Normative Ethical Theories - Abortion

Question 1

natural moral law and abortion (do good and avoid evil)

Answer 1

• evil to kill the baby, goes against the primary precept to preserve innocent life + ‘thou shalt not kill’ –> sanctity of life
• evil to make the mother have a baby she doesnt want –> preserves the physical and mental health of the mother

Question 2

natural moral law and abortion (Gods purpose)

Answer 2

• killing the baby removes its telos and goes against gods will as potential life has a purpose
• mother had a purpose too, and having a baby might hinder this

Question 3

natural moral law and abortion (primary/secondary precepts)

W,D,O

Answer 3

• abortion goes against gods will (do not kill) and destroys the precept of preserving innocent life and reproduction
• backstreet abortions, and equality issues may cause disorder in society
• it could be argued that R and D take precedence over O
• not having an abortion is a secondary precept

Question 4

natural moral law and abortion (deontology)

Answer 4

• mothers have a maternal duty and have a duty to follow their religion and Gods law

Question 5

natural moral law and abortion (real and apparent goods)

Answer 5

• apparent good is to allow a mother have an abortion if she wants (eg rape)
• innocent life has to be protected as a REAL good, and a real good is to also reproduce

Question 6

natural moral law and abortion (interior and exterior acts)

Answer 6

• intention may be to noble for exterior action abortion is bad
• therefore one should be prepared to have a baby always

Question 7

natural moral law and abortion (God)

Answer 7

• ‘be fruitful and multiply’ –> it is a primary precept to reproduce

Question 8

natural moral law and abortion (double effect)

Answer 8

• abortion may have a double effect
• saving of the mothers life is the intention and takes precedence

Question 9

natural moral law and abortion (reason)

Answer 9

• aquinas: use precepts + bible to reason, but the correct reasoning leads to no abortion
• need to use reason to determine correct actions

Question 10

situation ethics and abortion (teleological)

Answer 10

• is an abortion leading to the most loving end result?

Question 11

situation ethics and abortion (situationist as opposed to a legalist or antinominalist)

Answer 11

• takes rules of society to illuminate situation but law of live takes precedence
• abortion concerns those involved and circumstance to make a decision

Question 12

situation ethics and abortion (agape)

Answer 12

• considering love for all humans: including the mother

Question 13

situation ethics and abortion (four principles)

Answer 13

1. pragmatism: practical situation, legal in the UK and can be done
2. relativism: importance of considering each case individually and considering all the factors (neocausitry)
3. positivism: is there evidence of Gods love –> ‘thou shalt not kill’ ??
4. personalism: people are at the centre, the mother is already an existing member of society and takes precedence

Question 14

situation ethics and abortion (six fundamental principles)

are abortions just?

Answer 14

1. love only is always good: if the abortion is out of love it will always be good
2. love is the only norm: do not need to consider abortion laws as love overrides those rules
3. love and justice are the same: anything that is loving is just so loving abortions demonstrate justice
   - they are not readily available everywhere so this is unjust
4. love is not liking: you do not need to like the act to accept it is the most loving action
5. love justifies the means (abortion)
6. love decides there and then: situational decision, not prescriptively –> circumstantial

Question 15

virtue ethics and abortion (teleology)

Answer 15

• mother has her own purpose: an active member in society and she contributes
• abortion is bad because the foetus had potential and had a predetermined purpose, this takes it away and cannot be part of society in the first place

Question 16

virtue ethics and abortion (eudaimonia)

Answer 16

• mother can achieve her happiness if abortion is in her best interest
• the baby will never reach happiness if dead

Question 17

virtue ethics and abortion (pleasure, contemplation, honor)

Answer 17

• the mother can prioritize her pleasure
• the mother can demonstrate honour if she considers the babys life as well
• the mother contemplates her action

Question 18

virtue ethics and abortion (reason)

Answer 18

• the mother must use reason to contemplate if she has made the right choice

Question 19

virtue ethics and abortion (community)

Answer 19

• abortion can have a negative effect on community (death)
• preserving the mothers wellbeing is needed as she is an active part of the community

Question 20

virtue ethics and abortion (doctrine of the mean)

Answer 20

• cannot be too loving to the mother and always allow abortion but cannnot absolutely ban it

Question 21

virtue ethics and abortion (not numerical)

Answer 21

• taking into account what is the golden mean
• is courage keeping a pregnancy or going through with it

Question 22

virtue ethics and abortion (moral virtues)

Answer 22

• through morality the mother can decide whether it is moral to abort –> courage, temperance
• allows her to develop as a moral agent

Question 23

virtue ethics and abortion (intellectual virtues)

Answer 23

• making the decision for an abortion makes the mother employ these (knowledge, understandind, judgement)
• the baby could develop these through life (phronesis)

Question 24

virtue ethics and abortion (friendship)

Answer 24

• mother wishes to maintain her relationships, if abortion is shunned in her community
• she can make new friends due to her experience
• but baby could have formed new friends and give happiness to others in society through their friendship