¶ … Ethics abortion. ethics? What abortion? related affect . A breif history abortion. Does abortion fall metaethics, normative ethics, applied ethics? I include Christian, Jewish, Islamic views abortion.
Abortion
There has always been much controversy regarding the issue of abortion, as while many believe that it would be perfectly normal for people to have access to the practice, other consider that it is wrong and that society would practically accept the killing of innocent human beings by supporting the concept. Morality is one of the principal ideas that comes up when discussing with regard to abortion. Numerous individuals believe that there is no situation when abortion can be considered to be right. Some believe that abortion is justified when it is performed with the purpose to protect the mother's life and others consider that the pro-abortion argument is very complex and that there are a series of situations when abortions needs to be accepted.
Historical background
While many are inclined to think that abortion has only been used during recent centuries, the reality is that it consisted a viable alternative to giving birth for thousands of years. Abortion has been around for a long period of time and it is largely believed to be one of the oldest operations known to humanity. "In primitive societies abortions were induced by poisons, herbs, sharp sticks, and pressure on the abdomen, causing vaginal bleeding" (Holtz 447).
The abortion debate is also several millennia old, as philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle encouraged the practice in particular situations. Hippocrates also recommended it, but he put across a stricter set of requirements that a woman needed to meet in order for her to be eligible to perform the practice (Holtz 447).
Religious background
Most religions denounce the act of abortion as immoral and as being equivalent to crime. Christianity is currently an avid supporter of pro-life ideas and it harshly criticizes individuals who believe abortion to be justified in certain situations. However, the reality is that this religious ideology also generates controversy with regard to abortion. "St. Augustine (354-430 A.D.) related that the animation and sensation occurred at 40 days after conception. Prior to the first 40 days, abortion was not considered homicide" (Holtz 447). Although there are a series of biblical paragraphs that relate to child sacrifice, there is no clear...
Some Christians actually emphasize that the
scripture does not mention this concept because it was unimaginable at that time to even think about such a thing (White).
It is certainly intriguing to observe how abortion is opposed by most religions on the grounds that life begins at the moment of conception and the practice would thus be equivalent to
murder.
Islam,
Judaism, and Hinduism all emphasize abortion as a grave sin and as being especially immoral. Buddhism appears to adopt a more liberal perspective when concerning the matter. While there is no central power that is meant to discuss ethical matters in Buddhism, the
Dalai Lama claimed that abortion was justifiable in particular cases: "Of course, abortion, from a Buddhist viewpoint, is an act of killing and is negative, generally speaking. But it depends on the circumstances. If the unborn child will be retarded or if the birth will create serious problems for the
parent, these are cases where there can be an exception. I think abortion should be approved or disapproved according to each circumstance." (Dreifus)
Is Abortion ethical?
Morality is a divisive idea and what some people might consider to be moral is likely to be deemed as immoral by others. When considering abortion, this matter is even more controversial because society is unable to provide a clear explanation about whether a
fetus can be considered a human being or not. This debate is even more problematic because it brings on the issue of moral rights. Many pro-life individuals emphasizes that fetuses are human beings and that they thus have the right to live, with those who deny this right being liable to be punished by
law as a result of violating a basic human right (Bailey 36).
The fact that the fetus can become human influences a great deal of individuals in thinking that it would be wrong to perform abortion, regardless of circumstances. Pro-life advocates support the idea that the moment of conception is actually the moment when life starts…
