In the recent past, there has been an increasing cases of abortion in the world. Abortion can be defined as the termination of pregnancy which leads to the death of the unborn child. In most cases, abortion happens when the pregnancy is below twenty-five weeks old. In many undeveloped countries, abortion is illegal while in other countries it is legal and permitted in the constitutions. The history of abortion can be traced back to the early age when abortion was done using crude tools such as physical trauma, sharpened tools, and traditional means. The improvement of technology and advancement in the medical field has led to the process of abortion becoming easy and accessible to many.
Various countries and society have heated debate on the legality and ethical issues surrounding abortion. For example, nations such as Britain and the United States have heated politics on abortion (Ted, 2015). The debate is based on whether abortion should be legalized or not. The primary purpose of this research project is to examine the ethical issues surrounding abortion.
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Statement of Problem
There are many ethical issues that have risen on the subject of abortion. The discussion has been about whether abortion is taking away human life and the dignity of the human life during pregnancy and the issue of individual freedom. This research project will examine the ethical issues surrounding abortion.
Research Objectives
The primary purpose of the research project is to examine the ethical issues on abortion. To achieve the primary objective, the researcher aims to accomplish the following goals at the end of the study. First, the leading causes of abortion. Second, the types of abortion, third, to examine the various methods used in abortion. Fourth, to discuss the various complications that may result due to abortion. Fifth to identify the various benefits associated with abortion. Sixth, to determine the various disadvantages associated with abortion. Additionally, the researcher will seek to establish the various alternatives that can be used in place of abortion. Last but not least, the researcher will examine the various theories that are for abortion and those that are against abortion. The argument that the researcher will seek to explore include the theory of Utilitarianism, the views of Pro-Life and Pro-Choice as applied in abortion and the Kant's Categorical Imperative about abortion.
Scope of the Study
The research project is based on the ethical issues related to abortion. The research project will examine the various theories that are against and those that support abortion. Moreover, the researcher will explore the various disadvantages and advantages associated with abortion as well as the multiple complications associated with abortion.
Research Questions
The research questions in this research project are based on the objectives of this study. The researcher seeks to answer the following research questions: what are the various theories that exist that support abortion? What are the arguments that are against abortion? What are the complications associated with abortion? What are benefits of abortions? What are disadvantages associated with abortion? What alternatives are there in place of abortion? What are the leading causes of abortion? And lastly what are different types of abortion that are available today?
Significance of Study
The findings of this research project will benefits sociologists on ethical issues concerning abortion. Additionally, the results of this research project will add to the existing literature on ethical questions on abortion. Moreover, this research project will help to resolve the current debate on whether abortion should be done or not. Lastly, the finding of this research project will assist in determining under what circumstances abortion can be considered. Finally, the results of this research project will help to identify the available alternatives that can be used instead of abortion hence it is beneficial to the society at large.
Chapter Two: Literature Review
In this section of the research project, the researcher will focus on the existing literature that are for and those against abortion. Additionally, the researcher will also examine the limitations and strength of the current literature on abortion hence highlighting the importance of carrying this particular research.
The Pro-Choice and Pro-Life
Concerning the issue of abortion, there exist two extreme ends. That is, those who are against abortion called the Pro-life and those who permit abortion commonly known as pro-choice. Those who believe in pro-life are of the idea that life begins after conception hence the conceptus has an absolute right to life. According to the pro-life, they are various stages in the fetus which shows that life begins at conception. The stages in conceptus that demonstrate the existence of life include, after the fourth week the conceptus develops some body parts, and the heartbeat can be recorded. Additionally, after five weeks, there is a division of the brain and development of the limbs and the eyes on the embryo which shows that indeed life begins at conception.
According to supporters of pro-life abortion is murder and should be treated as murder case (Pojman, and Fieser, 2009). The argument of pro-life is based on the principle of the right to life for the unborn and the innocence associated with the unborn child. According to Krasemann and Thiroux, 2009) every child whether born or unborn has right to life. Additionally, the mother has an ethical responsibility to the conceptus (Ethics of Abortion, 2010).
Other arguments brought by pro-life is the harmful effects of abortion on the woman. For example, the psychological and medical impact on the woman who undergo abortion. The pro-life states that there are other alternatives to abortion such as adoption. Additionally, the pro-life argues that innocent life cannot be sacrificed due to carelessness associated with woman behavior. Krasemann and Thiroux (2009), argues that in the even in the point of rape, abortion cannot be justified, and two wrongs do not make right.
On the other hand, the pro-choice believe that abortion should be permitted if the woman request for an abortion. According to pro-choice, a woman has absolute rights over their body and the embryo is part of the woman body. The pro-choice support their issue of abortion of by adopting the question the issue of individual freedom and woman has the right to determine what is best for them in the condition of pregnancy. Additionally, the pro-choice are of the argument that in case the baby has been identified with deformities while in the pregnancy period abortion should be done since there is no need of bringing deformed children who will be a burden to the health sector system. Moreover, according to Krasemann and Thiroux (2009), there is no point of bringing unwanted child to the society.
