Something vs. Someone

Human Being vs. PersonWhat characteristics define “personhood?”

How/when does a being come into possession of these characteristics?

James is a human being.James is a person.

James must bring his body to the DMV to get an ID.James must go in person to the DMV to get an ID.

James has a unique human beingness.James has a unique personality.

Jim has taken on the human form of James.Jim has taken on the persona of James.

Person and Personhood

According to Vaughn….

Discussion of abortion are “intensely emotional and usually accompanied by uncritical or dogmatic thinking” (163).

“Uncritical acceptance of particular moral perspectives on abortion seems to be the norm for people on all sides of the debate” (163).

Killing vs. Murder

Why is it wrong to kill an innocent human being?

In what circumstances is it morally acceptable to kill a human being?

Are there circumstances in which it is morally obligatory to kill a human being?

Do Circumstances Matter? What if…..

It is the first day/last month of pregnancy?

The woman’s health is endangered?

The fetus/child is physically deformed, mentally deficient, infected with AIDS, encephalitic, etc.?

The pregnancy resulted from rape and/or incest?

The woman is poor, has no insurance, and is unable to care properly for a pregnancy or any more children than she already has?

The fetus/baby is not the desired sex?

Abortion: A Deontological/ Kantian Approach

The practical imperative: Always treat individuals as ends and never as means.

If the fetus is a person (i.e. an individual)……

If the pregnant woman is a person (i.e. an individual)….

The categorical imperative: “Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become universal law.”

“Everyone ought to always….”

Abortion: A Utilitarian ApproachAn act that increases happiness or pleasure (or minimizes unhappiness and suffering) is right; act that decreases happiness or causes suffering is wrong.

• Intensity (How intense is the pleasure/suffering?)

• Duration (How long does the pleasure/suffering last?)

• Certainty (How sure is the pleasure/suffering?)

• Proximity (How soon will the pleasure/suffering be experienced?)

• Fecundity (How many more pleasures/sufferings will follow?)

• Purity (How free from pain is the pleasure?)

• Extent (How many people will experience pleasure/suffering?)

Abortion: Other Ethical Approaches

Virtue Ethics.

Divine Command Theory.

Ethical Egoism/Subjectivism.

Ethical Relativism.

The Meta-Ethics of Abortion

Is it coherent to be both pro-choice about abortion and to maintain that infanticide is immoral?

How do we assess the value of life of the woman and the fetus/baby and the woman’s and the fetus/baby’s individual rights to life when these are in conflict?

If an individual chooses to have sex, knowing that conception may result, has that individual tacitly consented to care for any person who comes into existence as a result of his or her actions?

Organ Harvesting

Is it morally acceptable to harvest organs from humans who are biologically alive but in an irreversible state of extremely serious disability in order to save the lives of otherwise fully-functioning humans?

Is it morally acceptable to require all humans to donate their organs and/or body parts after death?

Is it morally acceptable to require people convicted of certain crimes to sacrifice their organs for the benefit of law-abiding citizens in need?