Is Abortion Right or Wrong - Essay Example

Abortion Is abortion right or wrong? Abortion is the termination of the embryo or fetus from the uterus before it is viable in order to end pregnancy. Additionally, it is the situation where the pregnancy is terminated intentionally after conception so that it does not lead to the birth of the baby. In most cases, it is carried out in the middle and late stages of pregnancy. Abortion is morally wrong because it brutalizes the person who performs the act and deprives or denies the fetus right to live. Killing a person denies them opportunities to their experiences, projects, activities and enjoyment that they would have made in the future. What makes abortion worse is the fact that the victim is not only denied experiences and projects but there are some other things, which the aborted fetus cannot enjoy now but would have experienced them in future. Abortion permits women to terminate their pregnancies, and it involves the killing of the fetus. The issue of abortion is an intricate matter to discuss because it depends under what circumstances it is conducted. The prochoice argue that abortion is a right that should be respected by all people and institutions in that it should not be limited. Contrary to this, prolife argue that life begins at conception and therefore, termination of pregnancy is not acceptable since it is the killing of the unborn baby. It is not good to authorize abortion when women who are unable to conceive are willing and ready to adopt. For a long time, proponents of abortion have argued that a developing fetus is not a human being, therefore, it is ending the pregnancy not the child because according to them personhood starts at birth and not at conception as argued by the Prolife. In addition, they assert that fetus are unable of feeling pain during the process of abortion this is because they believe that biological process has not taken place to support the feeling of pain. More so, they contend that a woman has a right to choose what she thinks is best for her and thus she is permitted to do whatever pleases her. For them, abortion is right because a baby should not be brought into this world unwanted since parenting is a significant long process that needs responsible preparation, planning, and consideration. Contrary, the Prolife argue that unborn babies are human beings from the time of conception. They have a right to life like other people, which must be respected and protected. Additionally, the assertion that fetus do not feel pain is unsubstantiated because when a fetus is beyond twenty weeks of gestation, they start feeling pain, therefore, during abortion process, they undergo excruciating and severe pain (Kaczor 79). Abortion removes a potential societal contribution of the unborn baby. It is unethical to kill because the fetus is a ‘moral human being’ because it has duties or responsibilities and rights, since unborn baby is a human being; it has the same rights and privileges. For instance, a country like United States of America would be very different if the mothers of the nation’s scientists and heroes had chosen to abort them. Some philosophers have denounced the argument that fetus have rights because they believe that being a human being is not morally important in itself. If most human beings have rights, it is not because they belong to human species that is innately morally blessed, but because of some other aspects that define a human being such as self-determination, and self-awareness that makes a person, a fetus does not have all these features to enjoy the rights that born human beings enjoy. Philosophical argument about abortion asserts that abortion does not liberate women but permits society not to provide for women’s needs. Therefore, women demand for equality is not free access to pregnancy termination but they have to be offered what they need to survive as mothers. Abortion as a process is risky to women since it can cause long-term emotional and physical damage to women who have practiced it (Beckwith 39). Abortion is actually wrong because logical arguments that surround it are about human rights. Some people claim that a woman has a right to privacy, entitled to her own decisions and act or behave in accordance to her own body. However, when it comes to her committing an issue such as abortion, their actions may be questioned (Kaczor 44-46). Prolife state that even the unborn babies have the right to be protected. The main argument here is that unborn babies in the late stage of pregnancy are fully developed to a level of psychological intricacy at which thinking or reasoning can take place. Therefore, there is no need whatsoever that the unborn child ought not be treated as human beings or persons and should be acknowledged and recognized as having human rights (Baird 67). There are two conflicting events in this scenario; whereby the woman has the right to act to her own body and right to privacy. In this case, where two individual’s rights do not agree, they must be measured in balance not to act in veil of ignorance in neglecting the rights of the other party like the case of Gonzalez versus Carhart. In such cases, after careful consideration of the rights of the two parties, it clear that giving room for one party to avoid getting engaged in the intimate matters of the other party is not a rational choice. For example, babies at late stage of development should be treated as persons. The other question centers on what determines human rights. Is it God, science or the government? Nature provides us with human rights in that they are a product of human reason and emotional feeling that develop and grows when people interact. Most women who engage in abortion would not give in to abortions because of moral issues involved. This is based on the premise that abortion is wrong because every human being hold to the fact life is sacred and ought to be respected and worthy of protection. People in society need to gain more respect and appreciation for life. It does not matter which stage the pregnancy is in because life is precious and only God has the power to end it (Baird 36-38). Abortion is acceptable especially in cases of rape. In situations where a pregnancy is a product of rape, the rights of the mother cannot be limited on the basis that she is accountable for the state of conflict, which is the pregnancy. In this case, the unborn baby is not entitled to anything from the mother, therefore, the mother has a choice to give or deny it her womb and nutrients. In sum, all life is very significant and special. This is the only life that the fetus has; therefore, it is not good to terminate it. The fetus is a person with rights, terminating it is not morally right it is regarded as murder. However, in some instances such as rape, abortion is acceptable with regard to the autonomy of the woman’s body. It will be unethical for a woman to abort unless the pregnancy is complicated and the life of the mother is at stake. In addition, the woman has the obligation to care of the baby because during intimacy, she gave in to it and avoided using contraception to ward off pregnancy. The argument about abortion a complex issue because it this topic has ability to violate the intuition of everybody. Abortion is morally wrong and thus should not be permissible. The fetal life is valuable just like the life of a born person. The choice to terminate or to continue a pregnancy is personal. Works Cited Baird, Robert. The Ethics of Abortion: Pro-life Versus Pro-choice. New York: Prometheus Books, 2001. Print. Beckwith, Francis. Defending Life: A Moral and Legal Case Against Abortion Choice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007. Print. Kaczor, Christopher. The Ethics of Abortion: Women’s rights, Human Life and the Question of Justice. New York: Routledge, 2010. Print. Read More