Arguments For and Against Abortion - Essay Example

Philosophy 5th May, Abortion Abortion can variously be defined as a deliberate termination of pregnancy before thefoetus is viable. In both ethics and law, abortion is a very controversial issue. The abortion debate revolves around the questions of whether or not women have the right to terminate pregnancy, if they so wish, and the question of whether or not foetuses have the right to life. Philosophers are sharply divided on this issue. On one extreme side of the debate, some philosophers argue that women have an inalienable right to decide whether or not to carry pregnancy to full term, and on the other extreme side of the debate some philosophers argue that foetuses are human beings and for that reason they have the right to life, hence pregnant is a violation of the foetuses right to life. This paper critically analysis the main arguments for and against abortion with the aim of reconciling the two extreme positions on abortion. Let us begin by critically analysing one arguments offered by the pro-lifers or by those who are opposed to abortion. The main argument advanced by the pro-lifers is that it is immoral to abort because foetuses are human beings. According to the pro-lifers, human life starts at conception and for that reason foetuses should be viewed as human beings, though they have not yet fully developed their vital organs. The proponents of pro-life go on to argue that viewing unborn babies as not being human persons is arbitrary and discriminative (Suzzane, 2003). This is because, for the pro-lifers, it is erroneous and arbitrary to base the definition of human person on the stage of human development that one is at. For this reason, therefore, the pro-lifers contend that unborn babies are human beings, and to abort them, therefore, is morally unjustifiable because it is tantamount to killing innocent human beings. In opposition to this view, the pro-choicers or those who advocate for the right of women to decide on whether or not to abort contend that human life does not begin at conception, but after birth. The advocates of this view argue that foetuses are not human beings since they are not able to survive independent of their mothers; the proponents of this view go on to argue that foetuses and embryos do not have fully developed human faculties, and for that reason they rely entirely on their mothers for survival (Justin, 2012). For this reason, therefore, the proponents of pro-choice argue that women have an inalienable right to decide whether to abort on not. For the pro-choicers, therefore, abortion is not murder of an innocent person. The second argument advanced by the pro-lifers is the argument that foetuses experience pain during abortion procedures. The proponents of this view compellingly argue that abortion inflicts pain on the foetuses being aborted. To support their argument, the pro-lifers contend that experience has shown that unborn children flinch during abortion. The flinching is understood by the proponents of this view to be a proof that the foetus and the embryos do experience pain during abortion. In opposition to this view, this argument, the pro-choicers contend that the claim that foetuses experiences pain during abortion procedure is a baseless claim that has no scientific proof. The pro-choicers argue that, according to some scientific studies, foetuses do not have functional cortex; cortex become fully developed and functional in foetuses at the 26th week of pregnancy (Jodi, 2009). Without a fully developed and functional cortex, it is not possible for one to experience pain. For this reason, therefore, the proponents of pro-choice argue that foetuses do not experience pain during abortion procedure, unless the foetus has reached the 26th week. The third argument advanced by the proponents of pro-life is the argument that abortion causes psychological damages to the mothers who abort. To support this argument, the advocates of pro-life cite the scientific studies that have shown that abortion causes long term psychological damage to the women who abort (Willy, 2008). In opposition to this argument, the pro-choicers argue that women who abort are less likely to have mental health problems, than the women who have been denied abortion. To support this view, the proponents of this view argue that studies have shown that women who have aborted are less likely to have mental health problem, as compared to women who have been denied abortion (Annalee, 2012). A critical look at this debate shows that the two extreme positions on abortion have do not offer a reasonable approach to the issue of abortion. On the side of the pro-lifers, the pro-lifers to not seem to take much interest in the fact that foetuses grow in women bodies and for that reason women may indeed have some rights in deciding on whether or not to carry the pregnancy to full term. Given the fact that foetuses grow in women bodies, and not in men’s bodies, women should be given more right to decide on matters of abortion than men. This fact, however, does not mean that women have the right to abort. On the other hand, the arguments of the pro-choicers do not seem to take into account the fact that foetuses may indeed have some rights given the fact that foetuses are in the process of developing into fully functioning human beings. As the pro-lifers have rightly argued, the pro-choicers’ criterion of demarcating where human life starts seems to be arbitrary, and not based on scientific facts. The pro-choicers, therefore, need to realize that, although probably, the foetuses may not have all the rights that the fully functioning human beings have, foetuses, however, have some rights because they are in the process of developing into fully functioning human beings. In conclusion, therefore, the pro-lifers need to realize that abortion can be morally justifiable in some circumstances where it poses grave challenges or problems to the life of the mother; this is because foetuses grow and mature in women bodies and for that reason women have the right to abort in instances where the foetuses pose danger or threat to their lives. On the other hand, the pro-choicers should realize that women have no right to abort at will because foetuses have some rights that need to be respected. For this reason, therefore, the pro-choicers should realize that women have the right to abort only when the pregnancy poses serious danger and problems to the life of the mother. Through this moderate position, it is indeed possible to reconcile the two extreme views of abortion. Works Cited Annalee, N. (2012). "What Happens to Women Denied Abortions? This Is the First Scientific Study to Find Out”. Nov. 13, 2012. Jodi, J. (2009). "Late Abortions: Facts, Stories, and Ways to Help”. Justin, D. (2012). "Fictional Abortion History”. Dec. 24, 2012. Suzanne M & Alford. (2003). "Is Self-Abortion a Fundamental Right? " Duke Law Journal. Willy, P, PhD. (2008). "Abortion and Depression: A Population-based Longitudinal Study of Young Women".  Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. Read More