long answer qs Flashcards
basic categories of abortion
therapeutic
spontaneous
what is spontaneous abortion
miscarriage, abt half of all fertilized eggs are aborted spontaneously
types of induced abortion
elective (not medically necessary)
therapeutic (medically necessary)
what is the violinst thought experiment
director of music attached you to a dying person while you were sleeping. your kidney is keeping him alive (against your will). unplugging yourself will kill him.
what premise does the violinist TE address
- a right to life outweights a right to decide what is done to one’s body
what does the violinist TE show
shows that this infringement on a pregnant person is a violation of their bodily auronomy, especially bc it is done without consent (ie. rape)
can those who oppose abortion on the ground make an exception for rape?
certainly. however ends up wiht the conclusion that those who came into existence because of rape has less of a right to life than others. people who oppose abortion do not make this exception
pregnant persons right to defend their life from a life threatening pregnancy
the fetus, being a person, has a right to life, but as the mother is a person, she has the right to life. presumably they have an equal right? we are told preforming the abortion would be directly killing the fetus, wheres doing nothing would only be ‘letting the mother die’
TE raframed: pregnant persons right to defend their life from a life threatening pregnancy?
imagine you are told you will be dead in a month because of the musician. but you have to stay where you are because unplugging yourself would be directly killing an innocent person, which is murder and is impermissable.
- however, it is not murder nor impermissable
permissability of third parties to secure abortion
in most cases a right to abortion may hinge on Drs willingness to perform it
TE: permissability of third parties to secure abortion
imagine you are in a tiny house with a rapidly growing child. in minutes you will be crushed. this child wont be crushed to death, it nothing is done it will be hurt but a free man.
- concedes that a third party cannot make the choice, both are innocent. but the person threatened can.
the mother OWNS the house, therefore no third party has a personal obligation however they can because it is the mothers choice since it is her house
what are virtue ethics
emphasizes the role of character/virtue in moral philosophy, as opposed to duty
thomson virtue ethics: non-rights based discussion of virtue and vice (two TE)
revisited violinist TE: suppose you only have to be connected for one hour. there was NO consent given, however it would be indecent to refuse. in fact, you ought to allow it to remain
revisited fonda TE:
fonda now in room. you had no right against him to fly in from the west coast and put his hand on your brow, but if you are in the same room he ought to
ought/right discourse
A ought to do something for B, follows that B has a right against that A do it for him. this makes the right turn on how easy it is to accomplish - this seems morally unacceptable
ought vs. right other example
if candy is only given to the older brother. the younger brother does not have a right to it, but it would be cruel if he doesnt share (in fact, he ought to). but in not sharing he is not being unjust.
decency vs rights conclusion
no one is morally required to make large sacrifices for 9 months in order to keep someone alive; in not doing so they may be self-centred but not unjust.
two non rights based dicussions of thomson?
- virtue and vice – rights vs. ought
- good vs. minimally decent samaritan
about ‘right’ to abortion (virtue ethics)
we must grant there may be cases where it would be morally indecent to abort, yet not a rights violation (eg. for a trip)
good vs. minimally decent samaritans
good samaritans = act altruistically, out of their way -> not morally required
minimally decent samaritans = act at no cost to themselves -> morally required
good vs. minimally decent samaritans connection to abortion
legal restrictions on abortion seem to require pregnant people to be good samaritans - if you think this way, you must require all people to be good samaritans otherwise this is an unjust burden on pregnant people.
- on the contrary, no one is even required by law to be a minimally decent samaritan
should pregnancies that require people to be a minimally decent samaritan be carried thru (according to thomson)
yes. you cannot abort to go on vcation for example
does thomson think all abortions are morally permissable
no.
what kind of abortion does marquis focus on?
elective abortion
what is marquis argument
argument that vast majority of deliberate abortions are seriously immoral.