Introduction
The abortion debate has for decades remained a thorn in the public with opposing groups either in support or against abortion. The pro-choice group supports abortion whereas, their counterparts, the pro-life are against the practice. Both groups rely on ethical grounds in supporting their respective positions. There are a host of ethical theories that have been established with the purpose of guiding humans on behaviors that are right and wrong. Interestingly, both groups rely on backgrounds from ethical theories in support of their respective positions. The two broad categories relied upon in this debate comprise of the consequentialist theories of ethics and non-consequentialist theories of ethics /duty-based ethics. Considering that there are variations in these ethical theories, it is an indication that there is something wrong with the proposed ethical behaviors. To come up with a true position that demonstrates that abortion is ethically and morally wrong, I will defend the metaethic of the need to combine all the tenets from the different ethical theories and come up with a few ethical aspects, while equally relying on ethical objectivism to support this position.
Metaethic
Metaethics primarily entails the origin as well as the meaning of ethical concepts. In this context, the focus is directed at a combination of a variety of ethical theories to come up with a number of ethical aspects that are not conflicting in nature to aid individuals towards making decisions or engaging in behaviors that are ethically and morally right. This signifies that the intention is coming up with ethical codes that do not promote the ideas of one group/s at the expense of another group/s. If one ethical theory is developed from a combination of SOME parts of the existing different ethical theories, I am on the view that it would help to establish an ethical theory that would apply to an overwhelming majority of the people. Ethics play a significant role in influencing legislation within a nation or society and thus the aspects of the proposed ethical theory should serve as a basis while establishing modern federal, state, and local laws in the United States (U.S). This will go a long way in eliminating varying legislations in the U.S on critical issues such as abortion. With the new ethical theory, it will help to guide the nation towards coming up with legislation that is deemed ethically and morally right by a vast majority of the population.
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Support for the need to come up with a new ethical theory is evidenced by the shortcomings of the existing theories. A notable example of these shortcomings is evidenced in the tenets that govern the duty-based ethics. The most applied duty-based theory of ethics is Kant’s deontological theory of ethics, which puts emphasis on a single principle of duty. Kant emphasized the need to engage in behaviors as if it was a duty based on the moral law. By this, Kant means that reason governs what is right and it involves deriving motivation from duty as opposed to inclination or considering the consequences 1 . Based on these tenets, the deontological theory of ethics faces serious challenge owing to the fact that all duties are absolute. This makes the theory unable to resolve conflicts of duty like in the case example where one is in a situation where is required to make a decision of telling the truth or protecting friends. Protecting my friends is a natural duty and telling the truth equally falls in this category, therefore, whenever faced in such a dilemma, it is impossible to apply Kantian ethics alone to come up with the best decision.
Consequentialism equally has its shortcomings owing to the fact that it fails to give guidance to the better decision in some instances of a moral dilemma. Consequentialism considers a behavior to be morally right if the outcomes of that behavior lead to more benefits than harm. This ethical theory requires individuals to first consider both the good and bad consequences of any given action and action is considered morally right if the good consequences are more than the bad consequences. Ethical egoism is an example of a consequentialist theory of ethics where it considers an action to be morally right is the associated consequences of the action are more favorable as opposed to being unfavorable to the agent performing such action 2 . However, the limitation with ethical egoism is that it only focuses of the benefits on the part of individual engaging in an action. This signifies that for example, ethical egoism would support a person stealing with a purpose of satisfying his ego, which is acquiring wealth, at the expense of others.
Utilitarianism, another consequentialist theory, asserts that a morally right action is one that leads to favorable consequences to a majority of the people. Act-utilitarianism and rule-utilitarianism are applied in this context. Act-utilitarianism requires morally right actions to be determined based on the consequential benefits of the majority 3 . However, act-utilitarianism is weak in that it signifies that it approves certain behaviors such as torture as morally permissible if they would lead to more social benefits. Rule-utilitarianism sought to address the limitations of act-utilitarianism by attributing that a rule is morally right if the outcome of adopting it is more favorable as opposed to unfavorable to everyone 4 . Going by the example of a Hurricane presented in the 3rd discussion, it signifies that rule-utilitarianism would support the decision to break into the Walmart store to get food supplies for the starving majority of residents. While this may seem as morally right behavior, it is in itself stealing, thus leading to further dilemma.
Further evidence to the shortcomings of the existing ethical theories is evidenced from the adverse response given by my colleague in respect to one of the examples presented in respect to the consequentialist ethics. In that example, I had claimed that from a consequentialist point of view, it would be morally right to lie so as to get out of a serious problem, such as to save a person’s life. No rational, of sound mind human being would argue that lying about something to save someone’s life would be wrong in any way. However, my colleague claimed that lying in the first place is morally wrong and an individual guided by moral and ethical considerations should not lie. The decision to lie was influenced by a noble outcome, yet the situation presents a moral dilemma as none of the ethical theories evaluated can advise on what is right without conflicting with the views of another.
Application
My personal belief as demonstrated by the shortcomings of the discussed ethical theories is the need to come up with a new ethical theory that is inclusive of SOME of the parts of the existing theories towards establishing ethical guidelines that are applicable to a vast majority of people. The new theory should then be combined with the Constitution of the United States and currently established local, state and federal law. This is best observed in the context of the issue of abortion in the U.S, which has for decades attracted heated public debates. There is no ethical theory that seems better to provide the tenets of the new ethical theory than Ethical Objectivism, owing to the fact that it is based on moral facts and truths. Proponents of abortion, the pro-choice group/”my body my choice,” argue that abortion should be permitted as morally right because the fetus is in the body of the woman and it is the pregnant woman who should make personal decisions about her body 5 . Approaching the issue of abortion from ethical objectivism, this position by pro-choice defenders is not the ethical truth. This is influenced by the fact that the moment conception takes place, the body ceases to be of a single individual, but rather, for two persons (the pregnant woman and the unborn baby) until the baby is born.
