PHL281H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Philippa Foot, Hippocratic Oath, Anti-Abortion Movements
Document Summary
Traditional medical ethics: principle of autonomy inclines us towards abortion being permissible, principle of non- maleficence inclines us against permissibility of abortion if fetuses have right now to be harmed. Hippocratic oath: i will not give to a woman an abortive remedy. In purity and holiness i will guard my life and my art. Fertilization process as a single cell zygote: 24h. Development of body plan, moves limbs, week 7. Goldilocks problem: difficult to find moral principles that are just right: most principles are either too broad/narrow, when principles are found, there is risk of them being morally arbitrary. Pro life argument: to intentionally end human life is a grave wrong, a fetus is human life, has human dna, therefore abortion, which intentionally ends human life, is a grave wrong. Objection: too broad: a cancer cell is human life (has human dna) but killing a cancer cell is not wrong (marquis 337-338)
