Abortion - Today's Contemporary Moral Issue - Essay Example

?"Abortion: A contemporary Moral Issue" Introduction Abortion, as the suggests, means abort of finish, miscarriage. An act of instantaneous slaughter of a human before the baby is born. It is becoming the most contemporary issues in the present day scenario. For the past two decades, the issue has been debated regarding the ethical and moral concerns. To date no convincing results could be procured rather it emerged as the most contentious of all the existing contemporary societal concerns of the present century (Ethics of Abortion: Is it Moral or Immoral to Have an Abortion). Abortion poses a ethical, societal, and therapeutic predicament that blend up poignant answers among disputants of the topic. Abortion is such an issue that carries two viewpoints encompassing choice and life. Life is present in the fetus right from the moment of conception, a fetus, or human embryo, is considered to be a living individual. Due to the act of abortion, the individual is divested from the survival and therefore for some abortion is considered to be equivalent to murder. The view is supported by the Catholic Church, as it is the moral responsibility to prevent every individual (Ethics of Abortion: Is it Moral or Immoral to Have an Abortion). On the contrary, decision to give birth to the young one is the right of the mother and there should not be any interventions. Thus it is a matter of fetal life but at the same time the issue is concerned with the upbringing of the child and also the consent of the mother who has to give birth to the baby (individual). The present article considers the philosophical facet of abortion, as it encompasses the ethical assessment of the proceedings. History reveals that abortion has always been a contemporary issue, the issue was prevalent even before the birth of Christ. Some traditional methods were prevalent to kill the unwanted fetus, although it was a legal as well as political concern. It was Plato (428- 347 BC) and Aristotle (384-322 BC) who maintained the outlook of abortion (Roos). Aristotle developed the thought of "delayed ensoulment" which had far reaching implications amongst intellectuals. He very well discriminated plants animals and humans and framed the view that the soul enters the human body once the body is fully formed. and also postulated the ensoulment as- for males it is forty days and for females it is eighty days. Roman law did not provide any legal standing to the infant till the family head accepts it (Roos). Later with the advent of Christianity life in womb was also considered to be sacred and therefore contradictions started which is prevailing even in the present situation (Roos). Abortion: a Crucial Ethical Issue Abortion has been debated over the years on the political grounds to make a law and should be regarded as a murder of an individual or it should be left as a permissible issue leaving on the choice of the women. On the other hand it is believed by some that law must not legislate transience. It is also believed that all the laws must be made for good. A breakdown or stoppage to explicitly converse those morals and ethics could incomprehensible vital planning (Fetus, Humanity, Personhood: When Does a Fetus Become a Human Person with Rights). Could fetus be considered as an individual with rights? Debates related to abortion encompass the lawful eminence related to the fetus. Considering fetus as an individual, abortion is equivalent to the murder and therefore abortion is an illegitimate act. On the other hand, it is necessary to understand that it is the part of women's body and any state cannot compel a woman to continue with the pregnancy if the woman is not willing to maintain it to the complete term. Thus it should be an ethical choice and should not be a considered as a murder (Fetus, Humanity, Personhood: When Does a Fetus Become a Human Person with Rights). Female does possess Moral Responsibility towards the developing Fetus! In certain cases the contraception fails or the use of contraceptive means may turn out to be improper of ineffective or there is a duplication in the contraceptive means and woman's concurrence to sex may turn out to be the pregnancy. It is evident that continuing with pregnancy is having a new life inside and there is a plethora of responsibilities that a woman may not be prepared for, thus the pregnancy could be said to be unwanted or untimely. However, besides these issues it is also essential to demonstrate that woman bears a moral responsibility towards the growing fetus. Possibly this compulsion may not be adequately strapping to eradicate abortion as an alternative, on the other hand it might be sufficient to check at what time abortion could be made a moral choice (Fetus, Humanity, Personhood: When Does a Fetus Become a Human Person with Rights). Abortion: an immoral treatment to the fetus! Considering a fetus to be an individual itself provides the fetus an ethical eminence. It is therefore manifested that abortion in the later stages of pregnancy is not performed as by that time fetus starts looking like a baby and hence more like a defined human and hence it becomes more unethical to abort the baby. Thus people supporting the view to make abortion a legal issue gains a point. As killing a baby or an entity that resembles more of a human baby is equivalent to the murder (Fetus, Humanity, Personhood: When Does a Fetus Become a Human Person with Rights). Personal ethics and anatomy of woman If a woman decides that she is not prepared to pursue the pregnancy then she can abort the pregnancy. Keeping the ethical assertion to herself, the anatomy of the body should also permit the continuity of the pregnancy. If the conception occurs at the later age around forty then the body anatomy of the lady does not permit for the continuity of pregnancy. In such cases, termination of pregnancy should be allowed. On the other hand if a women is victimized, due to rape or forced sex, and if the result turns out to be pregnancy then also woman must be allowed to terminate the pregnancy. Moreover if the incidence occur at the tender age and the girl is not willing to pursue