PHL 111 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Thought Experiment, Fetus, Trolley Problem

• School: Tunxis Community College
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: PHL 111
• Professor: Minor

Document Summary

J. j. thompson - "a defense of abortion" (1970) But women have the right to control their bodies. This is a peculiar ethical problem as the use of our bodies is not usually required for the survival of another human. Thompson compares this to a case where a person has been forced to provide life support for someone against their will. The person can choose to not provide life support, thus leading to the other"s death, without being morally wrong. That a fetus" right to life does not require the woman to provide her body as the source of the fetus" life. She can "unplug" and not be doing an unjust act. Right to life and a woman"s right to self-determination. The mother has no obligation to the violinist"s life if her own life is at stake. This is not simply a trolley problem since the mother has a right to self- defense.