Chapter11

Chapter Eleven

Reproductive Issues

Copyright ©2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

The Abortion Issue

• 1973 Roe v. Wade decision:– Constitutional right to privacy– Balanced the interests of the woman

and the state’s interest – A “negative right” provides liberty from

interference but not necessarily access

• Pro-choice

• Pro-life


Sanctity of Life Argument

• If the fetus is a live human, killing humans is wrong

• Exceptions:– Self-defense– Where the mother’s life is in danger. Is a

fetus a human? When does the fetus becomes human and possess a “right to life”?


Killing and Self-Defense

• Killing for self-defense:– Justification not provided when it comes

to killing an innocent – You may not ethically push someone in

front of a car in order to save yourself


Killing and Self-Defense (continued)

• Assessment of the multiple character of actions:– Doctrine of double effect


Doctrine of Double Effect

• Course chosen must be good or at least morally neutral

• Good must not follow as a consequence of the secondary harmful effects


Doctrine of Double Effect (continued)

• The harm must not be intended but merely tolerated as causally connected with the good intended

• The good must outweigh the harm


Human or Person

• Human on the basis of one’s genetic code

• Status of person is only given to members of the moral community (entities with rights)

• Do the unborn meet the criteria for personhood?


Personhood Criteria

• Personhood criteria:– Consciousness of objects and events– The ability to feel pain – Reasoning– Self-motivated activity – The capacity to communicate – A concept of self


Personhood Criteria (continued)

• Does the personhood criteria advance the abortion argument?


Judith Thompson Analogies

• Abortion analogies:– The violinist– The rapidly growing child– The carpet-seed children

• Do you feel that the Thompson analogies advance the argument in regard to abortion?


The Argument from Women’s Liberty and Priority of Life Plan

• Rape, incest, and protection of the woman’s life

• However, most common reasons for abortions deal with personal liberty and control over one’s life plan

• Autonomous self-realization through the control of one’s life plan


Environmental Perspective

• As the world population grows, we could overwhelm the world’s environmental resources

• China, with its 1.4 billion people, has instituted a one child per family policy


Environmental Perspective (continued)

• Humans are part of the biotic community with a duty to maintain a balance of numbers with the other members of that community

• Does this argument advance the abortion argument?


In Vitro Fertilization

• Story of Louise Brown:– First test tube embryo – First embryo transfer– Few ethical problems with process


In Vitro Fertilization (continued)

• Ethical issues arise from:– Spare embryos from process – legal

status– Harm to embryos from freezing– Path to “abortion in vitro”– Research with embryonic tissue


Surrogacy

• Practice of surrogacy:– For money– As a gift

• Ethical issues involved:– If for money, is this the same as trading

in humans?– The debasement of women– Disagreements following birth?


Surrogacy Arguments

• Kantian arguments:– Can be used to argue both positions

• Utilitarian arguments:– Very complicated utility calculations


Key Concepts

• The Roe v. Wade decision

• Pro-choice and pro-life positions

• Duty vs. consequence reasoning– Sanctity of life– Personal autonomy and self-

determination– One child policy per family in China– Abortion in cases of rape or incest


Key Concepts (continued)

• In vitro fertilization:– How to avoid problem of additional

embryos created in process?– Can additional embryos be used in

biological research?


Key Concepts (continued)

• Surrogacy:– Problems associated with paying

women for this service– Criteria to use when there is

disagreement?

Chapter11

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