Abortion

Question 1

Abortion natural moral law

Answer 1

The views of nml are based on the strong sancity of life principle.
• direct abortion- totally contravenes nml. Pope john paul II referred to is as a grave moral disorder.
• it breaches a range of pp
- worship god. He alone is the creator of life.
- preservation of innocent life. It is tantamount to murder
- an ordered society. Threatens the basis of stable society, discriminates against the vulnerable.

•UK law permits abortion if mothers life in danger.
• catholic church permits it only if the four criteria of the principle of double effect are fulfilled. E.g. the removal of a pregnant womens cancerous uterus in order to save her life
This is termed indirect abortion.

Question 2

Abortion situation ethics

Abortion a matter of agapeic calc based on no. Of lives saved.

Answer 2

Fletcher says that the interests of an actual person should always take priority over those of a potential person( the embryo).
Several elements can be applied
- four presuppositions
-agape as the sooe intrinsic good and only binding law.
- the sixth working principle: “love decides there and then”

Fletcher stated in s.e that no unwanted child should ever be born

Question 3

Abortion s.e

Answer 3

Quote

“The ethical principle is that pregnancy when wanted is a healthy process, pregnancy when not wanted is a disease.”

Question 4

Abortion virtue ethics

For aristotle abortion should take place before there are signs of an individual human being = established.

To aristotle; its better to abort a potential baby rather that actual

Answer 4

Aristotle stated that abortion ‘before sense and life have begun’ should take place if there were too many children.
• presumably his phrase referred to an early stage in pregnancy
• this was a social rather than moral judgement , showing concern for both society and the family.

•its rightness or wrongness is unrelated to the status of the embryo/ foetus or the law. It is about whether a person is acting virtuously or not.

• the question to be asked is what the action stems from.
The negative traits of callousness, self centredness and irresponsibility should be avoided