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1
The Morality of AbortionThe Morality of Abortion
Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana
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OutlineOutline
Introduction: What this chapter is about
The Person Argument
The question of Personhood
Marquis: An alternative to the person argument
Thomson: Is it always wrong to kill an innocent?
Conclusion
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Introduction: What is at stake? Introduction: What is at stake?
What this chapter is about
Deepening our understanding of the arguments on both sides
Two opposite values
- The fetus’ ``right to life”
- The mother’s ``right over her own body”
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OutlineOutline
Introduction: What this chapter is about
The Person Argument The Person Argument
The question of Personhood
Marquis: An alternative to the person argument
Thomson: Is it always wrong to kill an innocent?
Conclusion
5
The Person Argument The Person Argument
The Person Argument:
An important distinction
- P1: The fetus is an innocent person
- P2: It is wrong to kill an innocent person
- CC: It is wrong to kill a fetus
The argument is valid: is it sound? P1: what is a person?P2: is it always true?
The argument is valid: is it sound? P1: what is a person?P2: is it always true?
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OutlineOutline
Introduction: What this chapter is about
The Person Argument
The question of PersonhoodThe question of Personhood
Marquis: An alternative to the person argument
Thomson: Is it always wrong to kill an innocent?
Conclusion
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The question of Personhood The question of Personhood The ProblemThe Problem
The question of personhood is crucial: To assess the argument, we need:
- Either sufficient conditions that the fetus satisfies
- Or necessary conditions that the fetus does not satisfy
What makes a person a person? Persons are what we don’t kill lightly
-Class survey: what is ok to kill?
-The alien thought experiment
Is there any satisfactory criteria?Is there any satisfactory criteria?
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The question of PersonhoodThe question of PersonhoodDiscussionDiscussion
Criteria often given by the opponents:
Criteria often given by the defendants:
TOO BROAD TOO BROAD
1. Being alive
2. Human shape
3. Human DNA
1. Intelligence
2. Communication skills
3. Moral agent
Problem:
Mentally handicapped and insane people
Problem:
1. All animals
2. Robots
3. Any human cell
TOO NARROW TOO NARROW
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The question of Personhood The question of Personhood ConclusionConclusion
The question of personhood: Dead end?
A proposal: Sentience as a necessary and sufficient conditions for not killing lightly
The absurdities are thus avoided
Another option is to avoid the question of Personhood altogether: Marquis and
Thomson
Another option is to avoid the question of Personhood altogether: Marquis and
Thomson
Consequences:
-Animals
-Fetus after 20th week
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OutlineOutline
Introduction: What this chapter is about
The Person Argument
The question of Personhood
Marquis: An alternative to the person argument
Marquis: An alternative to the person argument
Thomson: Is it always wrong to kill an innocent?
Conclusion
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Beyond the question of personhood Beyond the question of personhood Marquis: A future like oursMarquis: A future like ours
The question of wrongful killing: criteria?
- Against desire?
- Interruption of valuable experience?
Marquis’ proposal: An instance of killing is wrong when it deprives someone of a valuable future like ours.
general explanation of why we think it is wrong to kill
Marquis: abortion is wrong because it deprives the fetus of a valuable future like
ours
Marquis: abortion is wrong because it deprives the fetus of a valuable future like
ours
Consequences:
-VAS ok
-Wrong to kill humans, animals, and fetuses
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Beyond the question of personhood Beyond the question of personhood Steinbock: Objections against MarquisSteinbock: Objections against Marquis
What does it take to have a future?: Personal identity, that is, a way to link the individual now to the future
Two theories of personal identity:
1.Physical Theory of identity (Phys-TI)
2.Psychological Theory of identity (Psy-TI)
As in the case of the Person Argument, it seems that there is no wrongful killing
without sentience
As in the case of the Person Argument, it seems that there is no wrongful killing
without sentience
Dilemma:
-If Phys-TI, absurdity
-If Psy-TI, then sentience is necessary
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OutlineOutline
Introduction: What this chapter is about
The Person Argument
The question of Personhood
Marquis: An alternative to the person argument
Thomson: Is it always wrong to kill an innocent?
Thomson: Is it always wrong to kill an innocent?
Conclusion
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Thomson and The ViolinistThomson and The Violinist
Deals with Premise 2 of the Person Argument: Is it always wrong to kill an innocent person?
Thomson’s analogy: hooked up on a violinist without consent
Thomson’s point: the answer is not obvious We have to distinguish between cases
Thomson’s point: the answer is not obvious We have to distinguish between cases
Thomson’s analogy:
In which cases would you think it is ok to unhook yourself?
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Thomson’s Analogy: AssessmentThomson’s Analogy: Assessment
In which cases does the analogy work – Warren?
-Rape
-Mother’s health endangered
These are analogies: can we find a rational basis for the argument?
These are analogies: can we find a rational basis for the argument?
What about the other cases? – failure of birth control
Jane English: performance and reception
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An Important Distinction:An Important Distinction:Moral Obligations vs. Moral FavorMoral Obligations vs. Moral FavorThomson’s main thesis:
We are not morally obligated to help another in such circumstances, but it will be a great moral favor
Moral Obligation
Something that one must do on pain of immorality
BLAME if not done
Ex: keep your promise
Keeping the child in case of unwanted pregnancies is a moral favor, not a moral
obligation
Keeping the child in case of unwanted pregnancies is a moral favor, not a moral
obligation
Moral Favor
Something that one can do above moral obligations
PRAISE if done
Ex: Britney Spears’ Touch and the Good Samaritan
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Thomson: ConclusionThomson: Conclusion
Thomson’s main thesis on abortion:
A continuum of cases, ranking from clear cases of great moral favors and moral indecency
Beware of the slippery slope !Beware of the slippery slope !
Moral favor
Sacrifice
Good Samaritan
Moral Obligation
Moral Indecency
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OutlineOutline
Introduction: What this chapter is about
The Person Argument
The question of Personhood
Marquis: An alternative to the person argument
Thomson: Is it always wrong to kill an innocent?
ConclusionConclusion
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The Morality of Abortion The Morality of Abortion ConclusionConclusion
An important lesson for abortion:
No straightforward answer but continuum of cases:
- Clear cases in which abortion is wrong
- Clear cases in which abortion is right
- Continuum of cases in the middle
A central notion for wrongful killing: sentience
An important distinction for assessing our actions
Moral favors vs. Moral Obligation