Additionally, pro-choice argues against adoption as an alternative to abortion in that adoption is not the solution since adoption is not an honorable act both to the mother and the child. Moreover, the institutions that are involved in adoption have been involved in inhumane activities and are not in the position to take good care of the child (Kaczor, 2011). Moreover, if the pregnancy is as a result of incense or rape the process of conception was not favorable for the woman hence abortion should be carried out. If the conception was as a result of rape, preventing the woman from carrying out abortion only leads to more psychological harm to the woman (Murti, & Crossed, 2006)
Utilitarianism on Abortion
According to the theory of utilitarianism, an action should only be done if it results brings the highest good to everyone involved (Krasemann, 2009). When the utilitarianism is applied in abortion, it means that since abortion is likely to bring greatest good to the woman it is ethically right to do so when the pro-choice are involved.
On the other hand, in pro-life, when utilitarianism is applied, abortion will cause pain and harm to the woman and the child. According to Utilitarian Org. (2010), the issue of pain on the embryo should not be considered since this can be avoided when the abortion is carried at the early stage.
Kant’s Categorical Imperative
According to Kant's categorical imperative, an act is considered as immoral if the rule that authorizes it cannot be made to rule for all human beings (Krasemann and Thiroux, 2009). Concerning the issue of killing, one cannot kill another human being without causing harm hence abortion is considered as murder. However, Kant also believes in doing the right thing. Thus abortion would be the right thing to do in the condition that the woman life is in danger.
In conclusion the issue surrounding abortion is debatable, and in a reasonable society, there will always be those who are against abortion and those who are in favor of abortion. The purpose of this research project is to examine the ethical issues surrounding abortion hence adding to the existing literature on abortion.
Chapter Three: Methodology
In this chapter, the researcher will focus on the methods employed in collecting the data. Research methods engaged in any research project should be aimed toward achieving the goal of the research. Therefore, the research method used in this research projects seeks to meet the primary goals of the research project which is to determine the ethical issues associated with abortion.
In this research project, both primary and secondary methods will be used. Primary methods involve the researcher collecting the initial information data from the ground. On the other hand, secondary method consists of receiving information from other researchers who had researched on the same subject matter. In this research project, the primary methods used are interviews and questionnaires. On the other hand, secondary data were obtained from books, websites, and peer-reviewed journals. Primary means were vital since they enabled the researcher to get first-hand information. Additionally, the primary data will be helpful in overcoming the errors and limitations which might have occurred in the secondary data used. The secondary methods were used to complement primary data collected in this research project.
Qualitative and Quantitative Research
Quantitative research uses numbers and notions while on the other hand, qualitative research uses perceptions and words to express ideas and opinions. Qualitative research is used in measurable statistical part of the study. In this research project, qualitative research is used to analyses observations since this research involved obtaining the participant's opinion on ethical issues concerning abortion.
An Overview of Questionnaires and Interviews
The main advantage of an interview is that it enables the researcher to meet with the participants. In a research project both unstructured and structured interviews can be used. In this research project to examine the ethical issues on abortion the unstructured type of interview will be used to allow discussion and expand the views of the participants on the primary aim of this research project. On the other hand, questionnaires are used to obtain information by requiring the respondent to answer questions. The question used in questionnaires should be easy to understand, clear and concise. In this research project, both interview and surveys are used to collect data on ethical issues concerning abortion. The research will be conducted in schools since the youths are the most affected by sexual immorality that in most cases are associated with abortion. The population covered in this research project are undergraduate students in the nearby college.
Interviews
In this research project, four employees in top management who work in the hospital will be interviewed to examine the advantages and disadvantages of abortion both to the woman and the embryo. The questions during the interview was aimed at reviewing the advantages and disadvantages of abortion. The interviewees were assured that their data and names would remain anonymous and were given ways in which they can contact the researcher in case of additional data.
Structure and Design of the Questionnaire
In this research project, the data obtained from other methods such as interviews were used to formulate the surveys. The goals of the surveys were to examine the moral grounds of abortion. Additionally, the surveys were used to determine the various alternatives that can be used in place of abortion.
In this research project, both open and closed questionnaires will be used to enable the researcher to achieve the objectives of this research project. To achieve the correct information the questions were easy to understand and were arranged in proper sequence.
The researcher will use the stratified method to distribute the questionnaires among the students and health workers to avoid predisposition. The participants will guaranteed that the information would be classified. The participants can take around five days to fill and complete the questionnaires. Additionally, the survey could also be sent to other participants through emails and other avenues
Ethics Adhered
Concerning the ethics to be followed in the research field, the researcher ensured that the participants were filling the questionnaires out of their free will and no one was forced respond to the questions. Additionally, the participants will be made aware that there are no prizes or gift to be won which can result in biased feedback which would affect the research in general. To build trust with participants, the researcher will assure the participants of their confidentiality and anonymity which can lead the researcher to get genuine feedback. Lastly, no respondent will be intimidated, and participation will be voluntary without undue weight.
References
Thiroux, J., & Krasemann, K. (2009). Ethics .
Kornegay, R. (2010). Hursthouse’s Virtue Ethics and Abortion: Abortion Ethics without Metaphysics? Ethical Theory and Moral Practice , 14 (1), 51-71. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10677-010-9230-2
Mutcherson, K. (2015). When is an Abortion Not an Abortion? The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics , 43 (2), 206-210. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jlme.12234.
Kaczor, C. (2011). The gospel of happiness .
Anderson, J., & Swindoll, C. (1998). Moral dilemmas . Nashville, TN: Word Pub.
