Ethical Theory
The central issue in the abortion debate concerns the moral status of the act and that of the human fetus. The question involved in this topic is whether it is morally right to deny the fetus right to life. A philosopher, Emanuel Kant in his Deontological Ethics, proposes an idea of ‘categorical imperative,’ a jurisprudence of morality which all humans have a responsibility to obey. In his initial formulation of categorical imperative Kant argues that “Act only on that maxim where one can at the same time will, that it becomes a universal law” (Nash, 2018). Kant challenges women intending to do an abortion if they can propose that every pregnant woman perform an abortion. If the women say yes to the proposition, then abortion is moral, but if contrary, then it is immoral. Hence, Kant’s argument places abortion as irrational and immoral.
Annotated Bibliography
Nash, M. E. (2018). Abortion: Drawing a Line of Moral Permissibility in Fetal Development (Doctoral dissertation, University of Mississippi).
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The author examines the eminent argument in philosophical and religious ethics concerning the morality of having an abortion. This article will be significant in analyzing religious and philosophical moral views regarding the ethical concept of abortion.
Schönecker, D., & Wood, A. W. (2015). Immanuel Kant's Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals. Harvard University Press.
Schonecker & Wood reviews Emmanuel Kant’s ‘Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals’ where they explore the fundamental principles of morality and how the principles apply all daily human life. This source will be essential in this paper, especially to analyze the ethical issues surrounding the abortion debate.
Goldbeck-Wood, S. (2017). The Moral Case for Abortion. J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care, 43(1), 69-69.
The author in this journal, philosophically generate her views on abortion ethics and counteracts philosophers who view the act like a total ethical violation. This journal will be essential for this paper in examining the moral argument of abortion proponents.
Philosophical Brief
The primary issue to the abortion debate is the controversy whether the fetus is a moral human. Opponents of abortion rights argue that the act is legally unethical because the fetus becomes a moral human at conception. Contrariwise, abortion rights proponents counteract the view that fetus is a moral human. In their argument, it is ethically wrong to classify abortion as murder, and hence, abortion is not something to be viewed as morally or legally sinful act.
References
Goldbeck-Wood, S. (2017). The Moral Case for Abortion. J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care, 43(1),
Nash, M. E. (2018). Abortion: Drawing a Line of Moral Permissibility in Fetal Development (Doctoral dissertation, University of Mississippi).
Schönecker, D., & Wood, A. W. (2015). Immanuel Kant's Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals. Harvard University Press.
