Utilitarian view on abortion. Abortion from the Utilitarian Perspective 2022-12-10
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Utilitarianism is a moral theory that holds that the moral worth of an action is determined by its utility in producing the greatest balance of pleasure over pain for the greatest number of people. In the context of abortion, a utilitarian view would consider the potential pleasure or pain for all parties involved and make a decision based on maximizing overall utility.
One possible argument from a utilitarian perspective is that abortion can be seen as a way to reduce suffering for both the pregnant woman and the potential child. For the woman, carrying an unwanted pregnancy to term can bring about physical and emotional suffering. This suffering can be especially acute if the woman lacks the financial, emotional, or social support necessary to raise a child. By choosing abortion, the woman may be able to avoid this suffering and instead pursue other goals and aspirations that bring her happiness.
On the other hand, a potential child may also suffer if brought into an environment where they are unwanted or unable to receive the necessary care and support. In such cases, the child may be better off not being brought into existence at all, rather than facing a life of hardship. From this perspective, abortion could be seen as a way to prevent suffering for both the woman and the potential child.
Another possible argument from a utilitarian perspective is that abortion can be seen as a way to promote population control and reduce social and environmental harms. Overpopulation can strain resources and contribute to environmental degradation, leading to suffering for everyone. By allowing women to control their own reproductive choices, including the option of abortion, we can help reduce population growth and mitigate these negative consequences.
However, it is important to note that there are also counterarguments to these points. Some may argue that abortion causes suffering for the fetus and that this suffering should be weighed just as heavily as the suffering of the pregnant woman or potential future child. Others may argue that there are more effective ways to address population growth and reduce suffering, such as through education and access to family planning resources.
In conclusion, a utilitarian perspective on abortion would consider the potential pleasure or pain for all parties involved and make a decision based on maximizing overall utility. While there are arguments to be made on both sides, ultimately the decision of whether to have an abortion is a complex and personal one that should be made by the individual woman in consultation with trusted medical and support professionals.
Utilitarianism and Abortion Essay
Usually, fetal abnormalities, rape issues, and medical problems are some of the factors that influence the ethical decision of abortion Stafan, 2014. One is to have the baby surgically removed through which the baby's feet are pulled by the abortionist and the living baby is pulled out of the womb except for the head. As women have the right to conceive and bear progeny voluntarily, the natural law compels them to take care and provide for their children. Since humans have the rational capacity, their actions can be moral or immoral irrespective of their consequences. Doing Ethics: Moral reasoning and contemporary issues New York: Paperback, 2012 , 5. I want the greatest good for the greatest amount of people.
The other advantage is that it supports abortion from the medical point of view, just in the case of rape. I believe this is important because as a society we have to determine on what occasion and why abortion should be morally permissible, …show more content… Utilitarianism is concerned with the outcome of decisions and to act to produce the best consequences possible. It has reached an extent where abortion has become one of the most bitterly disputed ethical issues with neither side convincing the opponent to alter its opinions. Abortion: Moral Framework Of Utilitarianism 705 Words 3 Pages Abortion follows the moral framework of utilitarianism. The amount required to raise one child in a developed country could raise, at a guess, at least a dozen in a poorer part of the world. Therefore, the Kantian perspective regarding abortion depends on the nature of perspective undertaken because the answer to each metaphysical question will predate the aspect of either being wrong or right. Pro-choice takes the opposite stance; pro-choice is a belief that a women should have the autonomy to chose an abortion in the case of an unwanted pregnancy Freesearch, 2005.
Abortion has two main proponents, persons that are for abortion and those that are against abortion. The second pro-life premise that considers the health situation of the mother allows the evaluation of the risks that the mother is subjected because of carrying the baby. Aristotle believed that if children are born in marriage, contrary to expectation, the fetus can be driven out before it begins to feel and live. Utilitarian theory also supports this view on the basis of greatest happiness principle. Countryman 2014 argues that abortion violates virtues such as kindness, temperance, selflessness, modesty, and friendliness, which enable people to attain happiness and satisfaction in life.
Facts in Brief: Induced Abortion in the United States. It also denies the opinions of other responsible individuals such as the father and the community as a whole to contribute their views concerning the aspect of abortion. According to Stafan 2014 , the right to life is a categorical imperative that prohibits anyone from ending the life of a person. For example, a Christian would derive their moral values from the Bible which describes life as preconceived before physical birth; whereas, an atheist would be more likely to believe happiness for the greatest number is the ultimate goal utilitarianism. Is to understand the nature of time considered metaphysics? Last but not least, the expectant mother must be of age to distinguish what is right and wrong as stipulated in the beneficence principle. Would a utilitarian advocate for such a law in these circumstances? That number is more than just a statistic but it is the amount of lives that were ended way to early. As the female population progresses and receives additional rights that will lead to equality, they are still restrained from making a choice for their own child that does not require assistance from authority on the sensitive convoluted topic.
Abortion from a Utilitarian View Essay on Abortion
Three, does not allow for the experience to empower women to overcome impediments. As many people think that it is the women's right to choose if she believes she shall follow through on an abortion or not. I argue for the evidence that Americans have reaped great benefits to their physical, mental, and social health from the historic decision in Roe vs. For the purpose of this paper, abortion will be defined as the deliberate termination of human pregnancy. Is the Fetus a Person? Therefore, utilitarians suggest taking into account only depending on what the woman will experience, can we say whether the decision is correct or not. Which claim did Carol Gilligan argue for in In a Different Voice? But again, this need not be considered too much, it is not a dominant consideration. Another argument a utilitarian would make is that if a couple could not raise that child or would be alone single parent it would be better if they are aborted because it would put less of a burden on society having the mother not be on a welfare or government assistance lessening taxes for others and having the child from a broken home could raise crime and drug addiction having the baby aborted would prevent this from happening.
If the conceptus, on the other hand, is a human being, then to kill it is as morally repugnant as killing a newborn infant. However, a woman has right to do whatever she want to her own body and upon her own judgment, whether it is to keep the baby or to have an abortion. This can occur spontaneously as a miscarriage, or be artificially induced by chemical, surgical or other means. Since women live in a social setting, significant people such as a husband, friends, doctors, and relatives have marked influence on ethical decisions concerning abortion. The problem is this: "if it is sometimes permissible to kill a fetus, where is the dividing-line between this and killing a normal baby or adult? The second scenario was if the mother lost her partner while pregnant and felt that she was not capable of caring for a child by herself. John Stuart Mills, one of the strong advocates of the utilitarian theory, fought against age- long beliefs that abortion was demonic but rather the end results make allowances for the action Mills, 2003.
Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health. But, we are fallible, and our judgments sometimes are not clear. First, it provides the ability to recognize the life of the mother and the child and weigh the options. Some may not realize, though this will hardly apply in the foreseeable future, that below this population size utility will prescribe reproduction. However, in some instances such as rape or medical interventions, the natural law permits abortion.
By utilizing abortion from a utilitarian standpoint, life is generally much happier for those directly and indirectly involved. Therefore, this essay applies four ethical theories, namely, utilitarianism, deontological ethics, virtue ethics, and natural law theory, to describe the ethics of abortion. What would a consequentialist say about abortion? Half of all pregnancies in the U. Lastly, the pro-choice arguments give the mother the advantage over any legal morals of integrity. It is emphatically crucial that such issues be examined from different perspectives in order to determine the level of ethical considerations that guide choices on abortion.
