PHL 111 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Thought Experiment, Deontological Ethics, Secular Morality
5 Jan 2021
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Thompson and finnis: thompson"s thought experiment is meant to show that a deontological argument to not kill is not consistent with our everyday notion of rights or morality. She appeals to fundamental (natural) rights and a common, shared morality. She accepts the fetus as human and that it has rights but that the fetus" rights do not eliminate the priority of the mother"s rights. At the end, it is the woman"s body her house: thompson also takes a "paternalistic" perspective in placing the woman"s intentions as important factors in considering the moral rightness of her abortion. In canada, the surpeme court (in 1988) rejected this as important criteria for access to abortions. Abortion in canada: abortions per year: ~100"000, 14/1000 women in canada have abortions, 90% in first trimester (1-12 weeks, 9. 4% second trimester (13-27 weeks) . 59% third trimester (28-40 weeks: most abortions happen in clinics rather than hospitals.
