Philosophy 2715F/G Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Fetus, Abortion Debate, Cell Culture
3 Feb 2017
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As with our discussion of the ethical use of embryos, much of the permissibility of abortion turns on the moral status of fetuses. Argues that killing fetuses is in the same moral category as killing adult human beings and is seriously morally. Abortion debate is fueled by unsustainable positions on both sides: marquis: both sides are wrong. A) anti-abortionists: argue that moral status is conferred by possessing a genetic code that is necessary and sufficient for being human, hold that it is wrong to take any human life. As a moral principle of the wrongness of killing, this is too broad. It is implied that it is wrong to kill a human cell culture (and this is absurd to say this is akin to murder) B) pro-choice: argue that moral status is conferred by rationality, hold that it is only wrong to kill persons who possess rationality, too narrow a moral principle of the wrongness of killing.
