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The Morality of AbortionThe Morality of Abortion

Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana

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OutlineOutline

Introduction: What this chapter is about

The Person Argument

The question of Personhood

Marquis: An alternative to the person argument

Thomson: Is it always wrong to kill an innocent?

Conclusion

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Introduction: What is at stake? Introduction: What is at stake?

What this chapter is about

Deepening our understanding of the arguments on both sides

Two opposite values

- The fetus’ ``right to life”

- The mother’s ``right over her own body”

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OutlineOutline

Introduction: What this chapter is about

The Person Argument The Person Argument

The question of Personhood

Marquis: An alternative to the person argument

Thomson: Is it always wrong to kill an innocent?

Conclusion

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The Person Argument The Person Argument

The Person Argument:

An important distinction

- P1: The fetus is an innocent person

- P2: It is wrong to kill an innocent person

- CC: It is wrong to kill a fetus

The argument is valid: is it sound? P1: what is a person?P2: is it always true?

The argument is valid: is it sound? P1: what is a person?P2: is it always true?

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OutlineOutline

Introduction: What this chapter is about

The Person Argument

The question of PersonhoodThe question of Personhood

Marquis: An alternative to the person argument

Thomson: Is it always wrong to kill an innocent?

Conclusion

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The question of Personhood The question of Personhood The ProblemThe Problem

The question of personhood is crucial: To assess the argument, we need:

- Either sufficient conditions that the fetus satisfies

- Or necessary conditions that the fetus does not satisfy

What makes a person a person? Persons are what we don’t kill lightly

-Class survey: what is ok to kill?

-The alien thought experiment

Is there any satisfactory criteria?Is there any satisfactory criteria?

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The question of PersonhoodThe question of PersonhoodDiscussionDiscussion

Criteria often given by the opponents:

Criteria often given by the defendants:

TOO BROAD TOO BROAD

1. Being alive

2. Human shape

3. Human DNA

1. Intelligence

2. Communication skills

3. Moral agent

Problem:

Mentally handicapped and insane people

Problem:

1. All animals

2. Robots

3. Any human cell

TOO NARROW TOO NARROW

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The question of Personhood The question of Personhood ConclusionConclusion

The question of personhood: Dead end?

A proposal: Sentience as a necessary and sufficient conditions for not killing lightly

The absurdities are thus avoided

Another option is to avoid the question of Personhood altogether: Marquis and

Thomson

Another option is to avoid the question of Personhood altogether: Marquis and

Thomson

Consequences:

-Animals

-Fetus after 20th week

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OutlineOutline

Introduction: What this chapter is about

The Person Argument

The question of Personhood

Marquis: An alternative to the person argument

Marquis: An alternative to the person argument

Thomson: Is it always wrong to kill an innocent?

Conclusion

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Beyond the question of personhood Beyond the question of personhood Marquis: A future like oursMarquis: A future like ours

The question of wrongful killing: criteria?

- Against desire?

- Interruption of valuable experience?

Marquis’ proposal: An instance of killing is wrong when it deprives someone of a valuable future like ours.

general explanation of why we think it is wrong to kill

Marquis: abortion is wrong because it deprives the fetus of a valuable future like

ours

Marquis: abortion is wrong because it deprives the fetus of a valuable future like

ours

Consequences:

-VAS ok

-Wrong to kill humans, animals, and fetuses

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Beyond the question of personhood Beyond the question of personhood Steinbock: Objections against MarquisSteinbock: Objections against Marquis

What does it take to have a future?: Personal identity, that is, a way to link the individual now to the future

Two theories of personal identity:

1.Physical Theory of identity (Phys-TI)

2.Psychological Theory of identity (Psy-TI)

As in the case of the Person Argument, it seems that there is no wrongful killing

without sentience

As in the case of the Person Argument, it seems that there is no wrongful killing

without sentience

Dilemma:

-If Phys-TI, absurdity

-If Psy-TI, then sentience is necessary

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OutlineOutline

Introduction: What this chapter is about

The Person Argument

The question of Personhood

Marquis: An alternative to the person argument

Thomson: Is it always wrong to kill an innocent?

Thomson: Is it always wrong to kill an innocent?

Conclusion

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Thomson and The ViolinistThomson and The Violinist

Deals with Premise 2 of the Person Argument: Is it always wrong to kill an innocent person?

Thomson’s analogy: hooked up on a violinist without consent

Thomson’s point: the answer is not obvious We have to distinguish between cases

Thomson’s point: the answer is not obvious We have to distinguish between cases

Thomson’s analogy:

In which cases would you think it is ok to unhook yourself?

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Thomson’s Analogy: AssessmentThomson’s Analogy: Assessment

In which cases does the analogy work – Warren?

-Rape

-Mother’s health endangered

These are analogies: can we find a rational basis for the argument?

These are analogies: can we find a rational basis for the argument?

What about the other cases? – failure of birth control

Jane English: performance and reception

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An Important Distinction:An Important Distinction:Moral Obligations vs. Moral FavorMoral Obligations vs. Moral FavorThomson’s main thesis:

We are not morally obligated to help another in such circumstances, but it will be a great moral favor

Moral Obligation

Something that one must do on pain of immorality

BLAME if not done

Ex: keep your promise

Keeping the child in case of unwanted pregnancies is a moral favor, not a moral

obligation

Keeping the child in case of unwanted pregnancies is a moral favor, not a moral

obligation

Moral Favor

Something that one can do above moral obligations

PRAISE if done

Ex: Britney Spears’ Touch and the Good Samaritan

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Thomson: ConclusionThomson: Conclusion

Thomson’s main thesis on abortion:

A continuum of cases, ranking from clear cases of great moral favors and moral indecency

Beware of the slippery slope !Beware of the slippery slope !

Moral favor

Sacrifice

Good Samaritan

Moral Obligation

Moral Indecency

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OutlineOutline

Introduction: What this chapter is about

The Person Argument

The question of Personhood

Marquis: An alternative to the person argument

Thomson: Is it always wrong to kill an innocent?

ConclusionConclusion

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The Morality of Abortion The Morality of Abortion ConclusionConclusion

An important lesson for abortion:

No straightforward answer but continuum of cases:

- Clear cases in which abortion is wrong

- Clear cases in which abortion is right

- Continuum of cases in the middle

A central notion for wrongful killing: sentience

An important distinction for assessing our actions

Moral favors vs. Moral Obligation