Abortion Issues Questions and Answers with Ethical and Religious References

The foetus is only a potential being.

• It is actually biologically human. It only has human chromosomes. 

• It’s human it’s early stages. It’s a potential adult rather than a potential human. 

• Human development is a continuous process that starts at conception. 

• “I chose you before I gave you life and before you were born I selected you.” Jeremiah, The Bible. Everyone has a plan. 

• Aristotle claims that not all acorns will become oak trees. Not every foetus will become a human. 
• Peter Singer says that a foetus doesn't currently have a preference and they aren't a person until they are accepted by society. 

A non-sentient human can’t have value. 

• We don’t actually know if a foetus is non-sentient. Although brain function is present at 6 weeks there is not test to see if foetues can experience pain. We can only judge by their responses. 

• “God created man in his own image.” Genesis, The Bible. Non-sentient humans were part of God’s plan. Lack of human qualities was part of his plan. 

• The value of a human depends their level of rationality, self-consciousness, physical attributes or capacity for relationships. Human life with less of these qualities is less valuable. 

Women have a right to choose. 

• Only women can chose because only women know what it’s like to be pregnant. Other's don't understand the situation they are in and the pain they have to go through. 

• (Famous violinist example) J.J. Thompson argues that the foetus has no right to use the mother’s body. The mother is going beyond her moral obligations if she chooses to carry the foetus to full term. 

• We aren’t free to do things that limit or violate others. There are other people to consider in the choice other than the mother. 

• Most unwanted pregnancies result from women consciously engaging…