28

When does the creation of a soul occur?

Answer 28

The soul is created during foetal development whilst others argue that it is present from the moment of conception.

Question 29

How has the catholic law on abortion and ensoulment developed?

Answer 29

Abortion was firstly only punished after the mother felt the foetus move.
Aquinas said that the foetus is not of full value until it has passed through the animal status.

Today, abortion is considered wrong at any stage and that the soul is present within the embryo.

Question 30

What are the islamic views on abortion?

Answer 30

120 days has been a traditional cut-off for when a foetus becomes a human.

However, due to advances in medical advances, this cutoff date has been reduced.

The Koran does not provide muslims with an explicit judgement on the morality of abortion.

Question 31

What is the traditional philosophical argument against abortion?

Answer 31

1) the killing of an innocent human being is wrong
2) a foetus is an innocent human being
3) abortion is the killing of an innocent human being
Conclusion: Abortion is wrong

Question 32

What is a person?

Answer 32

Jack Mahoney put forward a criteria for personhood:

• Rationality
• Sentience
• Emotions
• Free - will
• Continuity

Question 33

How does singer define a person?

Answer 33

As a being that shows rationality and self conciousness

Question 34

How does Mary Anne Warren define person?

Answer 34

Personhood depends on ‘moral reciprocity’ - the ability to respect another person’s rights to life.

Question 35

Does viability define personhood?

Answer 35

It is believed that after 24 weeks, a foetus is able to survive outside of the womb. Anytime after this, they will not be able to live and aborting them is not murder. When a foetus is able to survive they are considered a person.