with the pregnancy then it should be aborted. Thus, body anatomy of the lady becomes the chief elementary concern where ethics are really being measured and women are also considered to be democratic in a true sense. Thus autonomy should be given to the women to think about herself and also to consider her choice to carry the pregnancy to the term (Fetus, Humanity, Personhood: When Does a Fetus Become a Human Person with Rights). Moral value: to force a woman to pursue the pregnancy to the term? Is it ethical or legal to force any woman to continue with the pregnancy when she is not willing to? The fetus grows inside the body of the women, she provides all the congenial environment to the fetus, she takes care of the fetus, she nurtures the fetus; but if she is not willing to pursue the pregnancy why the issue for being unethical in abortion come? There could be various reasons to do so, may it be financial crunch where the woman understands that it is not feasible to bring the child to the world of miseries, or if the career of the woman is at its peak and she cannot afford to take the leave and pursue with the pregnancy (Fetus, Humanity, Personhood: When Does a Fetus Become a Human Person with Rights). It is not at all ethical to ignore the rights to speak and proceed for women just for the sake of the one who has not even arrived to the world. Moral principles and the Results of Sexual relationships: It is evident that pregnancy is the resultant of sexual act, if there is any issue related to unwanted pregnancy then there has to be the issue related to the sex. Pregnancy is the result of sex and that it should not be prevented. It is unethical to prevent the resultant of the sexual act either by means of contraceptive means or by abortion. In the present scenario sexual relationships are beyond the cultural paradigms and therefore women must also unbound sex from its consequences and should get the choice to pursue or not to pursue with the conception (Fetus, Humanity, Personhood: When Does a Fetus Become a Human Person with Rights). Ethical commitment of women towards the father of the fetus Any pregnancy cannot occur without the male partner. It is therefore necessary to have a consent of the father as well before aborting the child. If the father agrees to take up the responsibility of the child and women gains confidence and believe on his words pregnancy could be taken to the term. In the present era where relationships are fragile, women do not want to have any binding to forgo her career or liberty. Now-a-days living relationships are prevailing and under such relationship, the couple does not like to enter into some kind of bonding related to child in such cases none of the partners is ready to take up the responsibility of the child as even if the father of the fetus agrees to take up the responsibility but what may happen in the future remains mysterious (Fetus, Humanity, Personhood: When Does a Fetus Become a Human Person with Rights). To give birth to unwanted child is moral? It is argued that it is unethical to kill the fetus right in the womb by means of abortion but if the act is not performed and when the child is born, it is likely that the child may remain unattended and uncared, as this child is the one who was not wanted by the mother and she has given birth to this child just to preserve the moral values. The unwanted child is not able to develop to the full potentials and is liable to turn out to be rebellious or with bad temperament. Creating such child is moral? Ideally it is not and therefore, if the female does not want to give birth to the child she should not be forced. If a woman does not have time to be a good mother and chooses to abort the child the choice must be given a favor (Fetus, Humanity, Personhood: When Does a Fetus Become a Human Person with Rights). Spiritual Debates over Abortion Every life is the gift of god and no one is provided with the right to kill any life form. Supporters and believers of this belief could be against abortion. There are religious leaders who practice such doctrine but a forced pregnancy is also the violation of human (women) rights. It could be secular, but no religious values could generate an unwanted individual who is not able to gather care of self, as no religion favors the development of mutinous child and hence an irresponsible citizen as the child is deprived of the sense of responsibility right before birth and hence the child turns out to be disloyal for self and for the society (Fetus, Humanity, Personhood: When Does a Fetus Become a Human Person with Rights). Standing of the Fetus Considering the ongoing debate all over the world regarding the issue of abortion, it has influenced the various aspects of the human endeavor may it be cultural, spiritual, political or moral. All these debates argue upon the legality of the issue "Abortion", only a few issues are concerned with the life that is being provided to the child when this unwanted child comes in the real world. The view that fetus has the same set of genetic material as an adult, brings to focus the rights that fetus possess. According to this view fetus possess the same right that every human possessing the same set of DNA or the genome possess, i.e. humans. Thus, argument takes a different shape when the genetic aspects are considered (Difference between Genotype and Phenotype.). What shapes an individual? The genetic aspects are not the sole creators of the individual, it is accepted fact of the laws of genetics that the genotype as well as the phenotype of the individual that shapes the personality of the individual. The genetic aspect encompass what the fetus has inherited from the parents, while the phenotypic aspect comprise the influence of environment that has played the role in formulating the individual. It is therefore essential that the fetus should be given a congenial atmosphere for the development to generate and create a citizen with broad and positive outlook and away from the frustrations and dissatisfactions in life. This could only be possible if the mother is willing to give birth to the child failing to take up the responsibility may germinate disobedience