Abortion has been a very controversial issue in the United States for centuries. Before the 1900s, abortion was illegal in every State because several anti-abortion laws were in play. However, by the mid-1900s, some States had legalized abortion, and this action raised very heated debates especially on political and religious platforms. The escalated debates led to the legalization of abortion in the whole country in the year 1973. Although abortion was legalized in the United States of America, not everyone supports the decision. This has led to the formation of two sides of the abortion matter: the pro-choice (in favour of abortion) and pro-life (against abortion). This is a very controversial topic because both sides (pro-choice and pro-life) have very compelling arguments on the matter. It is also a contentious topic because this issue affects millions of women all over the world hence, it would be remarkable if these women make informed decisions before undertaking the procedure. In reference to the deontological theory of ethics which emphasizes on the morality of actions when dealing with human beings; abortion is immoral because it goes against our moral obligation of preserving life.
In philosophy, the deontological ethics theory focuses on the relationship between the morality of our actions and duty as humans. According to this theory, our deeds as humans is considered morally good due to the characteristics of the deed itself, and not necessarily because the outcome of the deed is good. The theory holds that all our actions are morally obligatory despite the consequences they may have on the welfare of humans. As humans, it is our moral obligation to respect the sanctity of life and preserve life at all costs. Therefore, as much as abortion is just “getting rid of a fetus” as many people may argue, this fetus has life and ending it is immoral.
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According to an article by Alexander Pruss, the main argument in this article is that “he was once a fetus”, hence killing a fetus would translate to killing him, the adult version of the fetus (Pruss, 2011). He gives an example of a fetus (Bob), growing in the mother’s tummy. Bob gradually develops into a baby, toddler, adolescent, and finally the adult. Therefore, he argues that there would be no difference in killing Bob the fetus and Bob the adult because they are one and the same thing. If anything, killing Bob the fetus would be more immoral because he has so much to do and achieve in life (Pruss, 2011). He points out how people may argue that the fetus is just an organism whereas the person is not, hence getting rid of the “organism” is not morally wrong. Alexander, however, gives an example of how mothers say “when I was pregnant, you were inside me”. Why then does this change when making the decision to abort? When aborting, people do not consider the fetus a person. This shows double standards because they choose to acknowledge a fetus as a person when it is convenient for them. He argues that if killing someone as an adult is a crime because it would deprive them of life and other things, then killing a fetus is also a crime because it would have the same effects and; everyone was once a fetus (Pruss, 2011).
In another article by Donald Marquis, he argues that abortion is morally wrong because it goes against our obligation to preserve life. He states that pro-choice enthusiasts always seem to forget that all our actions are morally obligatory despite the consequences they may have on the welfare of humans (Marquis, 2010). Some people may argue that having a baby would inconvenience their lifestyle, career, or life in general. Some even argue that they have no nurturing will in them hence they cannot fathom the idea of keeping the baby. However, according to the deontological theory of ethics, our moral obligation as humans surpasses the consequences of human welfare. Therefore, as much as having the baby may be inconveniencing to some people, it is our moral obligation to preserve life; hence abortion is immoral despite the reasons for doing the deed (Marquis, 2010).
Over the years, many pro-choice enthusiasts have come up with compelling arguments as to why abortion is not immoral. According to an article by Dr Margaret Olivia; she argues that abortion is not murder. She vehemently states that when it comes to abortion, the pro-life movement grounds their choices and decisions based on this assumption: “the right to life of the fetus” (Olivia, 2013). However, according to Olivia, the pro-life enthusiasts usually forget that in times of conflict, the woman has a right to choice, privacy, and bodily autonomy. This means that a woman has the right to choose what happens to her body in times of medical conflicts. Just because the fetus’ has a right to life does not necessarily mean that it is morally wrong to abort because; a woman has the right to choose what happens to her body. A woman also has the right to make decisions that do not affect her way of life or compromise her health (Olivia, 2013).
In reference to another article by Michael Potts, the author argues that even though the fetus and the mother are not strangers, and the woman is the biological mother of the fetus, a woman may have a conflict of duties which may trigger the decision to abort. Therefore, in such cases where the woman is not ready to be a mother because being one interferes with her current obligation, abortion is not wrong (Potts, 2008). For example, a woman who already has other children to take care of has more than a biological connection and stronger obligations to her other children unlike with the fetus. Therefore, if the mother feels that the fetus will interfere with the obligations she already has for her other children; she has the right to make the decision of aborting. He also argues that even though the pro-life activists claim that even though the fetus is not yet a person, it is a “burgeoning human life” and should be respected; when a woman feels that they are not ready to bring a child into this life because they will be unable to nurture it, their decision should be respected. If anything, bringing a child into the world when someone is in no position to nurture them would be the real disrespect of human life (Potts, 2008).
In conclusion, the deontological theory emphasizes on the morality of actions when dealing with human beings; abortion is immoral because it goes against our moral obligation of preserving life. Although both sides give very compelling arguments, the pro-life arguments hold more water. Life, be it of an adult or a fetus is sacred, and it should be respected. Normally, killing a person is considered a crime all over the world. Why then should we draw a line or make exceptions when it comes to killing a fetus. A fetus is a person growing inside the mother, and the life of this fetus is as valuable as the life of any human being. If we are to make any exceptions, the only acceptable exception should be when the life of the mother is in danger. Otherwise, in my opinion, abortion is morally wrong, and it should not be encouraged.
References
Marquis, D. (2010). Why Abortion is Seriously Wrong: Two Views. Philosophy and Medicine Bioethics with Liberty and Justice, 3-22.
Olivia, M. (2013). Abortion: Contemporary, Ethical and Legal Aspects. Encyclopedia of Bioethics, 19(2), 130-132.
Potts, M. (2008). Medical Progress and the Medical Implication of Abortion: Summing-Up. Foundation Symposium 115 – Abortion: Medical Progress and Medical Implications, 263-268.
Pruss, A. R. (2011). I Was Once a Fetus: That is Why Abortion is Wrong. Philosophy and Medicine Persons, Moral Worth, and Embryos, 19-42.