There is a general moral position that killing another person is wrong. This is position is not justifiable on the basis of individual opinion as different people may have varied opinions as to the need to justify the killing of others, most probably for the purposes of attaining individual goals. This case should apply equally when it comes to the unborn baby or fetus. Supporting the action of abortion is thus purely a personal opinion that is devoid of the scientific facts by accomplished researchers like Mayo Clinic who have demonstrated that the fetus is a human being. In a description of the conception process and the manner a baby is formed, Mayo Clinic researchers reveal that fetal development begins soon following conception 6 . Scientific research has proved that fetal development happens through a predictable course from the third week when fertilization takes place. Immediately fertilization occurs, it signifies that a new being has been formed. By the time fertilization is taking place in a woman, the woman is not even aware and it may take even to the fifth week for a woman to realize the first signs of pregnancy. Upon fertilization, the zygote moves through the fallopian tube toward the uterus. During this time, it divides into a form of cluster cells that resemble a tiny raspberry. It is in the fourth week that the embryo is developed from the inner group cells of the blastocyst. In the fifth week of pregnancy, it is when the signals of pregnancy are evidenced such as increased levels of progesterone and estrogen, which stops menstrual period. The heart of the baby is formed this period together with other organs such as kidneys and most of the reproductive system. Based on the fact that the formation and development of important organs of the baby happens without the knowledge of a pregnant woman, it is a clear indication that they have no choice when it comes to termination of the embryo. The only choice that was available should have been exercised before pregnancy set in in the first place. A functional heart is a LIFE, which is both a moral and ethical fact.
My belief in the idea of ethics based on ethical objectivism is based on the situation where ethical and moral facts are established to serve as the basis of behaviors or decisions as morally and ethically right. If there are no ethical and moral facts, any decision or action thereof is ethically wrong. A guide from ethical objectivism clearly demonstrates that the right or wrong action is not dependent on what an individual thinks is right or wrong. Rather, in the same manner, it is possible to establish physical facts, the same happens with moral facts and thus the latter should not be dependent on the thoughts of individuals 7 . It is a fact that a beating heart is life and thus no opinion of individual thoughts that should deviate from the fact. That beating heart at the womb of a pregnant woman prior to realizing her pregnancy belongs to another person. The United States Constitution guarantees individual rights to life and this right should not be applied selectively but accorded to all human beings. An embryo with a beating heart is the same as any other human being and that life should be equally protected. A testament to the fact that abortion is morally wrong is the fact that where a person murders a pregnant woman, such an offender is charged with two counts of murder.
The objection to my metaethic from my colleague was primarily based on a pro-choice point of view where the argument presented was that a pregnant woman has a right to make decisions that impact her body and personal life. This is intended to mean that pregnancy is a personal issue that a woman can make a decision to maintain or terminate. However, this argument is wrong in that ethical objectivism demonstrates that pregnancy is not a one-person issue, but one for both the mother and the embryo and no one has more rights than the other when it comes to human life.
Conclusion
There is a need to combine various tenets from the existing ethical theories and come up with a few ethical aspects that should be mostly based on ethical objectivism. The consequentialist and deontological ethics have some shortcomings when it comes to explaining some ethical dilemmas. However, borrowing the best from the existing ethical theories, it is possible to come up with one ethical theory that is generally acceptable by a majority. As evidenced by the case of ethical objectivism in revealing moral facts to demonstrate that abortion is morally and ethically wrong, such should be the theory that should be combined with the United States Constitution and the existing local, state and federal laws.
Bibliography
Chappell, Timothy. "The content of ethics: expressivism, error theory, objectivism again." Ethics and Experience , 2013, 73-96. doi:10.1017/upo9781844654161.007.
Fieser, James. "Ethics." Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy | An Encyclopedia of Philosophy Articles Written by Professional Philosophers. Last modified 2018. https://www.iep.utm.edu/ethics/.
Mayo Clinic. "Fetal Development: What Happens During the 1st Trimester?" Mayo Clinic. Last modified July 12, 2017. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/prenatal-care/art-20045302.
Staggenborg, Suzanne, and F. L. Morton. "Pro-Choice vs. Pro-Life: Abortion and the Courts in Canada." The Journal of American History 80, no. 4 (2004), 1547. doi:10.2307/2080747.
1 Fieser, James. "Ethics." Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy | An Encyclopedia of Philosophy Articles Written by Professional Philosophers. Last modified 2018. https://www.iep.utm.edu/ethics/.
2 Fieser, James. "Ethics." Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy | An Encyclopedia of Philosophy Articles Written by Professional Philosophers. Last modified 2018. https://www.iep.utm.edu/ethics/.
3 Fieser, James. "Ethics." Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy | An Encyclopedia of Philosophy Articles Written by Professional Philosophers. Last modified 2018. https://www.iep.utm.edu/ethics/.
4 Fieser, James. "Ethics." Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy | An Encyclopedia of Philosophy Articles Written by Professional Philosophers. Last modified 2018. https://www.iep.utm.edu/ethics/.
5 Staggenborg, Suzanne, and F. L. Morton. "Pro-Choice vs. Pro-Life: Abortion and the Courts in Canada." The Journal of American History 80, no. 4 (2004), 1547.
6 Mayo Clinic. "Fetal Development: What Happens During the 1st Trimester?" Mayo Clinic. Last modified July 12, 2017. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/prenatal-care/art-20045302.
7 Chappell, Timothy. "The content of ethics: expressivism, error theory, objectivism again." Ethics and Experience , 2013, 73-96. doi:10.1017/upo9781844654161.007.
