PHI 130 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Egg Cell, Therapeutic Abortion, Miscarriage

• School: University of Kentucky
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: PHI 130
• Professor: David Scott

Document Summary

For many women, the abortion controversy is personal, involving judgments about their own bodies, their own health and happiness, and their own inner turmoil provoked by life-and death decisions. In the abortion debate, certain other aspects of fetal development are thought by some to be of special significance. Abortion methods vary depending largely on the stage of a woman"s pregnancy. Like any medical procedure, abortion poses some risk of complications. When trying to evaluate arguments in the abortion debate, we must distinguish between the moral question and the legal one. An act-utilitarian would say that an abortion is morally right if it results in the greatest overall happiness, everyone considered. An act-utilitarian could also argue against abortion on exactly the same grounds- the overall happiness or unhappiness brought about by particular actions. A rule-utilitarian could also view abortion as either morally right or wrong depending on the rule being followed and how much net happiness results from adhering to it.