Ethics 4 - Rights at the Beginning of Life

Question 1

What is the rights based argument against abortion?

Answer 1

• Innocent humans have a right not to be killed
• Killing a human is always wrong, foetuses are humans
• Abortion is deliberate killing of a foetus
• Therefore abortion is wrong

Question 2

List the arguments against the rights based argument against abortion

Answer 2

• Humans aren’t necessarily more valuable than other species
• Zygotes are not people yet, only people have a right to life (individuals with self awareness and ability to value their existence)

Question 3

What is the issue with saying only “persons” have a right to life?

Answer 3

• Young infants, neonates, and adults with severe mental disability lack self-awareness and autonomy
• That argument would suggest they are not people and have no right to life
• Therefore killing them would be morally permissible

Question 4

List the arguments that a woman has a right to choose

Answer 4

• As individuals we have a right to choose what happens to our own body
• Therefore a woman should be able to make an autonomous choice to have an abortion
• Therefore, it is morally permissible

Question 5

What is the argument against a womans right to choose?

Answer 5

• The right to choose can be limited if your choice is causing harm
• Therefore a woman does not have a right to choose
• However, does killing a fetus cause harm?

Question 6

Do we have a duty to rescue?

Answer 6

• We have a duty not to kill people
• It is generally a good thing to save those in need of rescue
• We have a duty to save others in certain circumstances
• We cannot have a duty to save everyone irrespective of the cost to ourselves
• Pregnancy causes significant burden and risk to a mother, therefore we do not have moral duty to put a womans life at risk for a foetus. Pregnancy may be unplanned.

Question 7

Does a woman have a duty to continue a pregnancy if it was planned?

Answer 7

• It is ok to change your mind, as thinking about it may change over time
• Mothers do have obligations to their fetus
• Abortion is not morally a good thing

Question 8

What should be done if a pregnant woman continues to behave harmfully to the fetus?

Answer 8

• Fetus has no legal right until birth
• A woman being pregnant does not affect her legal rights
• She can engage in lawful behaviour that is harmful to the fetus

Question 9

What rights does a father have in relation to abortion?

Answer 9

• Once born a father has legal responsibilities, but the father has no legal rights during pregnancy.
• No right to request an abortion and no right to be informed of an abortion
• This is due to an invasion of the womans autonomy