Abortion: Secular Pro-choice and Pro-life Arguments

Question 1

What is Judith Thomson’s argument (1971)?

Answer 1

Pro-choice
She argues the case of the famous violinist in her article: “A defence of abortion.”
Hypothetically gives the example of if a woman was to wake to find that a famous violinist whose kidney had failed had been plugged into her bloody supply and would continue to be so for 9 months
The woman would be under no moral obligation to continue with the procedure
Thomson argues that pregnancy is an analogous situation
Women should be able to choose

Question 2

Give four pro-choice points

Answer 2

The woman has a right to choose
The quality of life
The Doctrine of Double Effect
Population growth

Question 3

The woman has a right to choose

Answer 3

What happens to her body
What happens to her life
Her future options
Her relationships
Whether to have child
The right of the mother should take precedence over those of the foetus as long as the foetus is not able to survive outside of the mother’s womb ('viable')

Question 4

The quality of life

Answer 4

It may be argued that the foetus has the right to a reasonable quality of life, which means a life free from pain and the right to be a wanted child
If these things are not possible then abortion may be the best option

Question 5

The Doctrine of Double Effect

Answer 5

If a woman’s life is in danger, an abortion may save her life
The doctrine of double effect is the principle that whilst an abortion is undesirable, it is carried out to save the mother’s life

Question 6

Population Growth

Answer 6

Some argue that abortion helps to keep the population numbers down

Question 7

What is John Stott’s argument (1999)?

Answer 7

Pro-life
Questions the subjectivity of the quality of life
He cites Alison Davis, who spoke at the Hyde Park Rally in 1983
She is reported as saying: “I can think of few concepts more terrifying than saying that certain people are better off dead, … Most handicapped people are quite contented with the quality of their life.”

Question 8

Give one pro-life point

Answer 8

Anti-abortion groups, such as LIFE and The Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child (SPUC) claim that the foetus is a human being and has rights

Question 9

What are the rights anti-abortion groups claim that the foetus has?

Answer 9

Not to be killed
To fulfil its potential
For its life to be valued
To be fairly represented by an unbiased third party
They argue that it is wrong to kill a foetus just because it is handicapped, would have a poor quality of life or because having a baby might affect the mother’s life or career