Abortion and Euthanasia Flashcards
What is an argument against life being sacred from conception?
42% of embryos abort naturally before 14 days, before the primitive streak forms
What did Thomas Aquinas argue about abortion?
Less serious to kill an unformed soul than a formed soul (40 days for boy and 90 days for girl)
What Roman Catholic piece of legislation argued the church’s position on Abortion?
Declaration on Procured Abortion, 1974
When does the Roman Catholic Church believe that life is sacred?
From conception
What was Judith Jarvis Thompson’s argument for Abortion?
Woman should have absolute autonomy over their bodies
What did the 1973 Roe vs Wade say about abortion?
That an abortion in the first twelve weeks is a woman’s right as privacy reigns over the state’s interest
What does the CofE say about abortion in terms of self defence?
Abortion should be permitted if it puts a woman’s life at risk
What would be the argument against the right to self defence?
That if the woman’s life is sacred, so is the baby’s
What has Jean Vanier done to show the the foetus is severely disabled argument obsolete?
That the argument of the foetus being disabled is obsolete because his L’Arche centres have show disabled people can enjoy life
What did John Stuart Mill say about abortion?
That if laws are too restrictive that they are more likely to be broken
What is the argument against Mill’s restrictive laws argument?
That laws need to protect innocent human life
When does Judith Jarvis Thompson oppose abortion?
If the women did not use contraception
What is Dr John Parsons argument for abortion?
That 170,000 more babies a year is not practical
Why does Japan promote abortion?
Population control
When is abortion a good alternative?
In China when it is a better alternative to infanticide because families will kill girls due to one-child policy
How does Peter Singer define a person?
Foetus need to be conscious, feel pain, to reason and to show self-awareness
What is the weakness of Peter Singer’s and Michael Tooley’s definition of a person?
Disabled babies and newborns do not meet their definition and so infanticide could be justified
What is Judith Jarvis Thompson’s argument against abortion?
That if you had a burglar in your house you would be allowed to expel it, so the same should apply to the womb
What is said in Jeremiah 5:1?
“I called you whilst you were in your mothers womb.”
What does Dr John Habgood argue?
That the polarisation of the debate does not help and development is not being made because of this
What is passive euthanasia?
Withdrawing treatment or switching off life support
What is active euthanasia?
Dying intentionally through lethal injection, ect.
Define euthanasia
“A deliberate termination of an individual’s life at the request of an individual. Or by active and deliberate termination of a patient’s life…by a doctor” (Dutch commission on Euthanasia, 1985)
List the arguments in favour of abortion
Personhood (PS and MT) Sperm is not person, personhood (MAW) Burglar theory (JJT) Life threatening (JJT) Special circumstances (1967 Abortion Act) Restrictive laws (JSM)
Define Abortion
A premature expulsion of a fetus from the womb
What is the argument for the right to self-determination?
Women should have absolute autonomy over her body (Judith Jarvis Thompson)
What is the argument against the right to self-determination?
Abortion entails the killing of an innocent human life
What is the argument for abortion being a private act?
The 1973 Roe vs Wade case said an abortion in the first twelve weeks is a woman’s right as privacy prevails over the state’s interest
What is the argument against abortion being a private act?
Abortion also depreciates human life and may lead to other violations
What does Judith Jarvis Thompson believe women should have?
Autonomy over their baby
What analogy does Judith Jarvis Thompson use?
The Burglar Analogy
What famous American case regarded abortion?
1973, Roe vs Wade
What implications did Roe vs Wade have upon the abortion arguments?
Abortion in first 12 weeks is a private act
What is the major piece of legislation regarding abortion in the UK?
1967 Abortion Act
What did the 1967 Abortion Act recognise?
If a risk to a woman’s health abortion should be permitted
What does Judith Jarvis Thompson say about the baby’s rights?
That if the baby threatens life then will have right to abort
What does John Stuart Mill say about anti-Abortion laws?
Laws that are restrictive are often broken
What example can be used to evidence the problem with restrictive laws?
The pre-1967 abortion act clinics
Why is Abortion not a private act?
Murder is not private and devalues human life
What are the two types of abortion?
Procured
Therapeutic
What is a therapeutic abortion?
An abortion due to the risk to mother’s health
Why is abortion in therapeutic grounds weak?
Because the therapeutic clause is too subjective and is abused
What is a counter argument to Thompson’s view that a mother should save herself over the baby?
Both lives are sacred and should not interfere with nature
Why should we implement abortion laws regardless of Mills argument?
Need to uphold laws which protect human lifetime
What does Mary Ann Warren believe?
Foetus not a person, does not deserve human rights
Why is a foetus not a person according to Warren?
If foetus a person, then sperm and ovum persons and birth provides a clear boundary
What does Glover reject?
Warren’s view on birth because of similarity between later foetuses and premature babies
