PHLB09H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 8: Equal Protection Clause, Fetus, Miscarriage
Document Summary
3 types of abortion: spontaneous (miscarriage); defect, injury, therapeutic: preserve mother"s life"s health, induced: caused by surgery, drugs. Up to about 12 weeks, after that it becomes more dangerous and morally problematic. States cant ban abortion before viability (before 3rd trimester) Argument against abortion: killing innocent human being wrong, fetus is innocent human being, killing fetus (a) wrong. 2 refers to member of species (biological sense) 1 refer to person with abilities, rights (legal/moral sense) Objection: difference despite lack of precision (cid:523)e. g. , tadpoles aren"t frogs(cid:524) Shares adults" capacity for life, rights children potentially 18, can"t vote(cid:524) Objection: potential for trait vs. having trait; only latter bestows right (e. g. , Objection: why restrict potential to fetus? fetus lacks conditions of personhood: Objection: high cognitive standards for personhood implies justified killing of: Mentally ill infants (nearly identical to fetus) rebuttal: Utilitarian opposition to abortion child could bring joy. Parents of children w/ ds leery of prenatal testing:
