PA: The mother has a right to defend herself against the unborn use of her body against her will a right to have an abortion. Moreover, religion and ethics must be concern about a fully developed human being and their wellbeing before supporting the rights of the fetus, which is not fully abortion ethics essay Jones and Jerman. On the contrary, abortion ethics essay, anti-choice activists view condoning abortion as one way of encouraging people to indulge in violence so as to achieve selfish ambitions. Conversely, the pro-life faction believes that it is unethical and immoral to terminate a pregnancy. Arras, J, abortion ethics essay. Ethical decision making in health and patient care revolves around making good choices, which will not harm the parties involved.
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The Ethics of AbortionWe may be living in the 21st century, an epoch typified by a remarkable change in worldview from conservatism to liberalism, but the issue of abortion remains a most controversial one. The subject has remained in the limelight for a considerable period of time, and will be probably argued by future generations. Whilst it has been received by some people as basically a rights issue where the abortion ethics essay should be at will to have the baby or terminate the life of the unborn fetus, others have strongly condemned such acts, terming them as unquestionable evils that can not be justified on any grounds.
As a result, abortion ethics essay, two dialectically opposed sides have emerged: the pro-life, abortion ethics essay, and pro-choice. While those who subscribe to the former school of thought are totally objected to abortion under any circumstances, the latter abortion ethics essay that women have a right to decide whether or not to have abortion ethics essay baby or abort. Each of the two sides offers different solutions in as far as abortion decisions are concerned. The pro-life group advocates that a mother ought to have the baby and live with it, articulating that abortion does not offer any meaningful solution, abortion ethics essay.
On the other hand, the pro-choice side has advanced a collection of arguments that depict the act of abortion as appropriate and even desirable Alcorn, The existence of this diverse reasoning explains why some countries especially those in the developed world have legalized the practice, while such efforts aimed abortion ethics essay legalization have failed in others. None of the arguments raised by the two sides can be dismissed as irrational, or unfounded, as this would be undermining the intellectual predispositions of either the proponents abortion ethics essay opponents. Despite the fact that the debate on abortion largely remains a legal discourse focusing on whether it should be treated as murder of the human person, or a legal right and choice that should be available to all women Steinbock, Arras, and London,abortion ethics essay, a closer look at the available body of evidence reveals various underlying ethical dilemmas that require redress.
Although some analysts postulate that law does not exist to justify morality, it is also true to point out that all desirable legislations have their foundation in moral values. Considering that the failure to discuss the values underlying abortion could actually obscure vital discussions, it is imperative that the abortion ethics essay issues surrounding abortion be thoroughly addressed, abortion ethics essay. Before delving into the ethical issues abortion ethics essay to the subject, it is imperative that the act of abortion be conceptualized from a scientific point of view. Abortion has been defined as entailing the deliberate termination of a pregnancy by removing the unborn child embryo or fetus from the womb, thus resulting into its death Steinbock, Arras, and London, The act can be carried out by the mother herself, a professional physician in legally recognized clinics, or in the back alley.
While it could result from physiological complications, the term is mostly used to refer to the induced expulsion of the fetus. When it occurs spontaneously, it is often referred to as a miscarriage. In essence, this fact is at the core of the controversy that the topic elicits among different institutions and abortion ethics essay. According to those opposed to the rights reasoning as a justification of carrying out abortion ethics essay abortion, what should determine whether the act is unethical is the legality of the fetus. Should the fetus qualify as a person, pro-lifers argue that abortion equals murder, hence the reason as to why it should be declared illegal.
Abortion as Unethical Treatment of the FetusThe status of the unborn child constitutes an important aspect of the abortion controversy. To this end, abortion ethics essay, they argue that referring to abortion as the termination of life is rather too harsh and an oversimplification of the issue Baird and Rosenbaum, However, the pro-life group has cited scientific reasoning as providing useful insights as to why abortion actually results in the death of a human person. On the one hand, those who support abortion point out that the fetus can not be regarded as a complete human being. The common view is that of portraying the fetus as merely a lump of growing cells.
They emphasize that at the initial stages of development, the human fetus bears primitive biological characteristics, just as for those of other animals like fish or apes. From an anatomical point of view, the brain of a fetus is also undeveloped. Particularly the fact that it has no capacity for consciousness makes it dissimilar to human beings, who have these biological attributes in plenty Baird and Rosenbaum, In essence, the growing cells can potentially develop into a human being if preserved, nurtured, and fed by the mother. This is why the life of the fetus portrayed as biologically undeveloped is depicted as secondary to that of the mother abortion ethics essay as a fully developed human being by those who favor abortion. On the contrary, there is also a significant body of scientific evidence that indeed highlights the fetus as a human person.
From a biological point of view, every new human life starts at fertilization. This refers to the process where the male female gametes sperm and ovum fuse to form a zygote, abortion ethics essay. This applies for all animals, be it human beings or apes Steinbock, Arras, and London, From this biological fact, it is evident that a fetus can not be simply dismissed as inhuman, considering that it a growing life. This argument constitutes the fundamental opposition to abortion by religious sects and faiths. Majority of faiths, abortion ethics essay, and more particularly the Roman Catholic and protestant fundamentalists hold the view that the embryo must be treated as a person right from conception, and that it is created through a divine action Alcorn, The second physiological view shedding light on the controversy is the fact is that all species reproduces after their own kind Larsen, Immediately after the fertilization process is over, what results is a living creature that has the physiological attributes of a human abortion ethics essay. Based on these two biologically proved arguments, pro-lifers have been able to draw one concrete conclusion: that abortion puts an end to the life of a human being.
Notably, a number of pro-abortionists have conceded to this fact. She observes:Clinging to a rhetoric about abortion in which there is no life and no death, abortion ethics essay, we entangle our beliefs in a series of self-delusions, fibs and evasions. And we risk becoming precisely what our critics charge us with being: callous, abortion ethics essay, selfish and casually destructive men and women who share a cheapened view of human life…we need to contextualize the fight to defend abortion rights within a moral framework that admits that the death of a fetus is a real death Alcorn,abortion ethics essay. Indeed, Wolf agrees that the death of a fetus is real death Alcorn, From the ongoing biological discussions, it is apparent that abortion apparently terminates the life of a growing life.
Thus, a physician or clinician who assists a woman to carry out an abortion is party to a murder crime. This is irrespective of the underlying circumstances surrounding the abortion act. A significant number of those opposed to abortion raise objections when it is particularly carried as abortion ethics essay late stages of pregnancy, deeming it outright immorality. This view is also shared by a number of moderate pro-choice activists. Such objection is based on the strong belief that the fetus has developed anatomical features quite similar to those of a human being.
In essence, pro-lifers have a strong point when they point to such evidence. Nevertheless, reducing abortion to the abortion ethics essay of whether or not an unborn fetus is abortion ethics essay human person tends to obscure the more implicit ethical realities that surround the issue, abortion ethics essay. Although the fact that the fetus is biologically undeveloped at the initial stages of life arguably makes it less human, it does not necessarily imply that it lacks a moral standing. Virtually everyone concurs that human life is precious, abortion ethics essay, and none wants to die before their. From a practical point of view, those who perpetrate murder receive outright condemnation, and are inevitably forced to face the law. Besides, those who commit murder are seen as selfish individuals, who lack human feelings, and are often portrayed as threatening the fabric of the society, abortion ethics essay.
Evidently, abortion is perceived from a morally different angle. In addition to being portrayed as excusable under certain circumstances, the way the unborn fetus is eliminated from the uterus raises numerous moral concerns. Crude methods such as piercing using sharp objects are still in use today in some parts abortion ethics essay the world. All these show the cruelty involved when a pregnant woman decides to embrace this path. Thus, pro-life activists have questioned why their opponents have remained impartial to such cruelty and the universally accepted biological facts underlying abortion. Considering that human life once lost can not recovered, the former group has relentlessly championed for a reexamination of ideology and morals. Abortion and Individual Autonomy Another controversy surrounding the abortion debate concerns the issue of individual autonomy and rights.
