FOR DR. CLOVER ONLY

Running head: PROLIFE V. PROCHOICE Women’s Rights and Abortion

Jaden Thomas

PHI 208: Ethics and Moral Reasoning

Prof. ( MACROBUTTON Moreland

May 28th, 2019

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Women’s Rights and Abortion

Part 1: Ethical Question

Does banning abortion infringe on women’s rights?

Part 2: Introduction

Roe v. Wade was the 1973 landmark case in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled and

secured a woman’s right to abortion. However, this right that was given to women is now being

infringed. Kanyoro and Hessini (2017) wrote that today, “…women’s sexual and reproductive

rights, including the right to safe, legal and affordable abortion are being attacked and rolled

back by those in position of power.” Currently, positions have been in negotiations on abolishing

a woman’s right to abortion. As this argument continues to rise, many are choosing sides on this

argument, the sides of being pro-choice or pro-life.

Someone who is pro-life “…believes that the government has an obligation to preserve

all human life, regardless of intent, viability, or quality-of-life concerns…”, whereas someone

who is pro-choice “…believes that individuals have unlimited autonomy with respect to their

own reproduction systems, as long as they don’t breach the autonomy of others…” (Head, 2019).

Moreover, the conflict between pro-life v. pro-choice arises on the issue of abortion. According

to our textbook, the U.S. remains divided on the moral decision/support of abortion, in fact, “…

results show that 47% of those surveyed identified as pro-choice, and 46% as pro-life… (Saad,

2016)” (Thames, 2018, Ch. 6). This paper will dig deeper and showcase the applied morals and

ethics on both sides of the argument in support of the legalization on abortion in respect to

women’s rights, or the banning of abortion in support of preserving all human life.

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Part 3: Position Statement

Women should have unlimited autonomy with respect to their own reproductive systems.

Part 4: Reasons in Support of Your Position

Everyone woman should be able to decide solely upon herself, when and with whom to start a

family with. It was in 1973 when women were granted their constitutional right on abortion, and

since then women and other pro-choice supporters have been “…forced to defend it over and

over again” (NARAL, n.d.). What about cases of incest, or rape. What about teen pregnancies, or

the health and circumstances of the woman. Those are some of many of the circumstances that

should be taken into consideration before the right that women have to their own body is no

longer constitutional. Choosing abortion is a woman’s right that should not be restricted or

limited by “…governmental or religious authority…” (ProCon, n.d).

Part 5: Opposing Position Statement

No matter how one may look at it, abortion is considered murder.

Part 6: Reasons in Support of the Opposing Position

Many argue that human life begins at fertilization, making abortion “…the immoral killing of an

innocent human being” (ProCon, n.d.). In fact, “the science of embryology states that from the

moment of conception, a human is being formed” (Catholic Review, 2012). Individuals who

identify themselves as pro-life activist, those who are simply against abortion sympathize with

families who struggle to have children, as it is inflicting suffering on an unborn child. Fetuses

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feel pain during the procedure of abortion as pain can be detected by the fetus the first trimester.

There are so many more major and underlying reasons as to why abortion should be illegal and

banned as it may relate to religion, cause physiological damage, reduce the numbers of adoptable

babies, and more.

References

Abortion rights: New oped for September 28 Global Day of Action. (2017, November 07).

Retrieved from https://www.globalfundforwomen.org/abortion-rights-september-28-opinion/

Head, T. (2019, May 04). A Look at What Pro-Life and Pro-Choice Supporters Believe.

Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/pro-life-vs-pro-choice-721108

Abortion Access. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.prochoiceamerica.org/issue/abortion-access/

Abortion is murder. (2012, January 19). Retrieved from https://www.archbalt.org/abortion-is-

murder/

Pros & Cons - ProCon.org. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://abortion.procon.org/

Thames, B., (2018). How should one live? An introduction to ethics and moral reasoning (3rd

ed.). Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu

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[Kiel Moreland]