The Moral and ethical issues relating to abortion.
...oice argument is based mainly on the question of a woman’s right to determine to what use her body is put. They argue that if a woman cannot direct and control her ability to reproduce, the most intimate and feminine function of her body, then she is denied control of her life. They argue that because every human being should be guaranteed the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, a woman should have the right to do as she pleased thereby fulfilling her personal choice of what brings her happiness. This should be afforded her in spite of the consequence to the aborted child, who of necessity dies. In order to resolve a possible conflict of conscience that arises because of their belief that life may begin soon after conception pro-choicers contend that not all life has the same value. They also question, if abortion is ethically wrong because it is the unjust termination of life, what would be the ethical response to a mother whose life is endangered by pregnancy, or the case of a child who is diagnosed with a congenital illness while yet unborn. Pro- lifers on the other hand view abortion as ‘the immoral and unethical killing of another human being. This group views pregnancy as the consequence of a consensual act (except in the case of rape and incest). Based on this assumption they argue that once a woman consented to sex, knowing that this could result in pregnancy, she is cannot be relieved of her duty to honor the consequences of that consentual act. Pro-lifers acknowledge the gravity of the situation and realize that these are troublesome distinctions and difficult ethical choices that require scrutiny. Yet they propose that no woman’s right to freedom of choice should impinge or curtail the rights of the defenseless unborn child to life. This argument is supported by the fact that even in organized society unlimited freedom is not experienced by anyone. Therefore the mother cannot claim control of her body as a right, espeecially when to grant that right to her would necessitate the death of another human being. In a society where even death row convicts go to legal lenghts to be assured of the right to die with dignity, anti-abortionist see the various methods of abortion, (which if perpetrated on any other human being or animal for that matter, but the unborn child would be termed barbarous and unacceptable) as an assault on the dignity of society. The moral questions involved in the abortion issue are mainly found in the area of rights. What right can be guaranteed the unborn chi...