In majority of the states that advocate individual freedom and democracy, abortion ethics essay, the ethical claim to personal, bodily autonomy is regarded as fundamental in determining the ethics of decision and choices Ruth, However, the extent to which this autonomy should be exercised without exceeding the moral confines remains a subject of debate, abortion ethics essay. According proponents of abortion, abortion constitutes a moral right which ought to be left to the sole discretion of the woman involved Baird and Rosenbaum, To them only the mother has the right to determine the disposition she is to make in as far as the functions of her body are concerned Baird and Rosenbaum, Thus, any decision she makes has to be viewed as an autonomous consideration that has to be respected.
Besides the issue of individual rights, there is also the ethical question of forcing women to carry pregnancies to term. By implication, they women are obligated to provide a haven where a fetus abortion ethics essay develop into a baby with complete human attributes, besides the possibility of years of forced support Baird and Rosenbaum, abortion ethics essay, This situation precipitates an ethical dilemma. On the one hand, prohibiting women the choice of reproduction and pregnancy in particular abortion ethics essay seen as incompatible with justice principles, abortion ethics essay.
To the extent that illegalization of abortion to the exercise of individual freedom, it is unethical, irrespective of the status of the fetus. Ethical Obligations to the Fetus Another consideration made in abortion-related discussions is whether or not a woman has an ethical obligation to the fetus. This issue also elicits mixed responses abortion ethics essay various quotas. Majority of pro-life supporters highlight that pregnancy abortion ethics essay the presence of a growing life inside the womb of the mother. This fact serves to place some sort of obligation on the woman, irrespective of whether or not the fetus fits the description of a complete human being.
According to Alcornsuch an obligation may not be strong enough to eliminate abortion as a matter of choice, but is sufficient in limiting the circumstances under which abortion can be embraced as an ethical option Another ethical consideration often cited when evaluating the existence of a moral obligation is the sexual act that results abortion ethics essay pregnancy. In the view of some analysts, the ethics of sex itself constitute a very important part when considering whether or not abortion is ethical. The common contention amongst many of those opposed to abortion is that sexual activity ought to carry consequences, chief among them being pregnancy Ruth, To strict pro-life activists, the prevention of such consequences, in this case through abortion is inherently unethical.
However, the modern and liberal views of sexuality have tended to dissociate sex from traditional consequences, a scenario which has tended to depict the practice of abortion as involving less ethical obligation on the mother Baird and Rosenbaum, This implies that though the practice could be summarized as a social vice, women at certain time have no choice but do it. The notion of legalizing abortion as a necessary evil is based on a number of commonly echoed sediments. One of them is the argument that there tends to be more deaths in countries or localities where abortion is legalized than where it is unlawful. Thus legalization abortion is perceived to enhance the survival chances of mothers, in addition to reducing hospitalizations associated with ectopic pregnancies Steinbock, Arras, and London, Although these articulations can not be merely dismissed, it is also necessary to examine contradictory evidence.
In for instance, it was shown that 27 women died as a result of legalized abortion, as abortion ethics essay to 39 who died out of illegal abortions Steinbock, abortion ethics essay, Arras, and London, Though modern medical advancements have made abortion a safer ordeal, the practice remains a risky practice, whether legal or illegal. Another myth is that even before the practice was legalized in the U. The desire to save the life of the mother is indeed a humanitarian gesture. Abortion and the Issue of Unwanted ChildrenBesides the life-saving hypothesis, those who advocate for abortion highlight emotional and psychological consequences that could emanate from having the unborn child.
Though a child in many social settings is seen as a blessing to the parent sthere are circumstances when the opposite occurs. For instance, cases of incest and rape are on the increase, a factor which has led to an escalation in unwanted pregnancies. Unplanned teenage conceptions have also become common. Abortion precipitated by such circumstances is deemed necessary by pro-abortionists, and even a section of liberal pro-life activists. However, abortion ethics essay, a good number of those who have had abortions do so for economic reasons, for example, the inability to afford the care of a child or when pregnancy poses an obstacle to career advancement.