in the child and such a child may not turn out to be a good and responsible citizen as the child is never provided with the amiable and pleasant atmosphere to grow and develop (Fetus, Humanity, Personhood: When Does a Fetus Become a Human Person with Rights). Development of Brain Apart from the care and nutrition at the fetal stages, various research studies postulate the fact that brain develops rapidly till the tender age of five and therefore the child must get proper nutrition as well as personal care for the appropriate development of the brain. During this stage it is essential for the parents to interact with the child and understand the psychology of the child along with the interests of the child. If the parents are unable to devote time for the child the child remain suppressed and the potentials of the child may remain undiscovered all through the life. It is therefore essential for the mother to be prepared to take up the responsibility before giving birth to the child inability to do so hampers the child development. If the mother understands that she is not prepared to take up all these responsibilities and opt for abortion then it should be promoted for the sake of the child and in long run for the sake of the society and nation (Gabriel). Self-regulating existence It is argued that if a woman likes to lead an independent life shouldn't she be given the opportunity to have that life. A fetus is a life, an individual as long as it is attached to the mother's uterus it cannot lead an independent life, so the right to let the fetus live should be considered only with the consent of the woman and no one could force her what she has to do. It is essential for the woman to understand to what extent she can take up the responsibilities and if she finds herself unfit to perform all the required duties then there should not be any harm in aborting the fetus (Fetus, Humanity, Personhood: When Does a Fetus Become a Human Person with Rights). Essence In certain mythological beliefs every individual has a soul and that comes with the life and soul never dies. Once life is germinated or originated it the soul that comes inside and then it takes the form of the body and one must respect the soul and should never disobey the commands that god has sent by means of the soul that is inside the body and therefore deeds like killing the fetus should be abandoned (Abortion). However, cases like rebirth could postulate the existence of soul but these are only handful of evidence. Even if soul exists, but the right of life should be given weightage and mother's wish should be of prime importance. There were debates about life in the past. History reveals that Tertullian and Plato were the firm believers that a soul enters the human body as soon as the baby is born, when the baby is in womb there is no soul inside it and soul enters the body with the first breath, but, Tertullian viewed fetus to be an impending human being. According to modern philosophy, as soon as the sperm joins the egg cell, the union results in birth of a living creature as this single cell is capable of directing the psycho-physical development of the entire individual (Abortion). Further, the debate is taken to different route in the sense that if animals are protected why not human fetus be provided with all the rights! Is Abortion a murder? If one considers fetus to be an individual then abortion is equivalent to the murder. In case of abortion, the abortion doers and the mother should be punished? There are various incidence that make the life of women a miserable one and she is forced to take such action, these consequences encompass rape, incent, forced sex, unprotected sex, illegal relationships, extra marital sexual relationships, living relationships, teenage pregnancies etc. Under such circumstances, women possess right to protect their body, their position in the society and their career to lead a respectful life. She is not being provided with any kind of help from religion or from the social ethics. She has to bear this trauma and the resultant of the tragedy (the unwanted child) all thorough her life and therefore in order to avoid all the consequences drug manufacturers have made various pills capable of removing the conception within 72 hours to prevent the despondent position of the women in the society (Abortion). It is this society only who modulates all the ethics and morals but when the help is truly desired the help seeks remain unattended and therefore in the present situation women have adopted abortion as the means to safeguard themselves from all kinds of worries and lead a life of respect and dignity. Women of today has understood the severity and the consequences of continuing with the unwanted pregnancies and they do want to lead a happy life and not a life of shame and guilt that society provides them, it is therefore abortion has emerged as the most contemporary moral issue today. Considering the rights of the fetus, it solely depends on personal outlook, but one must consider the financial burden of one more child and also the exponential growth phase of the population and the pace with which human population is escalating. References Abortion. Available at http://www.ptta.pl/pef/haslaen/a/abortion.pdf. [Accessed on 22nd June 2011]. Cline, A. Ethics of Abortion: Is it Moral or Immoral to Have an Abortion. Available at http://atheism.about.com/od/abortioncontraception/p/AbortionEthics.htm. [Accessed on 21st June 2011]. Cline, A. Fetus, Humanity, Personhood: When Does a Fetus Become a Human Person with Rights. Available at http://atheism.about.com/od/abortioncontraception/p/PersonhoodFetus.htm. [Accessed on 21st June 2011]. Difference between Genotype and Phenotype. Available at http://www.differencebetween.net/science/difference-between-genotype-and-phenotype/ [Accessed on 22nd June 2011]. Gabriel, G. Child and Brain: The Stages of Development. Available at http://brainconnection.positscience.com/topics/?main=fa/child-brain. [Accessed on 22nd June 2011]. Roos, F. J. Abortion and the Early Christian Church. Available at http://www.godandscience.org/abortion/earlychristian.html. [Accessed on 24th June 2011]. Read More