PHL281H1 Study Guide - Final Guide: Organ Donation, Hysterectomy, Fetus
Document Summary
Conservative view: abortion never (almost never) permissible. Noonan: reject various proposals about source and standard of humanity and support the conception. Liberal view: abortion always permissible criterion of humanity: viability: being is human if conceived of human parents and is viable. Obj: artificial incubation can make viable- length of life not exact measure; standard would vary with race and circumstances. Relativity; like height requirements is neither relative nor subjective. Two types of dependence- radical needed before viability and the regular dependence after: experience: humanity formed by memories- fetus is unformed, conceived of humans and conscious. Obj: embryo alive and responds to environment. Needs to be morally salient: social visibility. Subjective version: human just in case it is socially perceived as human (obj: dehumanization if only subjective. Objective: human just in case it is capable of knowing moral rules governing human behaviour (still stands) Objective (no beliefs/attitudes) and morally salient (prominent as moral difference- maker: conception criterion of humanity.
