Ways to Talk About Ways to Talk About AbortionAbortion

Aims of DiscussionAims of Discussion

NOT to discuss whether abortion is NOT to discuss whether abortion is morally right or morally wrongmorally right or morally wrong

Rather to discuss what should Rather to discuss what should happen in a democratic, happen in a democratic, pluralistic society when there pluralistic society when there are such deep moral divisions are such deep moral divisions about abortionabout abortion

Aims of DiscussionAims of Discussion

Can we have a thoughtful, Can we have a thoughtful, mutually respectful dialogue over mutually respectful dialogue over public policy on abortion?public policy on abortion?

Is it possible such a dialogue could Is it possible such a dialogue could lead to an lead to an integrity-preserving integrity-preserving compromisecompromise on abortion policy? on abortion policy?

LabelsLabels

Would it help to get rid of labels?Would it help to get rid of labels? Are “pro-life” really anti-choice?Are “pro-life” really anti-choice? Are “pro-choice” really anti-life?Are “pro-choice” really anti-life? Do such labels enhance Do such labels enhance

mutually respectfulmutually respectful dialogue? dialogue? Need fuller descriptions of Need fuller descriptions of

beliefs?beliefs?

Integrity-Preserving Integrity-Preserving Compromise (IPC)Compromise (IPC)

Benjamin, Benjamin, Splitting the DifferenceSplitting the Difference (1990)(1990)

Tend to assume that Tend to assume that compromisecompromise and and integrityintegrity are mutually exclusive are mutually exclusive

Claim: One can Claim: One can compromisecompromise on on policy without policy without compromisingcompromising one’s one’s integrity in many (but not all) casesintegrity in many (but not all) cases

IPC (cont)IPC (cont)

Sometimes dialogue reveals a Sometimes dialogue reveals a solution in which solution in which eacheach party can party can maintain maintain allall of his/her moral of his/her moral values (I.e. no values (I.e. no realreal moral conflict moral conflict between positions)between positions)

This is wonderfulThis is wonderful This is not IPC howeverThis is not IPC however

IPC (cont.)IPC (cont.)

In IPC each has to give up In IPC each has to give up somesome moral values to reach compromisemoral values to reach compromise

Feels justified in doing so because Feels justified in doing so because deeper or higher prioritydeeper or higher priority moral moral values are maintained via values are maintained via compromise or compromise compromise or compromise processprocess

Definition of IPCDefinition of IPC

Neither side gets all it wantedNeither side gets all it wanted Each side hangs onto some core Each side hangs onto some core

valuesvalues Both sides share certain core valuesBoth sides share certain core values Each side sees itself compromising its Each side sees itself compromising its

position not its integrityposition not its integrity Each side hopes eventually to win Each side hopes eventually to win

over other via over other via respectfulrespectful dialogue dialogue

Circumstances Favoring Circumstances Favoring IPCIPC

Common commitment to shared Common commitment to shared tasktask

Neither side can “fire” other side Neither side can “fire” other side (rough equality of power)(rough equality of power)

Short term benefits of agreementShort term benefits of agreement In longer term can continue moral In longer term can continue moral

debatedebate Example: Hospital ethics committeeExample: Hospital ethics committee

Can you imagine the Can you imagine the broad outlines of an broad outlines of an integrity-preserving integrity-preserving

compromise on abortion compromise on abortion between “pro-life” and between “pro-life” and

“pro-choice” sides in US?“pro-choice” sides in US?

Possible IPC on AbortionPossible IPC on Abortion Decision to work together to try to Decision to work together to try to

reduce as much as possible the number reduce as much as possible the number of women with unwanted pregnancies of women with unwanted pregnancies who may seek abortionwho may seek abortion

Include Include allall methods of trying to avoid methods of trying to avoid unwanted pregnancyunwanted pregnancy

Continue to disagree on whether Continue to disagree on whether abortion should be permitted as last abortion should be permitted as last resortresort

Different ApproachesDifferent Approaches

Analytic ethics: moral status Analytic ethics: moral status of the fetusof the fetus

Feminist ethics: relationship Feminist ethics: relationship between mother and fetusbetween mother and fetus

““Maternal-fetal conflict”Maternal-fetal conflict”

Refusal of C-section “needed” to Refusal of C-section “needed” to save life of infantsave life of infant

Mother addicted to alcohol or other Mother addicted to alcohol or other drugsdrugs

Mother refuses fetal surgery for Mother refuses fetal surgery for known defectknown defect

Which conflict?Which conflict?

Andre: Is this really Andre: Is this really maternal-maternal-fetalfetal or or maternal-maternal-physicianphysician conflict? conflict?

Why important?Why important?

““Maternal-fetal” eliminates mention of Maternal-fetal” eliminates mention of physician, as if purely scientific physician, as if purely scientific observerobserver

““Maternal-fetal” Maternal-fetal” assumesassumes physician physician not mother speaks for fetusnot mother speaks for fetus

““Maternal-fetal Maternal-fetal conflict conflict ” assumes ” assumes that conflict is nature of relationship that conflict is nature of relationship between mother and child-to-be (so between mother and child-to-be (so physician must “referee”)physician must “referee”)

Definition of a pregnant Definition of a pregnant woman: a gravid uterus woman: a gravid uterus

and its support structuresand its support structures

--Well-known standard textbook of obstetrics,middle of 20th century

Take-home message from Take-home message from feminist ethicsfeminist ethics

When discussing ethics and human When discussing ethics and human reproduction, extremely important reproduction, extremely important to make sure that terms of to make sure that terms of discussion do discussion do notnot reduce women reduce women to a subhuman role as “mere” to a subhuman role as “mere” producer of or container for producer of or container for fetus/childfetus/child