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Abortion:An Overview of the Ethical Issues
Lawrence M. Hinman, Ph.D.Professor of PhilosophyUniversity of San Diego
Larry at EthicsMatters dot net August 6, 2016
8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 1
Lawrence M. Hinman, Ph.D.Emeritus Professor of Philosophy
University of San Diego
Last Updated: 8/6/16
Introduction
• Abortionisthemostdifficultandcontroversialmoralissueswewillconsider.
• Listentobothsides,evenifthatisdifficulttodo.Bothsideshaveimportantmoralinsights,evenifultimatelytheseinsightsareoutweighedbytheinsightsoftheotherside.
• Thegoal ofthispresentationisnottoconvinceyoutoacceptonepositionortheother,buttohelpyoutounderstandbothside.
8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 2
TheRhetoricofAbortionDiscussions
• Bewareofthelabels“Pro-life”and“Pro-choice.”• Theyimplythattheothersideisagainst“life”oragainst“choice.”
• Theyignorethenuancesinaperson’sposition.
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PartOne
TheEmpiricalBackground
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Decreasingratesofabortion• Twoprincipalsourcesofdata:
• CDCabortionstats,2009• Guttmacherstats,2008
• Datatendtobeincomplete• OverallinUS,numberofabortionsisdecreasing.
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•About 1.21 M in 2008.
Pregnancy&IntentionsIntheUnitedStates:• 49%ofpregnancieswereunintended(2006)• Ofunintendedpregnancies,about40%endedinabortions
• Unintendedpregnanciesincreasedamongpoorwomen,decreasedamongfinanciallywell-offwomen.
• UnintendedpregnanciesincreasedamongblackandHispanicwomen.
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Reasonsgivenforabortions
• Concernfor/responsibilitytootherindividuals 74%
• Cannotaffordababynow 73%
• Ababywouldinterferewithschool/• employment/abilitytocarefordependents 69%
• Wouldbeasingleparent/havingrelationshipproblems 48%
• Hascompletedchildbearing 38%
8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 7
Source:Fineretal.,2005(2004data)
IncidenceofAbortion• NearlyhalfofpregnanciesamongAmericanwomenareunintended,and
aboutfourin10oftheseareterminatedbyabortion. Twenty-twopercentofallpregnancies(excludingmiscarriages)endinabortion.
• Fortypercentofpregnanciesamongwhitewomen,67%amongblacksand53%amongHispanicsareunintended.
• In2008,1.21millionabortionswereperformed,downfrom1.31millionin2000.However,between2005and2008,thelong-termdeclineinabortionsstalled.From1973through2008,nearly50millionlegalabortionsoccurred.
• Eachyear,twopercentofwomenaged15–44haveanabortion.Halfhavehadatleastonepreviousabortion.
• AtleasthalfofAmericanwomenwillexperienceanunintendedpregnancybyage45,and,atcurrentrates,onein10womenwillhaveanabortionbyage20,oneinfourbyage30andthreein10byage45.
Source:GuttmacherInstitute8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 8
Whohasabortions?• 18%ofU.S.womenobtainingabortionsareteenagers;thoseaged15–17obtain6%of
allabortions,teensaged18–19obtain11%,andteensyoungerthanage15obtain0.4%.
• Womenintheir20saccountformorethanhalfofallabortions;womenaged20–24obtain33%ofallabortions,andwomenaged25–29obtain24%.
• Non-Hispanicwhitewomenaccountfor36%ofabortions,non-Hispanicblackwomenfor30%,Hispanicwomenfor25%andwomenofotherracesfor9%.
• 37%ofwomenobtainingabortionsidentifyasProtestantand28%asCatholic.• Womenwhohavenevermarriedandarenotcohabitingaccountfor45%ofall
abortions• About61%ofabortionsareobtainedbywomenwhohaveoneormorechildren.• 42%ofwomenobtainingabortionshaveincomesbelow100%ofthefederalpoverty
level($10,830forasinglewomanwithnochildren).• 27%ofwomenobtainingabortionshaveincomesbetween100–199%ofthefederal
povertylevel.
Source:GuttmacherInstitute
8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 9
ContraceptiveUse• 54%ofwomenwhohaveabortionshadusedacontraceptivemethod(usuallythe
condomorthepill)duringthemonththeybecamepregnant.Amongthosewomen,76%ofpillusersand49%ofcondomusersreporthavingusedtheirmethodinconsistently,while13%ofpillusersand14%ofcondomusersreportcorrectuse.
• 46%ofwomenwhohaveabortionshadnotusedacontraceptivemethodduringthemonththeybecamepregnant.Ofthesewomen,33%hadperceivedthemselvestobeatlowriskforpregnancy,32%hadhadconcernsaboutcontraceptivemethods,26%hadhadunexpectedsexand1%hadbeenforcedtohavesex.
• 8%ofwomenwhohaveabortionshaveneverusedamethodofbirthcontrol;nonuseisgreatestamongthosewhoareyoung,poor,black,Hispanicorlesseducated.
