PHIL 2408 Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: Fetus, Petri Dish
25 May 2016
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Mary anne warren: on the moral and legal status of abortion. The term has two distinct meanings: moral: a full member of moral community , genetic: a member of the human species . No necessary reason for thinking that being genetically" human makes you morally" human. Genetic humanity is neither necessary nor sufficient for personhood in the moral sense. Therefore, a fetus may be genetically human, but not morally human. And only moral humans have a right to life. Even the fact of potentiality doesn"t justify banning abortion. 3. because the rights of potential persons never outweigh those of actual persons. : the moment of birth does not determine the possession of moral personhood, but it does mark the end of the mother"s absolute right to determine the baby"s fate. Bonnie steinbock: why most abortions are not wrong. The interest view of moral status: limits moral status to beings with interests, which can be held only by consciously sentient beings.
