Abortion is one of the most complicated moral issues of our time. Now that it can be done clinically without much risk to the mother, the proper way to look at the matter becomes unclear. Perhaps the easiest solution would be to grow children in test tubes, but science hasn't quite gotten there yet, and even if it had, we don't know how many people would agree to it. Only two solutions remain: allow abortion, or illegalize it. Both sides have interesting and valid arguments. On the one hand, unwanted pregnancies do happen. Is it fair to the mother to have to bear too early the reponsibilities that come most often from accidents? On the other hand, an abortion can be considered as murder. I think that an interesting point can be raised here. Can we really call a fetus that doesn't have thoughts or emotions a human being? It isn't considered murder to kill an animal, and the distinction we make between us and them is only a matter of intellect. So is taking a fetus' life the same as the murder of a child?
No it isn't. The problem as I see it is that too many people consider the human race to be something special, when in reality we are not. We only consider ourselves to be special and that is rather a narcissistic view IMO. As far as nature is concerned we are of no more value than any other living thing on this planet.
Another interesting question is why is killing a pregnant woman considered a double homicide if abortions aren't considered murder?
We are of more value, because we are human. We are special because we value our own race, whether for biological or metaphysical reasons. Even if looking from a cold scientific view we are a blip of confirmed abstract thought in the history of our galaxy, and that's very important.
To whom? To ourselves? Self valuation is worth just that, nothing. No more than any other living creature on this rock.
Self valuation is worth a lot! Without self value, there's no strive for survival and isn't that one of the points of all life? We have more of an ability of abstract thought than all other life forms, giving us a deeper understanding of race. This allows us to have a greater appreciation and value who and what we are more than all other animals.
Well personally I'm an antiabortionist in most cases. But from a cultural perspective, you could look at it from the idea of want/don't want... but that's pretty shallow. Healthy/Dangerous.... can you think of any more?
Not when one proclaims to be more valuable than the next man. all life strives for survival. It is instinctual, pre-wired. Is that why humanity has committed more atrocities and cruelties on their fellow man, than any animal possibly could?
The difference between a newborn baby and a fetus is size/location. How does size determine personhood? It doesn't. Are miniature persons subhumans, simply because of their size?
I agree to disagree. Since an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, why obstruct better methods of contraception which may prevent any need for the medical procedure of abortion in modern and secular and temporal times?
this sounds homophobic…there is a study on this and i wrote a term paper on it and am looking forward to an acceptance of a funding from the USA government - - - Updated - - - you too are homophobic and that why aborting children is appealing to you,,, if you only knew the new research being done in such cases of virility gone the way of abnormal interactions and dry mouth abortion speeches
it's not a matter of describing , it's a matter of commenting on your posts I read you and express my sincere fear of your attitudes towards human beings. it's never a case of describing for me it's a case of unveiling. I see a an ounce of hatred and it's abhors the senses of a everything thats humane and that which actually reads what you print and leave online forever...
Absolutely. But even if we greatly reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies, there will probably still be a few here and there, and what do we do for them?
Definitely one solution would be to find a way to implant aborted fetuses into somebody who would be willing to deliver them. I don't know if the technology exists, but if it doesn't, we need to put some money into researching it. In fact, this could be a new form of adoption for sterile people. When born, the babies could go to orphanages, and even though we have far too many children without parents, better orphan than dead.
Your conclusion is merely one derived from the position of being human. The closest thing to god we have is nature and nature views us with the same disdain as any other living creature on this planet, we are nothing special. To allude that we may be the only "abstract thought in the history of our galaxy," is pretty arrogant in my opinion.
Actually read the unborn victims of violence act and you will see that it's prime purpose is to protect the woman from having her right to choose and her consent removed by a third party.
I am going to add in even further complications and "sides" to this debate My first point is where do you draw the line at the beginning of pregnancy? At fertilisation? At implantation? or at "quickening" (a traditional point prior to modern medicine) Can we truly allow abortion for the life and health of the mother but exclude those social factors which may be just as life threatening as a medical situation? What do we consider an "abortion"? It is easy to point to a surgical procedure or even the ingestion of an easily obtainable abortifacient like Mifepristone but what if the woman is engaged in activities that are known might cause miscarriage and she subsequently does miscarry? Is that too an abortion?
Errrrr Never going to happen old chap. We have enough difficulties "harvesting" eggs from women let alone fertilised eggs. (((((((((((((((shakes head)))))))))))))))))))))) The ignorance of the general public in relation to BASIC information on reproduction is astounding. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101003205930.htm http://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/conception_how_it_works/ Just because sperm has met ova does not mean a human being will result
I believe promoting the general welfare should help ameliorate that problem and Individual Liberty should take care of the rest.
That's my whole point though. We innately view ourselves as special, and that makes us special. It's as simple as that. I can only speak from the position of human because that's all I am. We're the only ones for complex abstract thought that we know about.
I'm talking about humanity as a whole. Yes, but why? Why is survival instinctual? Yes, the capacity of abstract thought does. It lets us develop philosophies, religions, and complex ideas that we believe in and then fight over when they conflict with our neighbors.
