Ethics - Abortion

Ethics - Abortion

1. Catigorical Imperitives (Kant)

   • first formulation: universalisation
     • He says it's difficult to create a rule on abortion as there are diffrent situations in which they are happening(e.g. rape, family problems, lack of money ect)
   • second formulation: treat humans as an ends and not as a means to an ends
     • The foetus is considered a person and therefore the mother should not use abortion as a means to an end
   • Kant said that the foetus may not be considered to be a reasoning individual
     • Therefore abortion may be acceptable
   • abortion is wrong if the mother uses an abortion to be free and to get on with her own life

2. Natural Law

   • Its an absolutist theory: it looks at the action
     • The action is killing and therefore it's wrong
   • Its not fulfilling its purpose in life
     • This is because if you "kill" the foetus then it will never be able to fulfil what God had intended for that child
   • It goes against the five primary precepts
     • goes against the precept of preserving life
       • Its killing a potential child
     • goes against the precept of reproduction
       • you're stopping reproduction
   • real and apparent good
     • don't know if what they're doing is real good, or if it the false apparent good

3. Utilitarianism

   • The hedonic calculus: calcuculates how good an action is
     • if the reason of the abortion comes out overall as good, then the abortion would be seen as ok
   • Act: focuses on the quantity of people it affects and the indervidal act
     • Abortion affects not just the mother, but the family and friends as well so it may be considered wrong as it could cause more people distress than peace
   • Rule: focuses on quality
     • This would say if the baby wouldn't have a good quality of life after it was born (e.g. if it would have t live on the streets or in a abusive household) then it would be deemed ok
     • It would also say it was right if it would mean a better quality of life for the mother and it was a good quality of abortion

4. Christian Ethics

   • Old Testament
     • Roman Catholics follow the old testament and the 10 commandments as a duty
       • abortion = going against duty
         • going against duty = BIG SIN = Hell
     • 10 commandments
       • Thou shalt not KILL
         • Abortion = murdering a child = wrong
     • Sanctity of life
       • Abortion would be killing/destroying a sacred God given gift and therefore is wrong
   • Situational Ethics: the most loving thing to do
     • abortion = right if the mother/family are at risk in the short/long turm
       • Keeping the baby could be wrong as it could cause issues
   • New Testment
     • Jesus (WWJD)
       • Abortion = wrong, however CAN be accepted IF in the right circumstances
         • Jesus forgives the sinners

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