• Abouthalfofunintendedpregnanciesoccuramongthe11%ofwomenwhoareatriskforunintendedpregnancybutarenotusingcontraceptives.Mostofthesewomenhavepracticedcontraceptioninthepast.
Source:GuttmacherInstitute
8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 10
Whenabortionsoccur88%ofabortionsoccurinthefirst12weeksofthepregnancy(2006stats)
Source:GuttmacherInstitute
8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 11
Safety• Abortionisoneofthesafestmedicalprocedures,withminimal—lessthan0.05%—riskof
majorcomplicationsthatmightnotneedhospitalcare.• Abortionsperformedinthefirsttrimesterposevirtuallynolong-termriskofsuchproblems
asinfertility,ectopicpregnancy,spontaneousabortion(miscarriage)orbirthdefect,andlittleornoriskofpretermorlow-birth-weightdeliveries.
• ExhaustivereviewsbypanelsconvenedbytheU.S.andBritishgovernmentshaveconcludedthatthereisnoassociationbetweenabortionandbreastcancer.Thereisalsonoindicationthatabortionisariskfactorforothercancers.
• Inrepeatedstudiessincetheearly1980s,leadingexpertshaveconcludedthatabortiondoesnotposeahazardtowomen’smentalhealth.
• Theriskofdeathassociatedwithabortionincreaseswiththelengthofpregnancy,fromonedeathforeveryonemillionabortionsatorbeforeeightweekstooneper29,000at16–20weeks—andoneper11,000at21ormoreweeks.
• Fifty-eightpercentofabortionpatientssaytheywouldhavelikedtohavehadtheirabortionearlier.Nearly60%ofwomenwhoexperiencedadelayinobtaininganabortioncitethetimeittooktomakearrangementsandraisemoney.
• Teensaremorelikelythanolderwomentodelayhavinganabortionuntilafter15weeksofpregnancy,whenthemedicalrisksassociatedwithabortionaresignificantlyhigher.
Source:GuttmacherInstitute
8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 12
Safety• Abortionisoneofthesafestmedicalprocedures,withminimal—lessthan0.05%—riskof
majorcomplicationsthatmightnotneedhospitalcare.• Abortionsperformedinthefirsttrimesterposevirtuallynolong-termriskofsuchproblems
asinfertility,ectopicpregnancy,spontaneousabortion(miscarriage)orbirthdefect,andlittleornoriskofpretermorlow-birth-weightdeliveries.
• ExhaustivereviewsbypanelsconvenedbytheU.S.andBritishgovernmentshaveconcludedthatthereisnoassociationbetweenabortionandbreastcancer.Thereisalsonoindicationthatabortionisariskfactorforothercancers.
• Inrepeatedstudiessincetheearly1980s,leadingexpertshaveconcludedthatabortiondoesnotposeahazardtowomen’smentalhealth.
• Theriskofdeathassociatedwithabortionincreaseswiththelengthofpregnancy,fromonedeathforeveryonemillionabortionsatorbeforeeightweekstooneper29,000at16–20weeks—andoneper11,000at21ormoreweeks.
• Fifty-eightpercentofabortionpatientssaytheywouldhavelikedtohavehadtheirabortionearlier.Nearly60%ofwomenwhoexperiencedadelayinobtaininganabortioncitethetimeittooktomakearrangementsandraisemoney.
• Teensaremorelikelythanolderwomentodelayhavinganabortionuntilafter15weeksofpregnancy,whenthemedicalrisksassociatedwithabortionaresignificantlyhigher.
Source:GuttmacherInstitute
8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 13
PartTwo
ThePhilosophicalArguments
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TwoPrincipalMoralConsiderations
Themoralstatusofthefetus• Isthefetusaperson?Atwhatstageinits
developmentdoesitbecomesaperson?Conception?1st trimester?Birth?
Therightsofthepregnantwoman• Doesthepregnantwomanhavetherightto
decideifsheisgoingtocarrythebabytotermornot?
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AnImportantDistinction
• Asyouconsiderthisdifficultissue,itisimportanttodistinguishtwoquestions:• Isabortionmorally wrong?• Shouldabortionbeillegal?
• Thesearedistinctissues.Noteverythingthatisimmoralisnecessarilyillegal.Wemay,forexample,wanttosaythatbeingunfaithfulinone’smarriageisimmoral,butwemaynotwanttoseeitmadeillegal.
8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 16
TheCentralArgument
Hereisthemainargumentthatisusuallyadvancedagainstabortion:P1: Thefetusisaninnocentperson.P2: Itismorallywrongtoendthelifeofaninnocent
person.C: Therefore,itismorallywrongtoendthelifeofa
fetus.
8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 17
TheMoralStatusoftheFetus
• Muchofthedebateinregardtoabortionhascenteredaroundthefirstpremise,namely,whetherthefetusisapersonornot.
• Ifthefetusisaperson,thenithastherightsthatbelongtopersons,includingtherighttolife.
• Theconceptofpersonhood,inotherwords,isthebridgethatconnectsthefetuswiththerighttolife.
