Analysis of Views on Abortion

The provided report delves into the opinions of two authors, Don Marquis and Judith Jarvis Thomson, regarding the topic of abortion. It thoroughly explains and critiques their views to clarify the current situation surrounding abortion and proposes potential solutions to improve it.

APPLIED ETHICAL
ISSUE

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
1. In favour of abortion...............................................................................................................1
2. In against of abortion..............................................................................................................2
3. Critique....................................................................................................................................2
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
It is important that ethics are considered while preparing any important laws and
regulations. The below report identifies the importance of ethics in laws such as abortion. The
report evaluates and analyses the arguments between two authors Judith Jarvis Thomson and
Marquis. Their arguments in favour and against the abortion practices are explored in the report
and brief discussions are made in order to understand which approach is found better and
compelling.
MAIN BODY
1. In favour of abortion
According to the views of Judith Jarvis Thomson, the fetus is a person since early on in
pregnancy. She concludes that abortion is justified even if the fetus is allowed to have a right to
life. Also, she assumes that it also needs to be permitted even if the fetus is not a person. Judith
suggests that it should be allowed for an individual to make a choice on killing the fetus as per
her wants and needs. When its comes to maintaining a pro-abortion-right stance, it does not
matter whether a fetus needs to be regarded as a person equal to any extra-uterine person.
Because none of the person's right to life entails that another person should be compelled to use
the body of her in order to maintain a continued sustenance. The fetus cannot be provided with
this right over a woman either.
She suggests that a child should not have a right over her mother's womb or her body.
Only a mother can define what needs to be done to the child. If she wants to kill the fetus, then it
is also her own choice or if she wants to bring the child into the world, this is also her choice to
determine what needed to be done in such conditions. It should not be up to any other individual
as what needs to be done with the child's life expect their own mother. Abortion needs to be
justified in the court of law by understanding the importance of the mother's condition and what
problems she has to face while practices such as abortion and such are taking place. It would
allow the government to be free in making abortion related choices and would allow the
individuals to make their own choices as per their situations (Don Marquis, 1989).
Judith states that practices such as abortion needs to be considered by the individual not
by the government. The government should provide these rights to the individual to make their
choices regarding aborting the child or allowing it to live.
1

2. In against of abortion
According to the views of philosopher Don Marquis, it is not appropriate to kill children
and infants because we presume that both infants and children have 'futures of value'. Abortion is
a wrong activity for a similar reason, as it deprives the fetus from obtaining a future good which
it would have in case if left alone or allowed it to be born. He concluded that the future of a
standard fetus hold a set of experiences, activities, projects, etc. which are identical as a future of
an adult human being and young children. When a fetus is killed, we deprive him from those
goods which it practically could've enjoyed if allowed to born.
The child or the fetus should be allowed to be born because taking the life of fetus is
same as killing a human being. It is important that laws and government take these things into
consideration while preparing laws related to abortion. It can make or break a life of an unborn
and sufferings of his/her family members. A child has the right to be born and it is not in the
hands of any individual including the government to take anyone's life. The law should consider
these factors because it can impact the future generations and their growth and development as
well. In case, when a child is not allowed to be born it can impact the situation of his family and
the one who is giving birth to it. The mother in whose womb the child is being born would suffer
tremendous amount of pain and suffering (Judith Jarvis Thomson, 1971). It can impact the
mother's mental and physical health both. Also, the child which needs to be born should be in the
right hands so that the decision related to the abortion or actions like that are properly taken with
expert advice.
Killing the fetus would also deprive it from the activities or experiences it could have in
the future. If the fetus was allowed to be born than it is going to have some experiences in the
future and huge sums of activities which he will be part of throughout his life. Killing it would
take it all away from the children. It is ethically wrong to kill a children and taking all of his
experiences and activities away. One needs to consider these understanding before being a part
of activities related to abortion and killing of a fetus.
3. Critique
Below critiqued are the views of Judith Jarvis Thomson and Don Marquis. Each of the
views are compared and personal views are provided:
The views of philosopher Don Marquis suggest that the abortion of a fetus takes away the
activities and experiences which he/she might going to perform in the future. This suggests that
2

the life of the child should not be in the hands of an individual, even if the one who is giving
birth to it. The child's life should be in his/her own hands and it is important that he/she should
be given birth at first. His views probably seem to be in the favour of the fetus or child or the
mother as well (BBC Ethics, 2017).
This is a clear and concise way to deal with the life of fetus and there is no harm involved
in this. Also, this would provide the government with a relief in choosing whom should have the
right on whose life. The fetus and the mother involved in the procedure both do not have the
right to take away the life of anyone. Not even the law should be allowed to take anyone's life. It
is important that a new life should be brought on the planet as the nature allows it to be and none
of the person should interfere in it. Most importantly, one needs to be agree with Don Marquis
suggestion that each life living in the womb should allowed to be born because it is not just about
killing a fetus or aborting a baby, it is also about taking the activities and experiences away from
the child. Therefore, it should not be permitted by the law to kill a child or take away his/her life.
It is also important to consider these factors of a child's own experiences and activities after
his/her own birth by the government while considering practices of abortion.
According to the views of Judith Jarvis Thomson, abortion is justified even if the person
is having a right to life. In this scenario, it is difficult to agree on her views because the practice
of abortion cannot be justified when a person is provided with the 'right to life'. The law itself
asserts that an individual is having right to live his/her own life as per his/her own choices and no
third party involvement should be there. Thomson is speaking not just against the practices of
abortion but against the law as well (Judith Jarvis Thomson: A Defence of Abortion, 1971). It is
important to understand that right to life allows an individual to life as per his/her own needs and
wants and while choosing to kill a baby you're disrespecting the law as well. In this case, one
need to determine the value of law in the first place because law plays an important role in
ensuring that everything is going as per the set needs to government and its public.
Considering this factor that abortion is still justified even if the person is having a right to
life suggest that an individual is taking the law in his own hands. It is not the right thing to do,
because while taking the law in our hands we are making the government weak while implying
laws and making it possible to maintain a system. The practice of abortion needs to be ban and
none of the individuals and governments needs to be a part of taking a fetus life.
3

A fetus should be brought into the world as per the allowance of nature. Also, it is
important to understand the importance of life, no matter if is the life of an individual or an
unborn child. Everyone should be provided with the right to make their own decisions of their
own lives. It would clear the complexity of the situation and would allow the people and
government to think more clearly on the topic of abortion.
CONCLUSION
The above report analyses the views of two authors Don Marquis and Judith Jarvis
Thomson on the topic of abortion. Their views are explained and critiqued in order to understand
the current scenario of abortion and what needs to be done in order to improve the situation. At
last, personal views are made in as per the logical reasons evaluated and the findings done in the
report.
4

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Don Marquis, 1989 “Why Abortion Is Immoral, Journal of Philosophy” 86, No. 4 (1989).p. 191.
Judith Jarvis Thomson, 1971 “A Defence of Abortion,” Philosophy and Public Affairs 1, No. 1
(Fall 1971).pp. 47-66.
Online
BBC Ethics. 2017. [Online]. Available through:
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/abortion/philosophical/future.shtml/>
Judith Jarvis Thomson: A Defence of Abortion. 1971. [Online]. Available through:
<https://spot.colorado.edu/~heathwoo/Phil160,Fall02/thomson.htm/>
5