The ethics of abortion - Essay Example

Abortion Abortion can be defined as the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy commonly done within the first three months of conception. Most women perform this act through medical help or other means that can help realize their goals. Teenage pregnancies have been on the rise thereby seeing the cases of abortion increase with time. Some of the driving factors forcing women to engage in this risky affair are fear of reprimand, failure to meet societal demands and expectations. Ethics on the other hand refers to the philosophical study of moral values and rules.

It can also refer to motivation based on the ideas of right and wrong (Carrick 11). Therefore, for the purpose of this essay, this paper will discuss circumstances that abortion should be allowed so that it is in line with the moral values of the society. For sometime the topic of abortion has acquired admirers and haters in equal measures. There are proponents who are of the school of thought that abortion should be permitted and excused in certain instances. On the other hand critics fail to agree with this school of thought and in turn advance the idea that abortion is termination of innocent life which should be equaled to murder.

Conventionally, it is justifiable to commit murder in the rare circumstance of self defense. This includes times in war or in the case of a criminal intruder. A practical example in our case would entail those time when the life of the mother is in danger. In this case she will be forced to abort in order to save her life and avoid risking both her life and that of the child. Better lose one and save another life than losing all of them (Harris 981). Other instances where abortion can be permitted is when the mother has been raped and is tortured psychologically.

When such a pregnancy is allowed to term then it risks both the lives of the baby and the mother. When dealing with the topic of abortion it is of the best interest that the decision an individual decides to make is informed by reason, proof, logic and noting less than these. In such a case then the morality of performing an abortion will be justified and the contentious topic will finally come to rest (Kaczor 7). Abortion should be dealt with from the point of view that considers the lives of individuals involved in this case that of the fetus and the mother.

Therefore, proponents ought to value the life of the fetus and critics that of the mother when handling the issue of abortion. Works cited Carrick, Paul. Medical ethics in antiquity: philosophical perspectives on abortion and euthanasia. Vol. 18. Springer Science & Business Media, 2012. Harris, Lisa H. "Recognizing conscience in abortion provision." New England Journal of Medicine 367.11 (2012): 981-983. Kaczor, Christopher. The ethics of abortion: Women’s rights, human life, and the question of justice.

Routledge, 2014.