PHL105Y5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Fetus, Incest
Document Summary
Thomson: distinguishes between what the mother can do to herself with her own body and what a third party can do on her behalf. If we think that killing in self-defense can be acceptable or permissible then a women should be allowed to perform an abortion on herself if it is endangering her body. Question is that if when killing the fetus we are violating his right to life. So if you grant the fetus right to life you grant it other rights. Idea that: when a right to life comes in conflict with a right to control your own body then the right to life will trump it. Abortion is impermissible expect when it threatens the woman"s health and or involves incent . Your body is yours in a way is inviolable. There are limits as to what we can do with our bodies that involve the wellbeing of other people.
