PHLB09H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Therapeutic Abortion, Vacuum Aspiration, Curettage
Document Summary
Spontaneous abortion/miscarriage: abortion due to natural causes (birth defect/injury) Induced abortion: intention termination of pregnancy through drugs/surgery. Survey (in descending value) of reasons for proceeding with abortion: Disruption (change in life, interfere with work/school) Threat to mother (spouse tells them to have an abortion) States can"t ban abortion before viability (before 3rd trimester) except when it is necessary to preserve her life or health. The constitution does not define person and that the word person", as used in the 14th amendment, does not include the unborn, . Some but not all abortions may be morally justified. Meaning/application of moral principles (e. g. what"s the max/min. of freedom) Argument against abortion: killing an innocent human being is wrong, fetus is an innocent human being (there"s no moral here, killing fetus (abortion) wrong. Objection: fallacy of equivocation (meaning of what a human being is) New argument against abortion: killing a person is wrong, personhood starts at conception, killing an unborn (abortion) is wrong.
