Thomson 'Defence of Abortion'

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What is the extremist argument that Thomson accepts but argues against?
P1) It is wrong to kill an innocent human being P2) A foetus is an innocent human being C) Therefore, it is wrong to kill a fetus (Peter Singer, Practical Ethics)
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Deontological ethics
normative ethical position that judges the morality of an action based on rules, duty and following moral absolutes
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What are the two rights arguments?
the foetus has a right to life (Tooley) / woman has right to body.(Thomson)
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What is Thomson's main line of argument?
The abortion is not always wrong and a woman has the right to her body
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What are Thomson's 3 analogies she uses to support her point?
The Violinist, The People Seeds, The Giant Child
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Describe the Violinist scenario
involuntarily plugged into a violinist to save their life.
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What ethical issues are raised with the violinist example?
Do they have right to use body? Do you have a right to unplug him?
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What does Thomson conclude about the violinist example?
Great act of charity to let him be plugged into you, but refusing this charity is just
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What pregnancy is the violinist example refering to?
unplanned or result of ****
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Describe the giant child example
You are in a house with a child. The child keeps growing and growing. If you allow it to continue growing it will crush you.
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What ethical issues are raised with the giant child example?
Should you let the child crush you? Should you keep a baby even if it's a risk to your life?
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What does Thomson conclude about the giant child example?
Not obliged to get crushed if pregnancy is risk to mother - Self-defence is not morally wrong
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Describe the people seed example
People seeds float about outside and embed themselves in carpets. You try to keep them from embedding in your carpet by shutting the windows and barring them. window lock broke and the window creaked open. Are you obliged to nurture the seed?
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What ethical issue does the people seed example raise?
Whether you are obliged to keep a fetus when contraception fails
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What does Thomson conclude about the people seed example?
Not obliged to nurture people seed bc it's not your fault the people seed came in
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Describe Tooley's counter example
hot air ballooning (pleasurable act of mine) goes wrong and destroys an innocent person’s food supply, do I have obligation to feed them?
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What is the doctrine of double effect?
Acceptable to bring about foreseen but unintended bad consequences where consequence is side effect of pursuing good. E.g. save woman = hysterectomy = losing child.
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What are the two arguments from consequentialism?
consequence of carrying out or failing to carry out abortion
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Arguments from consequentialism for abortion
1. Law ‘Roe vs Wade’: 1973. For legal abortion bc reduce suffering caused illegal abortion 2. Cost benefit analysis: problems of unwanted children, parental inadequacy, deprivation, psychological effect 3.Maximise good life - if severely deformed
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What is the problem with the third argument?
how is ‘abnormality’ determined or the severity of a defect?
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Deontological ethics

Back

normative ethical position that judges the morality of an action based on rules, duty and following moral absolutes

Card 3

Front

What are the two rights arguments?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What is Thomson's main line of argument?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What are Thomson's 3 analogies she uses to support her point?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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