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For instance, in Nebraska, an institution cannot perform an abortion after a twenty-week gestation period because it causes pain to the child. Oklahoma laws allow medical practitioners to restrict information about a fetus with disability if they think it will cause the mother to have an abortion. In Utah, willful termination of a pregnancy is treated as manslaughter or murder. In funding, seventeen states in the country fund abortion in Medicaid while others have been forced by state courts. In North Carolina, women cannot get access to funding for Medicaid Meckstroth All the above information is necessary in deciding whether an abortion will take place or not.
If a medical practitioner gives precedence to his person beliefs without incorporating these laws, then he or should could be acting morally but illegally. However, healthcare professionals have the right to conscientious refusal to perform an abortion. This is the point whether their ethical values come into play. For instance, if a physician finds an anomaly in the fetus, the choice to refer an abortion or to refrain from telling the mother in states that allow it has ethical implications. In the event that a practitioner decides to exercise conscientious refusal, it is incumbent upon the person to do a referral. Therefore, the patient must make the choice to have an abortion.
However, if the patient is incompetent, then a surrogate should be selected. A provider must exercise due diligence in ensuring that the surrogate has no ill intentions. Failure to do so could result in an unethical decision. Health professionals have a series of conflicting interests that they must reconcile in abortion and patient care. These interests range from legal, moral, financial to health concerns. When deciding upon a decision involved in abortion, good practice dictates the use of morally neutral or morally good actions. Ethical decision makers need to balance between the bad and good consequences of the act.
National Abortion Federation. Ethical standards of abortion care. Need a custom Essay sample written from scratch by professional specifically for you? certified writers online. Ethics and Abortion. We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. If you continue, we will assume that you agree to our Cookies Policy. Introduction Ethical decision making in health and patient care revolves around making good choices, which will not harm the parties involved. Learn More. We will write a custom Essay on Ethics and Abortion specifically for you!
This essay on Ethics and Abortion was written and submitted by your fellow student. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. Removal Request. If you are the copyright owner of this paper and no longer wish to have your work published on IvyPanda. However, religion and ethics would consider it wrong to abort a developing life. They considered it a murder. Regardless of the religious arguments women rights advocate consider it as a right of woman to decide whether she wants to have a baby or not depending on her physical, social and economic wellbeing Adinma.
They argue it is unethical to force women to raise an unwanted child, as it will affect the mother and the child in the end. Hence, the paper will discuss the debates for and against abortion considering religious, ethical and humans rights point of view concluding that women must be able to decide based on her physical, social and economic well-being and preparedness. Although killing is wrong on ethical and religious bases, abortion is not a murder. The mother although intends to end the pregnancy, she does not kill a person as the fetus is not developed into a full being Adinma. It cannot be considered murder. The fetus cannot feel pain or is aware of its surrounding as it is proved scientifically that the fetus under 26 week cannot feel the pain, it is not a human being.
Therefore, it cannot be considered murder. In addition, being biologically alive does not make a fetus a human being with consciousness and cognitive abilities Munk-Olsen et al. Moreover, murder is legally and ethically acceptable if it is done in self-defense and abortion is a kind of self-defense for a mother who is unprepared to have the baby physically or economically. Women know better than anyone else whether she is prepared psychologically, physically, socially and economically to raise the child or she needs more time. The birthing child is not about giving birth to the child, it requires the mother to care for the child and help the child grow properly with emotional, economic and social support. It would be wrong ethically to give birth to a person without responding to their economic and emotional needs.
The lack of response to the social and economic needs of a person leads to problematic behavior in the child Pazol et al. Therefore, the mother must consider her wellbeing and the wellbeing of her child to decide regardless of the ethical and religious concerns surrounding abortions. Moreover, religion and ethics must be concern about a fully developed human being and their wellbeing before supporting the rights of the fetus, which is not fully developed Jones and Jerman. To conclude, the mother must decide whether she wants a baby or not and whether she is prepared for the baby or not. It is important because the life of the baby and the mother depends on that single decision of the mother regardless of the religious and ethical arguments.
Adinma, E. Jones, Rachel K. Wiley Online Library , doi Munk-Olsen, Trine, et al. Pazol, Karen, et al.
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