Point/Counter Point of the Month
Abortion: Pro-Life Versus Pro-Choice
Amanda Carey and Anon
Issue date: 1/24/10 Section: News and Opinion
Along those same lines, "personhood" is not a legal privilege or arbitrary legal term to be defined by the state. And since it has already been established that the right to life exists outside of any legal or political system, so too, does "personhood."
Many that are pro-choice also argue that abortion should at least be acceptable within the first trimester; as if "personhood" is developmental. But if that were true, so too then would the right to life be developmental. Does that mean then, that the murder of a two-year-old child is less malicious then the murder of someone who is 25? Of course not. A child's life is just as precious as an adult's life. Personhood is a constant.
Therefore, when it comes to abortion, the woman is not a mere bystander who has the right to choose life or death for her unborn child. As has already been established, the right to life exists from nature and presupposes any legal system. The woman is the cause of the fetus's existence and thus has the responsibility and duty to protect the child from harm.
For a party that is so hell-bent on spreading the values of liberty, life, and responsibility (and rightfully so), the pro-choice belief is not the natural position to take. And for those who do, just keep in mind that there was a time when the vast majority of Americans believed African Americans weren't human beings, either.
Anon
Abortion: Pro-Choice
Generally, the "pro-life" argument against abortion rests on the claim that one's right to life begins at conception and that abortion is essentially the murder of the embryo and is therefore a violation of its right to life. The "pro-choice" argument generally rests on the claim that women have a right to control what happens in and to their bodies.
Philosopher Mary Anne Warren holds that moral opposition to abortion is based on the argument that it is wrong to kill the embryo since it is an innocent human being. But Warren differentiates between the term "human being" as meaning (1) a person or (2) a biological human. She defines a person as possessing consciousness, reasoning, self-motivated activity, the capacity to communicate, the presence of self-concepts, and self-awareness.
Many that are pro-choice also argue that abortion should at least be acceptable within the first trimester; as if "personhood" is developmental. But if that were true, so too then would the right to life be developmental. Does that mean then, that the murder of a two-year-old child is less malicious then the murder of someone who is 25? Of course not. A child's life is just as precious as an adult's life. Personhood is a constant.
Therefore, when it comes to abortion, the woman is not a mere bystander who has the right to choose life or death for her unborn child. As has already been established, the right to life exists from nature and presupposes any legal system. The woman is the cause of the fetus's existence and thus has the responsibility and duty to protect the child from harm.
For a party that is so hell-bent on spreading the values of liberty, life, and responsibility (and rightfully so), the pro-choice belief is not the natural position to take. And for those who do, just keep in mind that there was a time when the vast majority of Americans believed African Americans weren't human beings, either.
Anon
Abortion: Pro-Choice
Generally, the "pro-life" argument against abortion rests on the claim that one's right to life begins at conception and that abortion is essentially the murder of the embryo and is therefore a violation of its right to life. The "pro-choice" argument generally rests on the claim that women have a right to control what happens in and to their bodies.
Philosopher Mary Anne Warren holds that moral opposition to abortion is based on the argument that it is wrong to kill the embryo since it is an innocent human being. But Warren differentiates between the term "human being" as meaning (1) a person or (2) a biological human. She defines a person as possessing consciousness, reasoning, self-motivated activity, the capacity to communicate, the presence of self-concepts, and self-awareness.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Liss
posted 1/25/10 @ 2:15 PM AST
A woman should be able to decide herself.
Jessica
posted 1/25/10 @ 4:50 PM AST
A woman gets to decide a lot of things. She can decide to take The Pill, to use a condom, to read the instructions on the condom box that declare this method is not 100% safe, to have that fourth drink, to go home with that guy at the bar, to have sex during the time of month she knows she is most likely to get pregnant, etc. (Continued…)
Brandon
posted 1/26/10 @ 1:11 PM AST
While it is true that many decisions were made before a pregnancy, one must also ask one's self what life would be like for the child given the circumstances. (Continued…)
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