Application to Abortion - created from Mind Map

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Development in the Womb

Sanctity of Life

Howard Kanz on Natural Law and the Primary Precepts

Types of Abortion

Application of Natural law to Abortion

One of the major issues surrounding abortion is the question of when life begins. The development life takes course within

Conception: Sperm meets egg

Zygote pre embryo 0-5 days

Blastocyst: pre embryo 5-14 days where cells multiply

Embryo 14-8 weeks

Foetus 8 weeks onwards

'Basic argument against abortion on which others build is that the unborn child is already a human being, a person, bearer of rights, and that abortion is let alone murder' J.L Mackie

The Catholic church teaches that all direction abortion is wrong whatever the circumstances and cannot be permitted

Life is holy and belongs to God himself only as he is the Creator of Life only God has the right to end life (shown through the Genesis Story)

The unborn child has the right to life, In Luke's Gospel John the Baptist leapt into Elizabeths womb when Mary visited her. Goes against the 5th commnadment 'Do not kill

When life begins at the moment of conception God has a purpose for all the words from the prophet Jeremiah 'Before i formed you in the womb i knew you'

Abortion is always wrong because it denies the God-given right to life of a human being, Catholics might quote Mother Teresa who said 'it is poverty indeed that an innocent person must die to that you live as you wish

Argues that in the case of abortion two other factors are more relevant than just the preservation of life

What if the womans life was in danger? As those who apply the two other precept often make exceptions for situations threatening the life of a mother since there is conflict between two rights to life

Uses the Example of Rape