8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 18
Fetus
Personhood
Rights
CriteriaofPersonhood
• StarTrek thoughtexperiment• Possiblecriteria
• Conceivedbyhumans• Geneticstructure• Physicalresemblance• Presenceofasoul• Viability• Afuturelikeours
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NecessaryandSufficientConditions
• Anecessarycondition issomethingwhichmustbepresentforanotherthingtobepossible--e.g.,havingyoureyesopenisanecessaryconditionforwatchingtelevision.
• Asufficientcondition issomethingwhich,ifpresent,guaranteesthattheotherthingwilloccur--e.g.,drinkingaquartofwhiskeyisasufficientconditionforbecomingdrunk.
8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 20
NecessaryandSufficientConditionsofPersonhood
• Usingthisdistinction,wecanthenask:• Whatarethenecessaryconditionsofpersonhood?
• Whatarethesufficientconditionsofpersonhood?
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TheRelevanceofPersonhood:J.J.Thomson
• Somephilosophers--beginningwithJudithJarvisThomson andJaneEnglish--havearguedthat,evenifthefetusisaperson,abortionmaybemorallyjustified.Inotherwords,theydisputethetruthofthepremise,“Itiswrongtoendthelifeofaninnocentperson.”
8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 22
TheViolinistExample
• Thomsonoffersananalogy:imaginethatyouwereknockedunconscious,hookeduptoafamousviolinistwhomustdependonyouforlifesupportforthecomingninemonths.
• Thomsonmaintainsthatyouwouldbemorallyjustifiedinunhookingyourself,evenifitresultedinthedeathoftheviolinist.
• Byanalogy,apregnantwomanisjustifiedin“unhooking”herselffromthefetus,evenifdoingsoresultsinthedeathofthefetusandevenifthefetusisaperson.
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LimitationsoftheViolinistAnalogy
Thomson’sanalogyhasseverallimitations:• Onlycoverscasesofrape.
• Theviolinistisnotsomeonetowhomoneisrelated,evenpotentially.
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JaneEnglish’sRevisions
• ThephilosopherJaneEnglishamendedThomson’sexample.• Imaginethatyougooutatnight,knowingthatyoumightberenderedunconsciousandhookeduptotheviolinist.
• Youwouldstill,accordingtoEnglish,beentitledtounhookyourself.
• Thiscaseismorecloselyanalogoustoconventionalcasesofunwantedpregnancies.
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TheRightsofthePregnantWoman
Whatrightdoesawomanpossessthatwouldentitlehertochooseanabortion?
• Righttoprivacy.• thisistherightspecifiedinRoev.Wade.
• Righttoownershipofone’sownbody.• Isownershipaperspicuouscategory?
• Righttoequaltreatment.• Mencan’tgetpregnant.
• Righttoself-determination.• Womenhavetherighttodecideabouttheirownfutures.• Itismorallyrepellenttoforceawomantobearachildagainstherwill.
8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 26
Whodecides?
Whodecides?
Thegovernment• Laws•Courtdecisions•Regulation
Physicians• Individualdoctors• Professionalorganizations
Thosedirectlyinvolved•Thepregnantwoman•Thebiologicalfather•Otherfamilymembers
8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 27
FeministConcernsaboutAbortion
Manyfeministsseeabortionissuewithincontextof:
• historyofoppressionofwomen• historyofdangeranddeathforwomenwhenabortionisillegal
8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 28
AbortionandRacism
Some,particularlywithinAfrican-Americancommunities,seethecallforabortionasaracist,genocidalthreat.
8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 29
RightsoftheFather
Towhatextentdothefather’spreferencescountinmakingthisdecision?
• Motheractuallygivebirth,fathersdon’t.• Societyusuallyplacesprimaryresponsibilityonthemother.
• Fathersdon’tevenalwaysknowtheyarefathers;mothersalwaysdo.
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PrincipleoftheDoubleEffect
Fourconditionsmustbemet:1. theactionitselfmustbeeithermorallygoodor
atleastmorallyneutral;2. thebadconsequencesmustnotbeintended;3. thegoodconsequencescannotbethedirect
causalresultofthebadconsequences;and4. thegoodconsequencesmustbeproportionate
tothebadconsequences.
8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 31
AbortionandSexSelection
• Someworrythatabortion,coupledwithtechniquesfordeterminingwhetherthefetusismaleorfemale,couldbeusedforsexselection,whichwouldprobablyresultinfewerfemalebabies.
8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 32
SeekingaCommonGround
• Pointsofpossibleagreement• Reducingunwantedpregnancies
• But:disagreementaboutthemeans
• Guaranteeinggenuinelyfreeandinformedchoice• Providingalovinghomeforallchildren
8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 33
NotableWebResources
• EthicsUpdates• StevenSchwartz,TheMoralQuestionofAbortion. (LoyolaUniversityPress,1990).Fulltextofentirebook.
• JudithJarvisThomson,"Abortion,"TheBostonReview,Vol.XX,No.3,(Jan1994/Dec1995).Fulltext&replies.
• GeorgeMcKenna,"OnAbortion:ALincolnian Position,"TheAtlanticMonthly,Vol.276,No.3;(September,1995).
• MarthaBayles,"FeminismandAbortion."AtlanticMonthly.April,1990.
8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 34